Chaparral SSX-236, Owner'S/Operator'S Manual

Page: 66 / 120

Balancing the load on the trailer is also important. If too much
weight rests on the hitch, the towing vehicle will oversteer, a condi-
tion that causes the front end of the vehicle to sway. Conversely, too
little weight on the hitch causes the trailer to fishtail. In both cases,
the vehicle will be difficult to handle and at higher speeds the sway-
ing or fishtailing can become uncontrollable and result in personal
injury and damage to the boat, trailer, or towing vehicle.
Weight on the hitch, or tongue weight, should be 5% to 10% of the
total weight of the loaded trailer to avoid overloading the tow vehicle
and to provide adequate pressure on the hitch ball. If the weight of
the loaded trailer is 2000 pounds, the weight on the tongue should
be between 100 and 200 pounds. A weight distributing hitch trans-
fers portions of tongue weight to a point between the front and rear
wheels of the towing vehicle and to the trailer wheels.
Important: Bumper hitches are not safe and are illegal in
many states.
All trailers with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 1500 pounds or
greater are required by law to have brakes. (State laws may vary; be
sure to check your state’s requirements.) The brake system is usually
completely self-contained on the trailer and no hook-up is required to
the towing vehicle. Brakes are either drum or disc type. They work the
same way as the brakes on a standard passenger vehicle, but the
method of applying the brakes is different. Your Chaparral or trailer
dealer can explain how the brakes on your trailer work.
Make sure your boat is secure before towing it.
• Close all windows, hatches, and doors.
• Store equipment to keep it from shifting or falling.
• Remove and store convertible top if your boat is so equipped.
• Use a second safety chain to secure your boat’s bow to the
trailer tongue. Tie down the stern to the trailer.
Towing a boat requires extra caution by the vehicle’s driver. Allow
extra distance between vehicles. Obey speed limits. Some states
have lower speed limits for vehicles with trailers. If you are traveling
slower than other traffic, pull over when it is safe to do so and allow
traffic to pass. As with all other aspects of owning and operating
your boat, use common sense and good judgment.
If you do not have experience backing a trailer, practice before you
get into a confined public or private launch site. Take your trailer to
an open area and get accustomed to using it. If possible, take
someone with you who knows how to back a trailer.
Steering a trailer while backing it up works the opposite of steering a
car. If the trailer needs to go to the right, turn the steering wheel to
the left and vice versa. Inexperienced backers tend to turn the
wheel too far. Do not oversteer. Turn the wheel gradually until you
get the feel of safe backing.
LAUNCHING AND LOADING
The handling of your boat and trailer at the ramp requires practice,
skill and patience. With care and attention to the following tips, you
can launch and relaunch your boat with relative ease.
Important: Typically a beam of 8 feet 6 inches allows you to
tow without a special permit in most places. These boats are
considered “Trailerable” for this reason. Other boats have
wider beams and are still “trailerable,” but, in most cases you
need a permit to do so. Check with your state on permit
requirements before towing.
5-2
WARNING:
Improper towing can result in an accident causing
personal injury and equipment damage. Become familiar with
towing instructions in owner’s manuals and with warnings sup-
plied with your trailer and towing vehicle.