Advancements in Trailering Technology -

Anglers can trailer saltwater fishing boats with greater confidence thanks to new technology in today’s trucks.
Courtesy Ford

Trailer-boating anglers are blessed today with trucks boasting the power and brawn to safely tow big, heavy saltwater fishing boats and trailers. Major pickup brands such as Chevy, Ford, GMC, Nissan, Ram and Toyota have long recognized that saltwater anglers need significant towing capabilities for fishing adventures, and automakers have responded with a host of advancements in powertrains and interior comfort in their ½-, ¾- and 1-ton pickups. But that’s just part of the story because advancements in electronic technologies now also play a major role in the available tow packages in today’s trucks. If it’s been a few years since you bought a truck, you’ll be surprised by the amount of available trailering technology, ranging from integrated weight scales and camera systems to trailer-light diagnostics and systems that automatically back up your truck. Here are some examples.

Towing Mode

One of the greatest towing benefits of all time is known as tow/haul mode. When combined with today’s six- to 10-speed automatic transmissions, this electronic system maximizes towing power and efficiency. For example, Toyota Tundra’s tow/haul mode can hold lower gears longer when accelerating, decelerating, and on long grades while trailering. The tow/haul mode also automatically selects the best gear to keep the engine revving in its power band and lock out overdrive gears, and it adds engine braking to help in slowing your rig.

Light Check

Who doesn’t remember walking around your boat trailer to check the running lights, brake lights and turn signals while someone in the truck (often a reluctant spouse) activated the lights? That’s a thing of the past with systems such as Ford’s Smart Trailer Tow Connector. This electronic diagnostic system automatically alerts you on a dash display if any of the running or brake/turn-indicator lights are malfunctioning, saying exactly which one needs attention.

Weigh-In

I have written on a number of occasions that trailer boaters should know with certainty how much weight the trailer tongue exerts on the truck hitch when the boat is fully fueled and loaded, ready to go fishing. This ensures that you are within the tongue weight limit of your vehicle’s hitch. If you exceed the weight limit, it may require that you upgrade from a conventional dead-weight hitch to a weight-distributing hitch. On the other hand, if the tongue weight is too light, it can lead to a dangerous sway condition at highway speeds.

Built-in electronic scales, such as the system available in the 2024 Ford F-150 pickup, help eliminate guesswork when it comes to tongue weight. It can determine the trailer tongue weight on a conventional hitch and show the number through the dash display or a code in the smart taillights. It will advise if the tongue weight is too heavy for the truck hitch. It will also indicate if the tongue weight is too light. If the latter occurs, it could mean readjusting the winch stand, the trailer bunks or the axle(s) on the trailer to move the boat farther forward.

Camera systems help you hitch up, and built-in scales determine if the trailer tongue weight is within safe limits.
Courtesy Ford

Hook Up With AI

In years past, backing up a tow vehicle to hook up a boat trailer often proved frustrating, sometimes requiring two or three back and forth tries—interspersed with getting out of the truck to see where everything stands—before aligning the tow ball to the trailer coupler. In recent years, backup cameras have come to the rescue, showing the tow ball and coupler on the dash display so you can pretty much align them the first time, every time.

But Ford trucks have taken trailer hookup to the next level. The electronic Pro Trailer Hitch Assist available for the Ford F-Series pickups uses artificial intelligence, including computer vision and machine learning, to automatically back up and align a truck’s hitch ball to a trailer coupler with the push of a button. Pro Trailer Hitch Assist also automatically controls the truck’s speed, steering and braking to make hitching up an easy, single-handed task. Well, that just takes all the fun out of it.

Reverse Engineering

Truck brands are also making it easier to back up your entire rig with technology features such as Ram truck’s Trailer Reverse Steering Control. There’s a knob (instead of the wheel) on the dash that lets you electronically steer in reverse while viewing the trailer in the center-console display (instead of the mirrors).

Not to be outdone, Ford offers the optional Pro Backup Assist. In this system, trailer boaters rotate a knob to indicate how much the system should turn the trailer, then it automatically steers the truck and trailer the desired amount in reverse.

Video Monitoring

Built-in video cameras on today’s trucks can significantly improve situational awareness for trailer boaters. The Chevy Silverado pickup, for example, is available with eight cameras that offer 15 different views around your rig, shown on the dash display, to keep an eye on both your tow vehicle and trailer boat while hitching up, driving on the highway, or backing up at the launch ramp or just into your driveway. Now that’s some serious coverage.

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