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Billy2014

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  1. 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;
  2. 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; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTuNPuyfGSg
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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!
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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!
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. Great dollie Peter! I hope everybody is heading out this weekend, it's looking pretty good so far.
  14. 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!!!!
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