Friday, Dec 02, 2005 at 18:59
Hello gmd,
Do not know who you are, but we had a similar call in the office last week, that someone took on the phone... Will assume that this is yourself... Anyway, here is the help you need: An the answer from
Bushtracker that takes care of many many Fisherman types per year.... And we have explored every wild idea from the thousand before you, in all kinds of styles...
Answer: It's not going to happen. No way, zero, nada, nothing.... Never mind it would never pass the ADR, never mind you would battle with length rules and all kinds of legal problems, I won't even get into the hurtles to jump on all of the Transport Design Rules..
But it would also be totally non-functional off the road, when you had to negotiate washouts or jumpups and the like, and you would have no reverse abilities. It would also be unsafe on the highway with too much "whip" potential if you had to avoid an accident or road hazard in front of you at high speed... It would be dangerous, too heavy for the overall length on the end of the whip for the wheelbase of the tow vehicle, the tail would wag the dog so to speak, if you had to make a sudden radical hazard avoidance move at high speed, things would get out of control too easy...... Trust me: It is just not going to happen.....
HOWEVER: DON'T GIVE UP... THE ANSWER HAS SOME ADDED SIDE BENEFITS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF: First of all there are some quite good boat loaders to go on the truck, whether the truck is a GMC or Chev, or Ford or Dodge, no matter. An added benefit is that the boat upside down with the bow forward is an excellent aerodynamic wind break for towing the van! Now I have even heard some feedback that the boat on top, towing the van, tow vehicle got BETTER fuel economy. It is the same principle on air-dams for the trucks, it slips throught the air easier, particularly when fighting a headwind.
THEN: We would install folding Bulldog boat trailers on the front of 500mm extended a-frames, and a few jerry can holders alongside, quite often. The reason is that you do not want to be loading a salty boat on and off your nice truck everyday, so you only do it once. Then the rest of the two or ten, weeks in the Fish Camp, you tow your boat back and forth on the little Bulldog trailer assembled. This is what works well...
If your boat requirements are larger than what could go on the truck? Compromise, or go out on hired boats, as it would be too big to get into the great private little spots anyway... Suggest a moderate sized possibly covered bow, maybe even high sided like the 5 meter Quintrex Dory that I have. All around great boat, could go modestly off shore, good in high seas, unsinkable, I think takes a 50hp motor but a 15 or 20 is adequate to plane with a couple of people, safe high sided for high seas and crocs that might want to come over the rail, and would suit your problem right down to the ground... Good roller assembly, even a 12v winch to pull it up on top, problem solved. And the Dory can go aground on oyster shell or croc teeth without a drama, unlike an inflatable... That is why I abandoned my own 12' Zodiac surf rescue inflatable, idea does not work well around crocs and oyster up north where the good fish are... The Dory or other alloy boat, can actually help your fuel economy, and would suggest that this is the only answer
Nothing else will do long term. And believe me they have tried... Even big trucks pulling the boat inside a pantec back, but so limits them from getting into the good places, they might as well not have bothered...
Regards from the voice of experience, the Ranger does this kind of exploration and research full time...
AnswerID:
567515
