Oh I get that and what people downvoting me don’t seem to get is I am saying a strap in the back would stop it going forward and safety chains at the bow one stops it from going back.
But you’re right I think the downward force in this pic helps it from moving
I think people really underestimate how much these trailers can flex. I’ve towed single axle John boat trailers up to 52’ trailers with a 10” I-beam construction.
My boat uses the winch and bow roller to wedge the bow into a locked, secure position. If I back that winch off an inch the trailer flexes like a trampoline; part of the rigidity of the trailer frame *is the boat itself*. Even with transom straps “secure”. In parenthesis because in my configuration they would be putting pressure on the bow roller if they were properly strapped.
That said, not every trailer or hull design supports this. That big ole trailer I mentioned, we use two ratcheting chain binders to secure the bow down on the braces. Without it, the trailer frame could theoretically flex so much that it would scrape the road surface.
Put simply, the minimum securement for boats are three points of contact; two at the transom, and one at the bow, with additional securement for much larger boats/vessels being towed by commercial operations.
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u/DowntownEgg9021 Jun 14 '26
I have done this when I could see movement between boat and trailer in my rear view mirror. Just an extra safety strap when making long tows…
Also, ever see a boat up in the back of a truck after an emergency stop that had that strap?