Does anybody know of a way of getting a mac transported/towed as i can't drive and my wife is not confident to tow such a large boat.
Thank you
Wed, 28/03/2012 - 10:59am
#1
Need help to tow my Mac
Hi Jason - welcome to the MOA!
I assume you're talking about a one-time move of your boat from where you bought it to where you will keep it.
I'm personally too far away to help, but there may be members local to you who would be able to assist. Can anyone out there help Jason out? The area is Morecambe.
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
thanks Rick, its more of a general enquiry/question. the current owner is going to tow her up to windermere and help me get her on the mooring and i am sure i will be very happy with windermere for now, but one of the big appeals of a trailer sailer to me is being able to transport her to where i want to sail quite quickly, rather than have a week-long voyage to get there. i am sure there must be haulage/vehicle delivery companies that offer such a service?
Hmm, it's an interesting one.
Are you able to launch and recover using your own car? That makes quite a difference as to what you'll be asking of a transport company. If you ask a company that regularly moves boats I would think they'll expect to put it on a transporter, which is going to be an expensive operation.
I suspect you'll have more luck looking for a local small "man with van" business who is able to tow a large trailer. I'm not sure what a 26C weighs on the trailer, but it's quite a lot less than an X or M - which are usually the best part of 2 tons all-up.
One word of warning though, if you're going to use the trailer on the road it's very important to make sure the hubs and brakes are properly maintained. Because the wheels are submerged when launching and recovering, the mechanics are much more prone to corrosion than a normal road trailer. Fresh water is nowhere near as bad as salt water though. Tip: when parking the trailer after putting it in the water, pull it forward into its final position to ensure the brakes are fully released, and don't put the handbrake on. Otherwise there is a danger of the brakes seizing on, which causes all kinds of problems.
Let us know if you find a solution for transport.
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
I would be delighted to help, but sadly I live at the wrong end of the country too. There are two other possibilities that come to mind, the first and probably the one with the least appeal, especially to your wife, is that she may like to consider doing a trailer towing course, and then specifically upgrading the learning process by towing the Mac, whilst under tuition, for practice, the other is to see if there is a proffesional driver you could hire, experienced in towing, who could drive using your own car.
As Rick wisely said, do take proper care of the trailer, maybe even have the bearings and brakes serviced and overhauled if necesary before too long.
Best of luck with it and I'm sure you will have lots of fun with your new Mac.
Paul
[Ex 'Crackerjack' - 26M]
Do you know any local haulage firms, they may have a driver spare who could help for a price.
If your wife is nervious then a big 4x4 helps as it can be a bit scary towing with a faimily saloon, although it is possible.
I would also echo the comments about the trailer, get the haynes trailer book and keep it in tip top condition
Alternativley get it serviced once a year. On my trip back from the seller I had the axle move, the trailer breaks lock on and a blow out :shock:
Now i feel more confidient knowing the trailer is fully serviced by me ;)
thank you simon, paul, rick and everyone. that is very helpful advice and along the lines of what i was thinking already. i think i will buy a good towing car and hope to get help from family and friends to tow poppy on the rare occasions we want to move her. i am thinking along the lines of the kia sorrento as recommended, the main criteria for our family needs being to have 7 seats too. thank you again, i feel very well supported and welcomed, considering i joined only one week ago, and i am looking forward to being part of MOA
Good plan. I can endorse the choice of Sorento, I bought mine for the purpose over 4 yrs ago and it's done very well. Very good value for money too.
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
There is a guy from the Preston area who moves boats all over the country. Unfortunately I only know his surname of Lancaster but you'll be able to find him through the Preston Marina. Incidentally he also owns a 26C.
Don't forget the "red tape"!
Towing capacity of vehicle - there is no specific Road Traffic law regarding this but ask yourself the question - what would your insurer say if you towed 2 tons with a vehicle not rated by the manufacturer for this weight?!
Driving licence category. (depends when you passed your test)
Review car insurance but usually OK to tow
Breakdown cover including trailer - consider Britannia
The rest is just common sense!
Mike