You can guarantee that the next week my friend had his trailer covered in reflective stickers. No reflectors are on it anywhere other than the lenses for the signal and brake lights. The trailer was black, and not easy to see at night. It looked like someone clipped it in the parking lot at the marina where it was parked for the day while we were out on the boat. The trailer had a smashed section in the corner. We got back just as the sun was going down and went to my friend’s truck and trailer to bring it to the ramp so we could pull the boat out. I remember a few years back, a buddy of mine had a little runabout and we were out on Lake Simcoe for the day. This is especially true if your boat trailer will be sitting in any kind of parking lot at night. Reflectors are not mandatory, but really smart when it comes to a boat trailer. This usually happens when someone connects them with too much slack. Many people do not use these safety chains properly and you can often see sparks flying up from the chains hitting the pavement below. The point of the chains is that should there be a failure with the hitch, that the chains will hold the trailer to the vehicle until an emergency stop can be made. These chains attach (loosely) the trailer to the towing vehicle. There are always supposed to be a single, long or pair of safety chains that cross each other in an X pattern. This is usually built into the trailer, where the license plate attaches. This allows other motorists, including police, to be able to read the plate when it is dark outside. The license plate typically also requires that there be a light shining on it. Check with your local MTO or motor vehicle officials for what you need to do in your specific state, province or territory. Depending on where you live, you may also need to provide a certificate of inspection showing the trailer is in roadworthy working conditions. Typically the bill of sale works or is required for licensing. You’ll have to run down to the motor vehicles office and submit either written ownership or a printed one. Just like a car, your trailer will need to have a plate. That way you’ll be safe on the road and other drivers will know what you’re doing. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to make sure you have a trailer hitch kit installed to your vehicle so the trailer lights will work properly. Therefore, the connections for the trailer lights to your vehicle should be in good working condition. In other words, the trailer must have the same capabilities to show braking and signaling intentions of the vehicle which is towing it. Signal LightsĪny trailer that is towed behind a vehicle must obey the same laws as a vehicle, being an extension of that vehicle. However, there are a bunch of things that you need to make sure you have in place before that trailer gets on the road. Here in Ontario, you only need a valid driver’s license to tow a trailer of up to 4,600 kgs (10,141 lbs). Boat Towing Licensing And Trailer Legalities Boat Legalities
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