Boat on a trailer RNLI

honwave · 13 July 2014, 09:48

Just got back from RNLI and saw this while there. Any thoughts?
I am in the process of rebuilding my goods trailer in to a trailer for my Honwave and was worried how I could provide extra support for the motor/transom. If I can support the motor as in the photo and launching bow first, at first thought, seems a good idea.
Any comments gratefully accepted, it would be a disaster to build it and find it had been tried before and not worked.
Many thanks
Honwave

The Gurnard · 13 July 2014, 10:22

Interesting concept Honwave.

I have no idea about how well it works but at first glance..I would be worried with too much weight up front on the trailer..with the engine so far from the trailer wheels to help "balance" the load.

I doubt I could lift the front of the trailer if I put my SIB and 25 mariner on like that.

Wonder how they do it ?

honwave · 13 July 2014, 10:36

Good point, I suppose the nose weight/towbar weight allowed for the towing car would have to be limiting factor.
It is not shown in this photo but I thought the draw bar is very long but on a 4 wheeled trailer it can be.
Looking forward to more comments,
Honwave

ShinyShoe · 13 July 2014, 10:42

They do this so the can drive out into surf IIRC. No-one would choose to launch in those conditions if they didn't need to...

Have you seen them recover? Engine first means you are gonna be getting wet?

Spongie · 13 July 2014, 19:14

This is either a boarding boat or a flood rescue boat not an active serving lifeboat so wouldn't normally be launched in surf.

Dydigital · 13 July 2014, 21:06

Agree its not a coastal class lifeboat, and the trailer looks like road legal spec.

ShinyShoe · 13 July 2014, 21:38

Pretty sure its a boarding boat...

If the waves are pounding in to the slip how dya get the boat launched if you aren't launching into surf to get to the AWLB?

ShinyShoe · 13 July 2014, 21:39

Presume in some places they either need to drive along a stretch of public road or like the option to be able to...

Dydigital · 13 July 2014, 22:03

Where was the pic taken?

Dydigital · 13 July 2014, 22:08

Looking at my photos of rnli boarding sibs those that I could see the the numbers on say BB then a number not B then a number.

shrek25 · 13 July 2014, 22:22

The boat in the picture is one of the flood rescue boats.

Dydigital · 13 July 2014, 22:33

Flood rescue boats start FR.

shrek25 · 13 July 2014, 23:38

I don't think they do any more

Spongie · 14 July 2014, 05:53

The picture shows the boat at Poole headquarters, it's on a road trailer for rapid deployment to its point of use where it would then usually be transfered onto the local launch trolley, however boarding boats do start with a BB and this number B-10D has confused me for some time.

It's not a capsize training boat as it would be D-000-C and in the same fitment as a coastal D-class.

The best guess I've heard is it is a flood rescue D class kept at Base 10.

Apologies for going all geek there

shrek25 · 14 July 2014, 10:11

I think if my memory serves me right that the D class flood boats start with B and the Arancia flood boats start with A.

Spongie · 14 July 2014, 10:34

Actually no and proves my last point slightly wrong it could be base 1 not 10.

Also at Poole I've seen photos of Arancia B11A

B=Base
1=Poole
0/1 =boat number
A Arancia
D D-class
Y Y-class
S Silinger

All speculation of course

Max... · 14 July 2014, 15:17

Check Martin Fish's site for more clues:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lifeboatphotography/sets/

matt h · 14 July 2014, 16:07

..........

honwave · 14 July 2014, 16:47

Thanks to every body for the replies very interesting but back to my original question has anybody ever tried towing/launching a boat this way round.
From an early reply it seem it has but one would get wet, why.

Festinghouse · 14 July 2014, 17:21

why get wet? personally i think its got to be the best way of doing it - bow into the surf allows boat to ride over the waves rather than the waves crashing over the transom.