Major League Fishing pro Jacob Wheeler makes a living catching bass across the country, so it should come as no surprise that he’s an expert at backing in a boat trailer. In the 2.5-minute Facebook video below, Wheeler explains his system.
Pay particular attention to Wheeler’s advice on getting started; it’s all about the alignment before you begin backing up. If you get your trailer and truck in a straight line with the edge of the access ramp, then backing up will be much easier.
I can speak from experience (45 years of backing in boat trailers) that his advice about not oversteering is 100% correct. Small corrections with the steering wheel should be all you need to keep the boat trailer headed toward the water on the correct line. Don’t overcompensate!
Wheeler explains that many anglers have trouble backing up a trailer because when you turn the steering wheel one way, the boat trailer moves the opposite direction. If that’s confusing to you, let me say it another way.
When I taught my two sons to properly back up trailers, I provided this advice: Place your dominant hand at the top of the steering wheel (12 o’clock) and look at your boat trailer wheel in your driver-side mirror. As you are backing up, when you turn the wheel toward that tire (small movement, say 12 o’clock to 10 o’clock), that tire will disappear behind the truck. Next, glance at the passenger-side mirror. If you want that trailer tire to disappear behind the truck, move the wheel toward that tire. Small adjustments with the steering wheel, some clockwise and some counterclockwise, will keep the trailer moving straight behind the truck and straight toward the access ramp.
One final tip: If you’re new to backing up a trailer, the last place to practice is at a boat ramp. You don’t want the added stress of people who are waiting for you to launch to be watching your every move. Instead, visit a large parking lot (think Walmart) and go to a back corner far from vehicles. Pretend that one of the parking spaces is a boat ramp and go through Wheeler’s system. Don’t visit a lake until you can confidently back up your boat trailer into the parking space.
