UKC

Very hypothetical, may never happen, just dreaming and wondering if it can be done question !

I am looking to move a sailing boat, weighs about 2 tons, from Essex to Lancashire, and may occasionally want to move it afterwards, for a trip to Scotland or similar.

And I would love to have a van, basic camper, probably self converted etc for cragging and biking weekends, locally and maybe holidays.

Can I do this with the same vehicle ? I am clueless about stuff like this [at this point !] will a van be heavy enough ? boat is 6m trimaran, so not a small one. Will I need to get something so big and heavy [twin axel ?] that it makes it too expensive to run as a fairly regularly used camper.

Thanks

In reply to sarahjk:

You look for the Gross Train Mass for the van you´re thinking of, subtract the weight of the van with all the stuff in it and that´s what you can tow. Or you look for the maximum allowed towing weight which is sometimes available for newer vans. Most smaller single-wheel vans don´t make it, a Transit 310 is allowed 1500kg and a trailor for that size of boat will be around the 400kg mark. Something bigger like a Sprinter 318 can pull 2000kg.
All you can do is check the specs for whatever you fancy.
I´d check thew trimaran weight first anyway, unless it´s something vile like a Piver a 6m tri should be around the 1200kg mark.

In reply to sarahjk:

Towing - you might need to have to pass a further test and get B+E entitlement on your licence.
https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/driving-licence-rules-and-what-you-can-t...

In reply to jimtitt:

>a 6m tri should be around the 1200kg mark.

How old is the boat?

If it's more than a couple of years old it will weigh more than the listed weight due to water soaked into in the hull.

In reply to ewar woowar:

Umm, it´s not my boat.

In reply to ewar woowar:




Definitely, I towed a supposed 1 ton, 7M wooden yacht, straight out of the water from Plymouth up the length of the country, a couple of years ago, fair shitting it for most of the journey. For added joy it was fixed keel and sitting nearly 3ft above the trailer bed.

To the OP, I would definitely check the weight again, it sounds heavy. An 8M Telstar trimaran would only come in at that sort of weight and that is quite heavy, with the folding mechanism and stuff.

Still, with the trailer, twin wheeled I hope, you may be not far off.

How are you getting the boat on the trailer? If you're only going places with a lift then a van might do but if you're going anywhere near the water, I'd use a 4x4 and put another tow bar on the front to make life a lot easier. Coastal recovery is hard enough as it is.

In reply to sarahjk:

The licence is a problem these days unless you're as old as I am in which case you have granny's rights and your old licence will allow you to go above the 3500kg (trailer and tower) limit.

As said you need to check the weight limit given in the technical info for the van. This is specific to the exact model - Transits, for example, vary from 1200kg to over 2000kg depending on the model. I have a Citroen van which is allowed to tow 1800kg precisely for towing a boat. I have towed a boat which was way over the limit with a previous van and had no problem, just drive easy and don't brake too hard but if the fuzz had stopped me I could have been in trouble.

Finally towing is one thing, pulling the same boat up a slipway is another. Launching is generally ok but with a front wheel drive pulling back out is often a problem, that's why many people go for 4 wheel drive. Alternatively there are often people with tractors at slipways who will tow you and launch you for a few pounds (£7 at Rye Harbour for example) which has the added advantage of not getting your van's hubs in salt water.

In reply to sarahjk:

Thanks guys.

Licence is ok, I am old enough !

Sounds like it might be feasible, but rather a large van required, so might be a bit juicy !

Boat is an old one, but a good one. I am sure we will figure it all out, a winter project when its too cold for climbing.

In reply to sarahjk:

110, long wheel base Defender, can tow up to 3500kg and just big enough to camp in the back

In reply to Bruce Hooker:


Good advice - it's often easier to launch/retrieve the boat using a rope to allow you to keep the vehicle off a steep slippery slipway as well. The other bit about wheel hubs - allow them to cool down before putting them in water, or the contraction of air inside them as they enter cold water will suck water in.