Anyone else breaking the law? Towing again...

[Brambles]

Hi,

I emailed the the NTTA for some clarification and it seems that the driving instructor was probably wrong when he said we were breaking the law:

"The Construction & Use Act defines the length and width of the trailer. This length excludes the drawbar which makes interpretation a trifle difficult for boat trailers. For the Discovery the length at 7m and width at 2.3m are ok. Commercial vehicles above 3.5 tonnes gross Vehicle Weight can tow larger sized trailers - up to 2.55m wide and 12m long.

Overhangs are accepted up to 305mm either side up to a total maximum width of 2.9 metres; and 3.05 metres beyond the rear of the trailer but subject to marking this overhang - up to 2 metres by a cloth or similar; 2-3.05m by a suitable end projection marker board(s)".

I must admit that we didn't measure the width of the boat, but according to the Scorpion website the overall beam is 2.62m & Martin let the tubes down, so we should have been within the overall width limit.

Thanks for everyones input.

[jwalker]

Looking at your trailer, you don't have a draw bar extending the length.

Just thought I'd mention it.

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by jwalker

you don't have a draw bar extending the length...

Remember that the distance from the winch post to the hitch can, allegedly, be regarded as a drawbar.

http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread....inch#post33012

[jwalker]

Ya reckon?

[ashbypower]

Originally Posted by Richard B

Remember that the distance from the winch post to the hitch can, allegedly, be regarded as a drawbar.

http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread....inch#post33012

Following other input on this thread, the statement makes sense to me. The winch post can be taken for technically the front of the load. (I'm going to be hung out to dry for that!!)

Brian

[Dirk Diggler]

According to Arthur Degraff, the "start of the load/end of drawbar is the point where the keel first touches the trailer (roller) after the winch post. He did go into great detail having mad a quite intensive study of the subject.

Amongst the trailer that he builds are units for towing some very big boats, as well as 8 man jobbies as used by Oxford/Cambridge rowers!!

[Tim M]

We have one of these rowing trailers you speak of. The actual box part of the trailer is no bigger than the average car transporter. By adding a VERY long drawbar and VERY long lighting boat extention, you just aout get away with it. That said, we still have non-sectional boats pretruding over the front bumper of the tow-car! Not sure that's legal, but we've never been stopped.