By Barry Tyler

The issue of the dangers of towing large boats on our roads is always brought home when someone is involved in an accident whilst towing a large cruiser.  The old saying ‘the bigger they are the harder they fall’ becomes so very poignant for when it comes to a big rig there are so many other influences within and outside of the actual rig – that contribute to the potential for disaster.  Road conditions, wind, rain, weight, balance, experience, instinct and knowledge all play an equally impacting part in the rich tapestry that is towing a big rig on our roads.

The scary part about that statement is the fact those incidents we do get to hear about are really only the very tip of the iceberg, for there are an awful lot more ‘near misses’ that don’t get reported for fear of retribution in one form or another.  In other words, the problem is significantly more prevalent than we realise or perhaps care to acknowledge.  But what is perhaps more thought-provoking though is these mishaps/catastrophes are invariably always influenced by what amounts to a complete lack of understanding in the first instance, of the very basics of towing!

In theory the above statement should send alarm bells to all who tow these massive rigs around the country – for every owner of such needs to fully appreciate the ease with which an accident can occur, when just one the above contributing factors are not addressed appropriately.  We have all witnessed the spectacular growth of the over 20ft market over the last few years, and not surprisingly people want to tow these large boats distances now that five years ago, were unheard of.  But missing amongst this equation, this new statistic, is a level of information on preparing new owners of these boats, on the proper precautions and the dangers to be aware of. 

As a normal cycle of boat owners, many have upgraded from their 1500kg, 19ft boats, and due to their purchase of a new (larger) family 4WD, now look towards accordingly larger 20-23ft boats that typically weigh a GVM of 2.5-3.0 tonnes.  As we have alluded to in previous articles, these large rigs over two tonne GVM, rely on all axles being braked, breakaway emergency braking systems, and in-cab controlled hydraulic braking systems.

Once the new 4WD and cruiser is hooked up, many think that driving these rigs is exactly the same as their previous boats.  The safety provided by these new braking systems either electric/hydraulic such as the Dunbier Hydrastar, or the new Sensabrake air/hydraulic units, in many cases provide false security as to the large weights involved.  No fault whatsoever of the people who make these braking systems, simply a lack of attention and education by the dealer who sells the rig to the client.

Some issues that can impact on your towing safety are:

• towball weight;
• windage;
• knowledge of the brake controllers;
• driver experience;
• road conditions.

Tow-ball weight

It is imperative that your dealer weighs and sets the rig correctly to apply the correct weight on your vehicle’s tow-bar.  As we has stated before ad nauseam, a general rule of thumb of seven percent of the GVM – should be applied to the tow ball.  As an example a boat package weighing in at 3000kg, should have 210kg applied to the tow bar.  In some cases this may exceed the downward force limits specified by the tow bar manufacturers, but in these cases apply the maximum allowable. 

To lighten this weight, or indeed to have too much weight on the tow-ball will sure as god made little green apples, allow your rig in variable situations such as downhill running, high cross-winds or under severe braking – to sway uncontrollably, thereby making vehicle control nigh on impossible. 

Many people believe that as their new vehicle is legally able to tow 3500kg, that it will do that job as easily as taking the vehicle shopping.  To tow these large boats, the vehicle is operating at the absolute limits of its capacity in tyres, handling and braking – there simply is no allowance for even the slightest of errors or indiscretion!

Just on the ‘big sway’, there are some who subscribe to the theory that as a stop-gap measure once you have contracted these sways, you can ‘power’ out of them by applying full throttle.  The simplistically obvious answer is you can’t!  Go back one, yes you can if your vehicle is able to cope with the size and loads involved, but in the instance of an already ‘maximised’ load the acceleration compounds the situation dramatically, easing the out-of-control load up from say 80kph to over 100kph.  The obvious solution is don’t get into this situation in the first place, by doing your homework first and ensuring everything is in order – before you set off on your trip!

Windage

If most boat owners were asked, many would be unaware of the effect all those beautiful canopies, biminis and clears have on the towing ability of the boat package.  Although very evident on smaller vessels, the effect on a larger rig that has high sides plus a raft of covers, presents itself as a potential disaster on the road.  The covers, when fitted, add dramatically to the side and height dimensions, effectively enlarging the boat so that the effect of windage and drag is magnified on the road.  It is always a good idea then, to tow with these covers removed – it only takes a few minutes to lower or remove them!

Brake controllers

As previously discussed, the braking systems used on these trailers are controlled in-cab by way of a hard-wired brake controller.  The purpose of these controllers is basically to adjust the level of power applied to the brakes, making it adjustable for differences in weight, and the level of braking effort applied when the foot brake is applied. 

The controller also has features where in cases of emergency, a button can be applied to power the trailer brakes without the car brakes being applied, which can prevent an accident simply by ‘straightening out’ a swaying trailer.  One can only ponder as to how many customers towing these large boats are not even aware of the correct adjustment and operations of all these ‘controller’ options. 

It would be advisable therefore in every purchase situation, to test, check and get used to these braking systems and their controllers – well prior to any long-distance trip.  Do a few short trips, in all conditions, and don’t be afraid to ask your dealer for advice on what you should and shouldn’t be doing.  And if you get no satisfaction there, telephone a trailer company and get the right advice from them.

Driver experience

Innocence is bliss, for many of the near misses that occur with these large boat packages are due as I’ve said, to sheer ignorance – the new owners are not being made aware of the extra weight and forces involved – compared perhaps to their previous rig.  Even worse if they have not towed any kind of vessel in the past – the mind boggles as to the possibilities/ramifications there!

It seems patently obvious to even the most casual of observers that there is an ominous opening for an advanced driving course to be made available for these new owners.  Perhaps the authorities should even go as far as making it mandatory for vehicles that tow over a certain weight, to have a licensed driver (to that level) at the controls – someone who has been trained and familiarised appropriately.  We have it with trucks, trucks incidentally that sometimes weigh less than some of these BMT rigs!

The system as it stands now is that any ‘Joe Bloggs’ off the street can take his lazy $100K to a dealer, hook up his new 3000kg rig and head off down the highway – along the way driving past bus stops, schools, old folks homes and community and shopping centres.  Emotive yes, reality – yes!

On a longer trip, we all know how we get complacent with the speed we are travelling at, and despite the large weight being towed many of us get ‘into a groove’, worrying more about what CD is playing than being aware of the implications of what can happen in an emergency, or with changing road conditions.  Pay attention and concentrate at all times, for it only takes a nano-second for a disaster to unfold.

In short then, it would be common sense that we all build up our experience in towing larger craft, to a level where we are fully aware of the responsibilities of towing such large boats.  Ironically, and indeed sadly, it still takes an accident to properly awaken us to the skill levels, responsibilities, and set-up that is actually required to tow these larger packages. 

The influx of attractively-priced imports has seen large numbers of these boats falling into the affordability levels of more people than ever before.  More boaters that is, who traditionally would be buying 16-18ft boats (where trailer towing skills are normally learnt), and who are now buying significantly larger packages.  We do all this without any dealer training, or preparation for the roads ahead.  Scary isn’t it?!