I would love to take this on, Big Huntsman

[Mopheus]

I put my ford up for sale and was contacted by a guy that worksfor grays online and was told my car woulddo really well on there classic car auctions

What are you going to tow your existing boat with? Are you sure the guy actually worked for Grays Online and it wasn't just some scam? Even if it was really Grays Online, is interest in your vehicle really such that you'll get more for it at auction than private sale, remembering that auction houses charge buyer's premium on top?

Finish your existing boat and trailer. Splash it and use it. If it doesn't do the job, there'll be other hulls to buy later.

[gazza2006au]

Hey Morp 1.5 years ago when i moved in i tried to reverse the alloy trailer up my driveway which didnt work the height from the towball to the bottom of the I beams is to much the i beams scrape and stops moving i was hopping the heavy duty mover could push the whole rig from the road up into the backyard but it cant even pull it up onto the concrete driveway

Im about to take the trailer for rego i can use the mover for the empty trailer but have no way of parking the boat back in the yard unless i can reverse it up to the gates hence i bought the heavy duty towbar in hopes that will work but even that is scratched on the bottom from the last owner so not looking promissing

[Mopheus]

Im about to take the trailer for rego i can use the mover for the empty trailer but have no way of parking the boat back in the yard unless i can reverse it up to the gates hence i bought the heavy duty towbar in hopes that will work but even that is scratched on the bottom from the last owner so not looking promissing

Scraping on the bottom of the receiver will be due to vehicle clearance - probably bottoming out on driveway entry/exit, which is the exact opposite of the situation you have at the top of your driveway. You can still get the trailer to clear by adjusting towball height.

From your pic of the HD towbar you bought in the other thread, it looks like it has a 50mm receiver. Depending on how high you need to lift the hitch to get the beams to clear, either buy a standard mount and invert it (eg the Hayman Reese 'Interlock' mounts can be used with tongue bottom or top), or spend a bit more for an adjustable 5 hole mount and invert it. That'll get you the ramp-over clearance you need.

This is my inverted Hayman Reese. Note they've machined a hex indent on this side also for single wrench towball installation, indicating it's designed for inverted use.

20210922_142302.jpg

Here's the 5 hole Hayman Reese for $149 at Repco. Note a bunch of the marketing pics show it in inverted configuration.

[TheGurn]

Airbags added to your suspension? Not for leaf springs if your car has them.

[Noelm]

A different towbar won't change the height, I was kind of wondering why you got another one (I thought the car had one fitted) play with the tongue as suggested.

[Brettoh]

Can you slightly build up the driveway to provide a little lift at that critical drag point. A couple of tapered planks might be enough. One under each rear tyre will lift the rear ov the vehicle and provide a little more tow receiver clearance.

[gazza2006au]

I bought the second towbar mostly for its load rating, current tow bar is alight duty 1600kg load my boat will be boarderline either way so i bought the hayman and reese heavy duty towbar 2300kg rating

I thought the new towbar may clear but looking at it no difference to the one on the car

Getting the towbar raiser is a really good idea that should work perfect if i lift the hitch say 200mm i just hope that the hitch can move 2ton at that raised height but that sounds perfect!

[disorderly]

If that doesnt work give this a shot...plenty of ground clearance...thats how i do it...

gazzhitchhh.jpg

[gazza2006au]

I readthe the previous quote wrong its 8.5k aussie $ plus inland US shipping plus aud $180-$250 for cleaning, port to home in aust

That doesnt sound too bad now, if i get board of the CC look out!!

[Darren J]

I have imported a boat from the us. Some of those numbers are a bit short. Add cost for wrap in the us, pre clean before it leaves the US, broker at the au end (as a minimum), and if your lucky no clean here, or maybe an expensive clean. Insurance for shipping. Inland us costs can vary, particularly if the boat cannot be legally towed there as it’s on an old crap trailer. Then add gst all of that. AU delivery fro port will be expensive for you, as it needs to go on a flat bed. Can’t legally be towed here. Once collected form au port, security access is needed, so not your typical tow pick up.
If u Your not paying someone to organise all Of this in the us and in au to assist (=more cost) then I hope you are good at organisation/planning and solving problems quickly, communicating with people on the other side of the world etc. it is not hard, if you are used to this sort of stuff, but also not something you should try to learn if your are not good at this stuff….
No disrespect, but from what I have read, you have struggled to arrange/resolve/manage relatively simple issues here in Australia with building/buying/repairing/registering car/boat stuff. So I would not recommend you import anything like this, no matter how cheap, unless you are prepared to pay a reputable/experienced broker for the full import Service. Even then, allow some import contingencies, which the good guys should warn you of.

I didn’t use a broker, not because it was cheaper, but I just wanted full control of the process. Probably not something to just “give it a shot” unless u are pretty confident in dealing with these sorts of things . I got some really good advice from some Ausfish members that were regular importers from the us.

[Darren J]

PS. I imported over 7years ago. I highly doubt any of the costs have gotten cheaper.


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[stevej]

many yank trailers are non aus compliant tow hitches lights width and tyres
which is why many get a aus compliant trailer built over there at the same time

[Darren J]

Re the weights of the boats you quote. You will be quite a bit short also. I had a single axle trailer seafarer victory 5.2, 140 evinrude 2 stroke, early 90’s. 1350kg on the scales, no fuel, no gear, no anything, except a spare wheel (thrown loose in the boat, no mounting bracket!). These were 600kg hulls from memory. So over 1.5 with full tank and bit of gear. I towed it with a hsv clubsport 5.7L etc. not enough suspension (and boat was light on the tow ball), brakes were hopeless in the wet (at the front wheels) even with decent working trailer brakes, and slippery ramps were sometimes sketchy. Changed to a Navara 4x4, was heaps better and much safer. No way would I like to ok put 2t plus on a commodore or falcon sedan, running stock suspension and brakes.

As others have eluded, 23-24’ glass boats are all going to start with a 3 something tonne weight when basically loaded, i think you will find. Also don’t discount a lot of older AU glass boat manufacturers seemed to be very low on the claimed bmt trailer weights of their rigs. I assume so the typical Aussie commodore driver thought she’ll be right.

If you can’t properly afford a suitable rug to tow the weight, there’s a real chance you also can’t afford the costs of the boat being towed.
Generalisation of course, but Just saying.


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[Darren J]

many yank trailers are non aus compliant tow hitches lights width and tyres
which is why many get a aus compliant trailer built over there at the same time

Nearly guaranteed all of the us boats being looked at will be on over width trailers . Definitely will have the wrong hitch, definitely earthed chassis. More than likely will have drum Brakes fitted, (the yanks love them on their “small” boat trailers), no breakaway etc. So factor in a serious trailer rebuild, rewire etc. Or build a new one to full 3.5t AU specs. Either way $$$$.


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[NAGG]

I bought the second towbar mostly for its load rating, current tow bar is alight duty 1600kg load my boat will be boarderline either way so i bought the hayman and reese heavy duty towbar 2300kg rating

I thought the new towbar may clear but looking at it no difference to the one on the car

Getting the towbar raiser is a really good idea that should work perfect if i lift the hitch say 200mm i just hope that the hitch can move 2ton at that raised height but that sounds perfect!

230kgs downforce on the ass end of a Fairmont ......... At least the steering will be light

I dont know why this comes to mind