Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
 
Old 14 January 2013, 20:41   #21
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: N. Devon
Boat name: (Not Another) Nutkin
Make: Highfield
Length: 6m +
Engine: Outboard, Honda 135
MMSI: 232036183
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,015
RIBase
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boats&Outboards View Post
Your best asking the dvla or department of transport. Even vosa. Either that or even a driving instructor who teaches towing ?

Peter @ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ BoatsandOutboards4Sale | Hand-picked boats & motors, fully tested, delivered nationwide. ~ 07930 421007
The Gov site that covers it is this one - https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/d...at-you-can-tow

Think I've seen it some where before
__________________
Andy

Bude Dive Club - www.budediveclub.co.uk
GAFIRS - www.gafirs.org.uk
treerat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14 January 2013, 20:43   #22
Member
 
mister p's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: LONDON
Make: SR4/ZODIAC/3D
Length: 4m +
Engine: 30T/40T
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,433
Quote:
Originally Posted by lukewhiting View Post
Ive asked 3 officers so far...not one of them knew for sure but didnt think it would be a problem. Didnt really want to just go on "should be fine i think" though!
Good on you for doing that..........and now you try the next rung up the tree. The nearest test centre. Even then you should go to where you took your test. if they're empty, get the cop that told you "it should be ok" to write that down, sign it and agree to defend you if you get pulled........it won't happen but you get the idea Luke.
__________________
mister p is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14 January 2013, 21:06   #23
Member
 
lukewhiting's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: swanage
Make: Thundercat
Length: 4m +
Engine: Tohatsu 50
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 968
haha cheers for the help guys! Asking a trailer test center seems like a good plan! Theyll be my next stop i think
__________________
lukewhiting is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14 January 2013, 21:15   #24
Member
 
Tim M's Avatar
 
Country: France
Town: Côte d'Azur
Boat name: Beaver Patrol
Make: Avon Searider SR4
Length: 4m +
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,934
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boats&Outboards View Post
Hahahaha they have even less of a clue than us lot do

Peter @ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ BoatsandOutboards4Sale | Hand-picked boats & motors, fully tested, delivered nationwide. ~ 07930 421007
Best I've had is "you can tow a trailer but not a caravan"
__________________
Tim M is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14 January 2013, 21:26   #25
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Plymouth
Length: 6m +
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,693
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim M View Post

Best I've had is "you can tow a trailer but not a caravan"
Well to be fair that should be a law anyway

Peter @ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ www.BoatsandOutboards4Sale.co.uk ~ 07930 421007
__________________
Boats&Outboards is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14 January 2013, 21:32   #26
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Surrey
Boat name: Fugly & Rokraider 1
Make: Pac 22 & Porter 6.5
Length: 6m +
Engine: Ford 250 & jet,DT140
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 681
I should do a written request and ask for a written answer so you have something in writing to produce if you get stopped.
__________________
Rokraider is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14 January 2013, 21:43   #27
RIBnet admin team
 
Poly's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: imposter
Make: FunYak
Length: 3m +
Engine: Tohatsu 30HP
MMSI: 235089819
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,622
Quote:
Originally Posted by lukewhiting View Post
haha cheers for the help guys! Asking a trailer test center seems like a good plan! Theyll be my next stop i think
Luke, the wording and terminology is all a bit confusing, but the link treerat has posted is an official position - if you are concerned print it off and keep it in the glove box. HOWEVER without knowing the figures for your car/trailer its all a bit hypothetical.

700 kg seems wrong for such a small car. I'd have expect something more like 400 kg. As Tim says it should be in the manual. The VIN plate will show maximum weight with braked trailer. I believe the unbraked trailer weight is half the cars kerb weight (note this is the "minimum" weight of the car not its maximum).

I'd suggest don't go asking more people. Understand the rules and the numbers as they apply to your situation - anyone official is just going to quote rules, or misinterpretations of them at you.

I wouldn't rush to do the training to "upgrade" as Peter is suggesting. At 18 it will probably be some time before you can afford a boat you can't tow with your current licence by which time you will probably have forgotten / learned bad habits. Find a big empty car park and practice towing there. Then practice reversing. Then find some cones or simillar and practice simulating narrow spaces like slipways. With nobody around to put pressure on you'll learn quicker than under the pressure at the slip or trying to learn a specific manouvre for a test. Once you think you've got it mastered, drop the boat off somewhere and practice with the empty trailer - its much harder!
__________________
Poly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14 January 2013, 21:54   #28
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Length: 3m +
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,758
Or take your licence. Look and see what categories you have and go to:

https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories

You should have cat B. It clearly states the trailer rules. You need to know the MAM of the trailer , the weight of the car. Car looks to be ~860kg. The trailer is unbraked soi should be < 750kg. It needs to be < 700kg to comply with the spec for the car. 1560kg is less than 3500kg so anyone with a full Cat B licence can tow. simples.

Now go get yourslef a bigger car and a heavier breaked trailer and try figure out if you are legal!!
__________________
ShinyShoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14 January 2013, 22:04   #29
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: Wildheart
Make: Humber/Delta Seasafe
Length: 5m +
Engine: Merc 60 Clamshell
MMSI: 235068449
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,667
I'll second Poly on the weight thing - Unbraked is half the car's GVW or 750KG (whichever is the lighter) I.e you could still only tow 750Kg in an unbraked trailer even if you hitched it to a 7 Tonne truck and had a full class 1 HGV licence...) - That 700Kg might be it's braked limit - I used to drive a 1.2L Fiesta which was something like 690Kg (I think - it wasn't yesterday!) with a braked trailer. I only towed a laser, so the 100 odd KG trailer wasn't an issue.....

The towing limits are calculated as a mixture of braking ability and ability to essentially climb Grossglokner without expiring. So if you look at any car the "big diesel" variant will probably be able to tow a bit more than the 1.0L eco version, but not a lot more - 'coz of the braking....

Put it in perspective, I drive a Focus Estate with a huge lump of oil burning cast iron under the bonnet - I can JUST tow 750Kg unbraked - the car's GVW is 1600kg or thereabouts.
__________________
9D280 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14 January 2013, 22:20   #30
RIBnet admin team
 
Poly's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: imposter
Make: FunYak
Length: 3m +
Engine: Tohatsu 30HP
MMSI: 235089819
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,622
Quote:
Originally Posted by 9D280 View Post
I'll second Poly on the weight thing - Unbraked is half the car's GVW or 750KG (whichever is the lighter)
thats not quite what I said though... I think its 50% of KERB weight (which is something like empty car+driver+fuel) rather than GVW which is fully laden.
__________________
Poly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14 January 2013, 22:39   #31
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: gloucestershire
Length: 4m +
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 342
Luke: When I started with trailers I used to go to a big industrial estate at night when it was quiet and practice reversing.

round corners into parking spaces etc, as has been said better than learning on a crowded slipway, with everyone looking .
__________________
camelgas is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 January 2013, 08:01   #32
Member
 
lukewhiting's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: swanage
Make: Thundercat
Length: 4m +
Engine: Tohatsu 50
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 968
So from reading it all it seems ok to tow, i just need some practice obviously! I also emailed dorset police last night & they replied with the same link to directgov & they said "going by the details it would appear to be ok to tow your boat"
__________________
lukewhiting is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 January 2013, 08:33   #33
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: Wildheart
Make: Humber/Delta Seasafe
Length: 5m +
Engine: Merc 60 Clamshell
MMSI: 235068449
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,667
Quote:
Originally Posted by Poly View Post
thats not quite what I said though... I think its 50% of KERB weight (which is something like empty car+driver+fuel) rather than GVW which is fully laden.
Yes, apologies. I stand corrected.

Moral of the story - beware what you read on internet forums! The writer may have partaken of a beer before posting...
__________________
9D280 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 January 2013, 16:51   #34
Member
 
lukewhiting's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: swanage
Make: Thundercat
Length: 4m +
Engine: Tohatsu 50
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 968
Looks like i wont be towing for a while anyway! The engine service is getting more and more expensive
__________________
lukewhiting is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 January 2013, 17:05   #35
Member
 
mister p's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: LONDON
Make: SR4/ZODIAC/3D
Length: 4m +
Engine: 30T/40T
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,433
Luke,
Despite what we all say, it appears that we know less than the cops. Go to somewhere that sorts you out without having to rely on photocopies of bumpf in your glovebox.
Insist on the right information and don't leave until you get it. DVLA test centre is good.
There
__________________
mister p is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 January 2013, 18:28   #36
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Plymouth
Length: 10m +
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 367
The law is fairly simple on this, anyone with a Cat B (car) licence can tow a trailer with a GVW upto 750kg without having to take an additional test. It is only when you go above 750kg that things start getting more complicated.
__________________
South West Boat Transport
Professional Boat Transport across England, Wales, Scotland, Europe & Scandinavia. Any boat up to 50ft.
https://www.boat-transportation.co.uk
SW Boat Transport is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 January 2013, 19:10   #37
RIBnet admin team
 
Poly's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: imposter
Make: FunYak
Length: 3m +
Engine: Tohatsu 30HP
MMSI: 235089819
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,622
Quote:
Originally Posted by SW RIB Charter View Post
The law is fairly simple on this, anyone with a Cat B (car) licence can tow a trailer with a GVW upto 750kg without having to take an additional test. It is only when you go above 750kg that things start getting more complicated.
Provided that their car is suitable.
__________________
Poly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 January 2013, 19:57   #38
Member
 
jbavvo's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Peterborough
Boat name: Swift Sarah
Make: Avon SR4
Length: 4m +
Engine: Mariner 30hp
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 35
You're perfectly safe and legal to tow, even with the Saxo, have a thorough read on the www.gov.uk website - it's even got information on safe towing. Just make sure the MAM of your trailer is under 750kg.

I drive a 1.4L Fiesta which has a rated tow capacity of 900kgs and I've towed several different trailers and weights with it no problems.

My towbar was £30 second hand off eBay, fitted myself in about 30 mins, had it checked and wired in by a mobile fitter for an extra £15.

If you're planning on launching with it, it's worth practising reversing in an empty car park, for me when I started it was just towing in a straight line - so I've only recently had to practice reversing!

I'd recommend letting the insurance company know you're towing as well. There's no increase in premium or excess, but it's safer they have it on file.

Good luck.
__________________
jbavvo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15 January 2013, 21:50   #39
Member
 
spartacus's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Aberdeenshire
Boat name: Sula
Make: Ribcraft 4.8m
Length: 4m +
Engine: Tohatsu 70hp + aux
MMSI: 235087213
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,521
RIBase
Just checked the Citroen Saxo (99-03) 1.4 (75bhp) tow limits for braked and unbraked online and its inconclusive? The DVLA registration document (V5) is key to solving this Columbo mystery!
__________________
Is that with or without VAT?
spartacus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16 January 2013, 00:01   #40
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Inverness
Boat name: none
Make: none
Engine: none
MMSI: none
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,908
Or you could wait till you get pulled, most cops haven't a clue about trailer law anyway........
The other alternative is grow your hair long and wear a short skirt, its the only possible explanation for my missus getting stopped and let off with a "get your husband to fix it" instead of a £60 fixed penalty like one of my workmates for the same fault last week.
He had one rear bulb out. When my wife got home I found no fewer than six lights out around the car including both main brake lights, one front sidelight, one rear light, one reversing light and the rear foglamp.
Either he was blind or she was wearing a low cut blouse that day.........
__________________
BruceB is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT. The time now is 01:02.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.