Choose the Right Equipment for <strong>Boat</strong>ing Fun <strong>and</strong> Safety ^^V^
<strong>Boat</strong> Trailering Skill Comes With Practice <strong>Boat</strong> trailers have played a big part in the growing popularity P outboard <strong>boating</strong>. With a trailer, outboard skippers can enjoy Win g on many different waterways whether they be near or ev en hundreds of miles away. A trailer also eliminates the need to rent a mooring slip. The rig can be brought home after each Outing <strong>and</strong> stored in the owner's garage or back yard. Despite the many advantages of trailer <strong>boating</strong>, some boatlien are a little reluctant to give it a try. Some have the notion 'hat trailering is a real chore. Not so, says Tom Dorwin of Evinrude Motors. Dorwin, a former national water skiing champion, is now ski advisor for the company. In his many years of competition, he trailered boats from literally one end °f the country to the other. If you've never pulled a trailer or ai "e not the expert you would like to be, Dorwin offers the tollowing suggestions. Practice makes perfect. Hitch the trailer to your car some piet Sunday morning <strong>and</strong> drive over to a large, empty parking '°t. A shopping center is ideal. Spend some time getting the feel of backing the trailer. Try to back in a straight line for SO 'set or so. Then try to back into a marked parking space. It won't take long to get the hang of it if you remember one Point—turn the car wheel in the opposite direction from the Way you want the trailer to go. The simplest way to do this is to get into the habit of gripping" the steering wheel at the bottom, <strong>and</strong> from that position, turn it in the same direction you Want the trailer to move. Sounds a little confusing, but by turning the steering wheel left when it is held at the bottom, You're actually turning the car wheels right <strong>and</strong> vice versa. After a short practice session you'll be ready to give it a try a t the launching ramp. Perhaps your biggest problem will be the tendency to over steer which can cause the trailer to jackknife. Don't let it bother you. Just pull ahead <strong>and</strong> try again. Car Top <strong>Boat</strong>s H<strong>and</strong>led Easily When it comes to choosing a boat, car toppers are the favorite °f many fishermen <strong>and</strong> hunters who make use of the nation's Uil<strong>and</strong> waters. They're lightweight, easy to h<strong>and</strong>le <strong>and</strong> inexpensive to buy. Car top boats, of course, eliminate the need tor a trailer. They also allow the user to get onto waters where 'aunching ramps are not available. A regular car top carrier is all that is needed to transport the boat. Straps provided with the carrier are used to hold down the boat on top of the car. A couple pieces of line tied fore <strong>and</strong> aft to the car bumpers will keep the boat from sliding back <strong>and</strong> torth. Twelve-foot car toppers are most popular. <strong>Boat</strong>s of this size Usually weigh less than ISO pounds <strong>and</strong> are easily h<strong>and</strong>led by two men. Car toppers are usually powered with outboard motors of 10 or less horsepower, depending on the size <strong>and</strong> specifications of the boat. The outboard motor is carried in the trunk of the car <strong>and</strong> attached to the boat when it is put in the water. Car top boats are functional in design. Most come equipped only with seats <strong>and</strong> as a result are quite inexpensive. Prices vary with make <strong>and</strong> size but good car top boats can often be Purchased for $100 or less. Add to this the price of a threehorsepower outboard <strong>and</strong> a car top carrier <strong>and</strong> the total cost tor a br<strong>and</strong>-new car top rig is still less than $300. Car toppers have several points in their favor <strong>and</strong> offer an excellent way to get started in <strong>boating</strong>. WITH A LITTLE PRACTICE, anyone can become an expert boat trailer h<strong>and</strong>ler. The important thing to remember when learning is to take it easy; don't try to back up too fast. When launching, if s a good idea to have another person direct you onto the ramp. Even an experienced trailer h<strong>and</strong>ler may have to make a couple of tries on a bad day. Just before you back onto the ramp, loosen the trailer tiedowns, tilt up the motor <strong>and</strong> check to see that the drain plug is inserted. It's easier to do this before the trailer is backed to the water's edge. When the trailer is in launching position attach a mooring line to the boat, unhook the winch line <strong>and</strong> shove the boat off the trailer. While you're parking your car, either have someone hold the line or tie the boat to a pier where it will not interfere with other boats being launched. When others are waiting to use the ramp, get your car out of the way as quickly as possible. It's only common courtesy, the same as you would expect from other boatmen. CAR TOP BOATS have several advantages. They are inexpensive, easy to h<strong>and</strong>le <strong>and</strong> can be launched almost anywhere. Car toppers offer an excellent way to get started in <strong>boating</strong>. JUNE—<strong>1963</strong> 15
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