MARINE TRAILER ASSESSMENT

Boat and pontoon weighing

Know what your complete boat and trailer package actually weighs.

Boats and pontoons can carry considerably more weight than many owners realise once fuel, batteries, engines, electronics, fishing equipment and other accessories are added.

PROWEIGHED provides detailed boat and trailer assessments covering total trailer mass, axle loading, individual wheel loads, tow ball mass, weight distribution, tyres and relevant trailer information, as the package is presented on the day.

A white motorboat with black and gray graphic decals sits on a metal trailer in an outdoor parking lot near water, with trees, a blue sky, and clouds in the background.

It is more than the boat's published weight

A manufacturer's published boat weight does not necessarily tell you what the complete towing package weighs once the boat is sitting on its trailer and ready to head to the water.

THE LOADED PACKAGE ALSO INCLUDES
TrailerOutboard enginesFuelBatteriesTrolling motorsElectronicsSoundersGPS equipmentAnchors and chainSafety equipmentFishing gearRods and tackleEskiesSpare partsToolsCovers and canopiesWater

The weight that matters for towing is the complete loaded boat-and-trailer package, not the published weight of the hull. Equipment and upgrades also reduce the capacity remaining within the trailer's applicable limits.

HOW THE PACKAGE ADDS UP
Published hull weight 1,180 kg
Trailer + 320 kg
Outboard and rigging + 210 kg
Fuel + 145 kg
Batteries and electronics + 65 kg
Gear, anchors and safety equipment + 120 kg
Actual loaded towing package 2,040 kg

Illustration only. Your report carries your own measured figures, with what each one means beside it.

Fuel and water add up quickly

Marine setups often carry substantial liquid weight. Fuel, freshwater tanks, livewells and other onboard liquids can change the final weight of the boat and trailer package considerably.

Fuel weight varies with fuel type, but a large tank still adds real mass when full. A boat ready for a day on the water can weigh substantially more than the same boat with empty tanks.

Where practical, bring the fuel, water and equipment you would normally carry onboard. The purpose is not the lowest possible result. It is to understand the real towing package.

THE SIMPLE GUIDE
1 litre of water is about 1 kg
60 litres of waterapprox. 60 kg
120 litres of waterapprox. 120 kg
200 litres of waterapprox. 200 kg

Fuel density varies by fuel type, so fuel loads are measured rather than estimated from a single figure.

Suitable for boats, pontoons and marine trailers

Trailer boats

Fibreglass, aluminium and plate boats transported on road trailers.

Fishing boats

Boats carrying fishing equipment, batteries, electronics and other gear.

Pontoons

Trailerable pontoons and recreational pontoon boats.

Ski and wake boats

Boats carrying larger engines, fuel systems, ballast-related equipment and recreational gear.

Jet ski trailers

Single or multi-craft trailers where the configuration suits the service.

Custom marine trailers

Purpose-built or modified boat trailers needing accurate loaded weight information.

What we check

A boat and pontoon assessment looks beyond one total trailer weight figure. Individual wheel positions are measured, so the package can be assessed from wheel level through to axle loading, total trailer mass and weight distribution.

Weight assessment

Aggregate Trailer Mass
Gross Trailer Mass
Axle or axle-group load
Individual wheel loads
Left-to-right weight distribution
Tow ball mass
Tow ball mass percentage where applicable
Remaining capacity against applicable limits where sufficient information is available

Tyre assessment

Tyre size
Load index
Tyre load capacity
Recorded tyre pressures
Manufacturer or placard pressures where available
Tyre age

Trailer measurements and checks

Rear overhang
Licence plate visibility
Licence plate position
Drawbar length
Trailer identification
Applicable trailer rating information

Everything above is measured, recorded and reviewed as presented on the day. It is not engineering or ADR certification, a roadworthy certificate, a mechanical trailer inspection or registration approval.

ATM, GTM and tow ball mass

ATM

Aggregate Trailer Mass

The total loaded mass of the trailer and everything it is carrying, including the portion supported through the coupling.

GTM

Gross Trailer Mass

The portion of the loaded trailer mass carried through the trailer's wheels and axles when coupled.

TBM

Tow ball mass

The downward load applied through the trailer coupling.

HOW THEY FIT TOGETHER
THROUGH THE WHEELSGTM
+
THROUGH THE COUPLINGTow ball mass
=
TOTAL LOADED TRAILERATM

Tow ball mass is measured as part of this assessment. How that load affects the tow vehicle is assessed under a vehicle and trailer combination weigh.

More than a total trailer weight

Knowing the total trailer mass is important, but one figure does not show how that weight is distributed. PROWEIGHED measures individual wheel positions.

That is particularly useful on marine trailers, where equipment, batteries, fuel tanks and other loads are rarely positioned evenly. A boat and trailer can sit within its overall ATM while still carrying noticeably more weight through one side, axle or wheel position.

HOW THE RESULTS BUILD UP
Front left512 kg
Front right486 kg
Front axle998 kg
Rear left448 kg
Rear right424 kg
Rear axle872 kg
Left side960 kg
Right side910 kg
GTM1,870 kg

Illustration only, based on a tandem axle marine trailer. Your report carries your own measured figures.

Where the weight sits, and what keeps adding to it

Marine equipment tends to concentrate in specific areas of the boat, so position can influence tow ball mass, individual wheel loads, axle loading and left-to-right distribution. Boats also get heavier over time as gear is added, even when the hull has not changed.

INFLUENCES DISTRIBUTION
Outboard enginesFuel tanksBatteriesTrolling motor batteriesAnchors and chainWater tanksLivewellsFishing equipmentTool storageEskiesAccessories
COMMON UPGRADES
Larger batteriesLithium systemsAdditional electronicsSoundersGPS systemsElectric trolling motorsLarger outboardsAuxiliary motorsAdditional fuel tanksStorage systemsCanopiesBimini structuresFishing accessoriesAnchoring systems

A loaded assessment gives a clearer picture of how much capacity remains within the trailer's applicable limits.

How it works

1

Present the boat ready to tow

Where practical, present the boat or pontoon with the fuel, equipment and accessories normally carried.

2

We measure

PROWEIGHED records the applicable individual wheel, axle, total trailer and tow ball measurements, together with relevant tyre and trailer information.

3

We review the results

Measurements are reviewed against the applicable trailer information available and explained to you.

4

Receive your report

You receive a professional PROWEIGHED assessment report documenting the applicable measurements, findings and recommendations.

Arrive ready to tow

For the most useful assessment, present the boat or pontoon as close as practical to the way it normally travels. The goal is to understand the real towing package, not to achieve the lowest possible weight.

YOUR NORMAL
Fuel loadWaterBatteriesFishing equipmentSafety equipmentAnchorsToolsEskiesAccessoriesPersonal equipment

When should you weigh your boat and trailer?

JUST BOUGHT

After buying a boat

Understand the actual weight of the complete package.

AFTER UPGRADES

After major upgrades

Useful after adding batteries, electronics, motors, fuel capacity or other equipment.

NEW TOW VEHICLE

Before changing tow vehicles

Know what the trailer actually weighs before matching it with another vehicle.

CAPACITY UNCLEAR

When trailer capacity is uncertain

Compare the loaded package against the applicable trailer limits.

SETUP CHANGED

After changing the trailer setup

Useful after trailer modifications or equipment changes.

TRIP PLANNING

Before a major trip

Assess the package with normal fuel and equipment onboard.

COUPLING LOAD

When checking tow ball mass

Measure tow ball mass in the configuration presented on the day.

SPEC SHEET GAP

When the published weight does not tell the full story

Understand the complete loaded package rather than relying on hull specifications alone.

Boat and pontoon weighing FAQs

PROWEIGHED assesses the complete boat-and-trailer package as presented for towing. The applicable trailer weights and loading are then determined from that assessment.

Present the boat with a realistic fuel load based on how you normally use and transport it. If you regularly tow with full or near-full fuel, that should be considered when preparing for the assessment.

It can. Larger marine fuel tanks add substantial weight when filled, particularly combined with batteries, equipment and other onboard loads.

Yes. All permanently fitted equipment contributes to the total loaded mass of the boat and trailer package.

Yes. PROWEIGHED measures individual wheel positions, allowing wheel loads, axle loading and left-to-right distribution to be assessed.

Yes. Tow ball mass is included as part of the boat and pontoon assessment.

Potentially. Overall ATM is only part of the picture. Individual wheel loads, axle loads, tyre capability and weight distribution can also be relevant.

PROWEIGHED records relevant tyre information including tyre size, load index, load capacity, pressures and tyre age.

Yes, where the pontoon and trailer configuration is suitable for the PROWEIGHED weighing system.

Yes, where the trailer and configuration are suitable for the service.

Yes. Customers receive a professional PROWEIGHED assessment report documenting the applicable measurements, results and recommendations.

Know what your complete marine setup weighs

From fuel and batteries to engines, equipment, individual wheel loads and tow ball mass, PROWEIGHED provides the measurements needed to understand the real towing weight of your boat, pontoon and trailer.

QUESTIONS FIRST

Call Mitchell on 0456 049 686. Eighteen years in the automotive industry, so most questions about a trailer setup are a short answer.