Any Boat Towers/slipway Users On The Forum?

[El Bee]

And if so how does the RAV4 perform in that department.

My boat only does around 2-3 mpg so I tend not to go too far, and came up with the idea of putting her on a (to be acquired) trailer and visiting points further afield, or indeed afloat, and wondered if anyone had done this kind of stuff and if so how the RAV copes with the job, It's just a thought at the minute coz a towbar and trailer would set me back best part of €3000 and I can buy a lot of petrol for that.

Must confess to looking at the engine in the RAV and thinking, if I had a spare one, if marinised it would make a lovely boat engine, the present one if pushed gobbles over 70 litres of petrol an hour :(

Lee - - - - Currently in cold wet windy Scotland, off home on Sunday if that Irish pillock can find Prestwick and Murcia in the same day..

[CharlieFarlie]

Mate I use a slipway on a regular basis but only to tow My Jet Ski.. It performs absolutely brilliantly at this task though.. As You will be very aware the main problem on the slip is when the going gets wet !! I engage the diff lock so 4WD is on from the off. Then get off the clutch quickly. No problems or dramas no matter how wet !! My local slipway is also quite steep..

I used to use a late Transit van with front wheel drive which used to spin the wheels so very easily.... No such issues with the Rav4...

Wee Charlie.

[El Bee]

Mate I use a slipway on a regular basis but only to tow My Jet Ski.. It performs absolutely brilliantly at this task though.. As You will be very aware the main problem on the slip is when the going gets wet !! I engage the diff lock so 4WD is on from the off. Then get off the clutch quickly. No problems or dramas no matter how wet !! My local slipway is also quite steep..

I used to use a late Transit van with front wheel drive which used to spin the wheels so very easily.... No such issues with the Rav4...

Wee Charlie.

Cheers Charlie, and lovely pictures too - what does that jet-ski weigh? And just as an aside, do you need a licence for those in the UK?

I think my boat goes about 1.3 tonnes, add a couple of hundred kgs for sundry gear, petrol, oil etc then whatever a trailer would weigh and I had one of those horrible thoughts of the RAV being dragged backwards down a steep slip and vanishing underwater :(

I've towed plenty of stuff in my time and messed about on lots of boats but for some reason I'm not quite sure about this, maybe I should borrow somebodyelses car first and see how it goes :)

Lee

[CharlieFarlie]

Mate I use a slipway on a regular basis but only to tow My Jet Ski.. It performs absolutely brilliantly at this task though.. As You will be very aware the main problem on the slip is when the going gets wet !! I engage the diff lock so 4WD is on from the off. Then get off the clutch quickly. No problems or dramas no matter how wet !! My local slipway is also quite steep..

I used to use a late Transit van with front wheel drive which used to spin the wheels so very easily.... No such issues with the Rav4...

Wee Charlie.

Cheers Charlie, and lovely pictures too - what does that jet-ski weigh? And just as an aside, do you need a licence for those in the UK?

I think my boat goes about 1.3 tonnes, add a couple of hundred kgs for sundry gear, petrol, oil etc then whatever a trailer would weigh and I had one of those horrible thoughts of the RAV being dragged backwards down a steep slip and vanishing underwater :(

I've towed plenty of stuff in my time and messed about on lots of boats but for some reason I'm not quite sure about this, maybe I should borrow somebodyelses car first and see how it goes :)

Lee

Ski doesn't weigh much Mate .. Not sure to be honest !! I have towed a four wheel Ifor Williams trailer loaded to the gunwhales with heavy quickform scaffolding up a steep bank that was grassy on the nearside. Honestly it just flew up !! On a wet slip or as with the Ifor on the back up the bank I just hit the diff lock get the thing rolling with with the clutch out as soon as possible and up she goes.. I have seen all sorts of pranks like slipping the clutch and racing up but this just ends up with knackered clutches and red faces !!!

No Mate no licence needed in the UK for watercraft !!! !Removed! silly I know but that's the way it is..

Wee Charlie.

[El Bee]

Ski doesn't weigh much Mate .. Not sure to be honest !! I have towed a four wheel Ifor Williams trailer loaded to the gunwhales with heavy quickform scaffolding up a steep bank that was grassy on the nearside. Honestly it just flew up !! On a wet slip or as with the Ifor on the back up the bank I just hit the diff lock get the thing rolling with with the clutch out as soon as possible and up she goes.. I have seen all sorts of pranks like slipping the clutch and racing up but this just ends up with knackered clutches and red faces !!!

No Mate no licence needed in the UK for watercraft !!! !Removed! silly I know but that's the way it is..

Wee Charlie.

Lovely pictures, looks like loadsafun, I had a little go on one (about 5 mins) about 10 years ago and liked it, a bit like a motorbike on water :) You can't go mad on something that's not yours so I never did, shame really :(

You should think about moving to the Med Charlie, I sometimes run a mate of mine who dives about, he said the other week the sea temp was 27c at 30 metres down you wouldn't even need a wetsuit there!, We have to have a licence there but mine (a RYA Power Boat Level 2 with ICC) also covers you for PYCs,

I'm still not liking the thought of a boat dragging my P&J RAV assfirst into the sea though :(

Lee

[CharlieFarlie]

Lee I would move to the Med in a heartbeat. The Wife however would not !! I understand You thoughts about the Rav and towing but be assured it aint no lightweight !!.....

Wee Charlie.

[Manxrav]

There,s one spot better than the Med to live and it,s 60 miles west of the UK.A little island in the middle of the Irish sea. Where is it? The Wonderful Isle of Man!!!!!!1

Regards Clare

[El Bee]

There,s one spot better than the Med to live and it,s 60 miles west of the UK.A little island in the middle of the Irish sea. Where is it? The Wonderful Isle of Man!!!!!!1

Regards Clare

The IoM is indeed a lovely place, I've got the "Mad Sunday 1998" tee shirt to prove it :)

But I do love the sun, the beaches, the gin clear bathwater warm sea, the decent wine at 85 cents a litre, the €138 a year "Council Tax", lower taxes, cheaper fuel, no road tax, no TV licence fee, (generally) free parking, no licencing hours, 300+ days of sun a year, a very laid back lifestyle, ITV (MoT test) every 2 years, 24 x 500 ml cans of San Miguel for €12, Cops that don't give a toss what you do until it's anti social[1] - then they come down like the proverbial ton of bricks, a licence for handguns (which the UK Gov took away from us) Excellent coffee, cheap fresh fruit 'n veg (€2.50 for 5kg of oranges) giant measures of spirits and warm enough to sit outside at midnight :)

Spain has lots of faults too but I can put up with them :)

Lee

[1] Riots and looting, as seen in the UK recently will not be tolerated, every cop, as well as carrying a big stick, is armed, usually a Beretta 92F they carry shotguns in their cars which will lob tear gas, rubber bullets, and as a last resort, lead! And y'know, I can't see any reason why not!

[CharlieFarlie]

There,s one spot better than the Med to live and it,s 60 miles west of the UK.A little island in the middle of the Irish sea. Where is it? The Wonderful Isle of Man!!!!!!1

Regards Clare

The IoM is indeed a lovely place, I've got the "Mad Sunday 1998" tee shirt to prove it :)

But I do love the sun, the beaches, the gin clear bathwater warm sea, the decent wine at 85 cents a litre, the €138 a year "Council Tax", lower taxes, cheaper fuel, no road tax, no TV licence fee, (generally) free parking, no licencing hours, 300+ days of sun a year, a very laid back lifestyle, ITV (MoT test) every 2 years, 24 x 500 ml cans of San Miguel for €12, Cops that don't give a toss what you do until it's anti social[1] - then they come down like the proverbial ton of bricks, a licence for handguns (which the UK Gov took away from us) Excellent coffee, cheap fresh fruit 'n veg (€2.50 for 5kg of oranges) giant measures of spirits and warm enough to sit outside at midnight :)

Spain has lots of faults too but I can put up with them :)

Lee

[1] Riots and looting, as seen in the UK recently will not be tolerated, every cop, as well as carrying a big stick, is armed, usually a Beretta 92F they carry shotguns in their cars which will lob tear gas, rubber bullets, and as a last resort, lead! And y'know, I can't see any reason why not!

Yeh Yeh... But We got Speed cameras Rioters !! VAT ! Income tax ! Fuel that stops Us from eating so We stay thin !! Crappy roads that break Our cars !! A government hell bent on ruining Us and getting Us into as many wars as they can that We cant afford. And Heres the biggy ............................................................................................................................................OK I lied about the biggy !!!

Now wheres that high rafter and short rope ??

Wee Charlie.

[El Bee]

Now wheres that high rafter and short rope ??

Wee Charlie.

Stoppit Charlie!

Anywhere where you can take pictures like the ones on this thread ain't half bad! Anyway, I'm gonna have a serious go on one of them wet bike wotsits when I get home, I know a bloke who'll lend me his in return for a go in my boat, I'll fill the bugger up beforehand and see him change colour when he fills her up afterwards :)

Maybe one of them would suit me better, easy to tow and it wouldn't drag the RAV assfirst into the sea!

And I was just winding Clare up a bit :)

Lee

[CharlieFarlie]

Now wheres that high rafter and short rope ??

Wee Charlie.

Stoppit Charlie!

Anywhere where you can take pictures like the ones on this thread ain't half bad! Anyway, I'm gonna have a serious go on one of them wet bike wotsits when I get home, I know a bloke who'll lend me his in return for a go in my boat, I'll fill the bugger up beforehand and see him change colour when he fills her up afterwards :)

Maybe one of them would suit me better, easy to tow and it wouldn't drag the RAV assfirst into the sea!

And I was just winding Clare up a bit :)

Lee

Ha Ha I know Mate !! I live less than half a mile from the slipway and when I pull back the curtains in the morning the sea is there in front of Me ...When the tides are right I go out early doors to catch a few fish. Mostly mackrell a few small cod and flounders......

Bloomin hell the waters cold mind !!

Wee Charlie.

[bitman]

as boat owner (26ft sailing yacht) i don't use the rav 4 for towing simply because it probably doesn't even can move it hence i had a hilux and now a sorrie (can even tow legal more then the hilux)

anyway, if you do use a slipway don't let the trailer stay attached on the car when launching! place a noise wheel and use a long rope tied to your car and trailer so that your car doesn't has to go in the (sea)water

this will keep your rear diff / brakes / towbar all happy.

[CharlieFarlie]

Nice boat that !! Our slip is that steep I can put the trailer and ski into the water without getting the wheels of the car in... Just !!! Of course this means retrieval for some is a problem !!Not for Me !

One of My main reasons for buying a vehicle with 4WD ability was for this very purpose. And the Rav punches well above its weight in the towing capability department...

Wee Charlie.