Nitro trailer (Trailstar) is equipped with retractable safety cables rather than chains. They retract into  tubes along the tongue  Are these meant to be crossed under the tongue as chains would be when hooking to tow vechicle? This seems to be impossible. As you might know there are 4 or 5 pics of the setup between the manuals for boat and trailer, none of which show it hooked to the tow vehicle. As always thanks

Safety chains and cables are supposed to be criss crossed and act as a cradle if the ball and hitch were to separate.

I'm not familiar with the retractable cables but do they operate like a seat belt?  Can you pull whatever you need slowly but if you jerk them they lock up?  If they don't lock up is there enough slack in them to allow the tongue to dig in to the blacktop if the trailer disconnects from the ball? 

Sorry for late response, been away.  If you cross them as my son did when he picked up the boat and brought it home. (just got this boat) They bind on the ball nut under the drawbar. They have no slack in them. You can pull slack from the tubes on the tongue but as soon as you let go they retract. Have not learned much about this rig yet as he just got it and we had enough time to get it winterized and covered. We already had 11" of snow.

A quick search says in your home state of PA https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/consCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&ttl=75&div=0&chpt=49&sctn=5&subsctn=0

 

 

(d)  Safety chains.--Whenever two vehicles are connected by a ball-and-socket type hitch, or pintle hook without a locking device, they shall also be connected by two safety chains of equal length, each safety chain having an ultimate strength at least equal to the gross weight of the towed vehicles. The safety chains shall be crossed and connected to the towed and towing vehicle and to the tow bar so as to prevent the tow bar from dropping to the ground in the event the tow bar fails or becomes disconnected. The safety chains shall have no more slack than is necessary to permit proper turning.

I get the crossing the chains part, I've been towing a boat since 1987. Might you be suggesting that cables may not be legal in PA? It may also be possible that when you turn enough slack is fed from the tubes to keep the ball nut from abrading on the cables where they contact it. It makes sense to me that they have to be crossed in order to cradle the tongue should it ever jump off the ball but it sure looks stupid.

Well I just watched a video produced by Nitro boats dealing with proper trailering and boating procedure.  When the guy hooks up the trailer he very clearly does not cross the cables. Kinda gets me back where I started. Is Nitro wrong or is the state of PA wrong? (PA's almost never wrong about anything!)  I sure like chains.

Unfortunately, the cop that pulls you over won't care what Tracker says. PA isn't the only state that requires crossed chains. I would call Tracker and ask. Worse comes to worse, you bolt some chains on it.

Thanks slonezp.