Trailering your boat to your favorite waters can produce unforgettable, rewarding experiences - or monumental headaches.  The difference, says the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, lies in precautions and common sense techniques when towing your vessel.

Every fisherman and pleasure boater dreams of exploring new waters either nearby or in some far-off spot.  A trailerable boat makes possible such pleasant discovery on almost every outing.  But safety begins in the driveway, not at the dock.

To the land-locked boat owner, trailering behind the family car puts within easy reach those favorite boating waters.  But along with the nomadic itch that hits all boat owners at one time or another comes some unusual problems for the trailer boater.  These hurdles are easy to overcome with good planning, however.

Slipping the boat off the trailer and into the water without the drain plug installed is a common fault.  Next, perhaps, is backing trailer and car too far down the launching ramp, often requiring a rescue tow from a local wrecker truck.

These accidents, while upsetting enough, are minor compared to what can happen on the highway.  To avoid serious mishaps on the road there are a number of trailering safety precautions to be religiously taken before leaving home.

Making certain your boat is properly secured on the trailer is most obvious.  All lines and tie-downs should be inspected.  The winch line should be checked for tightness and the lock positively engaged. Criss-cross the safety chains.

The boat should be properly balanced on the trailer, with most of the weight over the wheels, and a slight balance toward the car, with 10 percent of the total weight on the trailer hitch.  A weaving trailer usually indicates the boat is not balanced.

The wise skipper lubricates all moving parts on the trailer before a lengthy trip.  Wheel bearings can be a problem.  They should be repacked with grease anytime they are dunked. When launching, it is not always possible to keep wheel bearings out of water, but their life can be extended by avoiding dunking, especially in salt water.

Other precautions: Make certain fuel tanks are tightly closed and secured.  On long trips transport the tanks empty and fill them on arrival.  Outboard motors should be raised and locked in a tilt.  Bumps and chuckholes could do real damage, possibly even dislodge the engine from the transom.

Proper tire inflation may save a blow-out or excessive tire wear.  Take a spare along for extended trips.  Trailer tires are almost impossible to find in a small town, more so in the middle of the night.

Canvas tops are less likely to be torn or damaged if lowered and secured.  The same applies to antennas.