Online Towing Guide Launched—And It’s About Time

Next to docking—at least for novices—the most stressful aspect of high-performance boating is towing the damn boat. OK, I know I just swore, but towing is an activity I’ve never enjoyed. And backing up with a boat in tow? Damn, I really hate that.

Launched late last week by noted towing expert Brett Becker, my former editor at Powerboat magazine for five years, onlinetowingguide.com is targeted at towing wimps like, well, me, as well as those experienced in the practice. It is the sole online source for completely objective towing information. That’s why Becker, who wrote a towing column for Powerboat during his tenure as editor, and has towed boats and racecars extensively, has tagged his new site “the web’s leading independent source of towing and trailering information.”

“I started this because there were no sites that offered advice, instruction, help and how-to-do-things safely in towing that also weren’t trying to sell you something,” says Becker. “I have done a lot of writing on the subject, and I’ve logged a lot of miles towing boats and cars through unfriendly terrain, which is the way it is when you tow in California.”

That Becker is a good friend and former colleague of mine does not make onlinetowingguide.com any less robust or, frankly fantastic. Topics covered include Choosing a Vehicle, Choosing a Trailer, Maintenance, Hitch Types and Towing Guidelines. The site also offers Video Tips, featuring Becker as the host (and he’s entertaining, much as I hate to admit it), a Towing Glossary, a section on State Towing Laws and much more.

Becker says he plans to refresh the site’s “News & Notes” section, which includes product picks, two to three times a week. I’m going to visit it weekly. Just because I hate towing, doesn’t mean I can’t stand to learn a damn thing or two.