Boating – June 2019

(C. Jardin) #1
MAKING WAVES ///

#SOMEWHEREONASOUTHPORT

For more information, contact your local dealer
or visit southportboats.com to learn more.

We kept the uncompromising ride, quality,
and fishing heritage of a Southport.

We doubled down on


comfort and style.


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  1. What are ways you should
    check your trailer for road
    worthiness?
    A. Visual inspection of the
    frame, axle and springs
    for excessive rust, dam-
    age and stress bending.
    B. Check tires for excessive
    and/or abnormal wear
    patterns.
    C. Check coupler and
    safety chains for proper


operation, rust and
binding.
D. Check wheel bearings
for slop, wobble and
grinding noises as you
spin each wheel over.
E. All of the above


  1. Are hull tie-downs
    necessary?
    A. Only for long trips; if
    you’re just towing a few


miles to the local ramp,
they’re not necessary.
B. Always; the hull should
be secured to the trailer
not only with the winch
strap and a safety chain
to the bow eye, but also
always with tie-downs at
the transom.
C. Not if you have a bunk
trailer.
D. Not if your trailer has

side bunk guides to keep
the hull centered on the
trailer.


  1. Your trailer lights operate
    intermittently. What can
    you do to troubleshoot?
    A. Check the ground for all
    trailer lights first; this is
    a very common trouble
    spot.
    B. Install a ground wire
    (white wire in the trailer
    harness) directly to
    the trailer frame with
    a small screw, locknut
    and washers. Often this
    is not connected at all,
    and the trailer hitch ball
    is used as the ground
    connection to the tow
    vehicle. This causes an
    intermittent and poor
    connection.


(CONTINUED ON PAGE 24)

It’s the time of year once again where boats come out of hibernation and trailers get
towed down the road to the ramp. It seems that over the winter, many basics of trailer
maintenance and repairs are often forgotten. It’s always wise to review them before
the boating season really gets underway. Here are some trailer-repair basics you don’t
want to forget. —John Tiger (Answers on page 26)

TRAILER


REPAIR

Free download pdf