330 mile trip home with new boat

[mperlst216]

I will have a 6+ hr trip trailering a newly purchased 2001 SeaRay 210 Sundeck home. Trailer and boat in mint shape, and am having wheel bearing repacked before I start. I plan on taking it easy at 50-60mph. It will have the snap on cover and I hope the bimini will fit under the cover. Any special advice?

 

[just me]

first few miles check to see if the bearings stay cool and enjoy the ride

 

[2000SEARAY280SS]

Take a jack that will fit under the axle when the wheel is flat. Lug wrench that remove the lugs and a spare tire.

Have fun.

 

[08sundeck]

I usually bring a breaker bar with socket for wheel lugs, spare, wheel chocks, extra set of bearings, grease and tools to change bearings. Just in case. If they are replacing bearings make sure they check breaks as well. Safe travels.

 

[magstang1]

Make sure the lug nuts are tight. Twice I've seen a tire fall off of a trailer. (I wasn't pulling it, I was a passenger in the vehicle.)

Make sure all your hitch hardware is tight, installed properly and sized properly. Right size ball, etc.... I had a hitch come out of the receiver while I was towing once. Thank god for safety chains. (That one was mine, and I was driving.)

 

[AFD]

screw it. don't even look in the mirror. just drive

 

[Steve Craig]

Careful with the Highlander. Believe tow capacity is 5000 lbs.?
210SD is 3500 lbs. empty, add 1000 +/- for the trailer, gas, water etc..
Getting very close to the limit.

 

[mperlst216]

Should I lower and strap the bimini, or remove it and hope it fits under the snap cover?

 

[CV-23]

If you make it the first 50 miles, the rest are easy! Towed my 270DA 8 hrs home a few years ago.....34ft trailer, Mike.

 

[Gofirstclass]

I would remove the bimini and store it inside the boat for traveling. Also, to keep the boat cover from ballooning up too much, consider some tie down straps running from one side of the trailer to the other to hold it down. That will keep the fabric from stretching out.

Good luck. Towing is not a big deal if you plan ahead and make the necessary preparations.

 

[SloBurn]

I always stop after 10 minutes of towing and get out and check everything. Is the boat still tight in the bow stop? Is the cover OK? is the hitch OK? are the chains OK? Are the hold downs tight? etc. etc. Boats move around and kind of settle in after 10 minutes or so of towing. More than once I have found something amiss after towing for 10-15 minutes and stopping to check.

 

[Trucky]

I towed my 210 SunDeck about 10 hours from Tampa to Asheville on a brand new trailer. I discussed prior to pick up with the trailer manufacturer about hitch height so I had that square before I arrived. One tip I couldn't stress more is tire pressure. It's not the heaviest of things to tow, but it's certainly no featherweight. My trailer tires were rated for 60lbs maximum pressure and we set them all to 55lbs and the trailer tracked true and pulled perfect with no sway. On your bimini top make sure you use spring clips where it mounts to the deck or you may find those drift pins do just that... drift and pop out, causing minor heart attacks when you look back and see things not quite right. I would take it off like others have said, just for your own peace of mind.

On the SunDeck your bow snap cover has a tongue that extends forward to the anchor locker that is held with only two snaps. That point seems to take all the wind pressure and if it lifts it will continue to undress itself in front of God and everyone else on the road. I solve that with some good old redneck duct tape, right across where canvas and gel coat meet. A couple strips of tape there and your cover will stay put with just a bit of sticky to clean off when you arrive. I prefer to trailer with the bow and cockpit covers on in case you hit a rain storm. About 3 minutes of swirling muck at 60 mph will make a quick mess of the inside of your boat. It also helps keep prying eyes out of the interior when you stop to eat.

Good luck, and enjoy!