load-carrying capacity of the trailer is the
GVWR less the weight of the empty trailer.
Be especially careful to avoid overload-
ing the trailer by putting heavy baggage,
camping gear, etc. inside the boat.
Donottowtheboatwithawater-lled
bladderorwithwaterintheballasttanks.
Emptythecontents orthetongue weight
percentagewillbeincorrect.Towingwith
water-lledbladder(s)maynotonlycause
thetotalweightlimitsforthetrailertobe
exceeded, but may also result in the im-
proper distribution of the weight on the
trailer, thereby making towing difcult
and/or causing instability when towing,
whichcanbeverydangeroustothedriver,
anypassengersandtoothermotorists.
NEVER tow with water in ballast tanks or
bags. Failure to empty ballast on the boat
prior to towing can result in improper
weight distribution, which can cause tow-
ing instability. This could cause the driver
to lose control of the tow rig, resulting in
serious injury or even death to the driver,
any passengers and to other motorists.
Do not tow the boat with wakeboards, skis
or other gear left on the board tower racks.
Doing so may void the warranty and cause
damage to the boat or to vehicles follow-
ing behind, as boards and/or racks may
become disengaged.
Do not tow with any gear in the tower racks,
even if the gear appears to be secure. The
racks are not designed to withstand air
pressure from highway speeds. Gear may
become dislodged, potentially causing
damage to the boat or following vehicles.
Loose objects may damage the boat and/or
trailer. Such damage would not be covered
by the warranty.
Weight Distribution
Improper weight distribution within the
boat can cause instability and loss of con-
trol while towing, which may result in death,
serious injury or property damage.
Improper weight distribution can cause
a boat trailer to shtail (sway from side to
side) as it moves down the highway, putting
excessive strains on both trailer and towing
equipment, which increases gas consump-
tion and may potentially cause an accident.
The most effective way to guard against
shtailing is to make sure the weight load
on the trailer is properly distributed.
It is extremely important that a minimum
of ve percent (5%) and a maximum of ten
percent (10%) of the total weight on the
trailer is on the trailer coupling ball when
the tongue is parallel to the ground. A bath-
room scale can be used for this determina-
tion.
For example, if the gross weight of the
trailer, boat and gear is 3,000 pounds, the
Page 7-6 2014 MasterCraft Owners Manual • MasterCraft Trailers
M A S T E R C R A F T T R A I L E R S
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