Westerly Centaur - Weight for road towing

[JumbleDuck]

From DVLA site

Category C1+E

You can drive C1 category vehicles with a trailer over 750kg, but the trailer - when fully loaded - can’t weigh more than the vehicle.

The combined weight of both can’t exceed 12,000kg.

So you can tow 6t with a 7.5t lorry provided the lorry is loaded up to 6t I assume.

But, as Erbas pointed out, there is a further restriction on those of us (wrinkly or smooth) who got C1+E entitlement simply by passing a standard driving test before 1/1/97. We are restricted to a total train weight of 8,250kg so the best we can do is a 4,125kg trailer and a 4,125kg tow vehicle. That might, just, allow a Centaur.

 

[Lakesailor]

But Erbas claimed there was only 750Kgs spare for the trailer. Which I disagreed with.

Ok, yes but my point stands and is correct since 8.25 - 7.5 = 0.75 and I was pointing out that the suggestion of hiring a 7.5 tonner as a tow vehicle wouldn't fly

your ball sir!

 

[Bru]

But Erbas claimed there was only 750Kgs spare for the trailer. Which I disagreed with.

if the towing vehicle it's plated at 7500kgs that leaves 750kg for the trailer on a restricted C1+E licence gained on grandfather rights and the suggestion was to hire a 7.5 tonner to tow the boat. doesn't add up unless you have an HGV licence (C+E or C1+E) obtained by taking the relevant test

the towing limits for the vehicle are irrelevant, it's the restriction on the licence that matters in this case

I'm not aware of any stock vehicles that would fit the bill but as Jumbleduck rightly pointed out if you could find a tow vehicle with a lower plated weight that would increase the allowable trailer MGW

 

[Lucky Duck]

, I note that I'm no longer allowed to drive track laying vehicles (tanks?), steam rollers and agricultural vehicles which I seem to remember appeared on my license at one time. I can't remember if I was ever allowed to tow a trailer behind my tank!

I don't think that is supposed to happen, there was a fuss on Watchdog a while back where the DVLA had 'lost' peoples' entitlement to drive motorcycles and as they had sent thier old licence back to the DVLA they had no proof otherwise so needed to re-sit the tests.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I don't think that is supposed to happen, there was a fuss on Watchdog a while back where the DVLA had 'lost' peoples' entitlement to drive motorcycles and as they had sent thier old licence back to the DVLA they had no proof otherwise so needed to re-sit the tests.

Thanks Bent Goose. In that case I'll ask for them to be re-instated!

BTW If you click on the 'what vehicles can I drive' link, it says the following

3When was your licence issued?
Before 1 January 1997

Change this answer

You can already drive medium-sized vehicles.
Towing

You’ll also have the C1+E towing entitlement, letting you drive C1 vehicles with a trailer with total weight of vehicle and trailer not more than 8,250 kg.

The fully loaded trailer can’t weigh more than the unladen weight of the actual vehicle, however.

So Erbas and Jumble Duck are correct and I apologise. It assumes that drivers with the C1E endorsement have read the DVLA website thoroughly and could be disputed in court if you had a mind (which I don't).

 

[JumbleDuck]

I don't think that is supposed to happen, there was a fuss on Watchdog a while back where the DVLA had 'lost' peoples' entitlement to drive motorcycles and as they had sent thier old licence back to the DVLA they had no proof otherwise so needed to re-sit the tests.

DVLC (as they then there) were hopeless at these things. I moved house about five years after getting my car licence, and when I told them of the change of address my licence came back with unrestricted motorcycle riding rights, although I have never taken a motorbike test. That disappeared again when I renewed my photocard license.

 

[JumbleDuck]

So Erbas and Jumble Duck are correct and I apologise. It assumes that drivers with the C1E endorsement have read the DVLA website thoroughly and could be disputed in court if you had a mind (which I don't).

Until Erbas pointed it out, I had never even noticed the C1E restriction on my licence, let alone checked what it meant.

 

[Bru]

Until Erbas pointed it out, I had never even noticed the C1E restriction on my licence, let alone checked what it meant.

Don't feel bad about it, neither had any of our drivers or customers until a cleverer than usual plod nicked one of our drivers!

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Lakey, have a look atf your driving licence

If you pass the C1+E test ( which few test centres if any actually offer) you can tow to the limits specified under construction and use etc

However, if your C1 entitlement is due to passing your car test pre-1997, you'll find code 107 against the C1+E category and if you look that up you'll find it restricts you to 750kg trailers

we found this out the hard way at the plant hire depot I used to work at!

I just checked out of interest (I passed my test long before 1997), and according to this website (https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-codes), the restriction is to a total weight of 8,250 kg, not 750 kg trailers. Category C1 restricts you to a trailer with a weight of 750 kg; C1+E gives a trailer over 750 kg, but 107 restricts you to a total weight of 8,250 kg.

Incidentally, my D1+E mentions code 119, which says "weight limit does not apply" - any idea what that means?

 

[JumbleDuck]

IIncidentally, my D1+E mentions code 119, which says "weight limit does not apply" - any idea what that means?

Have you seen the size of some HGV drivers?

 

[Jim@sea]

PS. The crane which many boatyards have has a weight gauge. Offer them £50 to just lift the Centaur and weigh it. Then you will know if it is trailerable.

 

[Lakesailor]

Don't feel bad about it, neither had any of our drivers or customers until a cleverer than usual plod nicked one of our drivers!

When was this?

It used to be the case that the plated weight was the one which was used, irrespective of the actual weighbridge slips. The wagon could be empty but the 7.5 ton would be the figure they used.

This was ridiculous and has since changed. It is the Actual weights which are used now. There has been quite a lot about this but the relevant details are difficult to find.

 

[Pete7]

Topical photo:

 

[JumbleDuck]

It used to be the case that the plated weight was the one which was used, irrespective of the actual weighbridge slips. The wagon could be empty but the 7.5 ton would be the figure they used.

I was thinking of buying a new trailer for my last boat when that nonsense was in force. One trailer company offered to fit one plate for the journey home (behind my little car) and supply another one for me to fit when the boat went on it ...

 

[paul-essex]

Topical photo:

I like the name
their is a little loop hole in over loading as you can go to your nearest weigh bridge to check the load and off load any excess it might be just pass past you destination

 

[Bru]

about eleven or twelve years ago, Lakey, wasn't much to argue about cos he had a 3t roller on the bed and a JCB 8015 on a plant trailer on the hitch! I think the phrase is " bang to rights"

I think that he legal position was always that the actual rather than plated weight applied when it comes to some aspects of the law ( but it isn't universal especially when you move into HGV territory) but it need somebody to contest the authorities taking the easy option (I might be wrong on that though)

 

[tarik]

Hi everybody,

Very many thanks for all your replies, I think it might be less hassle to load it onto the trailer and get someone to to tow it !

Trouble is I want to get it down to Gib later this year - would love to sail it there but haven't got the available time.

Any volunteers ?


Daid

 

[Lakesailor]

I think that he legal position was always that the actual rather than plated weight applied when it comes to some aspects of the law(I might be wrong on that though)

I had a right up-and-downer with Indespension at their Headquarters who wouldn't hire a car trailer to me because it's plated weight was more than the towing limit on the Rover I turned up with.
This was not because of the car I was planning to load on it (a Mini) but because the towing weight of the tow-car was less than the plated weight of the trailer and they told me, emphatically, that even though the trailer was empty the plated Gross Trailer Weight was what applied.

This has since changed.

 

[Avocet]

I had a right up-and-downer with Indespension at their Headquarters who wouldn't hire a car trailer to me because it's plated weight was more than the towing limit on the Rover I turned up with.
This was not because of the car I was planning to load on it (a Mini) but because the towing weight of the tow-car was less than the plated weight of the trailer and they told me, emphatically, that even though the trailer was empty the plated Gross Trailer Weight was what applied.

This has since changed.

They were wrong. There are two things that can restrict your ability to tow. One is your driving licence (and with that, it's the plated weight of whatever you're towing - even if the trailer is unladen at the time), and the other is the physical limitation of the towing vehicle / trailer (where they use the actual weight(s) at the time to see if a crime has been committed.

 

[chinita]

Trouble is I want to get it down to Gib later this year

Budget on around £4k. Those were the sort of commercial quotes I was getting last year.

Also consider your long terms plans as you will not sell a boat like a Centaur quickly or easily in the Med.