Towing and Launching a 5.3m RIB?

[Will Lankston]

What is the smallest car that would get away with towing and launching a 5ish metre rib?

Cheers
Will

[Nos4r2]

Depends on the weight of the car and whether the trailer's braked or not.

Something I only just found out-a car can LEGALLY only tow up to half it's weight as an unbraked trailer-so you'd need a big car to tow a 5.3m on an unbraked trailer.

Realistically you're going to need something of around the size of a Mondeo and a braked trailer (and a licence to tow a braked trailer!)

You don't want to be looking at 'the smallest possible'. It's going to cause you problems if you do that. The police don't recognise things like 'only just over the weight limit' etc, they just stop you moving the vehicle.

[Hightower]

You'll have to look at the gross weight towing capacity of the car to dictate the minimum size of car that can tow your rig with.

I guess a Golf size car though. RWD or 4x4 if the slip is gravel or shingle or really steep.

[Will Lankston]

And whats is a braked trailer and what does it do?

[Hightower]

Quite simply means a trailer with brakes

[Will Lankston]

Do the trailers brakes lead into the car's brakes somehow?

Cheers

Will

[Hightower]

General rule is that loads to 750kgs don't need brakes, but loads over 750kgs do.

The brakes are attached to the tow hitch and as you brake the trailers momentum pushes into the back of the car tow hitch and compresses the hitch brake mechanism which in turn applies the brakes on the trailer.

Brakes are undesirable on a boat trailer because they often sieze up with the ingress of salt water, but it's a legal requirement.

Hope that helps a little.

[Nos4r2]

Google 'NTTA' and 'Trailer brakes' and you should come up with enough info to make an informed decision.

National Trailer and towing association

[Will Lankston]

So an Audi A3 towing a 5.3m RIB would be okay without a braked trailer?

[Nos4r2]

Maybe-depending on the weight of the A3 and the weight of the trailer.

The car would do it without a problem-recovery might be hard on a steep slipway with a front wheel drive. It's just the legalities of weight you need to look at.