Vehicle Recommendations - boat launching

Ectophile

You need to know how much the boat + trailer weighs, as each vehicle will have a maximum towing weight. Exceeding that weight would be dangerous at high speeds.


If it's anywhere near 3.5t, you will need a big 4x4 to tow it safely.

System

Ectophile wrote: »

You need to know how much the boat + trailer weighs, as each vehicle will have a maximum towing weight. Exceeding that weight would be dangerous at high speeds.

Not only dangerous but illegal.

edde

Depending on the slope you need a low ratio box. So land rover etc.

Dodge nitro isn't a bad option

A 21 ft boat should be under 2.5 ton.

Since you'll need a big heavy towcar most likely tall and weighty you'll have to look at older cars and if you want to keep a long time that's going to make an old car.

If you can get the tow weight under 2 ton then there's a few other cars you could consider.

PS. Make sure your driving licence let's you drive a car and trailer up around the weight you want.

Richard53

Whatever you get, make it a priority to get underneath and slap Waxoyl/Dinitrol/Wurth (other rust treatments are available) on the rear half of the chassis and in all the spaces and voids. Nothing rots a chassis quicker than repeated dipping in salt water. With a 21ft boat, you may well have to reverse the truck quite a long way into the water to get it onto the trailer. I have seen Defenders which had a perfect front half and the back half of the chassis was like lace and ready to collapse after a few years of launching and retrieving boats.

Car_54

Richard53 wrote: »

Whatever you get, make it a priority to get underneath and slap Waxoyl/Dinitrol/Wurth (other rust treatments are available) on the rear half of the chassis and in all the spaces and voids. Nothing rots a chassis quicker than repeated dipping in salt water. With a 21ft boat, you may well have to reverse the truck quite a long way into the water to get it onto the trailer. I have seen Defenders which had a perfect front half and the back half of the chassis was like lace and ready to collapse after a few years of launching and retrieving boats.

What makes you think it’s salt water?

Gloomendoom

agrinnall wrote: »

I'm not sure what the previous posters aren't getting, while diesel is fine for boat purposes it is, as the OP has said, not good for the rest of the use (5 mile journeys, under £10K per year). I'd agree that 2 vehicles may be the best solution, small petrol for the daily trips, a bigger 4x4 diesel for the boat.

What we are getting is that the OP does two 50 mile journeys a week. Similar use and annual mileage to my wife's last (diesel with DPF) car. Zero issues in the six years she owned it.

I also do around 6k a year in my diesel (with DPF) and have had zero issues.

Richard53

Car_54 wrote: »

What makes you think it’s salt water?

Unwarranted assumption, for which I apologise. Every time I have launched a boat, it has been into the sea.


I'll rephrase - dipping the back end of any vehicle in water of any kind on a regular basis can lead to increased corrosion to the chassis and underbody. This can be ameliorated by the application of rustproofing products to the said components.

mchale

Richard53 wrote: »

Unwarranted assumption, for which I apologise. Every time I have launched a boat, it has been into the sea.


I'll rephrase - dipping the back end of any vehicle in water of any kind on a regular basis can lead to increased corrosion to the chassis and underbody. This can be ameliorated by the application of rustproofing products to the said components.

Agreed, but with the use of a strong rope you dont have to get the rear end of the tow vehicle wet.

Catplan

Previously had a Wilson flyer this was about 16/17ft and if I recall was under 750kg on trailer with a single 40hp outboard. I’m of a vintage that should allow me to drive up to 8.25 MAM but will double check, think you can do this online now via gov.uk with your licence number.

I’m swaying to the Navara / hilux type, speaking to people I know they say can’t go wrong with these for launching. I might well be back with towing questions.....

Richard53

mchale wrote: »

Agreed, but with the use of a strong rope you dont have to get the rear end of the tow vehicle wet.

True, but not always possible. The layout of the slipway, the number of people assisting, the time available ... all make the direct launch with a vehicle necessary sometimes. I've done, assisted with or observed thousands of boat launches, and I can only remember a handful that used the long rope method. But yes, it does keep the vehicle dry.