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Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 6:11 pm
by Judge1948
I’ve always used a ratchet strap snug, but not tight ..from port frame rail up and over step pad through lift ring and back down starboard side the same way. Apparently this is not a good idea. Can anyone tell me the best way and provide a picture of this. I understand that wrapped around the strut on the bull is a much better way. Unclear how this should be done. Two straps from opposing sides of frame? One strap wrapped around strut and then to other rail? Anybody have a picture of this? Thanks!
1948 CC U22

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 8:42 pm
by drrot
Florida 2013 079.jpg
I always went from one frame rail on the trailer around the strut (over the shaft) and to the other frame rail. If you look close on the port side you can see the extra strap hanging from the ratchet.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2018 7:06 pm
by Judge1948
Thank you. Ok I will do that now. Can anyone confirm it’s NOT a great idea to strap as I described? I was told it would destroy the boat in some way. I didn’t question it but I’m now curious because I’ve seen a couple up and over rail as described. As with my glass rig which has boat buckles it’s only snug enough to prevent shifting and hopping. Again thanks for the picture.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2018 8:50 am
by mbigpops
It is not advised as you described. You do not want a strap anywhere near the varnished wood on your boat as it will act just like sandpaper if it contacts the hull. You may think the strap is tight and away from the hull but once you start moving and the wind and twisting occur it could contact the hull and ruin your finish.

Same goes for the bow. Your bow stop should be elevated above the deck and the strap through the front lifting ring to the elevated winch.

Mark

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2018 9:30 am
by Don Vogt
08 tahoe pictures, etc 015-001.jpg
Mark is correct. In that regard you should attach your back straps to the sides of the trailer as far back from the strut as possible, forming a "V". When tightened this will prevent the trailer from sliding forward and damaging the bow. It is best to make sure nothing from the trailer actually rubs the bow. Setting the boat back a couple of inches from whatever bow stop you have, even if it is rubber or padded, will avoid that problem.

I am attaching a picture that gives the general idea.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2018 4:02 pm
by Don Vogt
Should have said will "prevent the boat from sliding forward on the trailer... etc."

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2018 12:44 pm
by bflaherty
From experience the biggest issue with strapping up and over the back of the boat is that the total length of strap is too long to safely keep the boat in place! This is how I used to strap our boat down until I had my first ever near miss while towing and had to make an evasive swerve while heavily braking... The trailer made a violent tail whip (as one would expect it to do) and my strap, that was so tight you could barely get the ratchet handle locked closed, still allowed to the boat to move nearly 30% off the side of the trailer!! When I got out to inspect and reposition, the strap was still just as tight and the overall length had not changed, it simply slide around the hull shape.

After that I started doing to strut strap method. This is best achieved with two separate straps going from the strut to the trailer frame. Two straps also allows you to apply extra tension to one side of the other if the boat is not perfectly centered on the trailer (a little extra tension on one side for a couple miles of bouncy road and it will pull the boat back toward center, then you can readjust strap tension to keep it there). Also, two short straps are preferred over one long strap due to the acceptable percentage of elongation that straps are built to (longer strap lengths are allowed to stretch a greater length because they are designed around % of stretch, not total length of stretch).

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 12:41 pm
by iamallthumbs
I was going to bring this subject up to Matt on WOODYBOATER but since it is being discussed on this forum I have a comment. I originally held the boat down with a strap over the shaft but never felt comfortable with this method because of potential damage to the strut, shaft, and or alignment. I like Don D's idea of installing a large eye bolt through the keel for attaching the strap to but I have never got around to installing one.

My alternative method is to run the strap from the steel guide posts around the stern. The guide posts are welded to the trailer and covered with a PVC pipe This leaves about an inch clearance between the boat and each pipe. I snug the boat up to the bow chock, install and tighten the bow strap, and snug up the stern strap. In this manner, the boat is unable to shift no more than two inches laterally.

I have used this method the last two years, and though I have not had to do any dangerous maneuvers, the boat has been securely held on the trailer.

Any thoughts, comments, warnings?

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 2:23 pm
by Don Vogt
There are a number of ways to make sure the boat is secure but only a limited number of ways that dont involve potential damage to the finish or other elements of the boat. your picture indicates possible rubbing of the finish on the transom via the strap. a no no. the strut is bolted thru the keel, so no need to worry about damage by strapping the strut. It is solid. One should not strap to the shaft as it conceivably could be misaligned thru this approach, and the strap should be kept away from the shaft in any event. Also keeping the bow away from whatever type of stop you have prevents rubbing of the cutwater.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 2:54 pm
by jfrprops
I don't know guys. The biggest fault with just using the ratchet straps.....at least in the experience of one of our above posters....is that in extreme shifting of the trailer the boat slide through the loop and might come off the trailer "about 30%" I think was the estimate. I still think that is acceptable?
I like to cross the straps from frame rail...across the bottom, up the side around and down...then over to the other frame rail.

But I am not hauling a mirror finish trailer queen either. ::???

John in Va.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 3:31 pm
by Don Vogt
Well, this post raises an issue discussed here a few years ago about trailer pulling. Many suggested they were pulling their trailers at 70-75 mph. By going slower, one provides a much greater margin for maneuver, to avoid the slamming of brakes or swerving, two of the major causes of boat shifting on the trailer. I stay under 60, myself. In ca. for example, the car/trailer speed limit is 55, even on interstates. Higher speeds may suggest more vigorous strapping, but again this is hard to do without affecting the boat finish.

There also was a question about how to secure the bow of the boat to the trailer. I am enclosing a picture on this. Ideally, the winch is placed on the trailer staff higher than the boat deck. This way the winch strap can be looped thru the front lifting ring, or attached to it, if one doesnt mind scuffing the ring, or wrapped around the ring and attached back to the trailer shaft, all above deck level. Some people bolt an "eye" ring thru the cutwater into the stem of the boat for this purpose, but this ruins the looks of the cutwater, imho.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 8:45 pm
by Judge1948
As the OP, I wanted to show how I “had” been securing the transom. Not any more. As you can see my bow post is good but I will be keeping the cutwater away from bow stop. I really didn’t get much flapping from the strap as most pulling was local and low speed. However I intend on transporting to Minnesota very soon and needed clarification on a better way. Two opposing straps from frame rail to stut seems like a much better system. Good thread great information. Btw this boat has been in my family since delivery in January 1948. Again thanks for the replies.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:20 am
by Don Vogt
Good luck. Neat to have this boat in the family all this time. Please post a couple more pictures.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:50 am
by JimF
I just had my lifting ring re-chromed as it was a little beat up from using just the metal hook from the winch strap. Does someone have a source for a short (2') piece of strap or line with an eye on each end that I could put through the ring and then connect to the winch strap? I have looked on line but I don't think I have the proper name for such a thing.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:21 pm
by mbigpops
Jim,

I have one. Let me try and find where I got it from.

Trying to post a photo ... frustrating .....

Mark

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:39 pm
by mbigpops
Jim,

Pretty sure this where I got mine :

http://customtiedowns.com/tie-downs/loop-straps/

You can pick the width of the strap that you want and the length.

You want a loop strap with loops on both ends so that you can feed it through the lifting ring and then hook it to the winch. I added a turnbuckle type of connection that goes through each loop and then attaches to the hook.

Mark

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:43 pm
by Don Vogt
yes, something like that would be great. currently i have to fold my winch strap in half as I wrap it around the lifting ring so it stays under the "wing" associated with the ring. a nuisance. for those with post war round rings, i would think there would be a problem using this strategy since the strap could probably easily slip up over the ring. Hooking the strap to the ring of course wrecks the chrome.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:55 pm
by mbigpops
I have been trailering for 2 years now with the strap inside the lifting ring with no chrome damage.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 1:29 pm
by Don Vogt
thanks. this works if the hook at the end of the winch strap will pass thru the ring. mine is too large, so this strap idea would work great.

thx. for the pic.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 5:37 pm
by JimF
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AS ... UTF8&psc=1

I just ordered these. Looks like they will work. Apparently I will have spares!

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:26 pm
by Katanna
Cut the hook off the end of your strap. put a hook on your winch stand. run the strap through the lifting ring and back to the hook on your stand. Now there is no chance of dropping the hook on the deck.

Steve

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2018 10:09 am
by Judge1948
Wasn’t sure where the best place to post a few more pictures would be so what the heck here goes. This boat was delivered to my family January 1948 to Masters Marine on Walloon Lake Michigan. It had stayed there it’s entire life until 2 years ago when it was passed on to me. I remember riding in it when I was 8 or so...(I’m now 55) thinking maybe someday I’ll get to drive it. Well it’s has become “someday”. Not my only boat, but this ones special. It’s consumed me. I have removed all three transome panels,planed the boards,built a wood steamer and jig system to shape pieces. Tank was pulled, boiled and lined. It was a horrible mess inside. Much more to be done. Needles to say I’ve learned a lot!
Still learning... I had no idea so many folks like me were out there. Thanks for looking
U22-1064

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2018 1:31 pm
by Don Vogt
Judge1948, thanks for the pictures and the story. Another good place that would be interested in a posting is the ACBS website if you are an acbs member. (If not, please consider joining.). Maybe you are familiar with their site? but in any event they feature member boats every tuesday. Also you have a great story that might be expanded upon. Yes, there are literally thousands out there who are tuned into this hobby.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 9:58 pm
by dfride
I'm new to this forum and for some reason I can't see any pictures in this thread. Do I need to set my profile a certain way? I can see pictures in other threads just not this one.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2023 10:22 am
by drrot
It's not you. Something is wrong with the site.

Re: Best way to secure transome to trailer?

Posted: Sun Apr 16, 2023 10:54 am
by dfride
Ok thank you