Question About Small Cars Towing Small Boats

[FishDrought]

Ok Guy’s I am looking for a confidence booster,

I did for the first time in my life, leave the comforting arms of real sized cars & purchased a Holden AH Astra 5 Door Hatch (Not knocking the little car, it is a beaut & takes a heap of fishing gear).

The problem is I now want a boat, just a little tinny nothing fancy maybe a 15 or 20 on the back, Herein lies the real life problems:

1, I have never used a little car to launch from a boat ramp – does anyone here have experience in this regard. I am concerned over having a car dragged in by the weight of the boat or slipping down the ramp?

2, I was considering welding in a pull thru extension bar to the trailer so I could get up to another 6 feet from the tow ball to the trailer, thus keeping the car higher & drier up the ramp?

3, Any suggestions for places to get a good quality tow bar fitted, So far I have been quoted between $350 to $750 due to there being some special harness required for the tow kit! I don’t want to end up with a bodgey job, i.e. the reason I am not doing it myself.

4, Any suggestion for size of Tinny/trailer considering the overall weight.

Love to hear any suggestion or experiences from Raiders.

Hope to meet some of you at Watto’s tonight.

Jas

[zen801]

G'Day,

I tow a 3.7m quintrex with a 20hp with a camry v6.

I could easily tow this boat with a smaller car.

I think you want at least a solid 2litre car for a boat this size.

I would talk to holden about the tow bar and capabilities.

The boat weighs no more than if you had 4 or 5 people in your car.

Cheers.

[mrmoshe]

I tow Darren from Trailerboathire's 4.2M Quinnie Dory with a 30 HP Suzuki on the back with my little 4 cylinder Honda Accord (2 litre) without any worries and launch and retrieve without a problem. It is a front wheel drive and has a towing weight max of 1200kg

I'd be mindful of trying it on a very steep or slippery ramp though.

Check the towing weight in the Astra's handbook and make sure the boat & trailer is well under that and you shouldn't have any problems.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Pete.

[FishDrought]

Cheers Zenman,

Holden rate the tow package at 12-1300, The Astra is coupled to a 1.8 ltr & at $750 for genuine tow pack after market at Holden I am kicking myself for not adding it at purchase .

But them's the breaks huh!

[FishDrought]

I tow Darren from Trailerboathire's 4.2M Quinnie Dory with a 30 HP Suzuki on the back with my little 4 cylinder Honda Accord (2 litre) without any worries and launch and retrieve without a problem. It is a front wheel drive and has a towing weight max of 1200kg

I'd be mindful of trying it on a very steep or slippery ramp though.

Check the towing weight in the Astra's handbook and make sure the boat & trailer is well under that and you shouldn't have any problems.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Pete.

Thanks Pete,

I appreciate all the info I can get! I might get the tow bar fixed up & then hire one of Darrens boats for a try.

Jas