Practical Boat Owner brings you its boat towing masterclass in association with Land Rover.

Once you’ve watched the videos, why not put your skills to the test with our Boat Towing Challenge Game? You can win a Henri Lloyd jacket every month.

Part 1 above takes you through the final checks you need to make before setting off.

Part 2 guides you through the reversing process.

Part 3 shows you how to safely launch your boat on the slipway

Part 4 demonstrates the ideal way to recover your boat.

Towing masterclass part 1: Final checks

Towing masterclass part 2: Reversing

Judging distance and angle to trailer is usually a challenge, but with Land Rover’s tow assist and tow hitch assist reversing camera, it’s easy to get the tow hitch right under the trailer by showing the reversing path. If you don’t have a camera, an assistant is a good substitute.Reversing in a straight line is helped by steering with your hands at the ten to three position and by making only small adjustments. Remember that moving the wheel to the left will move the boat to the right.When reversing round corners use your mirrors and take it slowly. If you start cornering to tightly and space islimited, move forward.

Towing masterclass part 3: Launching

Preparation: unplug the electrical socket, remove the lighting board and safety bars. Undo ratchet straps, insert battery switches, get fenders ready and lift engines.

Positioning – slipways can be slippy, rocky and steep but the Land Rover terrain response can cope with these easily. Reverse down the slipway or near a wall or something to secure the boat to. If you have a break back trailer, release the levers. Give some slack on the winch strap and if necessary help the boat off the trailer into the water.
Make the boat fast so it doesn’t go anywhere and wind the winch straps back onto winch. With the trailer out of the waterm, check the light board and trailer.

Towing masterclass part 4: Recovery

Prepare the boat in the water. Slip any lines and bring the boat to the trailer. Attach the winch straps to the boat, winch boat to trailer and lock trailer’s break back mechanism. Once the trailer is out, put the extension bars in, lower the engines and remove the keys.Fit the lighting board, connect the electricity, remove fenders, check the ratchet strap tension and check everything is closed down.If you’re driving any distance, the Land Rover trailer stability assist will provide peace of mind as it both detects and helps to correct trailer oscillations.