question on towing?????????????

[2007Nitro]

Iam planning on vacation and taking my boat but its about 1300 mile on way.  I have a 2003 dodge ram and a 2007 nitro 640 is this a risk trip or anything i should know before i leave would be a great help!!!  I have never towed a boat over 8 hours before:[

[Ron Fogelson]

For your trailer check and double check your tires and spare; if you don't have a spare get one.  Look over and repack or replace the hubs as needed.  Double check your lights and have extra fuses and bulbs on the tow vehicle.  An extra hub would be a nice to have thing, beats being stuck on the side of the road trying to find a wal-mart in hopes they have one on hand.  Make sure your safety chains are in good shape and use them. 

Tow vehicle; do you have a transmission cooler?  They sure help on long hauls.  Your truck should handle the 640 just fine but if you have had any transmission slip or have smoke the clutch when stuck or pulling out the boat at the ramp you need to get it checked out before you go.

Make sure you have a lug wrench in the truck that fits the lugs on your boat as well as your truck, make sure you have a good jack.  I keep a small floor roller in my truck, much better then that POS that comes with vehicles now a days.  Check over your truck tires and the spare, make sure it has air in it and if you have a lock on it know where the key is and check to see if you can get it off.  Sometimes they rust in place or get stuck if you have been in the mud.

Have extra fuses for the truck and a tool kit, never know what you may have to try and fix on a long haul like that.

Good luck I'm sure some other folks will be by to fill in the holes I forgot to cover.

Fogy

[Fish_myster]

good reply Fogy, sounds like you've been there. Me too.
I feel your boat is light and will handle it. Trailer tires and bearings very critical. AND remember....the tire on the trailer are alot smaller then the truck tires SOOO they turn much faster. NO high speeds. It's not worth it. I know how easy it is to go over the speed limit when traveling but the tires on the trailer that size are not made for it.
Wish you the safest trip you can have and have great time.
Wishin I was fishin' too!

[2007Nitro]

Thanks for the input guys !!! Iam making my check list now!! Backwater fishin for big tarpon and snook in the keys here i come

[Fish_myster]

be sure to flush the salt water out before coming back home!!!
Maybe some of them FL guys on here can tell us how they flush their ride out after fishing.
Fish on dude!