Requirements for towing trailers in Great Britain

[stew]

Ah,yes I have heard of these. What price would you be talking for one of these? Are they only available directly from iveco? As for a trailer, did you have several or one adjustable one like a boat cradle on wheels? Were you able to launch and recover using this setup or is it purely transporting needing a crane or the likes to splash it?

Cheers

[SW Boat Transport]

We got our unit directly from North East Truck & Van (who carry out the conversions) for just over £30k, together with a multi purpose trailer from RM which was another £15k. It would carry just about any kind of boat. Not suitable for launching and recovery due to the air brakes, electrics, etc so crane needed each time.

[Cookee]

I think there's a place in Wales that will put a fifth wheel on a pickup like a Navarra which would up the capacity but you would either need a launching trailer on top of the trailer or a crane as above.

[Trailer Guy]

You could convert a 110 Landy, for around £3500. That would only give you a max of 4000kg though.

[stew]

Thank you All for the input, much appreciated. Think I'm going to look into the mini artic.
Could anyone point me in the direction of where to find ALL legislation on towing commercially including abroad and escort vehicle and the likes?

Cheers

[SW Boat Transport]

As far as I am aware, there in no 1 source of information covering the legislation across Europe, but there is lots of information available on the Internet and I would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

[scrowe1976]

Hiya,

I know this subject has been done to death but i'm a ludite and i just don't get the DVLA blurb so sorry in advance for the dim questions i'm about to ask.

I have a "B" licence so...

Towing car: 2003 ford focus 5dr 1.8tdci zetec, weight 1285Kg.

Does that mean that max unbraked towing weight is 624Kg (50% of weight of car)?

Secondly...

The car is listed as having a max braked towing weight of 1200Kg.

Does that mean i can drive the focus and trailer all up at 2485Kg on my licence (to my understanding i can run a rig up to 3500Kg all up)?

Am i correct or totally wrong?

Laymans answers only please as im a bit dim (and no long words too).

Cheers in advance.

[SW Boat Transport]

50% of 1285kg is 642.5kg, so that would be your maximum on a unbraked trailer.

Assuming the GVW of your car does not exceed 2300kg, then you would be fine towing upto your 1200kg limit on your cat B licence.

Michael

[scrowe1976]

Thats mint!! thankyou

[stuartspb]

hi there dont know if you are still looking but i have a 2006 iveco daily mini artic boat transporter for sale. only done 40,000 miles 3.0l 170 bhp 6 speed, trailer is a 2009 rm mini artic trailer which can carry up to 5.5 ton or 4.5 ton on a standard linces pre 1997. i am open to offers on £26.000. its on ebay. cheers stuart

[SW Boat Transport]

That vehicle can only be driven on a full class 1 (C+E) licence. Categories C1E and C1+E cannot be used for the following reasons:

1. Cat C1E and C1+E only apply when the weight of the trailer (when fully loaded) is less than the unladen weight of the towing vehicle.

2. Cat C1E (which appears on licences issued pre 1997) only applies when the plated GTW does not exceed 8.25 tons.

[stew]

Can it not be use on a b+e as the towing vehicle is less than 3500kg?

Stew

[stew]

Do u have a link to your ebay ad please?

[SW Boat Transport]

No as the GVW of the tractor unit is 4500kg. Also please there is something wrong with the weight figures being quoted. With a GTW of 10 ton it states that the payload is 5.5 ton. This means the unit and trailer must have a combined ULW of 4.5 ton. This sounds a bit low as old nearly identical rig (this is I beleive my old trailer) was nearer 5 ton. It then states that if the unit was used at 8.25 ton GTW, the payload would be 4.2 ton (ie meaning the ULW must only be 4.05 ton). Surely this should be 3.75 ton, or even a bit less?

[stuartspb]

The iveco daily tractor unit unlaiden weight is 2.5ton and the trailers unlaiden weight is 2 ton total 4.5 ton. Yes you are correct in if it was driven on the 8.25 linces payload would be 3.75 ton.

[stew]

I was unaware that the B+E had an upper weight restriction other than the towing vehicle must be no more than 3500kg and the load behind it including trailer must be within the rated weight for the vehicle? Im guessing ive got this wrong somewhere.....

[SW Boat Transport]

Have you had the trailer on a bridge? If you have my old trailer (which I believe you do, but with a new front end) it used to weigh around 2500kg empty depending on what supports etc were on it at the time.

Originally Posted by stuartspb

The iveco daily tractor unit unlaiden weight is 2.5ton and the trailers unlaiden weight is 2 ton total 4.5 ton. Yes you are correct in if it was driven on the 8.25 linces payload would be 3.75 ton.

[SW Boat Transport]

You are quite correct that there is no train weight limit on B+E at the moment. The cab unit on this rig however has a GVW of 4500kg, so you would need to get it downplated to 3500kg. This would leave you very prone to overloading however, as we found when we used to run the trailer.

Originally Posted by stew

I was unaware that the B+E had an upper weight restriction other than the towing vehicle must be no more than 3500kg and the load behind it including trailer must be within the rated weight for the vehicle? Im guessing ive got this wrong somewhere.....

[Last Tango]

As devils advocate..........

It appears that the latest raft of EU legislation states the maximum trailer length is 7 meters. With the boat overhanging the trailer I understood we were exempt on the basis of "indivisible load" however as the trailer lights must now be attached to the trailer, not the boat, then they become part of the trailer and I'm sure for many of us will result in a trailer over 7 meters ????

Your thoughts ?

[biffer]

Every trailer and boat I own is well over 7 m, WTF are these idiots doing, they jump first then think, nothing new there then


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