I have just got my new car and was looking at the insurances for towing, there are strange quirks that i have noticed.

Noble marine cover the boat fully comp but dont cover any 3rd party damage

Tesco Car insurance cover the 3rd party damage but not the boat.

What happens to people who dont have a boat insurance provider that will provide the same service as noble and what happens if the car insurance company will not over the same as my tescos does, or even worse a combination of both.

Dan

yeah just thought it was a little odd, aparently not then.

Any hints and tips when towing?

Dan

If its the RS600 you're towing, it's wider than people expect. Make sure that the wing bars are very visible from both ahead and behind, black progrip is hard to spot at night! Try to avoid busy times/places with suicidal pedestrians and cylcists, give yourself lots of time and space. Learn to reverse if you get the chance to practise, but be cool about unhooking if it gets difficult.

Double check the coupling is secure, some can seize and not latch securely.

Make sure the trailer tyres are good and at a sensible pressure. Tie everything down carefully, a lot of damage can be done by booms etc vibrating against the deck or whatever.  If its the first time you tied on that boat, stop and check tie downs after a few miles, its surprising how things work loose.

Take corners wider and slower than usual, don't be afraid to straddle both lanes if its a tight corner at traffic lights.

Remember to leave about 20 ft further than you usually would do when overtaking, and if you get flashed in SAY THANKS! Few flashes of your hazards, or right/left/right indicate.

Leave more room to stop, and remember that you are a magnet for idiots the SECOND the hitch touches your towball!

Check your lights, and make sure your board has the minimum legal things (WORKING brake and indicator lights, and a RED reflector. (Triangular i think for legality) ) Check they work every time you hitch up.

Find an industrial estate near you, go one evening with the boat on the back, and find an empty yard. Lots of reversing practice. Compound reversing around walls is easier than it looks! But of course, don't be afraid to unhitch if you need to. It may look good if you get it right, but when you dont, you will look like an idiot! (If in doubt - GOAL .. Get Out And Look! )

Good luck, Let us know how it goes!!

Edit - Oh, and remember whatever you are towing, its your responsibility to make sure its SAFE. If something comes of, its an endorsable and fine'able offence!!

(You wouldn't think I've been driving for only 6 months ... )

Just in case you have to unhitch facing down a gradient, carry something you can use to chock the trailer wheels while you disconnect. It will save you damage to the rear of the car when the weight 'comes on' as you lift it off.

Make sure you have a way of either locking the trailer to the car or imobilising it off the car so you can stop at services without fear of losing your boat.

Don't let people take the p!ss just because you're towing: my car accelerates just as quick with a Contender on the back as without (sometimes quicker). I get really fed up with people thinking a boat is a caravan, desparately overtaking before a hill then slowing down because their car is gutless.

dont put the lighting board plug in upside down.

Anyone who tells me this isn't possible just hasn't tried hard enough. I've done it before and couldn't work out why the indicators were going opposite directions on the car to on the boat.

http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/ - http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/

nuff said.....

Nope, not all caravans are pikey...but they are almost invariably IN MY BLOODY WAY!!!!!!!!

Nuke 'em all from orbit, it's the only way to be sure...

Biggest tip when towing is to develop a strong belief in road karma.

If you are travelling slowly because of gradient or conditions, let the queue behind you pass at regular intervals. Having a clear road behind you because you have let the tail gaiting pillok pass leads to a much more relaxing drive if nothing else.

When towing my boat I am rarely the cause of jams cause my little van tows really well, but if you do the trailer in the way slowing everyone down thing then you are just storing up trouble for yourself. slow caravan drivers, tractor drivers and sunday drivers in flat caps with 2 door hatch backs all have C/B radios and communicate to put someone slow in your way the next time you are in a hurry.

Oh- and when lining up at the lights against the local boy racers in rover 25's with MG stickers on. Do try and resist the temptation!!! It is not big or clever!

(Not sure I'll ever get the hang of that last one though.)

I towed my old 600 to Edinburgh the week i past my test, and learned a few things along the way, most of which have been mentioned already.

Probably important to you as it was to me, is fuel consumption; towing behind my 1.2 clio, up hills would go no faster than 40 really... i dropped gears, planted my foot to the floor and achieved a lot more noise, but no more speed. I attempted this technique all the way there and used a truley mind boggling amount of petrol for such a little modern car.

On the way back i didnt push it and settled for 40ish on the long inclines (letting others past if necceaary) and driving as normal on the flat. I found that i could achieve fairly regular speeds on the flat and was still plagued by the many speed cameras on the A68, however used roughly half the petrol.

Its just like burning money really.

Thats what i mean though, really going for it with a boat on the back when you havn't got the power, for example; up hills  (I suppose this might be more of an issue 'up north') or in your case, fast with a double trailer.

When driving less aggressively, fuel consumption isnt much of an issue. I guess the effect is also greatly increased with a smaller car, even that 0.4 difference will help.

if you have not bought a car then go for a diesel. its cheaper on insurance (seen as less sporty) and you get much more torque which is great for towing. added to that you also save a lot of money on fuel.

otherwise just take it steady. leave plenty of time so your not in a rush. the first time i towed my boat i was bottling it but after a few mins its fine. everythings been covered already so no point repeating. just be careful because the trailer may well be wider than your car. its easy to forget the boat is there sometimes. also make sure you have that loop of wire to catch the trailer if the hitch comes off. its now illegal if you dont have it.

Pretty sure the legal limit is sixty MPH while towing.

Arranged especially for you, Dan:-

Ally Pally - Volvo Main Stage Features Programme, West Hall

1145 - Trailing and car topping
 All the latest rules, regulations and tips on safe, easy and legal transportation of your boat in the UK and abroad PLUS Volvo advanced towing system launch

wow really? What day is that?

Dan

hollandsd   don't get too excited. When Volvo did this many years ago on their stand with much publicity it merely consisted a match box sized printed handout of very basic stuff. Pants. Utter pants. Welcome to the RYA car show.

second hand prices for vovlo`s are VERY decent at the moment!

even so, my parents just picked up a 53laguna d.turbo on 60k for just over £3000. lots of cheap cars out there. just hoping mine gets me home at easter so i can replace it!!!

Villian, where was that Volvo advertised?

I'll buy it and sell it on based on the prices I have seen on autotrader! Could be a good purchase! (may even share the profits!!!)

I hope your religious, you will need lots of praying to hope the electrics last and don't go back into euros mode!  also nothing switches off when it goes kaput, you know when it happens cos you can't start the car again, my dads now has an on/off switch by the ciggy lighter

Yea, even so, at that price its a bit of a bargain. im actually tempted myself as my clutch is on its way out. A real student car