Prop Bag

[JSP]

Just realised I've forgotten to get one. And I'm mad busy with 4 portraits and a portfolio so will be working/editing in to the wee hours of Friday night. Pick up the boat Saturday Morning and setting off early. So I'm a bit stumped for going out and buying one and I refuse to use cards (long story involving Females in my house. Saying nothing more) so buying one on the net would be out and paypal will take to long.

GET TO THE POINT!!!

What does the Law say? Does it have to be a specially made bag or can I rape a Sainsbury's orange carrier bag around it?

[Bigmuz7]

For the most part for what you are doing.. only common courtesy says you have to put anything on it .. but as Nos said elsewhere recently, grab a hi viz vest and it would be fine. Your objective is just to warn that you have a protrusion from the end of your vehicle/trailer, but you are allowed a good amount before special markers are neccessary .. and if you cant find a Hi Viz vest .. speak to a builder .. cos right now .. they dont need theirs as much

Ofcourse all IMHO last time I checked, but everything changes rapidly these days, perhaps someone else can confirm

[Nasher]

Originally Posted by JSP

can I rape a Sainsbury's orange carrier bag

Whatever floats your boat!

Seriously, it is the law I believe, but anything brightly coloured will do.
How far away from home is it?

Nasher

[JSP]

Well wife's just had baby number 7, carrier bags don't sound too bad..ohhh better stop there

Google says 186 miles but it will be more as I would like to avoid motorways on the first part of the return trip until I'm satisfied the trailer is OK.

[Poly]

Not sure if a free Sainbury's carrier bag will survive nearly 200 miles at 50-60 mph.

Some people use a brightly coloured bucket.

I think if you have made an effort to make it visible you are unlikely to be stopped for it but I did read something recently that suggested it was because the prop is sharp rather than protruding that it should be covered with with something tough?

[m chappelow]

its also supposed to protect against sharp protrutions ,within reason ,ie skeg and propeller if a cyclist was to fall against it or run into the back of you .,i use the hood of an old dayglo coat the type work men use .

[RichardB]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Some people use a brightly coloured bucket.

You could drop in at your nearest B&Q on the way down - I think they are still doing their orange buckets for £1

[JSP]

I've got a B&Q orange bucket in the shed. But they aren't made very strong so wouldn't be too confident of being able to tie it on and not see it hit a truck windscreen half way home.
I'm going to have to see if I can get down to Liverpool in between things this week.
Thanks everyone

[BruceB]

I was stopped by the Police (see Clyde run thread) on the way home a few weeks ao on another matter and they checked over the trailer. I hadn't got around to buying anything for the aux at that time and it had a plastic bag round it. They never batted an eyelid about it.
AFAIK the prop needs to be covered no matter whether it sticks out or not but I had never heard if it needs to be anything specific, just having the blades covered seems to cover the law.
If it sticks out as a projection then it needs to be marked with a brightly coloured markers in addition to this, usually both issued are covered by using a bright nylon prop bag.

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by BruceB

I was stopped by the Police (see Clyde run thread) on the way home a few weeks ao on another matter and they checked over the trailer. I hadn't got around to buying anything for the aux at that time and it had a plastic bag round it. They never batted an eyelid about it.
AFAIK the prop needs to be covered no matter whether it sticks out or not but I had never heard if it needs to be anything specific, just having the blades covered seems to cover the law.
If it sticks out as a projection then it needs to be marked with a brightly coloured markers in addition to this, usually both issued are covered by using a bright nylon prop bag.

I've got a prop bag for the main but never had one for the aux as it sits in between the toobs and the main

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by JSP

Well wife's just had baby number 7

and congratulations

[BumbleAbout]

If your lighting board extends beyond the prop - do you need a prop bag ?

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by BumbleAbout

If your lighting board extends beyond the prop - do you need a prop bag ?

Yes.

[Ian M]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Yes.

Matt,
Not arguing with you but interested, as I was told by someone in the boating industry who does a lot of trailering that if the engine is lowered so that the leg and prop are behind the lighting board then it is OK, and he has not been stopped for want of a prop bag. Granted that what he was pointing out was a specific situation with the lighting board set fairly low such that it was at a similar height to the prop itself. Any thoughts?

[BumbleAbout]

I'm interested in the answer to this too - I should have been more specific (although 20:20 hindsight is great ) - since I have the prop directly covered by the middle of the lighting board. I do use a prop bag, but wondered if it was really required ...

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by JSP

What does the Law say?

Anyone any info of where on the web - or anywhere for that matter - the law/regulation is described? I've trawled through Government web sites but no luck, and a web search mostly brings up opinion or people selling prop bags. Is there a specific regulation regarding props or is it a spin off or assumption from regulation around sharp objects? If it's the latter, what use is a bag, Sainsbury's or otherwise, and why does it have to be fluorescent?

Maybe it's a left over from horse and cart days when the horse had a 'prop bag' to stop it shitting all over the road

[willk]

Originally Posted by Ian M

I was told by someone in the boating industry who does a lot of trailering that if the engine is lowered so that the leg and prop are behind the lighting board then it is OK,

I have been told this by a "certain" RIB manufacturer and now happily towing around Ireland unmolested by our Finest in Blue. Still, no real surprised there . Most curious to know what the actual regs are.

[m chappelow]

[QUOTE=Leapy;267905] Anyone any info of where on the web - or anywhere for that matter - the law/regulation is described? [/QUO some of the best books to read are from the road haulage asso or freight transport asso year books ,as they cover every aspect of transport law ,from small domestic trailers to abnormal loads and best of all they go into the very fine details ,. most web sites only show a guide and not the nitty gritty ., ie exemptions between caravans and boats ,with boats over a certain width you dont need white forward facing corner lights if used in daylight hours , also goes into the law on protrutions or projections of overhanging loads, ie outboards ,and the exemptions and mandatery rules and laws ,. they used to cover towing vehicles and the descriptions ie classified dual purpose vehicles ie landrover could tow up 3.5 tons ,.also they cover commercial driving hours ie vehicles moving lifeboats or lifeboat equipment .

[Avocet]

As you might expect, the answer is not simple but (for anyone prepared to work their way through it) try this: http://www.rowingservice.com/roadregs.html

The answer as to the need for prop bags appears to be in Para 4 of Schedule 12 which applies to rear projections of between 1 and 2 metres.

[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.