Fab1

That hilux will tow the boat you want mate as long as you add weight over the back wheels,have good tread on your tyres ,use the chock and know how to take off gently in a manual.I have a 4m+ tinny with the 30 mate and your hilux will do it like it’s not even there.With my hilux towing my boat out of the ramp it’s 2wd, first gear(manual) ,let out the clutch and don’t even need to accelerate. I tow mine 99% of the time with my Kia cerato 6sp manual sometimes 2 hrs away up/down hills again like it’s not even there and never even spun a wheel at any ramp I use. its 2nd gear and away i go. Have a look around and you’ll be surprised what people are towing and what with as long as you’re sensible.

Plan your launch/retrieval before you even get to the boat ramp to launch or when coming in. Ask yourself questions like which way the currents and wind are going?what stage is the tide?How shallow is it?where will you tie off?Where is the end of the ramp?Use some of these things to your advantage. Sometimes you can help yourself by doing simple things like jack knifing trailer on ramp so back of trailer faces towards any cross current or take a few wraps of bowline around winch post to slow boat down when launching. Another great trick in high current,high wind launching/retrieval operations is having a long launch rope attached to front and rear of boat so you can control the back end from swinging on you with one hand most times. Even simple things like lowering rear tyre pressures a bit will give your Ute more traction as you are only a stones throw from ramp and can pump them back up when finished. Try to park where you can always maintain a visual on your boat and always take your keys too as there’s too many dead beats around especially at ramps.I came back to my boat one night to find a bloke sussing out my trailer and I gladly obliged to help him sleep the rest of the night. As for your question I currently have my 4.2 tinny that will self launch if I let it)As soon as I take the winch strap off she’ll be off on her own if I didn’t hold the bowline) and retrieving it is a matter of backing trailer, putting bow on rear roller then winch and basically pulling it 3/4 way up the trailer by hand then winching. In the early 90,s I had an old 17’ cruisecraft glass boat that was heavy and used the same methods. I’m not a fan of drive on/off for several reasons even though i can and could before. The key to launching any boat as I’m sure the others will agree is prior planning and making sure your trailer is set up and all rollers are turning freely. Good luck mate and hopefully you have many great memories during the ownership of your new boat. Ps. if the fishing is slow or non existent blame that bloody @Yowie He’s a pest!😂

Sorry mate, re-read your post.Disregard what I said about an Auto in your case.I have a dual cab hilux that will spin easy too if I’m not careful.My brother-in-law had a triton cab chassis manual Ive used to tow my boat only light at 550kg and his over 1300kg.With his boat both of us have used and use the chock behind the wheel method without issue.Tie a rope to chock and a loop in the other end that reaches the trailer coupling and drop it over it. When you drive off the chock will follow you up the ramp.

Easiest way buy a couple of bags of sand to throw on the tray over the centreline of your rear axle if you’re worried.If it’s Auto take off in second gear to reduce torque/wheel spin.If manual use chocks behind wheels and slowly ease out the clutch in first.Some times you can use second depending on gearing and weight of boat.

You sound like the @Yowieof Windang Lake mate.Have it all worked out.Good stuff.I’d love to hear both of your stories from back in the day. When I was 7yrs old in 1909……..😂😂. Windang fish and crabs are safe when I’m there fishing mate.I can see the crabs sitting on the porch now drinking a cuppa and eating scones saying to each other…..look at that hopeless guy,there’s no way in hell he’s catching anything.😂😂 All in good fun mate.

Cheers mate

How’s the water ramp/water traffic during week at the moment guys?At least you had a crack mate.

Been a busy boy.Just have to bolt outboard to plate and add a brace.The beauty is its completely removable.

I’ll never win it then as I can never be bothered.What sort of garage do you have?Aircraft hanger?

If the neighbours relied on me they wouldn’t be eating.I blame that bloody Yowie.Great Report @Larkin.👍👍

Great advice also as usual mate.

I can see a double row of trumpets on the roof in the 2nd photo - is that for sounding off to others that you have caught a fish? I need those trumpets installed on my boat so I can blow them loudly to let you know your fish are getting caught.

Can you share your secrets to the winning lotto numbers please?Asking for a friend.What a boat!!! congrats mate.All you need to do now is upgrade the cruiser to a road train to tow it as it looks like a child’s dinky next to it/

It would be the last time my neighbours got anything from me struggling or not.Good catch mate.

You’ve got buckley’s of learning everything there is to learn about outboards in a day.At most they’ll teach you the basics,thank you very much for investing $400 with them and please come again. You’ll learn more from gathering some tools,getting yourself a good service manual for your particular outboard,asking knowledgeable people questions and most of all from actually doing things,physicallly doing things like dismantling things,putting them back together,working out how one component Marries with another,etc,etc. I’m surrounded by trades people from different fields and I can tell you there’s tradespeople with decades of being a tradesman below their belt that ain’t worth a pinch of 💩.I know first year apprentices that will run rings around them and labourers without trades too. It’s up to you what’s worth it or not.If you think tossing them $400 to basically tell you what anyone with half a mechanical brain already knows go ahead.If you really want to learn start by doing what I said and practicing as often as you can with your own boat,families,friends,etc. cheers.

And less headaches usually.One persons cheap is another persons expensive.One thing pepper don’t realise is buying the boat is the easy bit..Being able to afford to run,service and maintain it is a whole other kettle of fish. A bit like owning horses.Buying the horse is the cheap easy part..Ask me how I know.

Looks like I’ll be kept busy for 10 minutes today my presents arrived..How shops survive these days is beyond me.Shop around people is all I can say.

Only one.He’s keener than me.Well done Yowie.I enjoy my pillow and blanket way more than any fishing in this crap weather mate.

just the boat , although to start with i will have t buy a used trailer in ok condition, and a used motor also. I’m going blind.Missed it completely.

I just re-read post and they mention they’d pay 2k for example for the boat. I don’t know about all you but if I talk to someone about buying a boat I mean buying a boat,trailer,motor not just a hull. This person wants a complete boat but we still don’t know how much they can afford as they used 2k as an example in original post.

That approach would be a no brainer for me.Either I’m going blind or I can’t see where they state they want to pay 2k for just the hull.Im sure it was for the whole boat.

Like I said 2k buys bugger all from what I’ve seen.

Read the post he wants the lot for 2k.Boat,motor,trailer.As for small Tinnys sitting up front or standing mine slices through chop like butter.Don’t know if it’s because it has about 300kg of weight up front or what.😂😂

It’s 2k budget for the lot mate they want.You don’t get much for that from what I’ve seen.

No.Not happy Jan.