Big boat / Bigger boat.-- Towing / launching limitations

[GrahamHR]

I'm surprised that trailers made from extruded aluminium alloy "I" beams are not common in Europe ( that includes the UK ). They are common in the USA, albeit more expensive than steel ones. "I" beams are stiffer compared to box sections of the same material/ weight ( obviously orientation dependent) . Aluminium is significantly less dense than steel, so such trailers are much lighter, allowing a heavier boat to be legally loaded and towed. Plus of course with an "I" beam construction, there are no cavities for salt water to be trapped and for corrosion to start.

 

[Lakesailor]

look at the car vin plate it tells what weight can be towed also the combined weight of car and trailer so don't tow max weight and load car up you may be over the weight limit.

Funnily enough the figures on my VIN plate mean nothing to me and don't seem to relate to either the V5 figures or the weights in the various websites.
Manufacturers' homologate different figures for different countries, so I'm not sure a Jap car always has a VIN plate to reflect the figures for the country it is exported to.
Perhaps I misread the situation.

 

[hlb]

I wonder how this sacrosanct, not to be exceeded 3,500 kg limit came about in the UK. 3,500 kg is OK, 3,501 kg is not. Our American cousins seem to quite happily tow 30 ft + long /5,000 kg boats. Surely our roads could take heavier boat + trailer combos; they already take 40,000 + kg +trucks.

Because it is not about how much will the truck pull, it is about how much the truck will stop, mostly car type trailers are on over run brakes, which means that the trailer is pushing the car. Truck brakes work different and the trailer is braked by air pressure so the trailer mostly stops the truck.

I've towed 50 tons to Saudi and 100 tons and more round Saudi, but also about 3 tons behind an Isusu Trouper, I know what the difference is.

But mostly you are not going to stop either, less you are very careful and know what you are doing.

 

[landlockedpirate]

I'm surprised that trailers made from extruded aluminium alloy "I" beams are not common in Europe ( that includes the UK ). They are common in the USA, albeit more expensive than steel ones. "I" beams are stiffer compared to box sections of the same material/ weight ( obviously orientation dependent) . Aluminium is significantly less dense than steel, so such trailers are much lighter, allowing a heavier boat to be legally loaded and towed. Plus of course with an "I" beam construction, there are no cavities for salt water to be trapped and for corrosion to start.

There was a firm offering Aluminium trailers at the SIBS '99, they are the reason I ordered a new boat that was too heavy to tow !

Sorry, cant remember the company but they were outside the Holiday Inn, next to the Gibbs stand. They claimed they could make a 3500kg cap trailer with a weight of 500kg. Armed with this information I bought a 2800kg sportscruiser and placed an order for the trailer, with delivery due Easter 2000. As the delivery date got closer, the trailer company went very quiet. It turned out that the super lightweight ali trailer they were building me was actually 800kg and nearly £7k ! The company completely disappeared, so to answer your question, they don't do big aluminum trailers because they are more expensive and only have the same capacity as a traditional steel one.

I eventually got my deposit back and ordered a custom trailer from a place in Wales, fantastic trailer at half the price and around 700kg.

 

[Jim@sea]

Thanks again. I have looked at the issues highlighted and decided to tow for a trail period and if it is not working out will take up a mooring. So I am going to go to the limits and I am looking for a boat of around 24' x 8' weighing approx 2 tonne to allow for trailer and fluids.

of the adverts I have found ....I have a short list with.......Bayliner 2455, Bayliner 2355, Rinker 240, Fiesta Vee and MONTEREY 262. None come with a trailer so that is more research!

My Skibsplast is 23ft, with a Super Roller Coaster Trailer, Inboard Diesel, weighs 1600 kilo so total weight is less than 2600 Kilo
Sorry I have just realised that I have already mentioned my boat for sale.

 

[dpb]

I'm surprised that trailers made from extruded aluminium alloy "I" beams are not common in Europe ( that includes the UK ). They are common in the USA, albeit more expensive than steel ones. "I" beams are stiffer compared to box sections of the same material/ weight ( obviously orientation dependent) . Aluminium is significantly less dense than steel, so such trailers are much lighter, allowing a heavier boat to be legally loaded and towed. Plus of course with an "I" beam construction, there are no cavities for salt water to be trapped and for corrosion to start.

We had one of these years ago for our 250 Sea Ray....it was the best trailer we ever had.

 

[AndieMac]

I'm surprised that trailers made from extruded aluminium alloy "I" beams are not common in Europe ( that includes the UK ). They are common in the USA, albeit more expensive than steel ones. "I" beams are stiffer compared to box sections of the same material/ weight ( obviously orientation dependent) . Aluminium is significantly less dense than steel, so such trailers are much lighter, allowing a heavier boat to be legally loaded and towed. Plus of course with an "I" beam construction, there are no cavities for salt water to be trapped and for corrosion to start.

Forum member BartW has towed his 26/28 foot Karnic up to 1000 kilometres across Europe with an Alloy trailer afaik, and from memory speaks very highly of it's performance.

There are plenty of alloy trailers being bought across with the "flood" of American boats into this country over the last five years or so since their dollar tanked against ours.
Oz boating forums appear to indicate acceptable performance generally, but when originally offered at boat shows ten years ago, earlier versions had steel draw-bars because they weren't confident the alloy wouldn't fatigue at that location.

I have heard cases where Chinese built, alloy builders trailers have snapped drawbars.

 

[Jim@sea]

I wonder how this sacrosanct, not to be exceeded 3,500 kg limit came about in the UK. 3,500 kg is OK,

I believe that this comes from the early 1960's when in the UK the only 4X4 were Land Rover and an Austin Champ.
The Austin Champ had a weak back axle as they used the rear axle from a Black Cab Taxi and the half shafts kept snapping so they introduced the 3500 kilo maximum weight.

 

[vette]

we spent two seasons trailering a crownline 242 cruiser which was 3500kg on a weighbridge when it was empty & dry of fuel & water I used to keep the weighbridge ticket in the glovebox of the landcruiser in case I got stopped , even behind the amazon the boat looked BIG & she was only 24' & 8'6 beam but being a four berth she was high
we never had problems launching & always found good slipways usually in marinas who were usually ok with us parking the car & trailer in there yard while we were away in the boat
i'm fairly sure the width restriction is 9'6" as your allowed overhang either side of the trailer as well as front & back I think your pickup will be around 2600kg capacity so takes out most of the 4 berth cruisers if you want to stay legal
when we finally upgraded to a searay 290 sundancer which we bought in the lake district I didn't like the transport quotes back to the north east where we lived at the time so went over with the landcruiser & the crownlines trailer & towed it back late one evening & thankfully never got stopped as I think at 5,500kgs 31'6"loa & 10'2" beam we were braking a few rules!!
we also launched & recoverd the searay in Hartlepool a couple of times as we had a few engine problems to begin with & the lift costs make my eyes water
if you can find a dry berth somewhere that is a good compromise as someone else has the hassle of launch & recovery & you have the benefit of the boat being stored out of the water
when we swapped from the searay to our present boat we went from £1600pa for the dryberth & no lift out costs & only antifouled it once in 5 years to £4200pa + £250 each way for lifts (largs yach haven costs) & annual antifouling & anodes
there is a lot of advantages in keeping a boat on a trailer but you need to plan your trips in advance & make sure the slips are capable of handling the boat
Towings not a problem as long as you take your time & are carefull!
best of luck with your decision

I am sure the Amazon is more than up for a 5500kg trailer load.
Well done Amazon.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Towing is one thing, launching and retrieving another. My boat (Antares 760) is borderline towable without fuel, water, gear etc. I've never heard of anyone launching and retrieving one though, always craned on and off at each end of the season.

 

[gordmac]

The point about the total allowable weight shouldn't be ignored. It is a major issue for motorhomes and vans but I suspect pickups will have the same issue.

 

[vette]

The point about the total allowable weight shouldn't be ignored. It is a major issue for motorhomes and vans but I suspect pickups will have the same issue.

I guess that is where the 8.25 comes in ?

 

[gordmac]

8.25?
Made up numbers but say maximum train weight is 5.5 tons and vehicle weighs 2 tons, say 400kg people and 50kg stuff in vehicle would leave 3050kg even if the towing limit was 3500kg it would be illegal in this case to tow that. Then you need to check your licence is valid.

 

[vette]

8.25?
Made up numbers but say maximum train weight is 5.5 tons and vehicle weighs 2 tons, say 400kg people and 50kg stuff in vehicle would leave 3050kg even if the towing limit was 3500kg it would be illegal in this case to tow that. Then you need to check your licence is valid.

I have the full weights on my licence.
Vehicle Licence Categories - Driver Hire

 

[vette]

8.25?
Made up numbers but say maximum train weight is 5.5 tons and vehicle weighs 2 tons, say 400kg people and 50kg stuff in vehicle would leave 3050kg even if the towing limit was 3500kg it would be illegal in this case to tow that. Then you need to check your licence is valid.

For example.
Touareg / Q7 / Cayenne gross weight is 2980kg
Towing ability 3500kg.
There is 7,5 ton.