Towing a heavy boat with a 4x4
 

I have a 2,000Kg Fairline cruiser I need to move about 1,000 miles (from
UK to Spain). One solution seems to be to buy a 2,000Kg twin-axle roller
trailer and tow it there behind my landrover... but I have no idea if
doing a 1,000 miles with a boat that heavy in tow is sheer madness, or
whether towing that sort of weight long distance is actually not too
much of a problem... any opinions appreciated.
--
SL

"SL" wrote in message
...
I have a 2,000Kg Fairline cruiser I need to move about 1,000 miles (from
UK to Spain). One solution seems to be to buy a 2,000Kg twin-axle roller
trailer and tow it there behind my landrover... but I have no idea if
doing a 1,000 miles with a boat that heavy in tow is sheer madness, or
whether towing that sort of weight long distance is actually not too
much of a problem... any opinions appreciated.
--
SL

What model of Land Rover do you have? Some have rating capacities of around
3500 kgs. If yours had adequate towing capacity you should have no problem
towing it, even over 1,000 miles.

Is your concern mainly that you are not comfortable towing a boat?

SL wrote:
I have a 2,000Kg Fairline cruiser I need to move about 1,000 miles (from
UK to Spain). One solution seems to be to buy a 2,000Kg twin-axle roller
trailer and tow it there behind my landrover... but I have no idea if
doing a 1,000 miles with a boat that heavy in tow is sheer madness, or
whether towing that sort of weight long distance is actually not too
much of a problem... any opinions appreciated.
--
SL

At that weight you are looking at heavy duty hitch and electric trailer
brakes.

If your vehicle has the extras included in the 'tow package' you should
have no problems at all. 'Tow package' is generally a beefed up
suspension for the rear of the vehicle and additional transmission
cooler.

You need to check tow capacity and ensure you account for not only the
boat weight but the weight of the trailer and any tiedowns.

In article , "*JimH*"
wrote:

"SL" wrote in message
...
I have a 2,000Kg Fairline cruiser I need to move about 1,000 miles (from
UK to Spain). One solution seems to be to buy a 2,000Kg twin-axle roller
trailer and tow it there behind my landrover... but I have no idea if
doing a 1,000 miles with a boat that heavy in tow is sheer madness, or
whether towing that sort of weight long distance is actually not too
much of a problem... any opinions appreciated.
--
SL

What model of Land Rover do you have? Some have rating capacities of around
3500 kgs. If yours had adequate towing capacity you should have no problem
towing it, even over 1,000 miles.

Range Rover L322, but it wasn't purchased with a tow pack (as the
previous poster mentioned), I would add a tow bar but the suspension is
standard and I doubt it has a transmission cooler.

Is your concern mainly that you are not comfortable towing a boat?

Well there's that yes, I'm imagining a swaying load trundling though
some French village with the radar arch clipping low balconies before
the whole thing jackknifes ending with the Fairline speared into the
local gendarmerie.
--
SL

If your roads are good and traffic light and you could use a trailer when
you get to Spain, and you will come out considerably ahead financially by
buying a trailer rated for 3000Kg with brakes and sway bar and your receiver
hitch installed, etc., then you "can" do it if you are careful and take
something to calm your nerves before you go. Remember too, that at the
minimum recommended tongue weight of 10%, that's 200Kg or so which might be
a little much for standard suspension on your LR.
On several occasions I've towed my 4,220 lb boat 370 miles one way with no
trailer brakes and with a Durango without a towing package. But, over 300
miles are expressway, I'm very alert and careful to not speed and to allow
extra distance between me and the next car, and I do use an anti sway bar
and I only have done it because I had to. Also, gas mileage went from 15
down to 8.5-9mpg.
LD

"SL" wrote in message
...
I have a 2,000Kg Fairline cruiser I need to move about 1,000 miles (from
UK to Spain). One solution seems to be to buy a 2,000Kg twin-axle roller
trailer and tow it there behind my landrover... but I have no idea if
doing a 1,000 miles with a boat that heavy in tow is sheer madness, or
whether towing that sort of weight long distance is actually not too
much of a problem... any opinions appreciated.
--
SL

"SL" wrote in message
...
I have a 2,000Kg Fairline cruiser I need to move about 1,000 miles (from
UK to Spain). One solution seems to be to buy a 2,000Kg twin-axle roller
trailer and tow it there behind my landrover... but I have no idea if
doing a 1,000 miles with a boat that heavy in tow is sheer madness, or
whether towing that sort of weight long distance is actually not too
much of a problem... any opinions appreciated.
--
SL
I tow the about the same weight boat and trailer. Figure the trailer will
be about 500kg itself. You may be better off, talking to a container or
ocean shipping company. Friend bought a boat in Australia and they set it
on top of the deck of the ship on blocks and then just dropped it in the
water in Long Beach, Calif with the crane. They must have direct shipments
to Spain, probably both the Atlantic side and the Med side. Or see what
cost to put it on the freight train. You are looking at a minimum of 2K BP
for a trailer.

SL wrote:
I have a 2,000Kg Fairline cruiser I need to move about
1,000 miles (from UK to Spain). One solution seems to be
to buy a 2,000Kg twin-axle roller trailer and tow it
there behind my landrover... but I have no idea if doing
a 1,000 miles with a boat that heavy in tow is sheer
madness, or whether towing that sort of weight long
distance is actually not too much of a problem... any
opinions appreciated.

I'm not being cheeky, just interested. Why can't you go by sea?



--
Vj

"Vødkäjéllÿ" wrote in message
.uk...
SL wrote:
I have a 2,000Kg Fairline cruiser I need to move about
1,000 miles (from UK to Spain). One solution seems to be
to buy a 2,000Kg twin-axle roller trailer and tow it
there behind my landrover... but I have no idea if doing
a 1,000 miles with a boat that heavy in tow is sheer
madness, or whether towing that sort of weight long
distance is actually not too much of a problem... any
opinions appreciated.

I'm not being cheeky, just interested. Why can't you go by sea?



--
Vj



Couple of thousand miles of open sea. A 2000kg boat should be about 5
meters in size (21 feet)

In article . net,
"Bill McKee" wrote:

"Vødkäjéllÿ" wrote in message
.uk...
SL wrote:
I have a 2,000Kg Fairline cruiser I need to move about
1,000 miles (from UK to Spain). One solution seems to be
to buy a 2,000Kg twin-axle roller trailer and tow it
there behind my landrover... but I have no idea if doing
a 1,000 miles with a boat that heavy in tow is sheer
madness, or whether towing that sort of weight long
distance is actually not too much of a problem... any
opinions appreciated.

I'm not being cheeky, just interested. Why can't you go by sea?

Couple of thousand miles of open sea. A 2000kg boat should be about 5
meters in size (21 feet)

Yes, a Fairline Sprint 21 in fact, and I'm going to Mallorca so yes a
few thousand miles round Gibraltar and back up... I'd get probably as
far as the middle of the english channel before yelling Mayday.
--
SL

"SL" wrote in message
...
In article . net,
"Bill McKee" wrote:

"Vødkäjéllÿ" wrote in message
.uk...
SL wrote:
I have a 2,000Kg Fairline cruiser I need to move about
1,000 miles (from UK to Spain). One solution seems to be
to buy a 2,000Kg twin-axle roller trailer and tow it
there behind my landrover... but I have no idea if doing
a 1,000 miles with a boat that heavy in tow is sheer
madness, or whether towing that sort of weight long
distance is actually not too much of a problem... any
opinions appreciated.

I'm not being cheeky, just interested. Why can't you go by sea?

Couple of thousand miles of open sea. A 2000kg boat should be about 5
meters in size (21 feet)

Yes, a Fairline Sprint 21 in fact, and I'm going to Mallorca so yes a
few thousand miles round Gibraltar and back up... I'd get probably as
far as the middle of the english channel before yelling Mayday.
--
SL

What is the range on that boat? It is about 150 miles, about 225 km, from
Barcelona to Mallorca. So maybe put it on a freighter to Barcelona. Then
get a lorry going to Majorca to pick up freight to haul the boat over.
Where on Majorca are you going to base the boat. Love Puerto Soller.