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Do I need mirrors??

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/28/2006 : 21:02:49

Well, the Admiral and I are on the way to Iowa from Oregon to pick up our new C250. Got lots of good advice from you all re trailering - thanks! One thing we did not think about is whether we will need mirrors on the tow vehicle. It is a GMC Yukon, the SUV version of the Silverado pickup. If we need mirrors we'd like to get them before we arrive at the boat. Anybody have experience with this or a similar combination?

We cannot direct the winds but we can adjust our sails.

Edited by - on

Dkn420
Captain

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USA
298 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2006 : 21:22:44

I tow my boat with a 2003 Silverado with the towing package and the stock mirrors have been fine...it depends on if you think you can see the boat well enough...Dan #727

Edited by - on

kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Response Posted - 09/28/2006 : 23:18:10

IMO, you don't need mirrors. I don't use them on my Durango.

Edited by - on

Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 09/29/2006 : 06:48:52

I didn't use anything other than the stock mirrors on my big trip to get my boat. Doing 55 mph - everyone's passing on the left, you will see just fine.

I can't remember if anyone told you to buy a set(2) of ratchet straps to run from the trailer up over the cockpit and back to the trailer on the other side. And a couple of carpet squares to protect the fiberglass under the straps. I watched the straps through my mirrors to see if they would get loose. Of course they didn't.

Good luck, go slow, be safe.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 09/29/2006 : 07:33:54

Thanks folks. Turk, I have the ratchet straps. I'll pick up some carpet squares, or maybe a couple of towels from motels

to protect the boat. I figured on putting one just foreward of the cabin and one just aft. Also planning on some sort of rope/strap to hold the outboard still.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 09/29/2006 : 08:07:22

One of the good things about keel boats is the visibility under and around them while towing. Truth be told you don't really need trailer lights because traffic can still see your taillights, the deeper the keel the better the visibility. My Merit 25 was a towing dream, it was like towing an arrow.

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 09/29/2006 : 08:31:11

Don't forget to put twists in all your straps. It will prevent vibrations from the wind. You can get strap on extenders at most auto parts stores if you desire them. Good luck. I did this route in May. Except it started in Florida!

Tom.

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SEAN
Admiral

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USA
772 Posts

Response Posted - 09/29/2006 : 09:17:10

Hey Randy,
I saw you were talking about putting a dingy under the boat .It fits the walker bay 8.
I store mine there overthe winter, it fits upside down nose front .You need two pieses of wood to hold up the rear or it will wedge between the to supports.2x6x 1 foot long.
bring some duck tape an extra ratchets to hold everything in place.
I store mine there I never towed it like that
but it does fit neatly.

also plan time to drive around the block and get up to speed to make sure every thing is ok before you set off.
We towed ours with a yukon and we just got everything done at DMV ,so the time we left the yard they were closeing up (sounds good right).
we get on the thuway and we cant go over 45 mph.real bad swaying ,some one said the tong weight was off .And inthe yukon manuel said theres a sway kit you can buy .
not much we could do at 7:00pm so we drove local roads all the way .
The yukon drove fine under 45 .
so give yourself time to make adjustments if you have to make any.
and check the air pressure in the truck and trailer.
good luck.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 09/29/2006 : 13:28:32

I agree with Frank, the boat sits so high that you can see underneath it pretty well. My problem isn't with the boat, it's with my F-250, it has large blind spots on both sides. They're so large that I learned how to manipulate my electric mirrors to look around before changing lanes. If Rita's with me, she can just look for me. I'm going to be getting some aspherical mirrors for the truck, they're very similar to what Formula 1 drivers use, and the just attach to the existing mirrors. I'll post a link to them later today, I'm heading out the door right now.

Edited by - delliottg on 09/29/2006 13:30:00

frogger
Navigator

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USA
184 Posts

Response Posted - 10/02/2006 : 04:37:37

Some states require fully functional trailer lights. Check.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 10/02/2006 : 10:20:51

Thanks for the advice all. I will forgo the mirrors. Frogger, I had the trailer taken into a shop to make sure that all functions including lights were all A-OK.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 10/02/2006 : 10:38:20

Here's the link to the aspherical mirrors I was talking about: http://www.safetymirrorsonline.com/

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 11/04/2006 : 10:19:38

So I got these mirrors a couple of weeks ago, and I've been driving with them nearly every day. My overall impression is that they're a huge improvement over my original mirrors. I can now see my blind spots without having to crank my neck around or manuever my mirrors. Backing up to a trailer is a bit easier. Although the images are smaller, you can see much more so it makes up for it. When towing a boat, you can see traffic around you much better, and even little cars have a hard time sneaking into your blind spots. So far, I've only had one car surprise me since I've gotten them, and he'd turned onto the street I was traveling on from behind a latte stand where I couldn't see him anyway (I think, don't really know where he came from). It was pre-dawn, I went to make a lane change to the right, and then saw him in the mirrors. Had I not had the new mirrors, I'd have probably hit him. I looked over my shoulder after seeing him in the mirror, and could not see him at all beside my truck.

I would highly recommend these mirrors to you guys. The link for them is in my previous posting. They cost $66 plus shipping for the pair, or $36+ for a single.

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