Trailering 101

[Joshua Miller]

So I thought I was good at trailering but yesterday proved me wrong..

Story—So there I was, at the boat ramp. Super busy but I’ve got two adult boys so we make quick work of the launch. Parking lot is packed and I can’t find a single truck and trailer spot open that isn’t next to other trailers that were parked crooked—proof that I’m not the only one. But for the life of me I couldn’t make the turn to get my truck into the spot without the trailer taking too sharp a turn and clipping the trailer in the adjacent spot; it’s a tandem axle that holds an AR240. Mind you these were angled parking spots and the lot was small with raised curbs on the edges to keep me from turning the truck wide to increase the turn radius as I approached the spot. After no kidding about 10 laps around the lot and multiple attempts at trying to get the trailer to swing wide, I gave up, pulled the boat out of the water and found another ramp.

Anyone else had this problem? Any advice to offer? I’ve been trailering for six years and felt like a noob. The other ramp had a wide open field so no issues at all parking and retrieving. Still had a good day on the water.

 

[2kwik4u]

Some days you're the windshield, some days your the bug. It gets us all from time to time, don't sweat it. I usually have problems when I change trailer or tow vehicles lengths.

On vacation in June I moved my uncles 2500 long bed pickup with 20 ft Tracker on it. His truck is LONG compared to my Q7 (that also has 4 wheel steering), and the axles on his trailer as set WAY back compared to my AR190. That thing was a BEAR to back up after I moved it. He tried mine a few days later with similar poor results. We're both experts with our own setup, but that change threw both of us a loop.

I've had days where I can't find a spot as well. Couple of times it took me 4-5 tries to get into a spot, and I was certain it was going to be damaged when I came back. Luckily it wasn't, but the two guys on either side of me hadn't left so it took another 4-5 tried to get back out.

Again, don't sweat it. We call get that from time to time.

 

[Seadeals]

It can be really tough when things are super busy as lots are tight and you feel the time pressure. We tried an outing on Saturday two weeks ago. Every weekend seems like a holiday weekend traffic-wise now. It was a hot mess and I even screwed up my solo launch flipping the winch and the boat dragged the strap off the reel and I had to winch it back in to board. The spots were tight and I swear every person there had a 3/4 ton + TV so there was hardly any room to maneuver. Luckily I nailed the back-in parking boss-style. It was super tight but the key to it is when you initiate and counter the turn rate of the trailer. Sometimes you really have to look at where the front of the tv will have the space to do so.

 

[Robconn]

I experienced having to travel to 3 boat ramps and calling it quits. Frustrating. However, was lesson about better planning and going earlier in the day or later in the day. If by necessity you have to travel to more than one ramp, it is advisable to buy season ramp passes or be prepared to fork out the daily fee. I had my local county pass as well as Army Corps of Engineers pass. If lake is up or down by 5ft, 30% of boat ramps are inaccessible.
now I pay for a slip. Still have to plan around lake traffic as coves and sandbars are a bit crowded than years past. I noticed not every perfect day or opportune day will have the same volume of boaters. So some days are effortless while others are challenging.

 

[Chatt_Jetsetter]

So I thought I was good at trailering but yesterday proved me wrong..

Story—So there I was, at the boat ramp. Super busy but I’ve got two adult boys so we make quick work of the launch. Parking lot is packed and I can’t find a single truck and trailer spot open that isn’t next to other trailers that were parked crooked—proof that I’m not the only one. But for the life of me I couldn’t make the turn to get my truck into the spot without the trailer taking too sharp a turn and clipping the trailer in the adjacent spot; it’s a tandem axle that holds an AR240. Mind you these were angled parking spots and the lot was small with raised curbs on the edges to keep me from turning the truck wide to increase the turn radius as I approached the spot. After no kidding about 10 laps around the lot and multiple attempts at trying to get the trailer to swing wide, I gave up, pulled the boat out of the water and found another ramp.

Anyone else had this problem? Any advice to offer? I’ve been trailering for six years and felt like a noob. The other ramp had a wide open field so no issues at all parking and retrieving. Still had a good day on the water.

This sounds like it wasn't your issue, but an issue with a poorly designed parking lot and people who don't care they didn't park correctly. We don't have to trailer much now, but growing up I remember the boat trailer parking lots and thinking how tight they looked. Sometimes there just isn't the real estate, and like you said there are lots of very large tow vehicles plus the trailer and it just makes things difficult.

 

[adrianp89]

I don't need to know but want to know how guys parallel park with their trailer. Poor parkers really bother me though, if I walk out and see I am outside the line, I will go back and fix it.

 

[1WetBoat]

The ramp I use the most doesn't really have parking spots for boats, its pretty much open field. But, I don't like my trailer crooked either so I always try to make sure my trailer is lined up. When I launch from the ones that do have trailer spots, I'm the same way, I make sure I'm between the lines. To me its common courtesy to not impede someone else from parking.

 

[kgower]

I don't need to know but want to know how guys parallel park with their trailer. Poor parkers really bother me though, if I walk out and see I am outside the line, I will go back and fix it.

Me too, has to be inside the lines.

 

[AZMark]

I don't need to know but want to know how guys parallel park with their trailer. Poor parkers really bother me though, if I walk out and see I am outside the line, I will go back and fix it.

I have one lake where the overflow parking is parallel on the cliff side of a windy road up a hill.
The one time I tried to parallel I was holding a guy up for not very long but he could immediately tell I was a dumbass & he was kind enough to jump in my truck & park it perfectly in about 5 seconds.
I tell myself he’s probably a semi truck driver so I can sleep at night.

 

[Chatt_Jetsetter]

I don't need to know but want to know how guys parallel park with their trailer. Poor parkers really bother me though, if I walk out and see I am outside the line, I will go back and fix it.

Yes, I don't understand how people park half over the line and just get out and walk away. Even if I'm just parking my vehicle, no trailer, and I get out and I'm on the line or crooked, I get back in and straighten it up. Takes 10 secs.

 

[mrmeaniemeateaterman]

My boat is 25ft with a 9ft beam on a trailer with guide post stuck even further out, all being towed by a F250. I feel your pain.
Whoever designed these NC Wildlife parking lots used a Rav4 and a 14ft jon boat as an example vehicle. Even if I get it between the lines my guide posts hang over both lines. I just use it as as excuse to stay on the water until everyone else has left for the day. "No reason to rush honey, I can't get the truck out of the parking spot until those other guys leave."