Boat, motor, trailer weight to car weight ratio

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    Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 8:31am
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Re towing a boat, & trailer rig.

We are a couple of girls and love fishing, currently setting up our new trailer boat ready for Summer.

We would like to know if there is a simple "Rule of Thumb", for towing a boat, motor, trailer to car weight ratio?

I asked the NZTA for a fact sheet re weight ratios, they couldn't find any information.

Any ideas please.

The girls




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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MacSkipper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 8:45am
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Every car is rated and newer towbars have a rating label on them - my 2L Toyota Avensis towbar has 500kg unbraked, 1200Kg braked (trailer) - this is towing weight that can be legally towed. There will be a formula but I do not know it,
As car weighs say 1500kg I would say from this it is something like third of weight of car towed unbraked and 80% of weight of car towed if trailer braked in case of my car. Boat manufacturer of boat will be able to tell you towed weight, and car manufacturer or towbar installer should be able to tell you weight and tow ratings of vehicle.


Good fishing trip nothing breaks, great trip catch fish.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Neats88 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 9:01am
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Thanks for your reply MacSkipper : )

My friends cars weighs 1830kg Gross and the Unbreaked boat trailer and motor weighs 830kg Gross that comes in at the rig weighing approx 45% of the cars weight.
Maybe we could add more weight to our vehicle by putting the Tote tank and gear into the vehicle while towing.
We are getting a Tow ball next week.

Cheers
Neats

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 9:20am
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The people that install the tow ball will be able tell u .. or should as they at the end of the day are the certified installers.
In saying that in the real world, and looking around ramps, one will find  a huge proportion of rigs and tow vehicles exceed limitations...by significant margins... and will do so quite safely..
Towing say a heavy old 6.2 m glas boat behind a camy is quite doable, and know of some who tow long distances ....but hairy.  Put that same boat behind say a big horn, still overloaded, but the bigger brakes, heavier  and longer wheel base vechlce with more rear end weight become comfortable... so as following distances are sensible ...and patient on steep hills.

This all assumes the boat is loaded well and in the ideal balance position when hitched to the vechlce
If it is not, even a correct weight ratio can very easy become dangerous

There are some good detail threads in the last few months discussing correct balance and how to get it
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Neats88 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 9:28am
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Thank you for your reply, towing is approx 5km flat road, gentle sloping jetty so fortunately no mountains!
re the threads, il try to locate them and see what they say too

Neats

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Kevin.S Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 9:40am
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Originally posted by Neats88 Neats88 wrote:

Thanks for your reply MacSkipper : )

My friends cars weighs 1830kg Gross and the Unbreaked boat trailer and motor weighs 830kg Gross that comes in at the rig weighing approx 45% of the cars weight.
Maybe we could add more weight to our vehicle by putting the Tote tank and gear into the vehicle while towing.
We are getting a Tow ball next week.

Cheers
Neats



That's a good ratio, Ideally you always want the towing vehicle to be heavier than the trailer. Make sure you tell the tow bar installer what you want to tow to make sure they fit a suitable tow bar. You should be able to google the car make and find the manufacturers towing capacity for the vehicle and a maximum draw bar weight. It's worth loading the boat and putting the draw bar on some scales to check this, as too much or too little can affect how the boat tows. About 10% of trailer weight is a guideline, as long as this isn't over the max draw bar weight specified for the vehicle.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Neats88 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 10:05am
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Hi Kevin S, we are heading to the dump to check boat and trailer weight today to be sure of our information, before getting the tow ball fitted next week. Will definitely advise them of the boat details thanks for your advise : )
Neats
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote letsgetem Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 10:15am
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I also point out that can get tow bars of different weight ratings. So, avoid asking for a "tow bar" - but get a tow bar rated for at least what you want to tow.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MacSkipper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 11:45am
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Adding to letsgetem comment - not all towbar installers are equal - ring around and go with one who is knowledgeable about cars and towing weight - the cheapest is not always the best. A decent and properly fitted towbar is not cheap I would expect to pay $300-400 plus for a small car - can be more depending on vehicle - that said going to the vehicle dealer is usually more expensive than an aftermarket towbar installer.
Don't forget trailer security as well while you are at it - a few have been nicked while out in boat - see thread on trailers taken from Hatfields beach a few weeks ago - a lot of security advice on this - I have purchased additional security for my trailer after reading this - it is such a hassle to come back and find your trailer gone....
Good fishing trip nothing breaks, great trip catch fish.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Neats88 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Dec 2014 at 5:10pm
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Thankyou for your reply will do our homework and yes we have invested in a good wheel clamp today for the trailer
Neats
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote the angler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Dec 2014 at 3:28pm
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You shouldn't have any problems with the weights you have described especially if only going a short distance, worst thing would be to have the weight of the trailer unbalanced so that the weight is at the back of the axle .
Can get speed wobbles , that's a bit scary I've had it happen , you want the weight forward and on the tow ball.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Neats88 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Dec 2014 at 10:24am
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It's been great to get some good feedback from experienced boaties thanks again : )
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote out wide Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Dec 2014 at 7:43pm
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http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/glovebox-guide-safe-loading-towing/docs/guide-safe-loading-towing.pdf

Hope this helps!
Out wide
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Neats88 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Dec 2014 at 8:21pm
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Thank you Out Wide, that is exactly what we needed, your awesome!
We discovered it was quite a grey area amongst people we spoke to.

Next step we'll join The Coast Guard 😄

Neats
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote JB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Dec 2014 at 8:27pm
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hi try this link might help as well
http://www.aa.co.nz/cars/maintenance/towing/towing-weights/
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote out wide Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Dec 2014 at 9:10pm
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Glad to be of help!   Handshake   Safe Boating 
Out wide
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote caddy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Dec 2014 at 11:16pm
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hi gals , i think there is a formula , that you have to be able to stop from 30kph in 20metres , something close to that anyway .....tight linesSleepySmile
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