MacGregorSailors.com

I told the Admiral about my post, and she said maybe hypnosis would work. Maybe I should create a list of suggestions first I wonder what she says when I tell her about this post

Ray

Oskar:

Any problems by making fast your ties to the stern cleats? Are you not worried of it pulling your cleats out?

We use one long wide strap that goes over the whole boat, one side of the trailer to the other.

Darry

Darry:

I have had no problems so far with using the stern cleats for my tie down straps. I followed the practice of the PO who told me that the dealer/importer had set it up with the straps through the stern cleats, but a single all-round strap might be better because it would avoid putting any stress on the cleats.

I know the stern cleats are strong enough to lift the trailer from having forgotten to take the straps off during a launch soon after I got the boat. (It took me a quite a while to work out why the boat went sideways in the cross wind as soon as I backed it into the water! Duh!! It floated the trailer as well. . The spectators on the dock were highly amused )

At the bow, I use a single tie down strap around the whole boat (through the foredeck cleats).

I've got my tie down strap.
I need to see where & how to connect it to the trailer. Anyone with a photo please.



Connected to the end of the goal posts. A bit iffy.

Perhaps ss 'U' bolts onto the top of the 'H' frame.
Behind the helm or in front.

Kind Rgds
Dave
26M /Alloy trailer

Dave-

I attach my strap to the trailer frame just behind the trailer fenders, securing the boat amidships, aft of the companionway. The strap hooks on the bottom lip of the trailer frame. The same lip shown in your photo from other thread. Tension keeps it in place.

Thanks for your reply. Didnt think of hooking straight onto bottom of 'H" beam. That would certainly work.

What about this 8mm Eye Plate as another option....
http://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemd ... lutePage=1
Bolted over the centre top of the 'H' beam either side.
The hooks on the strap ends are 10mm.

Kind Rgds
Dave
26M / Alloy trailer

An old thread initially but a good time of year to review for some of us. When I picked up my boat I asked the PO about straps. He said he didn’t use them as the boat pretty much stuck to the trailer like glue with the anti-fouling paint he used. I didn’t use them for the first year and did a fair bit of towing without incident. After I removed the anti-fouling and changed my bunk carpet the boat became very slick on the trailer. The major reason I started using tie downs (I use my docking lines) is because of another post on this site that talked about sudden braking forcing the boat forward which bent the winch pedestal/ladder. It is not unconceivable that if are going too fast and you brake hard enough the boat could visit you via the back of your tow vehicle. I am more concerned about fore and aft movement rather than up and down and as such position my tie downs to take up the strain if the boat is forced forward. An extra quick connect chain on the bow provides redundancy for the winch strap. BTW, I too have launched boat with the tie downs still attached and for a nano-second I was confused as to why the trailer was floating – no spectators fortunately . I made a lot of mistakes that day and the lesson learned: don’t rush and do a complete walk around before launching.

Rod

Attaching an eye plate, U-bolt, or welding an attach point would certainly work.
The hook end of my tie down strap resembles a two fingered claw whose shape conforms to the trailer. Your one finger hook may perform better when attached to the beam by bending the finger 90 degrees perpendicular to the rest of the hook.

From a post last year -

SkiDeep2001 wrote:

I have to mention a topic that has been extensively discussed, STRAPPING THE BOAT TO THE TRAILER The most powerful of tow beast available will be of little value as the Mac leaves its trailer during a change in towing direction

I now return you to the previous discussion

Ray

Good advice Ray. That strap is rated 3500 Lbs and was $20 bucks at Harbor Freight when I bought mine a few weeks ago. I looked in the mirror 40 years ago on Canadian highway 97 out of 100 Mile House at 60 or 70 MPH and saw the boat (16' Glaspar) floating above the trailer when I forgot to attach tie-down straps, and that was with a 90 HP MERC (Kiekhaefer) and lots of gear/fuel in boat. Don't want to see that again. Strap your boat with a strap around boat and trailer at forward section of cockpit. If you want to tear out cleats and stanchions you can tie down with that as your attach point. (I wouldn't though) Rob

I used a 2, 2" straps. One right behind the main hatch and one about a foot from the rear of the boat. They went across the entire boat and secured on the trailer sides. Held her on snug at 70-75 mph. Racket straps are great if you are used to working with them.

Allan

Lashed out and bought 2 eye plates of 8mm. Drilled out holes to take phillips pan head 1/4" bolts to fasten plates to top of "H" beam - as far back on the stern as possible so strap sits just fore of the helm.


Kind Rgds
Dave
26M

When on a long tow i put rubber strips under the strap so it grips the boat better and protects the gelcoat and strap from wear.

Keith,

I was thinking marine carpet under the strap however, I like the rubber idea. The strap would rub on the rubber and not the rubber or carpet on the Mac.

Went to install eye plates for the stern strap at W/E. No room for drill. Have to wait until boat is off the trailer. This weekend perhaps & also re carpet the mid and aft trailer bunks.

Kind Rgds
Dave
26M / Alloy trailer

keith wrote:When on a long tow i put rubber strips under the strap so it grips the boat better and protects the gelcoat and strap from wear.

I put a small rectangle sponge in a sock to pad between the hull and ratchet of this tow strap:

I use that same ratcheting strap. If I'm just going to my local ramp I don't bother since it's so close and the drive is so slow but anywhere else and I strap my X down. Much safer and I swear it does give a better ride at higher speeds.

One other note: I use four of those straps tied to auger style ground anchors to keep the boat and trailer on the ground during hurricanes. Thankfully wind hasn't tested the system yet. I hope it never really does. We had one close call last year so I got to deploy it - just a test run, thank goodness, as we never saw winds over 50mph.