Billy2014
-
Posts
126 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Events
Fishing Tips, Advice and Articles
Blogs
Store
Posts posted by Billy2014
-
-
After running out of brakes in a Mitsubishi Magna wagon loaded with 4 adults and a child coming down the Bells Line of Road 20 years ago I quickly learnt to use engine braking. I tow my 5m tinny up and down the state a few times a year, loaded with camping gear once a year, in my Toyota Aurion. I engine brake as much as possible, particularly around the Hawkesbury and Bulli on the M1.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Whiting,
Engine braking is one aspect of it and a good technique to use that many people don't understand, I am very glad to hear that you were able to avoid disaster and be here now to tell the story! The main problem is when that odd thing happens that causes sudden braking and swerving and it is usually at the worst possible time, Murphy's Law. The Aurion would benefit enormously with a weight distribution hitch if you aren't already using one but just watch those legal weights, car's payload specifications (passengers and gear) Tow ball weight capacity and towing capacity. In a sedan, these figures need to be looked at really closely. I appreciate that you are most likely a very good and safe driver but if your capacities are even close to being exceeded, if something unfortunate should ever happen and even if its not your fault, insurance companies have every right to reject a claim once they start digging around for reasons to say no and they will, they are professionals at it...Of course, if you are confident that your loads are in check then I wouldn't worry, the Aurion has a reasonable capacity, 2T I think but they did come with 1.6T at one stage. I am guessing your rig will be around 1.2T+? If its a pressed tinny, if it's plate then it will be more like 1.5T. I'd really focus on the car's carrying capacity and tow ball capacity, manufactures stated capacities are static loads, in the real world, these loads are dynamic which kind of makes leaving a bit of a buffer really important in my view.
I think anyone can benefit by watching this video, there is some great information here;
-
If the weights over the axles, tow ball or the overall weight is greater than the specified limit then it's not safe, and from what you're saying that driver was probably an idiot.
I guess my point is that it's all relative. If you're towing within the limits of the vehicle than with some sensible driving it should be safe. Of course it won't tow as well as a heavier, better suspended vehicle, and longevity won't be as good. But it should be safe.
Your point about the lack of skill is a valid one though. I see people towing fair sized boats down Mt Ousley traveling at the speed limit riding the brakes the whole way down. Doesn't matter how within the limits of the car they are, when drivers behave like that it's only a matter of time before they cause an accident.
Completely agree, it's all relative and case by case, the loads and issues are different. I guess that is why we don't have a fool-proof, uniform and country wide set of rules, it's all too hard and left to the individual to sort out and make a call on. In many cases, if things were done right, many people would be towing smaller boats or taking the purchase of a more capable tow vehicle into account at the time of purchasing a boat.
-
A nearly 2 tonne vehicle towing 1.7 tonnes is going to do as well as a nearly 3 tonne vehicle towing 3.5 tonnes. The Captiva is probably just as capable of stopping 1.7 tonne in an emergency as a Discovery stopping 3 tonne. It all comes down to the trailer brakes, they're type and condition as to how well they will stop. And the skill of the driver.
Sure the Captiva will tow OK but like any car, it is not designed to tow above capacity, safely, it is not. No car should tow above capacity, what I subscribe to is a healthy margin in any case i.e. 2T BMT and 3T towing with 300kg tow ball rating. If you tow to near capacity, then the vehicle needs to be setup correctly and the complete 'weight' picture is taken into account. The majority of BMT rigs under 2T will have basic mechanical brakes (usually in varying levels of service and effectiveness) The Captiva's tow rating ranges from 1.5T to 2.0T (depending on the model) and the tow ball weight load limit is probably around 150kg - 200kg (I can't actually find this info curiously enough) which is probably typical of a 5.5m glass boat, slight guesstimating here but most of us have enough experience around boats to know. If I were towing with a Captiva, I would make sure that the boat, fully loaded with fuel, bait, fishing gear, batteries, radio, safety gear, gaffs, your lunch, your mates esky full of beer also comes in under 1.5T or 2T depending on the model of Captiva. In addition to this, if I were towing with any model Captiva, I would also use a weight distribution hitch. I would use a WDH device on any car that is towing close to it's capacity. The Captiva is still a soft roader therefore it has normal suspension, just like a car, loaded up, it will sag at the rear, braking distance and steering control dramatically reduces and I mean by many metres. So, in reality, both the towing weight and the tow ball hitch car manufacturers recommended capacities are more than likely being exceeded in this case so insurance is also still a problem, if it came down to it.
Back to the comparison, besides better 4WD suspension, the heavier vehicle will have better control, less body roll induced by the load, lurching and sag and that's under normal driving, not an emergency, simple physics. I have done enough towing miles in 4WD and soft roaders to know, & currently I own one of each & tow with both. In a lighter weight car, your car is the passenger and the boat is taking the car for a ride, that's the bottom line. A genuine 4wd or similarly rated tow vehicle, properly setup for towing is usually heavier, this makes a huge difference, the boat is now taken for a ride by the car, not the other way around, the suspension has a higher load rating (much better because the front tyres are still firmly on the ground) and most importantly, the brakes have better stopping power in a good 4x4, larger discs etc. The more a car gets pushed around by the the boat while towing, the more dynamic the loads become, this is not good. For example, if the car wallows and lurches while towing, the tow ball capacity will temporarily exceed it limits due to different loads and angles being imposed onto the tow ball. If you slam the brakes on or swerve or both, the lighter the car, the softer the suspension, the weaker the brakes, the less control of your total load you will have.
I haven't even begun to look at the vehicles payload capacity but we can assume that with a couple of adults in the front, kids in the back, boot load chocked up with gear and a tow ball weight being exceeded, this example rig is not in my version of 'safe', I can almost guarantee that the Captiva's LEGAL payload, vehicle axle load is or is uncomfortably close to being exceeded on a typical family holiday, towing a 5.5 glass boat. The laws must assume that we all don't have professional driving skills because 99.99% of us towing do not. Sadly though, peoples understanding of 'safe' can vary wildly and this is exactly why we need much tougher control and towing laws that are the same across Australia...As boaters, we are way behind caraveners and 4wd'ers when it comes to knowledge on all aspects of towing because the majority of our trips are short, local boat ramp and back. Its when we hitch up for that 300km long hilly tow holiday and take the whole house with us, that's when things start to get out of hand.
-
So the bloke towing a 5.5 metre Cruise Craft behind his Holden Captiva on Sunday between Wollongong and Bulli on the highway was probably doing the wrong thing.
Gee I would never have guessed. Pity I didn't have a camera with me.
Excellent example! Its not only his rig, family that is at risk, its also other road users. In an emergency situation, a loaded up soft-roader towing a 1.7T BMT with other gear inside would struggle to do very well in an emergency situation. If it is wet, forget about it, game over!
-
So, so many people tow heavy boats with inadequate vehicles. Accidents waiting to happen and if they did, insurance will reject the claim. The most common is the 2T tow vehicle towing a 2T boat + passengers and gear, fuel etc. Then there is the tow ball weight capacity to take into account. Rule of thumb for me is not to tow a rig that weighs more than the car itself, and 50% loaded tow ball. That leaves plenty of margin but watch the cars payload and axle capacity, that can disappear quickly. I think that police need to crack down on this, we should be forced to use a weigh bridge and check weights officially, our roads will be safer.
-
I have a 90hp 4 stroke Suzuki on a heavy 5m plate boat. I mostly troll, 6am to 6pm, motor doesn't miss a beat. It has plenty of power too and is very economical, quiet and smoke free. Personally, Id lean more towards the Japanese made 4 strokes. All the big names are good, choose one based on service centre location. I found the Suzuki best value for money.
-
We got out on Wednesday, double hook up as soon as we hit the shelf, one was a small black and the other was a small blue which took a lot of 24kg line on its first run. We eventually lost the black but landed the little blue. Nothing for the rest of the day but shy dollies, not wanting to feed on our lures, the dollies seemed to be getting harassed by something bigger. Water temps were 22.4 - 23 all day and the good water seemed to push in from the shelf to the shallower areas during the day.
Cheers,
Bill.
-
Well done Vic, it's a special thing anytime but it's always more special on your own boat. Glad you got this one on plan B!
-
Wow! Look at that water. The kids would have enjoyed that. With so much good water and bait in close, could mean a change in tactics.
-
about bloody time! But no i wont be going out... 1 week old baby and a recovering wife say no...
Save me....
Cmon mate, it's not that bad, these are the best years of your life, enjoy it! Fish will still be here when you get out.
-
Fantastic fish!
-
Yes I think you are right, you may not have to venture out too far this weekend, combined with good seas, great time to take kids out. I'm stuck unfortunately this weekend, no way to get out.
-
Great dollie Peter! I hope everybody is heading out this weekend, it's looking pretty good so far.
-
I've never used those glasses but do they come with some sort of configuration software? You could always photoshop the date out of the still shot. Beautiful fish by the way!!!!
-
Week end fishing and boat ramps are a pain this time of the year I am a member of St.George & Sutherland Shire Anglers Club which have there own boat ramp, fish cleaning tables toilets and secure parking and lots more if you more info check the website www.stgeorgeanglers.org.au or pm me cheers Garry
Hey Garry,
I'm thinking of joining St George. Is there always trailer parking available or can it get a bit busy sometimes too?
Cheers,
Bill.
-
Hi Scratchie, I once refurbished the entire undercarriage of a dual axle boat trailer on my own with the boat still on the trailer. The mechanics are pretty simple, once you start pulling things apart you realize there's nothing really to it. If your axle spindles aren't pitted or worn then replacing the needle bearings is an easy job. You can use little wet and dry sandpaper to smooth and remove surface rust on the spindle if it's there.
Cheers,
Billy.
-
Cheers guys, marlin fever has definitely hit. If you tend to suffer from sea sickness like I do then sometimes waiting for the right days can take a while too.
-
Hi Billy,
You're obviously doing a lot of things right to raise that many fish. If using lures, make sure the hooks are razor sharp and perhaps gun the boat a bit harder on hook up to try and set the hook. With lures I reckon I drop 7 out of ten. But if you really want to increase the hook up rate, try switch baiting, skip baits or livies, with circle hooks. Seven times out of ten, the hooks will pin them in the jaw and usually stay connected. I'm no expert, just what I've found over the past few years. Hope you stay connected to the next few. Good luck...............
Dave
All good points Dave. I am looking at my setup, amount of slack once the rubber band breaks on the riggers, how we gun the boat during a hit and also the type of hook and how they are sharpened. I had some further advice and that was to also make sure the leaders are no more than 8ft long. Switch baiting really does sound like fun and I am keen to try it, dropping 7 out of 10 on lures is still considered pretty good! We got lucky yesterday, right place at the right time, we persisted in the same areas and saw boats come and go but it took us until 10:30am to find any fish so we had to work pretty hard to get there, helped along with some serious luck!
-
billy for the rest off the year were skipping gars or slow trolling live small macs hope this works cheers gary
I am considering just that right now, I haven't fished seriously for over 15 years since I sold my old boat but I came across some pre-rigged live bait rigs, probably rigged by me 18 years ago. Keen to have a go when the bait presents itself, agree, skip baiting is another great option and you can cover a lot more ground.
-
Wow! It's good to know I can share some frustration but it's rewarding enough just seeing these amazing fish come to the boat, heat seeking missiles they are! Catching one is just icing on the cake. I'm going to pay a little more attention to hooks, the last fish we landed was only barely hooked so some fine tuning it's required I'm sure. Happy Australia day everyone!
-
well you did better than us we went o/o/o and over 120km but thats game fishing there were a few blacks caught in the bill haywood bash and many dollys but for us zip cheers gary
Hi Gary, I'm guessing the fish were concentrated in certain areas and not necessarily in the really warm currents coming through right now, we struggled to find any decent water for hours, we did about 180km. There were reports of dollies but we only saw them getting harassed by marlin, didn't catch any. Yes, that's game fishing alright!
-
Sunday off Sydney was the sort of day I dream about. Calm seas, we just couldn't do a thing wrong other than one minor issue, fail too stay connected with the fish for any period of time. We had stripes and blacks of all sizes keeping us on our toes. As exciting as it was, it was also equally as frustrating not being able to get a fish boat side. We raised 6 fish in total and one of them stayed connected long enough to see it launch clean out of the water close to the boat. At one stage I was standing on the ice box, looking down over the canopy, a large shadow was lurking under the short rigger. I ask my mate to increase the boat speed, the shadow got excited, it darted across the spread and proceeded to destroy the long rigger lure repeatedly! No photos this time though unfortunately but a very enjoyable day for all of us.
-
Wow, nice work! That Wahoo was a long way from home!
-
Dorsal looks tall like a stripe.
Great result anyway.
Yep - I think striped wins, now I'll have to go and do a replace text, the word blue with striped
So you think you can tow 3.5 tonne?
in Fishing Chat
Posted · Edited by Billy2014
I hope the rear ending didn't damage the boat too much Tastee (sorry I just noticed your status is whiting, not your name sorry! Safe distance, just comes back to common sense again - How many people drive too fast whilst towing or tailgate on the freeway at 110k/hr +? Two of my pet hates and they lack any form of common sense or compassion for others by the way they drive.
This is a good thread for sure, we need more awareness from boaties around towing limits, as for the WDH - Have a look at this video, it is excellent;