How to move a mast from Suffolk by road?

[Windway]

I am helping a friend with a project and need to move a second hand mast 43 feet in length from Suffolk to Anglesey, but am not sure how to go about this. Has anyone moved a mast by road and if so can you explain how we might go about it? Has anyone use a mast moving company and if so can you suggest someone we might contact for a quote? Thanks

 

[rogerthebodger]

I am helping a friend with a project and need to move a second hand mast 43 feet in length from Suffolk to Anglesey, but am not sure how to go about this. Has anyone moved a mast by road and if so can you explain how we might go about it? Has anyone use a mast moving company and if so can you suggest someone we might contact for a quote? Thanks

I moved an 18 metre mast from Cape Town to Johannesburg 1400 Km on this trailer.

And this 15 meter mast from Johannesburg to Durban 600 Km on the same trailer.

 

[Graham_Wright]

You don't need a mast moving company - you need a shipping agency (no pun).

43 feet is not over long. Mine was the same size, Brightlingsea to Gloucestershire £50.

Alternatively, you can tow it with a special two wheeled detached trailer - top on the hitch, bottom on the trailer (obviously with a trailer board).

 

[[3889]]

7m max trailer length in UK. Coupled with ~5m car length = 38' overall. Personally, I'd chance it on a trailer behind a car with 2.5' overhang either end (using A55 rather than tortuous A5 for Anglesey) and cross my fingers not to encounter a keen DVSA officer . I doubt run-of-the-mill plod would be interested.

 

[Graham_Wright]

7m max trailer length in UK. Coupled with ~5m car length = 38' overall. Personally, I'd chance it on a trailer behind a car with 2.5' overhang either end (using A55 rather than tortuous A5 for Anglesey) and cross my fingers not to encounter a keen DVSA officer . I doubt run-of-the-mill plod would be interested.

SailSpar were going to deliver my mast by towing it. Would they have had special dispensation?

 

[[3889]]

Apologies. 7m limit applies to a <3,5T vehicle.
https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/car-towing-weight-and-width-limits

 

[rogerthebodger]

Apologies. 7m limit applies to a <3,5T vehicle.
https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/car-towing-weight-and-width-limits

"The maximum length for a trailer towed by a vehicle weighing up to 3,500kg is 7 metres.
This length does not include the A-frame".

Now what do they mean by the A frame. If its we term the draw bar this is how I het away with my towing trailer as my trailer is 3 meters long but my draw bar is 12 meters long

 

[Windway]

Thanks for these ideas.

 

[savageseadog]

When I researched the subject a mast would be a tow of exceptional length which is not illegal

 

[VicS]

When I researched the subject a mast would be a tow of exceptional length which is not illegal

. Thats how the glider people get away with towing their enormously long trailers . I remember that argumentative Scottish professor (Professor Foghorn he called himself on the Cbeebies TV programmes IIRC) telling us about it some years ago

 

[merlin3688]

This guy moves masts for most of the UK spar companies, you might find if he is collecting from Z Spars it may be cheaper!
http://ainsworthdeliveries.com/

 

[rogerthebodger]

This guy moves masts for most of the UK spar companies, you might find if he is collecting from Z Spars it may be cheaper!
http://ainsworthdeliveries.com/

Like this

 

[Seven Spades]

Perhaps you can find a rowing club that will lend you a trailer for one of their 8's

 

[DownWest]

The key to the law is the indevisable load bit. That is how the glider mob are allowed their loooong trailers. The same applies for a boat over 7mtrs.
We trailed a 50ft mast once, but did V early on a Sunday morn, on roads where we thought the police where unlikely to see it (not UK) Tied a little box trailer a bit aft of the centre and screwed a hitch to the foot (wooden mast) Only belted one road sign...

 

[paul-essex]

I put mine on the roof of my van over hanging the front and had a trailer on towbar but not support Mast just as a back marker. 43ft of it and drove it Southampton to Essex passed a police car and never got stopped

 

[savageseadog]

A glider trailer is what I used:

 

[alteredoutlook]

just an idea, but have you thought about putting it out to tender through a shipping/delivery agency e.g. https://www.shiply.com/ and seeing what they come up with

 

[merlin3688]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231951864930

 

[VicS]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231951864930

and could hardly be in a more convenient location