Boats Discover Malibu Get In Touch Build A Boat Gear Store Find Your Local Dealer Request a Product Guide THE TRUTH TO BOATING PART 1 HOW TO TRAILER YOUR BOAT No matter what size your rig, getting to the lake is a breeze when you follow a few simple guidelines for safety and etiquette. It all starts with your Malibu trailer and these quick tips. Gear Up Along with all your watersports equipment, you’ll need an appropriately-sized, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket for everyone onboard, plus a throwable. Kids under 13 need a PFD they can wear at all times, so it’s a good idea to get one that’s comfortable. Check your local and state regulations for additional safety requirements. Hooking up Your Tow Vehicle If your vehicle has a backup camera you can do this solo, and if not, you’re going to want to get a friend to help out. Make sure you have a 2” ball, as all Malibu trailers except for the M240 use 2” couplers and the right ball is essential for a secure tow attachment. Position the coupler about an inch above the vehicle’s trailer hitch ball so you’ve got enough height for the ball to clear the coupler but not so much that it’s hard to judge when you’re in the right spot. Whether you’re backing up with the vehicle’s reverse camera or having your friend give you signals, remember to take it slow. Connecting the Trailer When the ball is directly under the coupler, put the vehicle in park, set the brake and lower the trailer onto the trailer hitch using the tongue jack. Lock the coupler in place on the ball. Secure your safety chains to the vehicle and plug in your trailer’s electronics to the vehicle. Remove the boat’s cover unless it’s specifically a trailering cover (over-the-tower cover). Make sure the trailer’s transom straps are secured to the boat on the lifting eyes on either side of the transom. Remove the chocks or disengage the trailer brake and you’re ready to roll! Swing Wide Particularly on right-hand turns, you’re going to want to swing much farther out so the trailer doesn’t clip the curb. Wait for your opportunity and pull out only when it’s safe and you can get into the second lane over when making right turns. In most cases that should give you enough room to turn without hitting the curb. Watch your Blind Spots It’s always a good idea to drive a little under the speed limit on the highway and no matter what road you’re on, keeping an eye on your blind spots and practicing defensive driving will get you to the lake trouble free. Backing Up When you need to reverse, everything will be backwards with a trailer. A trick is to put your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel instead of the top. Whatever direction that hand goes, the trailer will go. The Truth to Boating: How To Trailer Your Boat FEATURES Malibu decided that customers buying the best boats on the market should be able to haul them with the best trailers. So we began making our own. We hired the best team of craftspeople in the business to custom-build trailers that matched our boats in engineering and quality. *This document is meant as a guide. Always check state and local regulations as well as U.S. Coast Guard regulations for specific boating rules and regulations. Areas and conditions can be unique so it’s best to check ahead of time. By sending this information, I understand that I am providing express consent for Malibu Boats or their affiliates to contact me about this request, special offers, news and announcements or similar topics. I know that I can opt-out from future communication at any time and I acknowledge and accept the Privacy Policy and agree that my information may be transferred to the U.S. if I’m outside the U.S. Discover Malibu Athletes & Ambassadors Our History Malibu Innovations Malibu Monsoon Engines Awards News & Events Career Opportunities Investors Patents Privacy Policy Suppliers Owners Manuals Wakesurf Boat Wakeboard Boat Water Ski Boat Help & Support Contact Us Warranty Request A Product Guide Find A Dealer Malibu Gear Store Also of Interest Discover MalibuBoats facebook Asset 1 Copyright © 2020 Malibu Inc. All rights reserved. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies