Towing a roadbase ? Lighting board issues
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Banter
Forum Discription: For all those non-sailing related discussions
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=7102
Printed Date: 29 Jun 25 at 9:22pm
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Topic: Towing a roadbase ? Lighting board issues
Posted By: Webmuppet
Subject: Towing a roadbase ? Lighting board issues
Date Posted: 02 Sep 10 at 9:05pm
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Hi Folks, Off to look at another boat at the weekend and knowing that the boat doesn't come with it's own trailer/roadbase we're hoping to strap its trolley onto a roadbase which we're borrowing for the day. Obviously once we're towing a boat it's fairly obvious where to fit the lighting board but on our outwards journey we'll just be towing the roadbase.........do we need to fit the lighting board to it ? ......and if so how on earth do we attach it ? Any advice would be appreciated, Nigel ------------- I am the milkman of human kindness, I will leave an extra pint (Billy Bragg) Graduate 2530 'Galaxy' |
Replies:
Posted By: timnoyce
Date Posted: 02 Sep 10 at 9:16pm
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I have successfully tied a lighting board across the main axle on many occasions. Depending on the design you may be able to make it stand up, but worst case scenario just lay it flat and lash it on. You won't be able to read the numberplate very clearly but the lights will be visible which is the main thing. Just remember the line... "oh it must have slipped officer, it was clearly showing the numberplate when I left..." ------------- http://www.facebook.com/bearfootdesign - BEARFOOT DESIGN Cherub 2648 - Comfortably Numb |
Posted By: bert
Date Posted: 02 Sep 10 at 9:35pm
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Morning Nigel I have on the odd occasion traveled 40 or 50 miles with out a board on a road base with just a white bit of cloth tied to the back to mark the end of the trailier. After all the other road users can see all your lights on the car & if they can`t - why are they driving? ------------- Phantom 1181 AC-227 IC 304 blaze / halo 586 |
Posted By: Villan
Date Posted: 02 Sep 10 at 10:11pm
Technically, yes you do need a lighting board. It is possible to strap/tie/or even tape the board to a trailer.
------------- Vareo - 149 "Secrets" http://www.TandyUKServers.co.uk" rel="nofollow - TandyUK Servers |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 02 Sep 10 at 10:12pm
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Yeah, same here, I routinely tow a road base with no lighting board, but obviously not after dark!
------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 02 Sep 10 at 11:27pm
| Even if you lay it flat the lights will be nicely visible and that's the main thing... |
Posted By: tmoore
Date Posted: 03 Sep 10 at 1:56am
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I have done this quite a few times. The trick is to pull the board towards the car both above and below the rear roller. My lights board has transom fittings and a mast support so I simply tie the lower pintle eye and mast support uptube back together towards the car. After that I use shockcord through the eyes already on the board to pull each corner back. Push an end through the eye, tie a bowline on the car side of the board. Then the tail goes over the back end of the board, undernearth the trailer beam, forward and round a different trailer beam and can be tied off at the loop created by the bowline. This allows you to get even tension and stop the lights board rotating around. Hope this helps. Good luck with the boat. ------------- Landlocked in Africa RS300 - 410 Firefly F517 - Nutshell Micro Magic RC yacht - Eclipse |
Posted By: ASok
Date Posted: 03 Sep 10 at 10:25am
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I used to use an old wooden pallet on my old trailer. Strap it to the trailer and then attach the lighting board to the 'face' of the trailer. It should give it enough to hold it up. I've got about 200 pallets to get rid off on a construction site in east London. Feel free to collect as many as you want  ------------- |
Posted By: Barty
Date Posted: 03 Sep 10 at 1:03pm
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From the old chestnut, the The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 Schedule 1 TABLE VI
------------- http://www.highlandtopper.com - For Topper boats & spares in Scotland-highlandtopper.com |
Posted By: Webmuppet
Date Posted: 03 Sep 10 at 6:51pm
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Hi Everyone, Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread.........I did manage to attach the lighting board to the road base - a combination of:
 ,Cheers, Nigel ------------- I am the milkman of human kindness, I will leave an extra pint (Billy Bragg) Graduate 2530 'Galaxy' |
Posted By: Mark Jardine
Date Posted: 03 Sep 10 at 8:00pm
Ah, duct tape - the solution to everything! 
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Posted By: laser4000
Date Posted: 03 Sep 10 at 10:50pm
And if we're talking lightboards then don't forget the torch and Mr Kipling 6x apple pie trays for a perfect 'rear-light' in the event of failure. Nowadays however the trays seem to be green  |
Posted By: ColPrice2002
Date Posted: 05 Sep 10 at 4:09pm
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Just a little late to be helpful to the OP ... I use a couple of "G" clamps. They clamp to the cross member (vertically) and the pins on the end of the screws fit into holes on the lighting board. Still needs tying/bungee to stop it falling backwards, but weoks well. They're also useful in fixing a non-standard trolley to the base. Colin |