Reversing a boat trailer - tips please.

Never be to proud just to unhitch the damn thing and push it round by hand. It can be a lot quicker, and make better use of tight spaces. I used to take my glider through the middle of Thirsk regularly, on the way to the club at Sutton Bank, and the easiest way to do the twisty bits was to unhitch and push.
 
I have't really had a major issue reversing other than having to have up to 5 attempts and readjustments to get the trailer in the right position to go up the driveway often with added stress of stopping cars getting past because I have blocked the whole road..

My advice as others have said is make small and slow adjustments, watching the trailer you will very quickly see the reaction from the steering input and if it's wrong just go the other way.. Remember reversing isn't a race so take it as slow as you can really which will give you plenty of time to do what you need to..

Incidentally I have just fitted a front tow bar so I am looking forward to trying that out and hoping it makes hitting the driveway much easier..
 
Pull forwards and straighten the trailer as soon as it starts going wrong. When you are brilliantly competent you will be able to correct, but if you can't get it right from the beginning (not being rude) you dont have much chance of getting it right when it goes wrong ;) So, first make sure you can reverse a good distance in reverse, making small corrections to keep the trailer straight. If you can't reverse straight, you will never manage to reverse corners !!
 
As people have said, practice and practice.

Had a real challenge with our 6.5 metre boat at Rockley Park yesterday due to all the cars abandoned around the slipway. Some places need better car parking enforcement, some of the cars were really reluctant to move.
 
JumbleDuck said:
Never be to proud just to unhitch the damn thing and push it round by hand. It can be a lot quicker, and make better use of tight spaces. I used to take my glider through the middle of Thirsk regularly, on the way to the club at Sutton Bank, and the easiest way to do the twisty bits was to unhitch and push.
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Not really possible with many boat/trailer combinations. Mine weighed 2300Kgs last time on a weighbridge, even on the flat the 4 wheel trailer at 450kgs is getting more than I can push.
 
wipe_out said:
I have't really had a major issue reversing other than having to have up to 5 attempts and readjustments to get the trailer in the right position to go up the driveway often with added stress of stopping cars getting past because I have blocked the whole road.. .
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I have the same problem and am not sure about the legality/insurance of using the front tow hitch on a public highway, front tow hitch is removable and declared to my insurance company.
Unfortunately many drivers are not good at dealing with unusual hazards on the road. Don't worry about having multiple attempts to get the line up right especially if the entrance is tight.
 
davidpbo said:
Not really possible with many boat/trailer combinations. Mine weighed 2300Kgs last time on a weighbridge, even on the flat the 4 wheel trailer at 450kgs is getting more than I can push.
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Fair point. However, though pushing along might be impossible, pushing round is often still an option. My Hunter + trailer is only about 1000kg in total, which is a doddle except uphill ....
 
davidpbo said:
Unfortunately many drivers are not good at dealing with unusual hazards on the road.
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Yes, we had one incident where a driver came speeding around the corner (clearly over the speed limit because it's just a gentle bend and at the speed limit you would see the boat long before it was an issue) and got a fright so decided swearing at us was the right thing to do.. Plan is to get a "SLOW DOWN" sign of some description to put on the road on that side when we are sorting out the boat.. Once in the driveway I have a winch rigged up in the garage to pull the boat up the drive next to the house because at one point there is only about 6" clearance and my reversing is never going to be that good.. :)
 
davidpbo said:
Not really possible with many boat/trailer combinations. Mine weighed 2300Kgs last time on a weighbridge, even on the flat the 4 wheel trailer at 450kgs is getting more than I can push.
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To turn 4 wheeled trailer by hand wind the jockey wheel right down (tow hitch up) so there is no weight on the front axle, with both sets of wheels on the ground all you do is try to twist the tyres off.
 
gjgm said:
Pull forwards and straighten the trailer as soon as it starts going wrong. When you are brilliantly competent you will be able to correct, but if you can't get it right from the beginning (not being rude) you dont have much chance of getting it right when it goes wrong ;) So, first make sure you can reverse a good distance in reverse, making small corrections to keep the trailer straight. If you can't reverse straight, you will never manage to reverse corners !!
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I find that when correcting, if I turn the steering to full opposite lock, the trailer can be pulled back to the correct orientation in a much shorter pull forward.
 
A Volvo 240 helps, massive steering lock allows you to unwind. I get confused when I jump in a left hand drive car and then try to reverse looking over the other shoulder. This was fun with the mast sticking out the opposite way to the trailer!
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Best advice i had was to change mental gears and concentrate on pushing the boat trailer where it needs to go then follow it with the car.
I have a 26 ft trailer yacht. I also have heavy vehicle and heavy trailer licences and other specialist classes as well and i still get it wrong sometimes.
My previous tow vehicle for the boat was really difficult as visibility to the rear was so poor. My current vehicle makes it a doddle. Dont be afraid to screw yourself around in the seat so you can see what is happening or even hang out of the door.
Backing by mirror is ok when you are already straight on more or less but hopeless if you are not and need to back around a bend.
Above all don't panic and do take your time. You are conscious of a thousand eyes watching and passing judgement, and maybe they are, but sod them, take your own time.
Stopping and getting out of the car to assess the situation anew before calmly proceeding will be quicker than getting panicked and all messed up, and it looks more professional as well...
Good luck
 
The key is remembering that the towball is behind the rear axle of the car, so moves the opposite way to the front of the car to initiate a turn.
Cars with shorter overhangs are easier to reverse with. As are longer trailers.
Short camping trailers are the worst!
 
I'm also hopeless at reversing but have learned that the trailer moves in the direction that you move the bottom of the steering wheel. My difficulty is judging when to reverse the lock and get the car to follow it!
Best advice is to find an empty car par at a quiet time and practise. (I should take my own advice).
 
wipe_out said:
Yes, we had one incident where a driver came speeding around the corner (clearly over the speed limit because it's just a gentle bend and at the speed limit you would see the boat long before it was an issue) and got a fright so decided swearing at us was the right thing to do.. Plan is to get a "SLOW DOWN" sign of some description to put on the road on that side when we are sorting out the boat.. Once in the driveway I have a winch rigged up in the garage to pull the boat up the drive next to the house because at one point there is only about 6" clearance and my reversing is never going to be that good.. :)
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I use warning triangles for traffic from both directions. 6"clearance is what I have going through the gate at an angle, more as I get up the drive. What weight boat and what winch? The gradient on my drive is near that of a steeper slipway.
 
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davidpbo said:
I use warning triangles for traffic from both directions. 6"clearance is what I have going through the gate at an angle, more as I get up the drive. What weight boat and what winch? The gradient on my drive is near that of a steeper slipway.
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Fortunately the drive is near level next to the house where the boat is, just a small gradient coming off the road and up to the house then it levels out so I am using the car for most of the section with the incline.. Boat and trailer with gear is probably just under 2700kg.. I have a 6000lbs winch, not because I need one that powerful but because it's the smallest one with the length of cable I need (20m total and about 18m usable).. I probably could have done multiple pulls with a smaller winch but its easier to be able to do it all in one go..

As it happens I have recently picked up a "British Tug" powered mover that can apparently do 3000kg off eBay so will be interesting to see if that's easier than the winch..
 
lw395 said:
Short camping trailers are the worst!
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The first time I ever tried to reverse a trailer, it was a tiny little short thing on the back of a quad, on a farm where I was working. Something about the combination of a short trailer and handlebars on the quad made the whole thing utterly impossible. I admit I never did get the hang of it and resorted to spinning the trailer around manually each time.
A few years later when I bought a sailing dinghy, before I set off to collect it I borrowed a friend's trailer and took it to a big empty gravel apron beside an industrial estate. Best 20mins I ever spent, and the dinghy turned out to be even easier as it was longer.
 
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