Boat Tie Downs To Trailer?

[NiceAft]

I have been towing my M without tie downs to the trailer. I recently saw somewhere that it is a law in all states to tie down the boat. The winch is not enough. What have you been doing in this area

Thanks,
Ray

[DLT]

Here is what I use.

I actually use these to tie the boat down on the trailer, from the aft cleats to the trailer, and tie the mast down, to keep it from bouncing around...

[kmclemore]

Yikes! You absolutely MUST use a tie-down... you're really tempting fate without one. A quick swerve or substantial braking could easily throw that boat right off the trailer.. and that original Mac winch is a toy for the weight of that boat - it only barely holds the boat on, IMHO.

The tie-down that DLT linked above would be probably work fine, but I think this might be a better choice. Personally, I like the really wide ones (mine's a trucker's strap, about 3" wide) because they spread the load and don't leave dents in the rub-rail.

(and hey, Mark, no comments or pictures about 'strap envy', or 'size queens' please! )

[Moe]

We use a single strap from one side to the other with those pads where it turns across the gunwales. I'm sure it probably holds the boat a little better than straps to the stern cleats, but going across the cockpit, it's a royal pain. We have to take it off to get in and out of the boat at home, and it's easy to forget to reinstall. It has to come off or at least be loosened, to get in the cabin when you're on the road using the boat as an RV. I think I'd rather have some 2" straps running from the trailer to the stern cleats.

BTW, ditto Kevin's Yikes!
--
Moe

[Frank C]

I know I've seen that big yellow strap in Costco or Sam's Club - nearly half price at 2 for $24 IIRC.

[Tom Root]

I still use a single dock line, 40' long, knotted through the center of fore/aft cleats. Lash her down with excess dock line, to the bottom end of the goal posts. No hassle, and never looking for a tie down strap, or a dock line for that matter!