Beam Over 2.5m

[Feral]

I thought there was a automatic permit for oversize boats now, couple of flags, a sign and you were right. You just had to follow oversize rules, eg no movement on holidays or peak hours etc.

I vaguely remember Stephan when he raced the big girls, he used to tilt his so that they were not over the width limit. I daresay you would want to be sure of how the weight was supported doing that though!

[Gimme5]

Thanks Rich158. Just read the rules and it's a pain in the ar*e! To date I don't think I've ever seen any rec boatie comply with these rules.

It is relatively simple, trailer width and maximum load width: Section 6.4.

Max combination length: 19m
Max trailer width: 2.50m
Max Width of load: 2.90m (i.e.no more than 20cm overhang on either side)
Max Height: 4.30m

Warning signs Section 8.1:

One at the front of vehicle, one at the rear of the trailer or load, whichever is longer.

If vehicle, trailer & load are over 7.5m you can occupy 2 lanes to make a turn if you have a 'Do not Overtake turning vehicle' sign on the back.


Warning flags Section 8.2:
One on each corner of the vehicle combination.


Lighting requirements Section 8.4:
Headlights always on.

at night yellow side lights required every 2m from front vehicle to the rear of the load.

2 red clearance lights on the rear of the load within 40cm of the max width, higher than 1m off the ground & less than 2.1m

1 all round flashing yellow warning light.


Section 10 covers additional driving requirements. I'll paraphrase:

poor visibility <250 metres: park somewhere safe until it improves.

Speed limit reduced to max 90km/h.

You must stay at least 200m behind another oversize vehicle travelling in the same lane unless overtaking or in a built up area where it is impractical.



I know a stickler for the rules will have fun reading the details of Schedule 1 where the sign, flag & light size requirements are found. Enjoy.

[Noelm]

I guess like a lot of things, one day the Police will have a "blitz" on this, and heaps will get booked and start whinging about being picked on and nanny state and stuff like that, but in the end, laws are laws, and they are made to protect innocent people, no one wants to see some poor guy crucified by the authorities because he had an accident with an over weight/over width/over length boat, but it has to happen some time, and the rig is measured, I don't think the end result will be fun for the owner.

[FisHard]

I don't think you should under estimate the task of actually towing something over width using a conventional vehicle. I drive a truck and it concerns me seeing 4x4s running up and down the hwy with huge boats on. Most guys can handle it I'm sure, but every cm counts when things get tricky on a narrow bridge with a string crosswind for example.

[brett62]

I guess like a lot of things, one day the Police will have a "blitz" on this, and heaps will get booked and start whinging about being picked on and nanny state and stuff like that, but in the end, laws are laws, and they are made to protect innocent people, no one wants to see some poor guy crucified by the authorities because he had an accident with an over weight/over width/over length boat, but it has to happen some time, and the rig is measured, I don't think the end result will be fun for the owner.

Noelm you are spot on. I speak for myself when I say that I under estimated what the weight of my boat is fully loaded to go out and towing down the road I am over 3.5 tons and also over size. I have only purchased the boat recently and with no trailer. I am building a trailer at present with a 4 ton rating to sit the boat on. I would not be far over the 3.5 ton but I am over no matter how you look at it. I was going to purchase a vehicle with a 3.5 ton capacity but that has also changed now and will be looking at a f250/350 so I comply. Now I see a lot of the same boats getting towed around and some are on aluminium trailers which would probably just get you to the 3.5 ton but also see plenty on steel trailers. They are all certainly over the 2.5m wide and I have not seen one that complies with the over width. Now I don't know if they actually know they are breaking the law or are just unaware of the requirements which will be no defence if they come unstuck. Some people will be happy to take the risk but I am not one. I don't want to be standing in front of a Police officer trying to explain why I have not complied with the regulations after causing an accident and my boat sitting upside down on the road with no insurance. Would not be a good day. My rig is sitting on stands at present and the next time it see the road it will be dressed up with all that is required.

[cormorant]

Previous thread might be worth a read. Be very aware rules change at state borders and as anyone who drives commercially knows that if authorities have cause to pull you over or there is a accident it goes by the book and they go through every detail like a dose of salts from ADR compliant lights and reflectors to rated chain and suitable number and rating of tiedowns in date and condition. The average copper is getting more educated and photos and recordings at accident sites mean the insurers on both sides have access to a lot of info to get themselves out of paying and forcing you to prove if a factor was or was not contributing to a accident.

2 boats I have measured didn't include the width of gunnel rubbers so if going by the manufacturers specs I'd do a real word measure and think about trailer design to ensure it loads straight and is on centerline and trailer design is 100mm underwidth.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...ight=overwidth

[mitc69]

pfft used to tow a bayliner 2.5 or so... just stick a oversize on the back and have a the nice beacon light flashing and off you go ... most roads are 3m wide, most cars only 2-2.3m wide + shoulder path so yeh....

[Noelm]

You can tow anything you like, even a Bayliner... But, most people want to be legal, and have insurance and not kill someone.

[FisHard]

Part of the illusion is today's turbo diesels gave plenty of grunt to tow these big rigs, but that's only the beginning of what a tow vehicle has to be capable of.

[The Silver Unicorn]

Thanks Rich158. Just read the rules and it's a pain in the ar*e! To date I don't think I've ever seen any rec boatie comply with these rules.

What a crock of crap, a fair few members and ex members tow their oversize boats around, its not that hard to comply with the rules!

[Gimme5]

Of course it's not hard if you want to comply but like I said, I've personally not seen any rec boatie driving to the ramp with warning signs, all round yellow flashing lights, red clearance lights, flags, etc, etc which is not to say nobody does it.

What a crock of crap, a fair few members and ex members tow their oversize boats around, its not that hard to comply with the rules!