BYYB Forums

I haven't looked into trailer straps yet, but I will have to do that very soon. I'm wondering if people get straps that go all the way across or are there some fittings that ride on the rub rail and attach there with a much shorter strap? I assume everyone uses a strap with a lever to tighten. Is there a need to put some kind of foam underneath to protect any finished areas it goes across?

If you install eyes or hooks on the transom, you don't need to use padding. If you go over the rails then you may want to save your finishes with some padding.

I use straps that go all the way across. I need to replace one strap on my plastic boat as it has degraded from uv. The strap came with the boat and although it was more than adequate when new, it does not take long for the strap to degrade in the southern sun. Get a thick strap. Made of good hefty webstrap.

I have one strap goint over the bobstay mount at the stem and ove ofer the ruddet box at the stern. Teh loading cable is left tight against the bow stop. She rides very nice this way and it doesn't wear the rub rails. For loooonnng trips, just for Ss and Gs, I put a padded cargo strap over the rails at the cpt bulkhead in addition to the other straps.

I started with a strap over the cockpit, but found the boat was not very stationary and I didn't want to wear the rails. I went to a better arrangement. I placed some pad eyes on the transom as Paul suggests. Sorry, this is not the best picture, but if you look hard you can see 2 adjustable straps from the rear quarters. Now, I can tighten each strap as needed so the boat can't go anywhere.

Since the stern hangs over the back of my trailer a bit, I don't think any attachment at the transom is going to work for me. My guess is that I will most likely try to go across just in front of the mast and just behind the cockpit bulkhead. I was thinking of keeping some of that foam tubing handy and cut a slit in it so it will fit over the rub rail. Hopefully this could work well enough to prevent wear on the rails. Also, I assume most keep the front winch attached too.

Now, I do like the idea of pad eyes. I wonder if you gain stability if you attach some on the deck, just inside the rub rails and attach there. I'm thinking two points on each side in roughly the same locations described above. With this arrangement, it reallly wouldn't be able to move side to side.

Tom, the most leverage you'll get is how widely you have the hold downs spaced, though this is pretty moot with it sitting pretty on some bunks, maybe with the keel captured in a keel box.

I dislike over the rail strapping of any type. They have a tendency of wearing into the rails, the straps flap at speed and test the strength of your paint job, they vibrate and sing if edge to the wind flow. I've seen a lot of topsides ruined by flapping hold down straps and plenty of crushed rails from cinching them down too tight.

The idea is to just keep the boat from bouncing and shifting on the trailer when on the road. They don't have to be especially tight, just snug. With transom mounted eyes, an S hook can keep the strap clear of the boat, so it can't beat on anything.

If the trailer is equipped with loading guides, that are well matched to the hull (very close fit) then if it bounces around, it can't go very far, so just a simple strap to the lower gudgeon will keep her down.

Boy, I sure hope I didn't underbuy on this trailer. As you can see, the rails of the trailer are just under the chines. The idea I had today was to make a wooden block that has a slot cut into it that would fit right over the rail. Then attach some sort of fastener to the outside of the block for the strap to attach to. The channel I would cut for the rails would be lined with the same material I used on the bunks, a kind of outdoor carpeting with a rubber base. These I could place just aft of the cabin bulkhead over the cockpit. I could also attach another fastener to the tops of these blocks and run a strap across just to distribute the stress a little more evenly.

I'm not too keen on making a full length channel for the keel, but I think it would be very easy and effective to make one or two sections for the keel to fit into. Perhaps a two or three foot section up at the front and anorther back under the cockpit. I'm thinking that with this set up: the one strap across the cockpit, a couple of channel sections for the keel to set into and attachment up front at the winch should do it.

She's a nice looking boat. I really like the color. It isn't something I see often. My boat is a day sailor and I get away with one strap over the cockpit. I do not have trouble with over torqueing because I use a cam strap that you pull up hand tight. It has worked fine so far. I also use the painter to tie her to the winch post on the trailer. You can always pad the gunwhales and side decks. I use some left over pieces of trailer bunk carpet. One thing though, I would put the mast down before you leave

She's a nice looking boat. I really like the color. It isn't something I see often. My boat is a day sailor and I get away with one strap over the cockpit. I do not have trouble with over torqueing because I use a cam strap that you pull up hand tight. It has worked fine so far. I also use the painter to tie her to the winch post on the trailer. You can always pad the gunwhales and side decks. I use some left over pieces of trailer bunk carpet. One thing though, I would put the mast down before you leave