Big boats, small autos

[Newt]

Just wondering how those of you who trailer your boat manage. My pick-up truck is reasonably heavy so the trailer handles well and the truck has an 8 cylinder engine with plenty of umph to haul the thing but I think with your fuel prices, smaller autos and smaller engines are the norm so I just wondered.

[Ian Burrett]

Newt:

Just wondering how those of you who trailer your boat manage.  My pick-up truck is reasonably heavy so the trailer handles well and the truck has an 8 cylinder engine with plenty of umph to haul the thing but I think with your fuel prices, smaller autos and smaller engines are the norm so I just wondered.

Hi Newt

Reasonably heavy for an American gas guzzler probably means about 10 tons.

We just pay up

There isn't even many good slipways around the country as local councils don't consider there worth implementing.

[Salar]

In the UK it is against the law to trailer a boat over 21 feet long on a regular basis, but it is OK to move a larger boat - not quite the same thing Our small roads, poor slipway facilities and lack of storage at home (many houses have much smaller yards than in the US) means you either keep a boat of up to around 18 foot on a trailer, or larger ones in a boatyard in dry storage (they launch for you) or in a marina/swinging mooring. Boats of up to 18 foot with outboard can be manged by a large family car, but launching usually requires a 4x4 or a winch. I've seen a few mishaps on the slipways!