What is the biggest boat we can launch?

[spinkways]

We have a ford falcon 4litre wagon (not 4-wheeled drive), what is the biggest boat we can tow and launch with this?
All help will be great!!
The Spinkways
:)

[longtail]

Hi , best bet would be to contact your nearest ford dealer.


cheers
Jason.

[Blackened]

G'day
It's not a factor of length, but more one of weight. What is your maximum towing capacity for the falcon? I think it's somewhere up around 2 ton. Check this out first and see where your options lay then. Also ramp location and condition will have some sort of bearing on what you do. I'd be willing to say something up to 18' maximum, depending on make, model and building material.
Dave

[TheSaint]

Go to www.redbook.com.au & look up your Make, model & year & it will give you all the details you need tho your car manual normally does this as well..

[Chimo]

"The Spinkways"

Your issue will in most cases be how well the Ford stops when backing down the ramp to launch the boat and how well you can retrieve the boat on a slippery wet boat ramp. Remember Murphy was an optimist.

9 out of 10 times will be fine but the cost and embarresment of the car and trailer sliding down into the drink on a slippery ramp is ................... !

Stay as light as you can, as per recs or better (the Saint is right about your car manual) and keep the best tyres that you can on the car, both front and back. If your boat, trailer, gear and fuel weight with your fully laden boat is above legal you will could probably have insurance issues both on the road if you too hit a Merc, or if you end up drowning the rig.

This is probably one circumstance where it is not easier to get forgiveness than approval.

The joys of a BOAT owner! (bring out another thousand)

Happy boating

Chimo.

[seabug]

Hi Spinkways,

Be aware that it takes a lot longer to stop in wet conditions.
I was once pushed about 75m while towing a 15ft boat on unbraked trailer.
Going down hill in heavy rain and the lights changed.
It just did not want to stop.
Luckily it was off peak
Speed was under the 60km limit
Boat weight would have been legal and tyres were very good.

Regards
Seabug

[Az]

Hi Spinkways,

Be aware that it takes a lot longer to stop in wet conditions. #
I was once pushed about 75m while towing a 15ft #boat on unbraked trailer.
Going down hill in heavy rain and the lights changed.
It just did not want to stop. #
Luckily it was off peak
Speed was under the 60km #limit
Boat weight would have been legal and tyres were very good.

Regards
Seabug


scary experience I bet :o

[seabug]

"scary experience I bet "

You win the bet

I would never want it to happen again.

I now have electric brakes on my 6x4 trailer.

I think that the brakes on cars are not enough to rely on if towing and it does not cost a lot to fit brakes to the towed item.

Regards
Seabug #

[linzmitch58]

Many years ago, I saw a "nose on tail" car/boat accident where the boat ended on top of the car. It looked very funny ;D (but I bet the boat owner didn't think it was funny!) >:(

Linz