Dedicated Launch/Recovery Vehicle

blimp · 28 May 2007, 08:13

As some may be aware I bought a Cobra 6.65m a few months ago in Lymington and then brought her back to her new home in Ireland. My plan had always been for her to live on her trailer alongside a place we have on the East coast in Waterford. This location is less than a mile from a slipway and had planned to launch/recover from there as and when required. However the feckin slipway has turned out to be a dog - soft sand settling, shallow gradient, etc. - so I had thought about getting rid of the rib! (Yes I have tried using ropes from my jeep to the trailer, but all I have is an Xtrail and she's just not up to it)

However, after being out again this past weekend my family and I have come to the conclusion that this is too much fun to pass up on, so a solution must be found. So I'm turning to you guys.

There's a guy across the road from me who has a smaller rib and uses a really (and I mean REALLY) bashed up old land-cruiser just for launching and recovery. This thing now has most of its parts on the ground around it (rust) and he plans to change it. I'm going to talk to him next weekend about the two of us going splits on a replacement and would like to here from you lot about some suggestions.

Here's our requirements:
- Must be bloody good at pulling a rib out of a shallow slipway which sometimes has soft sand
(Yup, that's about it!)

This thing only needs to travel less than a mile down a lane so it doesn't have to be a 'looker' - any aul piece of crap will do, just so long as it'll do the job.

The type of thing that might be considered would be an old landie (anyone recall where those ex-MOD ones are sold?) or maybe even an old tractor. In any case we've got to this this cheaply. It's only being used to launch and recover our boats, and we're not made of money!!

Anyone got any thoughts/suggestions?

Chris · 28 May 2007, 09:03

I guess any of the larger 4WDs will do it

Landrover
Toyota
Nissan

Don't rule out a Lada Riva.

I guess if you are trying to pull on soft mud or sand then one of the most important items will be some Fat tyres with good grip.

I would then get the underside of the chassis sprayed with old engine oil to protect it against to repeated dunkings.

Chris

bedajim · 28 May 2007, 09:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by blimp

As some may be aware I bought a Cobra 6.65m a few months ago in Lymington and then brought her back to her new home in Ireland. My plan had always been for her to live on her trailer alongside a place we have on the East coast in Waterford. This location is less than a mile from a slipway and had planned to launch/recover from there as and when required. However the feckin slipway has turned out to be a dog - soft sand settling, shallow gradient, etc. - so I had thought about getting rid of the rib! (Yes I have tried using ropes from my jeep to the trailer, but all I have is an Xtrail and she's just not up to it)

However, after being out again this past weekend my family and I have come to the conclusion that this is too much fun to pass up on, so a solution must be found. So I'm turning to you guys.

There's a guy across the road from me who has a smaller rib and uses a really (and I mean REALLY) bashed up old land-cruiser just for launching and recovery. This thing now has most of its parts on the ground around it (rust) and he plans to change it. I'm going to talk to him next weekend about the two of us going splits on a replacement and would like to here from you lot about some suggestions.

Here's our requirements:
- Must be bloody good at pulling a rib out of a shallow slipway which sometimes has soft sand
(Yup, that's about it!)

This thing only needs to travel less than a mile down a lane so it doesn't have to be a 'looker' - any aul piece of crap will do, just so long as it'll do the job.

The type of thing that might be considered would be an old landie (anyone recall where those ex-MOD ones are sold?) or maybe even an old tractor. In any case we've got to this this cheaply. It's only being used to launch and recover our boats, and we're not made of money!!

Anyone got any thoughts/suggestions?

I'd look at the tractor, 2wd with a diff lock is normal for the small old ones, no mot, min tax can go into the water easy to fix (needs a roll bar)

Nos4r2 · 28 May 2007, 10:24

Lada Nivas don't have low enough gearing to deal with soft stuff.

If it's possible I'd go with the tractor or something with a PTO driven winch.

Mollers · 28 May 2007, 10:54

4wd dumper. Take the butt off, articulated, good viz, go anywhere etc. Much cheaper than a tatty tractor. A lot of boat yards use them as shunters. Hose it off after use and slap grease/waxoil around where required.

matt h · 28 May 2007, 11:11

Go with Nos and Mollers, superb idea, less to go wrong and minimum maint

,!!!

Rogue Wave · 28 May 2007, 12:45

you can get kwite a lot of kids in a dumper on the school run as well

Mollers · 28 May 2007, 13:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

you can get kwite a lot of kids in a dumper on the school run as well

Through the gates and tip 'em out.

havener · 28 May 2007, 20:04

Dumper is the way to go - here's one we did a couple of years ago, used by one of the local independant lifeboats.

2012Marine · 28 May 2007, 21:50

Hi you can find some really usefull and not so usefull stuff here (Fighter Jet|)

MOD Disposal Services Agency.

http://www.edisposals.com

Withams do most of the Vehicle disposals. Negotiate hard with them!!

Cheers

Greg

codprawn · 28 May 2007, 21:51

Beware - they are heavier than they look.

this one is used in soft sand all the time - never gets stuck!!!

GuyP · 29 May 2007, 14:22

Get an old Toyota Hilux. You see them at boat yards all around the UK for one reason - They're tough as hell. You'll find decent old examples from £1200 or so.

Tim M · 29 May 2007, 18:19

This would do

http://www.edisposals.com/is-bin/INT...mpTo=OfferList

blimp · 29 May 2007, 21:28

Thanks Tim, we have a budget of about 1,000 euro each (2 of us) which would, all told, amount to about 1,400 quid .... leaving us only 173,600 quid short. Therefore I'm away now to check down the back of the sofa to shore up the small deficit.

Sarah G · 30 May 2007, 12:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by blimp

Thanks Tim, we have a budget of about 1,000 euro each (2 of us) which would, all told, amount to about 1,400 quid .... leaving us only 173,600 quid short. Therefore I'm away now to check down the back of the sofa to shore up the small deficit.

If I can have a go in it - I'll give you a quid - only 172,600 to go... not sure it will fit down the lanes though...

blimp · 30 May 2007, 12:59

Right then, that's it - all I need is 172,600 people that will each give me a quid. How hard could that be?

Nos4r2 · 30 May 2007, 13:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim M

This would do

http://www.edisposals.com/is-bin/INT...mpTo=OfferList

I'm surprised you haven't tried to sell him this

2012Marine · 30 May 2007, 21:09

Its going for £3500 + VAT

Not by me I might ad !!!

Sarah G · 31 May 2007, 10:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by blimp

Right then, that's it - all I need is 172,600 people that will each give me a quid. How hard could that be?

Not sure you would make it for this summer...

Tim M · 01 June 2007, 10:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

I'm surprised you haven't tried to sell him this