Being a saltwater fisherman, it forces me to travel quite a bit living 40-50 miles from the nearest saltwater boat ramp in Tampa. Then there's traveling 2-1/2 hrs. to Boca Grande, or 3-1/2 hrs. to the Everglades, (I'm not even going to mention the Keys). But once the salt gets in your blood, it’s hard to go back chasing those freshwater “toads”. And with the cost of gas rising, it’s hard to maintain the regularity of my trips when I could drop the boat in a freshwater lake not more than10 miles away. But still, it’s the price we pay to capture the trophy Tarpon, Snook or Redfish that we dream about. A lot of work goes on during the week between trips. There’s maintenance on the electronics, or maybe the live well system, or maybe something as simple as washing and waxing the boat. But how much attention do we focus on our trailers? Yeah, we all shoot some grease in the bearings, and we see the carpet starting to drop from the bunk boards, but how closely do we look at the damage caused by the salt?

 

I would have to say that tools are the most important part of traveling with your boat. From just tightening a screw on a hatch to trying to bang off that inner bearing ring off your axel spine. Sometimes the most bizarre things can happen. I’ve had to use the winch cable to pull that bearing ring off before. Sometimes, you’re forced to be creative. The tools I carry consist of a hammer, socket sets (2) - a regular set and a large set for the nut on your axle, screwdrivers (both flat and Phillips head & usually a couple different sizes). A couple of knives, a 4-way lug wrench (preferably large to save your back), WD-40, PB Blaster, rope & string, a few blocks of wood, (2” x 4” & 2” x 6”-about 10”-12” long), emory paper to sand the spline on your axle if it becomes scared, extra bearings, grease, cotter pins & of course, my favorite, zip ties. I have a toolbox on the back of my truck, and over the years, I have filled it with everything and anything I can think of. My philosophy is, “it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it”. I’ve pulled some friends out of jams before because they didn’t have the right size tool or part with them and I just go get it out of my personnel automotive repair department. It is peace of mind, and a safety factor if taking people with you that day. Imagine having to sleep on the side of the road because you blew your bearings out in the middle of nowhere and didn’t have the parts to replace them. And it’s not the safest feeling in the world leaving your boat there.

 

Something I’ve had trouble with in the past are hubs. I’ve had hubs totally blow apart on me going up I-75, and that’s not a good feeling when it’s 7:30 at night and everything’s closed. If it can happen, it’s probably happened to me. So I now carry 2 spare hubs. You can buy these at a local Wal-mart, automotive store or your local marine store. They run anywhere from $35.00-$60.00 depending on how fancy you want to get. Some come in a nice plastic box, with the entire hubs put together-grease, bearings & all. The cheaper ones come with all the parts, just not assembled. Either way, it will only take you getting stuck on the side of the road once to make you plan ahead. So don’t let experience be your teacher-get ahead of the game.

 

Little things I do are every time we stop for something, whether it be a bathroom break or food stop, is I check the temperature of my hubs. They should be warm-maybe a little hot, but if it burns your fingers, then something’s wrong. Check your winch cable to see if it’s tight. Check the tires to see if they’re wearing uneven or starting to fray. Check your taillights to see if something has come loose or unattached. I know some people who unplug their lights before backing their trailer into the water. Great idea if you’re going through blown bulbs, but don’t forget to plug them back in. Check your switches to see if anything got accidentally turned on while loading the boat. Something I’ve seen before is the handle on my trolling motor was turned on just slightly, but I couldn’t tell because the blade was touching the deck. When I got down to the water and went to use it, it was burned up and no good to me. It can be very frustrating, but part of the learning curve.

 

A lot of mishaps occur when on the water. Then you’re really up the creek. No parts store at the pass, no Wal-Mart’s in the bays. This is when Vessel Assistance or Sea Tow can becomes a lifesaver. Their services are extremely reasonable for a year’s policy. For a little extra money, you can add extra coverage to help assist you even when trailering. If you were to blow a tire, hub or something as serious as the axle breaking, they offer roadside assistance and will get your boat towed for you. So the key is to expect the unexpected. Be ready for Murphy to pay you a visit, for if you fish saltwater, something eventually will break on you. Be ready and you will be a lot safer for yourself and others around you.

 

 

J.R. Lane