Tractor for the beach
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: General Forums
Forum Name: The Boat Shed
Forum Description: Discuss all things boating.
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=108904
Printed Date: 05 Nov 2026 at 3:24pm
Topic: Tractor for the beach
Posted By: Hsvl
Subject: Tractor for the beach
Date Posted: 30 Apr 2015 at 9:06pm
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Im looking at getting a tractor to beach launch and after a bit of advice. I live about 400m from the beach and have a long gradual hill that I will be travelling up/down from home to the beach. My boat is a 485 Haines Hunter so weight is around 8-900kg loaded. The beach is reasonably firm sand but shallow with not a lot of fall so the wheels will get a bit wet, not greatly but will dip the tires, but is sheltered and little to no swell will affect launch/retrieval. Im looking at a fergie 28 but not sure what the brakes are like for the incline to the beach and if the dry brakes will be any good? What would you recommend? ------------- It hit like a freight train, line peeling and drag screaming the rod now doubled with a tell tail nodding and Salt thickening within the veins. |
Replies:
Posted By: Tonyg26
Date Posted: 30 Apr 2015 at 9:15pm
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Just remember first gear engine braking in those old girls is practicaly stopped, just nana down in first gear no rush youll be sweet |
Posted By: junior fisho
Date Posted: 30 Apr 2015 at 9:18pm
| Power wise will be ok, but watch the dizzy/coil does not wet, if brake shoes get wet, they will not work, could always fill rear tyres with water |
Posted By: Don18025
Date Posted: 30 Apr 2015 at 9:38pm
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Try and get an International 434 or 444 - diesel engine and wet brakes (in oil). Cost more than a Fergie 28, but will outlast you and do a better job.
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Posted By: Snapperz
Date Posted: 01 May 2015 at 7:59am
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You have a nice expensive boat dont buy a cheap old tractor specially if you are driving down a slope. Spend a bit more and get a diesel with wet brakes and power steering. You wont regret it and will feel far more safer. |
Posted By: jetfisher
Date Posted: 01 May 2015 at 8:06am
| If it has any incline at all I can assure you that Fergy brakes do not work even from brand new. As stated above holding power on hills is better achieved threw the gear box with engine braking, but as in another post "wet brakes" are best. |
Posted By: KikBac
Date Posted: 01 May 2015 at 9:05am
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For around the same money you should consider a cheap reliable 4x4 (L/rover, Pajero, Bighorn or similar) and leave it at the beach. Starts every time, road legal, trailer lights, better brakes, secure, warm & dry... ------------- Beer: the most important meal of the day. |
Posted By: Olfart
Date Posted: 01 May 2015 at 9:20am
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I like KikBac's thinking. If you get yourself an aging 4x4 and just use it for launching and retrieving the boat, it really doesn't matter if the bodywork is stuffed, dented or whatever. Far better option than using a tractor which may not have the braking capability when you most need it.
------------- Semper in excreta sumus, solum profundum variat.... |
Posted By: Hsvl
Date Posted: 01 May 2015 at 11:15am
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The thing I don't like about the 4x4 option is it will have to have wof and rego at normal car prices. And that it will be backed into the tide possibly further than a tractor. Tractor won't need a wof as it will be operated under 30kmph and rego is a lot cheaper so it will be road legal and easier to keep road legal than an old 4x4 that gets dunked in salt. You can get a tidy Fergus for around 2000 but a tidy diesel your looking at 3 times that. Is it really worth the extra? It isn't overly steap the hill and if engine braking works better that should be no problem. But if a diesel db or international is that much better with wet brakes then I'd would look at saving more ------------- It hit like a freight train, line peeling and drag screaming the rod now doubled with a tell tail nodding and Salt thickening within the veins. |
Posted By: Hsvl
Date Posted: 01 May 2015 at 11:19am
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To add to it more the beach I'm talking about is castor bay and my home is just up beach road towards Campbell's bay. For anyone that knows the area. I have seen 4x4s struggle with 5m tinys at some tides but have seen tractors work fine in all tides with up to 6m fiberglass boats ------------- It hit like a freight train, line peeling and drag screaming the rod now doubled with a tell tail nodding and Salt thickening within the veins. |
Posted By: Contract
Date Posted: 01 May 2015 at 1:59pm
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All good advice. The more you spend ~ the better result. I am on my second diesel tractor (with hydrostatic gears) and would not go past another in the future. Give Eric from Gatmans in Silverdale a ring. Tell him "Wayne" put you in touch. Great guy ~ great advice. Not pushy at all. He traded my first tractor for what I paid for it two years ago. Sure... you will spend a little more from a dealer, but they are handy for repairs and advice. Warranty is good also. I question your using a tractor to launch on Castor Bay beach tho. I am on Campbells Bay beach, so I know exactly where you are. Most intelligent police officers turn a blind eye when it comes to unwarranted or registered beach / boat tractors launching in holiday resorts. Beach Road , Auckland, is another matter. It can be like a main highway at times, with traffic flow ~ even in the weekends. I, for one, would not be entirely happy with encountering any sort of tractor on Beach Rd ! Let alone one without lights, registration, 3rd party insurance and most of all SUPER EFFICIENT BRAKES. Anyway .... good luck
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Posted By: Contract
Date Posted: 01 May 2015 at 2:12pm
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Oh.... the other thing I have always had on my boat tractors ~ turf tyres ! They would be perfect on castor bay (if you still are going to use a tractor on Beach Rd !) They don't cut up your nice lawns !
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Posted By: Hsvl
Date Posted: 01 May 2015 at 3:13pm
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So why do you question using a tractor on castor bay beach? Is it just the traffic issue? I understand being ticketed etc for not having rego etc but I'm fully aware and prepared to register the tractor and having working lights and the brakes will be maintained it won't have a wof as it is not required by law to have but it will be to wof standard. I'm not going to buy some old cheap hunk of **** that doesn't do anything right. That is why I'm asking here for what tractor it will be best and if there is a meaningful difference to spend 3x as much for a diesel tractor for a 3-400m drive to the beach. For those saying about 4x4 how good are they if all 4 wheels are in the water at all? And is there more to go wrong when it's getting wet and still needs a wof compared to a tractor? ------------- It hit like a freight train, line peeling and drag screaming the rod now doubled with a tell tail nodding and Salt thickening within the veins. |
Posted By: Time_Bandit
Date Posted: 01 May 2015 at 5:28pm
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we use a Fergie for launching a 6m boat in taupo, bout 1km from the ramp works mint picked it up for $800, put some duals on it fmint.or the beach would be ------------- “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” |
Posted By: Hsvl
Date Posted: 01 May 2015 at 7:01pm
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What are 4x4s like on flat shallow beaches? ------------- It hit like a freight train, line peeling and drag screaming the rod now doubled with a tell tail nodding and Salt thickening within the veins. |
Posted By: Luigi
Date Posted: 02 May 2015 at 8:39am
I reckon forget about a 4x4.If you dunk it think of the time it will take to wash it after. And time sitting in the shed to rust up the brakes !! Nah go for a Diesel Tractor with Oil emersed brakes.------------- Fish and enjoy life ! as no one gets out alive |
Posted By: Contract
Date Posted: 02 May 2015 at 4:02pm
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I am not sure about WOF not being needed. This is quite an arguable point. The rule you are applyng to refers to farm machinery. It is questionable whether a tractor in Castor Bay is a farm vehicle. I would suggest that different officers would see it different ways. Regardless , your brakes would need to be 100% all of the time. Especially where you will be operating next to a kids playground. I still stick to what I alluded to before. I don't think a tractor is good form on one of The Shore's busiest roads & the fact that you leave the beach on a blind corner. A tractor is not the speediest machines off the mark. I personally think that , used regularly in that location , you will be an accident waiting to happen. I use a 4x4 on the same ramp (also Milford Marina) and have had no troubles at all. I would not even consider a tractor in your situation. Anyway .. Not my concern ... Just my opinion. Back to your original question ~ give Eric a call from Gatmans. I think he will tell you that there hasn't been a Fergie made, that can stop in the prescribed distance at the prescribe speed. Possibly , one of the more modern (diesels?) will |
Posted By: Kandrew
Date Posted: 02 May 2015 at 6:24pm
| Agree with Contract, I wound not only be worried about running someone over, but also running into someone's very expensive car. No insurance? |
Posted By: Betty Boop
Date Posted: 02 May 2015 at 7:56pm
Ya dammed if ya do and dammed if ya don't. I kin tell you it's character building being pushed down a greasy sealed slight sloping Rd (TBC)by a 8mtr trailer boat with the front wheels bouncing over the road surface. ....   ------------- Last week I joined an Anti-Social support group........They won't talk to me! Papamoa fi-Glass Viscount |