Can't see trailer over back of ute!
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: General Forums
Forum Name: The Boat Shed
Forum Description: Discuss all things boating.
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=139986
Printed Date: 28 Jan 2026 at 6:36am
Topic: Can't see trailer over back of ute!
Posted By: MB
Subject: Can't see trailer over back of ute!
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2025 at 4:45pm
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I got a new car, a ute, much better for towing, but I discovered yesterday that I can't see the trailer when reversing without the boat on it. It was like going back 10 years in my ability to reverse a trailer. I must have looked like a right muppet! I used the reversing camera yesterday, but this didn't feel natural at all. Get used to it or buy some trailer guide poles which wouldn't be a bad thing anyway? Any thoughts? Cheers.
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Replies:
Posted By: Kandrew
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2025 at 6:45pm
| I can’t se mine either, I’ve always backed using the mirrors so the way I do it is if I can’t see the trailer in either side mirror then it must be going straight behind the car. If that makes sense |
Posted By: krow
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2025 at 8:00pm
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Kandrew wrote:Posted By: Kandrew
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2025 at 8:23pm
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Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2025 at 10:09pm
I had the same issue when I bought a ute MB. Absolutely the best towing vehicle ever apart from that one problem! I was in the habit of looking over my shoulder, out the window etc and I could do a reasonable job. I wish I learnt to do it right way back when. Using mirrors is absolutely the best way but I find it so hard to break the habit of a life time. Best advice I had was from these forums, hold your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel and turn the direction you wish the trailer to go when looking in your mirrors. Agree 100%
------------- Best gurnard fisherman in my street |
Posted By: Fish Addict
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2025 at 10:31pm
| Sounds like a dumb comment but does it not help if you have the ute tray door down? I would do that on occasions with my Landcruiser. |
Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2025 at 10:48pm
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Thanks for the replies and the empathy from Smudge. It's all a bit annoying as I finally got a good tow vehicle and was previously pretty competent at reversing a trailer after a struggle to get to that point. So, mirrors... I can't see anything out of my wing mirrors unless the trailer is at too much of an angle. I like Kandrew's suggestion that if you can't see the trailer then it must be straight, but it feels like a leap of faith at this point! Not a dumb comment at all Fish Addict. I have a hard lid, so dropping the tailgate won't help unfortunately. I'll keep thinking. Bolt on trailer guides aren't too expensive, so may go down that route. I'll also make more of an effort with the reversing camera.
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Posted By: Keith C
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2025 at 10:52pm
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I have a magnetic pull out car-aerial type extension that I attach to my mudguard. I have attached a flag, as it gets difficult to see reversing into the sun. Similar concept here with this hitch alignment guide: https://www.reeseprod.com/Product/63300_trailer-hitch-alignment-system" rel="nofollow - https://www.reeseprod.com/Product/63300_trailer-hitch-alignment-system |
Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 04 Jun 2025 at 11:08pm
Thanks. Something else to think about.
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Posted By: lawabidingpoacher
Date Posted: 05 Jun 2025 at 5:51am
| I'd go to somewhere like the park etc and practice . |
Posted By: Pcj
Date Posted: 05 Jun 2025 at 6:00am
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I take it that the trailer is narrower than the ute,jet ski?? Get it as straight as you can before reversing,,should be able turn side mirrors enough.left and right.to see part of the trailer,forget about reverse camera,turn the thing off as they are so off putting,they are only there so you cvan stop if little johnny appearss,as Kandrew stated reversre slowly with little corrections and when trailer apears in left or roght make the correction,if nessacary pull forward again. They recently put cvameras on our trailers and they bugger me up ,you cant back on cvamera alone,only there to make sure no on appears,mirrors outside are your friend,in fact dont be shy,get out and have a look! who care if you take 5 minutes extra to launch. ------------- "Times up" |
Posted By: Kandrew
Date Posted: 05 Jun 2025 at 8:31am
| My big SUV is a lot wider than my trailer so I do zigzag a bit but it doesn’t matter as long as I get down the ramp |
Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 05 Jun 2025 at 10:10am
| Thanks Pcj, it's a trailer for a 5.6m boat, but yes, the ute is wider. Agree about the reversing camera. It just doesn't work (for me anyway). |
Posted By: FarmerBrowne
Date Posted: 15 Jun 2025 at 9:10pm
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I have a smaller 4 metre boat and a 6 metre boat which are towed behind a ute with a canopy with minimal rear vision. As already mentioned by others, I pretty well only use my wing mirrors to guide me when backing down the ramp to pick up the boat. The bigger trailer is wider and generally easier to see than the smaller trailer. But I usually can see the smaller trailer in one of the wing mirrors. All I could recommend is practice practice and more practice, of course this will mean more time fishing which is not all bad. I do have a tight shed to back into with a narrow door and one of the boats needs to swing around a sharp corner and out of sight to fit. If I am lucky my cabin girl is around to guide me which she does via phone to my hands free unit in the ute. Potential to get one of your crew to guide you via phone as well - just need to get comms sorted i.e. boat to east or west so both people are on the same page.
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Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 15 Jun 2025 at 9:42pm
Thanks for all the advice. In the finest tradition of an internet forum, I ignored it! Went with the trailer pole guides and problem solved. What's another $300 in the world of boating 
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Posted By: JustAnotherSpearo
Date Posted: 17 Jul 2025 at 7:02pm
| Have the same issue MB, other weekend went with a colleague for a hunt with his 7x4 purpose built quad trailer. Going backwards with that was a nightmare. Couldn't see it in mirrors, rear view mirror, wasn't until it's pear shaped you see it in the mirrors |
Posted By: MR D
Date Posted: 30 Oct 2025 at 2:44pm
| Are you able to drop your tail gate without it hitting the winch, I do this and look out the back window when I losse veiw of it in the side mirrors. Removing the rear head rests helps too. |