Trailer limitations

Bigo · 29 March 2018, 09:26

I’ve got a question for anyone who can answer it...

So I understand that my trailer can’t be longer than 7m and wider than 2.55m

But would it be possible to tow a boat that’s 7.3m and beam of 2.74m legally on a general licence. (Passed before 1997) so no weight issues.

Cheers,

breezeblock · 29 March 2018, 10:23

trailer rules and regs seem to be pretty badly worded and written and about as clear as mud you look into the rules you can't have that you can't do this then next day you see somebody towing a supertanker with a micra it seems to be pretty much open to interpretation

Last Tango · 29 March 2018, 10:41

"A towing vehicle with GVW of 3500kg or lower is restricted as to the size of trailer it may tow. The trailer can be a maximum of 7m long by 2.55m wide. A heavier vehicle can tow a trailer of maximum 12m long by 2.55m wide. Exceptionally, where the trailer is specially designed to carry long loads (eg one or more boats, gliders), the 7m limit does not apply."

Straight from the governments web site.

Bigo · 29 March 2018, 10:45

But that is the ‘trailer’ does that mean the load can be wider ?

Last Tango · 29 March 2018, 11:03

Yes. The load can be wider than the trailer but there is a limit. (I think it gives a maximum load width of 2.9mtr.)

"Your load must not project more than 305mm either side of your trailer and not give an overall width of over 2.9m. If you need to exceed any of these overhangs you can but it is classed as an abnormal load and you need to inform the police
(From ebay's advise but I'd check that.)

I'd trawl the governments guides. I'm sure it'll be there.

breezeblock · 29 March 2018, 11:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Last Tango

Yes. The load can be wider than the trailer but there is a limit. (I think it gives a maximum load width of 2.9mtr.)

"Your load must not project more than 305mm either side of your trailer and not give an overall width of over 2.9m. If you need to exceed any of these overhangs you can but it is classed as an abnormal load and you need to inform the police
(From ebay's advise but I'd check that.)

I'd trawl the governments guides. I'm sure it'll be there.

you doing any work today?

Last Tango · 29 March 2018, 11:49

Boss is on holiday.....

Tim M · 29 March 2018, 12:28

Boats used for the carriage of boats and other long un-seperatable loads like gliders are exempt in length in some way or other....clear as mud.

Pikey Dave · 29 March 2018, 14:11

This old chestnut raising its head again. Could do with being made a sticky
https://members.gliding.co.uk/wp-con...3/Trailers.pdf

Bigo · 29 March 2018, 14:14

That was useful, Thanks Dave [emoji106]

boristhebold · 29 March 2018, 14:33

I wonder whether the Police do anything at all about trailers as the amount of ilegal trailers I see on a weekly basis is ridicoulous, gets worse in the spring and summer. Several times a week I see cars pulling boats on trailers with no light board or light board that does not work, or registrations if actually on the light board dont match the car pulling the trailer, or very dodgy means of strapping the boat down. And then of course you have that set of folk who every summer visit these parts and nothing is ever done about them and their trailers.

Last Tango · 29 March 2018, 15:57

This is the link to the official government guide.

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...of-the-trailer

Probably worth putting in the "sticky"

Iankristy · 30 March 2018, 12:12

Believe 7m long doesn’t include tow bar🤷*♂️

Last Tango · 30 March 2018, 12:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iankristy

Believe 7m long doesn’t include tow bar��*♂️

Kind of irrelevant as the 7m restriction doesn't apply to a boat trailer anyway.
So we're ok