Can I legally and safely tow this boat?

[Cliveshep]

We hardly ever get to use our Ocean 30 these days, 3 weekends only so far and unlikely to use it again this year so it just doesn't stack up financially what with mooring fees, licences, maintainence, insurance and so on. So............I've made a decision to sell it and we are considering going back to a trailed boat.

We want to be able to cruise for a holiday, perhaps get away from Thames/Wey to the Broads or Fens, albeit without the comfort and space the Ocean gives, and also go to sea for a day's fishing or just racing around for the fun of it. There are four of us.

I've seen a 24ft Coronet going cheap, without engines or drives, as a project boat. It is offered on a twin axle Loadrite braked trailer. I'm thinking of fitting a couple of secondhand Enfields or Transadrives connected to a couple of secondhand Thorneycroft T108's or Perkins 4.107's/4.108's which probably wouldn't cost an arm or a leg (being out of work having some cash left over from selling the big Ocean is desirable) but I'm concerned if I could legally tow such a big boat. My car is a Mitsubishi 2.8tdi LWB 4 x 4.

What does the panel think?

 

[Tidnock]

find out what the manufacturers, gross, braked trailer, towing capacity of your vehicle is, find out what the gross boat and trailer combination is, if it does not exceed, yes, assuming its not over width

 

[me2]

Loadrite trailers are made in the USA so may be over 7' 6" wide ,if it is it will not be legal for our roads plus the brake will need to be 4 wheel braked and not 2 wheel braked. Add to this the 2" hitch it may be a total no no.

 

[hlb]

There was a similar post last week. Think no is the answer. I've towed 2 tons behind a good 4x4 and it's quite enough, though I was quite used to 130 tons with something slightly better.

Towing is a very grey area, but I think 3.5 tons is tops, think your set up would be above that.

 

[landlockedpirate]

Theres a lot of variables with your questions, but on balance its unlikely the rig will be UK road legal. Depending on exact model, your 4x4 can tow between 2800kg and 3500kg, even at the full 3500kg it only gives you about 2750kg to play with. A twin diesel 24ft boat is going to be more than this, I would guess about 4000kg in cruising trim.

As mentioned the trailer is unlikely to be road legal, (loadrite only started making UK legal trailers in 2009 and I havent actually seen 1 over here yet.)its probably too wide, may have brake issues and will need the tow hitch changing.

I have towed big boats (not all legal) and I think the biggest boat you should be looking at to tow legally will be 24ft long, 8'6" wide and a single petrol or lightweight diesel (i.e. KAD 32). But you will need to confirm your towing limit of your car,

 

[VicS]

This website covers all the legal aspects of towing

http://www.ntta.co.uk/​

 

[AndieMac]

Clive......... Seeing as the boat is in project form and requiring a repower, what about mounting an outboard or two on an external aft, pod/bracket.
I gather you may not intend to do to much sea work, so bringing the weight out, from inside the boat, to a couple of lighter weight outboards would help to improve the gross trailer weight of the rig.
It will of course make the boat more tender at rest, when fishing offshore, but the advantages of the overall concept may be worth a thought.

Many boats over here are repowered in this way to make more fishing space in the cockpit because of protruding engine boxes, and the distrust of ageing outdrives.

After the transom has been filled and reglassed over, a bouyant pod can be fabricated from either alloy or GRP, set back so the outboards can be raised clear of the water (no fouling). The under side of the pod is shaped to follow the deadrise of the keel, and usually set up about 2 inches, to clear the bilge draining plug. The pod is through bolted to the transom, with and inspection port on the top side.

The boat will have enough bouyancy to support the extra weight aft, and the pod has its own anyway.

Preloved outboards and controls can be sourced (auctions, ebay etc...), and extra water or fuel tanks fitted down aft where the inboards used to be, only if you need it (empty when towing.

Just a thought!

 

[AndieMac]

One more thing

If you feel the OB's are too exposed from being bumped (in Locks) sitting out aft, you can fabricate a frame (Alloy 2inch tubing) to protect them.

 

[Cliveshep]

Well, thank you all very much for your valued input. I was unaware that the trailer wouldn't be legal over here, nor of the likely all up weight of the outfit although I guessed I would be pretty much on the limit at best.

Back to the drawing board I suppose and a considered re-think.