Towing and Trailering your Pontoon

1
(No Transcript)
2
Freedom to Explore
Towing and trailering brings a sense of
exploration and freedom to a pontoon boat owner
since you are able to move to any lake or river
of your choosing. For some it is simply a
requirement, such as boat owners without a
permanent dock or owners who ultimately need to
pull a boat from the water due to seasonal
weather. Regardless of the reason for moving your
pontoon, the process requires many considerations
to make the move a safe success.
3
Find a Certified Trailer
Boat manufacturers are required to comply with
industry standards and federal safety
regulations, and you want to ensure your trailer
is certified. Trailers can be certified in
identification plates, capacity ratings, safety
chains, couplings, winches, brakes, lights, and
registration procedures.
4
Confirm Towing Capacity
When getting started, your first concern is
towing capacity as compared to the weight of your
pontoon. The information for capacity is
available in your owners manual for your
vehicle. The owners manual for your pontoon will
list the dry weight of your boat, without fuel,
gear, and accessories, so you should add several
hundred pounds to account for this.
5
Check Your Tires
Inspect your trailer and towing vehicle. All
tires need the appropriate tire pressure and
should be free of undue wear. In case of any
doubt, opt to replace the tire. Take this
opportunity to also check lug nuts as to make
sure they arent loose, and grease the wheel
bearings.
6
Check Your Lights
Its surprising how easy it is to forget to check
that the brake and turn signal lights on the
trailer are working. This is especially the case
when the majority of trips are short. Have a
friend or family member assist with checking this
before each trip.
7
Utilize Chains
Use chains to securely lock the trailer hitch to
the ball. While the ball is generally effective,
in the rare case it fails youll be thankful you
utilized this back up system.
8
Secure Straps
Your pontoon should never just rest on top of the
trailer without being secured. Quality straps and
ratcheting tie downs should be used, especially
while towing.
9
Drive Safely
Once youre finally on the road, it is easy to
forget about the extra weight and extra length
that youre towing. The danger with this is
driving at increased speeds and changing lanes
without accounting for your pontoon boat.
Periodically stopping at rest areas will keep
this danger at bay and provides an opportunity to
check that there are no new potential safety
issues.
10
Manitou is the leading manufacturer of pontoon
boats. There are styles and boat sizes to
accommodate everyones interest, from those who
want to sun and fish to those who want to show
off speed. Choose from a variety of floor plans
and colors to get the exact pontoon you want.
Visit Manitou online at www.manitoupontoonboats.
com or call 800-999-9788 to explore your many
options.
11
Summary

• Trailering and towing a pontoon is no easy task
  and it takes many considerations. Taking the time
  to make sure you do things correctly will help
  prevent accidents and ensure proper care of your
  pontoon boat. Here are several tips and things to
  keep in mind.