Weight for Towing a Fairline Weekend 21

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ontheplane

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Hi There all.

I have a Fairline Weekend 21. I have always worked on a weight for towing it of about 2500kg all up with fuel, kit etc etc.

However I have learned that the dry weight is about 1750kg with the AQ151 (and I have the AQ141) - so assuming I drain all (or most) of the fuel out, take all the kit I can out of it, etc, I might be able to get it down to 1900kg ish on the trailer......

Now here's the question:-

There are lots of very large cars / small SUV's that will legally tow 2000kg - but go 1kg over that, and all of a sudden you need a MUCH bigger car - I currently have a 4.0l Jeep Grand Cherokee (which is a good 4x4 but not a great car it's a bit wallowy and not that nice!) - Also many Vans will tow 2000kg as well which is handy as I need a van anyhow and that will allow me to get rid of the Jeep.

So how much weight will the trailer add to my Boat weight I guess is the question, and if I were say 30 or 40 kg over the 2000kg would I be invalidating my insurance etc?

Thanks all

Grant
 
Hi,

Firstly your Trailer for a 2000kg boat will weigh a lot more than 150kg. Secondly the fairline is a high boat which will catch the wind so always better to go for a bigger rather than lighter car.I would work on the boat weighing at least 1900kg dry as additions etc will not have been factored in and then you need approx 350KG for a trailer so need a minimum of 2200kg. Then add 10% for comfort.....you are back up to 2500kg.

Just my opinion

Paul /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
My trailer is rated to 3000kgs, but can only carry 2400 kgs. That means the trailer is somewhere very close to 600kgs. It is a large twin axle job but I would be surprised if any trailer for a 21ft boat weighs less than 400kgs.

Also would you really be able to drain all the fuel every time you wanted to tow the boat? Where would you put the fuel?

The brochure dry weight is also very approximate, don't rely on it too much as you could easily be 100kg out.

I would guess, that even with no fuel, your boat with all the bits and bobs that have been added over the years will probably weigh somewhere in the refion of 2000 kgs on its own. Add a trialer and your original guess of 2500 kgs is probably not too far out.

Best bet is to take it to a local weighing station, then you know for sure.
 
Potential for a big accident here, your tralier will be at least 500kg if its a good one. I wouldn't tow a boat that size unless the vehicle was rated to at least 3000kg. You need weight for stability and anything with towing capacity of just 2000kg just won't be safe, also unless you have a 4x4 with low range you won't get up a slipway unless its a very shallow angle.
 
Fully agree with Neale, even worse,
about boat weight, you would be surprised how much diffrence there is between the weight specd in the brochure, and the real weight, anker chain, oil, ropes, tools, canopy, covers, etc etc, 2500 kg for the boat is very optimistic IMHO
I have experience with 4 trailable boats, 750/1800/2300/2800 kg just for the boat

about the trailer weight it would surprise me if you find a suitable 2 axle trailer of less then 600kg for this boat,
For my last boat (almost 3ton) I specifically bought a alluminium trailer to reduce the weight, (but it is still 700kg)
 
I work on my trailer being 750KG, it is a twin axle SBS designed for a 27ft Boat. I think the Boat wieght will be nearer 2t plus the trailer at 750kg.

Total wieght 2.7 t.- Just my guess
 
Check your car maual the jeep should do 3500kg for trailer and load?

3500 towed is a very heavy trailer .

I have done just under that with a discovery diesel and it was a [--word removed--] drive 45 to 50mph with a Bayliner 2455 on a trailer. The car felt grossly overloaded.

Think about how far you want to tow 2 miles is very different to 400 miles on frequent basis.

I think if you are under a certain age in the UK you now need a seperate driving test for a trailer and load over 750KG gross?

Its a bit of a mine field but for a trailer near 3500kg you need a very large FWD ( toyota Amazon ) and a very good trailer.

I would have thought over 3500kg if checked is a no no.

If over 3500kg you are into towing with a commercial vehicle.
 
What Discovery was it?

I have towed my 2007 Bayliner 265 behind a Discovery 3 with no problems, currently I use a 4.4v8 Range Rover without a problem.

I also have a 2004 Discovery Van for sale if anybody is interested, it has done 105k (I think), was my brother from new. PM if you are interested for more details.
 
Disco was a 95 TDi then I had a TD5 both limited towing speed now 5 to 60 mph, now I have an Amazon 4.2 TD and I have seen 90+ on the clock with a 2.5 ton trailer and load on french motorways.
 
Jeep tows it fine as long as I take it sensible and careful.

My issue is it seems daft to run around in a Jeep all the time, when I only tow perhaps twice a year.

It is looking like a large Transit will pull 3000KG so that may be the solution and then get a smaller car.
 
I went down this route when I went to a smaller boat, changed a 28ft sportscruiser to a 19ft one. I also got rid of the Disco and pull the boat with wifeys CR-V.

While it tows fine on the road, its when it comes to launch and recovery things get a bit dodgy. The extra weight and low ratio box of a real 4x4 makes slipways easy, without full time 4x4 and no low ratio box some slipways with the CR-V can be almost impossible. I'm buying another disco or rangie as a 3rd car for next year.

Stick with the Jeep.
 
[ QUOTE ]

I have a Fairline Weekend 21.

[/ QUOTE ]

thought you said you'd got rid of it? /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
I own one now, too... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
As advised, go for a 4x4 with low ratio gear selector and part time 4wd. This, whilst an old technology, improves mpg on the road. A Transit won't give you the traction on the slipway. I've pulled vans attached to boats on trailers up the slip at Brixham when they've either burnt their clutches out, or just get wheelspin. (Mine's a Nissan Patrol 4.2 diesel. 25mpg whatever you do).
 
CRV rubbish on a shale slipway even recovering a dinghy. Canes the clutch without low ratio.

If 1800Kgs is a sufficient limit get the last model Grand Vitara TD.
Low ratio, selectable FWD, 37mpg, cruise at 70 @ 2500rpm in near silence .........and, far better build quality than Honda. I love mine.
 
I've read right through and no-one seems to have mentioned the obvious. Go to the HGV testing station, or any other Public Weighbridge and weigh the outfit. Unhitch and leave the whole trailer/load on the weighbridge. You could check the complete Gross Train Weight as well with the tow vehicle/trailer/load on the w/bridge and loaded as you would normally be.
 
Be very carefull not to exceed the maximum trainweight for your vehicle, it will almost undoubtably void your insurance not to mention be a danger to both yourself & others on the road.

We used to tow a Bayliner 2255, trailer was 600kg (Twin axle SBS 2500B), all up weight should have been approx 2500kg but it was a struggle to keep it below this, especially when trying to save a few £££ by filling at the petrol station prior to launch.

Also recomend 4X4 with low ratio gearbox for those steep slipways (Brixham being a good example).
 
The GV was on our original list, but we need the extra 200kg the CR-V gave us.

I met a guy on a camp site in Wales that launched and recovered a 25ft 3500kg fishing boat off the beach with his GV, amazing considering the size of them !
 
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