New boat trailer Regs

have just got a new double trailer from sovereign trailers ( great bit of kit .) and talked to the guy in charge a lot about it. he was generally in favour of it, because he felt it would raise the quality of trailer manufacture, even if it would cause him some problems.

the only visual differance is that lighting boards have to be attached to the trailer, not the boats and lights on the mud guards.
it just means before loading or unloading you would have to undo a couple of bolts to remove the lighting board assembly.

at least it would mean it is less likely to fall off, when on the move!

Someone will have to define 'within the trailer'. Ribs & powerboats are generally launched off their trailers - not separate trollies like us dinghy types habitually use. It is a requirement for them to be able to remove the electrical components entirely, before they're completely ruined by immersion.

If telltale is right then you can bet that the majority of second hand boats will be sold without trailers from then on due to the increased cost of new ones.

That said no one will be buying a new trailer anyway as they won't be able to afford the fuel to tow anything anywhere, so maybe we are all worrying about nothing.

Whist the practical issue of towing and how to tow is important, I think that there are more important issues to be discussed relating to the new EU trailer regulations. 

Consider the financial implications of this:

There is discussion relating to lighting whereby all electrics have to be WITHIN the trailer.

In addition, there would be no overhang permitted, and side lighting may be required.

This means that the trailers might look like this. The implementation date seems to be 2016 and 'a week is a long time in Europe', but are we ready for this?

 

http://flyingfifteen.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/maybe-the-future-of-trailers-looks-like-this/ 

This is a 6 stacker Topper Trailer, I tow the same but with Laser Picos x 6 plus all the kit, spars, foils and trolleys on the trailer.


Going back to the test, the reverse is the first thing you have to do, taking it very slowly with the examiner watching from outside the car, you need to back it to within a metre of the back wall. You can shunt forward twice but only get out of the car once. When you do, engine has to be off, handbrake on, and the door has to be shut.

You have to uncouple and couple the trailer checking it is roadworthy and do a 50 minute drive which includes a 10 minute individual drive, ie following signs. They removed the emergency stop from the test. All driving is mirrors, mirrors, and 10 - 2.

The test centre is the same as the HGV test centre