Prop Bag

[BruceB]

Or getting a pull from the cops when they don't know the law any better than us, and this is more common than you may think.

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

As far as I'm aware the regs are actually about not having an exposed propeller of any kind. Can't back that one up though.

In any case, I'd personally use one to stop it getting a whack from road debris.

Plus, the 'prop in a bright bag' thing just seems like a sensible action...parking, people walking past...there's a whole list of possible dangers

[Bigmuz7]

When I posted my earlier reply, I implied that, for an outboard , it was not a legal requirement but common courtesy to cover the prop. (or common sense for that matter) I have two reasons for this assumption

1. When I did my HGV training, I remember being stunned at how long a load protrusion can be before legal marking is required. somone suggested 1-2 metres ?
2. IMO if it was a legal requirement, the prop marker would be stipulated to be of a certain shape and colour & size to explain the hazard nature, but such a marker does not exist AFAIK. Youve probably seen the stipulated ones for wide loads for example these are red and white slashes in a triangle

Now the tricky bit is .. using some sort of overhang rule,.. .. would this be deemed to be from the end of the boat, or would it be from the end of the trailer ?, thats the one to ponder, but ofcourse if you have number plate extension rails that extend the length of your trailer lights and number plate beyond the engine,... surely this would be deemed to be part of the trailer, then the engine, and boat is a load as 'one' and all inside the trailer length ?

he he... good question

[Poly]

OK - probably as close as you will get to clarity in reasonably clear english from the RYA (presumably their legal dept.)

http://www.rya.org.uk/assets/legal/W...EGULATIONS.pdf

[Leapy]

Another good site here:
http://www.ntta.co.uk/default.htm

[codprawn]

Intertesting to see that you can have a total length of up to 25.9m including towing vehicle!!! Boats are an indivisable load - unless you have a chainsaw handy...........

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by Polwart

OK - probably as close as you will get to clarity in reasonably clear english from the RYA (presumably their legal dept.)

http://www.rya.org.uk/assets/legal/W...EGULATIONS.pdf

Ok Neil I'm good with most of that except this bit

"It is particularly important to protect the exposed blades of an outboard motor mounted on a boat‘s transom: there have been a number of prosecutions for failure to do so. "

HGV regs for example.. dont stipulate what the nature of your overhang is as long as its under the 'length' no matter what you carry ...so how have these cases lead to a prosecution I wonder

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

Ok Neil I'm good with most of that except this bit

"It is particularly important to protect the exposed blades of an outboard motor mounted on a boat‘s transom: there have been a number of prosecutions for failure to do so. "

HGV regs for example.. dont stipulate what the nature of your overhang is as long as its under the 'length' no matter what you carry ...so how have these cases lead to a prosecution I wonder

Might be something to do with sharp prop blades.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

Ok Neil I'm good with most of that except this bit

"It is particularly important to protect the exposed blades of an outboard motor mounted on a boat‘s transom: there have been a number of prosecutions for failure to do so. "

HGV regs for example.. dont stipulate what the nature of your overhang is as long as its under the 'length' no matter what you carry ...so how have these cases lead to a prosecution I wonder

I didn't write it, so can't tell you the answer! When I skimmed it earlier i did think along the same lines as you and I never like to see claims that "there have been a number of prosecutions" without citing a reference... as it smacks of anecodatal urban myth! Perhaps someone who is an RYA member would ask them to both clarify what these prosecutions were for and if the priority here is visibility or protection of rough edges.

[BumbleAbout]

Found it (further down the RYA document) :
"A load projecting rearwards more than 1m (whether on a motor vehicle or trailer) must be lit by an additional rear lamp and a red retro-reflector fitted not more than 1m from the rear of the load. In practice, the need for such a lamp is usually avoided when carrying an overhanging boat on a trailer by either fitting an extension to the trailer, so that the rear lighting board is positioned vertically below the rearmost part of the load, or by fitting the lighting board to the transom of the boat. If either of these methods of fitting is adopted, care should be taken that a boat‘s mast does not overhang the aft end of the boat by more than 1m."

Not being a legal expert, it's probably safer to continue using the prop bag than have the argument with a bored occifer of the law however !