Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

Chapter 4: It Follows You Anywhere—Trailering Your Boat
◆ Tongue jack. A lifting device that allows raising and lowering the tongue to fit easily
on the hitch ball.
◆ Winch. A winding device used to pull the boat into place.
◆ Winch stand. The supporting frame for the winch.
◆ Frame. The main support members of the trailer.
◆ Axle. The solid-steel member on which the wheels turn.
◆ Roller. A rubber cylinder that allows the boat keel or hull to roll into place on the
trailer.
◆ Bearings. The friction-eliminating
devices between the axle and the wheel
hub.
◆ Tail lights. Red lights mounted on the
rear of the trailer so that it can be seen by
other drivers after dark. Wiring couples
these lights to the lighting system of the
tow vehicle, allowing them to signal stops
and turns.
◆ Bunks. The boards on which the boat
bottom rests.
Keep in mind that trailers have both length and load ratings listed on the tag on the
tongue. The length of the trailer must match the length of your boat—and it must fit so
that the transom is fully supported, not hanging over the back of the bunks even a halfinch.
Too big is better than too small here.
Weight Wisdom
It’s wise to buy more load capacity than you think you need. That rig that weighs 2,500
pounds on the day you buy it will, like you, tend to get a bit more portly with age. Add
anchors, ice chests, fuel, water, sails, lines, fishing, skiing, and diving gear you might accumulate
aboard, and you can boost the load by 50 percent. Allow enough capacity for the
add-ons.
Two Wheels or Four?
Boat Bytes
It’s a good idea to get a
trailer with full-sized tires,
14- to 15-inchers. These
run cooler than smaller
tires, roll over potholes better,
and give your boat a
smoother ride. They also last a
lot longer—the little donut jobs
get hot and blow out at a distressingly
high rate.
Trailer tires are not car tires. Trailer tires are made of more layers or plies and have a
higher load rating, which is why you can often carry a fairly large boat on two tires
instead of four.
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