Specifications
or pass, use your turn signals to let other
vehicles know what you intend to do.
• Shift to a lower gear. If your tow vehicle
has a manual transmission, traveling in
lower gears when going up steep hills or
over sand, gravel or dirt roads will ease
the load on your engine and transmission.
If your tow vehicle has an overdrive gear
(manual or automatic) you may get bet-
ter gas mileage in a lower gear. Check
the tow vehicle’s owners manual for their
recommended towing specications.
• Always be courteous. Make it as easy
as possible for faster-moving vehicles to
pass you. Remain in the slower lane and
be prepared to reduce your speed if
they need extra time to return to their
proper lane.
• Do not tailgate. Allow at least one combined car and trailer
length between you and the car ahead for every 10 MPH you
are traveling.
If a problem occurs, the general rule is to stay calm. Do not panic and
do not do anything any more suddenly or violently than is necessary.
A sudden bumping or fan-tailing may be a at tire. Do not jam on the
brakes or mash the accelerator to try to drive out of it. Stop slowly and
in as straight a line as possible. If conditions permit, allow your trailer
and tow vehicle to coast at a very slow speed and try to avoid braking,
except when your wheels are straight ahead and the trailer and tow
vehicle are in line.
If your trailer begins to sh-tail as you accelerate to highway speed,
back off of the accelerator a little and it should cease. If it begins again
as you accelerate, stop and check your load. If your load is not evenly
distributed, or if it is too far back so that the hitch load becomes too low,
the result can be sh-tailing. Re-distribute the load before continuing.
Launching
Every MasterCraft owner develops his or her own favorite launching
technique. Until you do, here are a few helpful tips:
• Check the ramp rst. Whether you’re launching from an unim-
proved or surfaced ramp, check it out before starting your launch-
ing procedure. How steep is it? Is the surface rm enough to sup-
port the weight of the trailer and tow vehicle? Is it wide enough?
How deep is the water at the end of the ramp?
Launching
MasterCraft Trailers - Page 21