Too slow..

[veshengro]

Today I saw, at a distance, a device which will make life a lot easier for launch/recovery of a small boat from a sloping slipway. A small Hyundai ? saloon car reversing up the ramp towing a large clinker Dinghy on a trailer which was attached to the car's front bumper towing point.
By the time I had scuttled round to the ramp the trailer was parked, as was the car, but unfortunately the driver was not present. I noticed that the cover for the normal ring bolt type front towing point had not been replaced, so there was no major alteration to the car and the trailer hitch was of the usual ball type.

My Google Fu, what little I can muster, is exhausted so is anyone familiar with such a connection device?
Reversing my trailer down a ramp with the limited rear view from my van can get unnecessarily exciting at times on unfamiliar ramps...

 

[B27]

If the trailer has a jockey wheel, a short piece of rope to the towing eye is all you need.
It means the car is further from the water!

You can also just use the parked car as an anchor point and ease the trailer down the slip with a turn or two of rope through the towing eye.
You'd need to find a rope that behaves, climbing rope maybe, some rope might lock up?

Unless it was a frame like they use for towing small cars behind big motorhomes?

 

[Plum]

Today I saw, at a distance, a device which will make life a lot easier for launch/recovery of a small boat from a sloping slipway. A small Hyundai ? saloon car reversing up the ramp towing a large clinker Dinghy on a trailer which was attached to the car's front bumper towing point.
By the time I had scuttled round to the ramp the trailer was parked, as was the car, but unfortunately the driver was not present. I noticed that the cover for the normal ring bolt type front towing point had not been replaced, so there was no major alteration to the car and the trailer hitch was of the usual ball type.

My Google Fu, what little I can muster, is exhausted so is anyone familiar with such a connection device?
Reversing my trailer down a ramp with the limited rear view from my van can get unnecessarily exciting at times on unfamiliar ramps...

Front mounted towbars, often with detachable balls, make reversing a trailer so much easier but I have not seen one that screws into the vehicle recovery towing socket. A good idea though, maybe a DIY job. Front Push Towbars For Many Vehicles From Western Towing .

Edit: just found this Push me- pull you (front tow ball) - The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums

 

[veshengro]

I think you are correct, it was a home made screw in ball hitch that I saw. I imagine that for launching an inflatable or relatively lightweight Dinghy/ small boat the front towing point will be strong enough. I shall experiment...

 

[Stemar]

I imagine that for launching an inflatable or relatively lightweight Dinghy/ small boat the front towing point will be strong enough.

If it's strong enough to tow the whole vehicle, I can't think it wouldn't be up to handling anything that vehicle would pull

 

[Plum]

If it's strong enough to tow the whole vehicle, I can't think it wouldn't be up to handling anything that vehicle would pull

other than the screw-in vehicle recovery eye is not designed to take much side to side or up and down loading, mostly just a straight pull

 

[MontyMariner]

When I used to launch / recover our club dive boat I always used a rope on the car front towing eye.
Launching, had a person controlling trailer direction from the jockey wheel.
Recovery, using a front wheel drive car puts the weight in the right place and the rope keeps the drive wheels on the dry part of the slip.
Note: use a shackle to connect the rope to the car eye as a knot pulls very tight! An eye splice on the rope over the jockey wheel works well.

 

[Stemar]

other than the screw-in vehicle recovery eye is not designed to take much side to side or up and down loading, mostly just a straight pull

True, but how much side loading would it get manoeuvring a small boat and its trailer at low speed?

 

[Mister E]

The tow eye is designed for side loads as when towing the bar or rope is not always in a straight line. Thus giving a higher side load.

 

[bikedaft]

we use a front mounted towball on a landy, to push a trailer with Argocat (800kg ish) uphill, around a corner, into a container. must remove before road use... It has made a huge difference, so much easier, for many reasons.

for light loads e.g. small boat and trailer, suspect using/abusing front towing eye socket on a car would be ok.

 

[MontyMariner]

Side loads are minimal, launching - someone guides the trailer, recovery - the trailer follows the rope direction so unless the slip goes around a bend the rope horizontal angle is less than about 5 degrees.