Boat and trailer transport in Adelaide
A wheel bearing that lets go on the way to the ramp leaves you with a boat on the side of the road. We put the boat and its trailer on our tilt tray and take them home, to the mechanic or into storage.
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In short
Your boat can ride a tilt tray as long as it sits on its own trailer. The winch draws the trailer up by its drawbar, then the driver chains it and straps the hull. SA Best Towing takes boats to the ramp, mechanic or storage from its yard in Angle Park, Adelaide. Ring 0457 300 057 with the length.
What we move
- Tinnies and car-toppers on trailers
- Half-cabins and runabouts
- Bowriders and ski boats
- Small centre-console fishing boats
- Jet skis on trailers
- Empty boat trailers
- Boats coming out of storage
A covered boat with its strap on the hull
The boat kept its grey cover on for this trip, sitting on its own trailer on our tray. A green ratchet strap runs from the white hull down to the deck, and more tie-downs hold the trailer at the back of the tray. A fire extinguisher hangs on the headboard and the amber beacon is on. With the cover tied over the top, the strap sits on the bare hull below it.
How boats go onto the tray
The tray tilts until its tail touches the road. Here’s the order it goes in for boats.
Length and anything that sticks up
A boat on a trailer on a tilt tray stacks up fast. Give us the boat length, the trailer type, and anything that stands up, like a bimini frame, rod holders or a raised outboard. We add the deck height and give you a straight answer on whether it suits the tray.
Up the tray by the drawbar
The tray tilts down and the winch hooks to the trailer’s drawbar or coupling, so the trailer rolls up on its own wheels. If a bearing has seized and a wheel won’t turn, tell us first so the driver can plan the load.
Trailer chained, hull strapped
Chains go on the trailer frame at the front and back. A ratchet strap runs over the hull or through the bow eye to stop the boat shifting on its rollers.
Outboard up and the cover tied
Tilt the outboard up and tie the cover down before the truck arrives.
What the driver watches for
Covers at road speed
A loose cover flaps, tears and can rub through paint. An old, brittle cover travels better folded inside the boat.
Bearings and hot hubs
A hub that smokes after a run to the ramp points to a failed bearing. Once the trailer sits on the tray, that wheel stops turning and the damage goes no further.
Bow post and trailer winch
The boat should sit wound tight to the bow post with the trailer winch locked and the safety chain on. If it has slipped back on the rollers, wind it forward before the truck arrives, or tell us when you call.
What changes the price
Every job is priced on the phone before it’s booked. These are the things that move the number.
- The run from Angle Park to the boat, then to the ramp, mechanic or storage yard
- Boat length and height, and any detour that height forces
- A trailer wheel that won’t turn
- Access at boat ramps, storage yards and backyards
- Taking the tow vehicle as well, on the rear lift
“The driver arrived quickly and was very professional and friendly. He handled my vehicle with care and explained everything clearly. The whole process was smooth, and I really appreciated how helpful and reassuring he was during a stressful situation.”
Questions about boats
Answers to common questions. If yours isn’t here, ring and ask.
Can you tow a boat trailer with a broken wheel bearing?
Yes. We carry the whole trailer on the tray, so the broken bearing doesn’t turn again until a mechanic fixes it. If the wheel has locked solid, tell us when you call. The winch draws the trailer up the tray slowly.
Can you take my boat to the boat ramp?
We drop the trailer in the ramp car park, provided the tray has room to tilt there. Ramp car parks fill up on weekends, so an early drop-off suits both of us. We unload onto the hardstand, and launching the boat is up to you.
Do you move boats into storage?
We carry boats on their trailers to and from storage yards and sheds around Adelaide. Check the yard’s gate hours and whether someone needs to let us in, and tell us how far the boat has to travel once we’re through the gate.
My car broke down towing the boat. Can you take both?
If both fit, they can share one trip. The boat and trailer go on the tray, and the rear lift raises one end of your car, which rolls behind on its other axle, with the driver picking which end to lift. All-wheel drives can’t go on the lift, so tell us the car model and the boat length when you call 0457 300 057.
Can you carry a boat without a trailer?
We carry boats on their own trailers. A bare hull lying on a steel deck can crack, and we can’t chain it down the way we chain a trailer. If your trailer is beyond saving, a boat transporter with a proper cradle is the better call, and we’ll tell you so.
Also on the tray
Motorhome and caravan towing
Motorhomes and caravans carried on the tilt tray, failed axles and bearings included, once the height checks out.
4WD and SUV towing
Lifted 4WDs, family SUVs and all-wheel-drive wagons, carried on the tray so no wheel turns on the road.
Ute towing
Dual cabs, single cabs, work utes with canopies and performance utes, strapped by the tyres on the tray.
Related services
- Equipment transportMachinery that fits a tilt tray, chained to its tie-down points and set down where you need it.
- Tilt tray towingThe whole vehicle rides flat on the tray, wheels off the road. A second one can follow on the rear lift.
- Breakdown towingA flat battery or a cooked engine. We carry the car on the tilt tray to the mechanic you choose.