Hi All,
Thinking of buying a trailer boat. The ‘towing weight’ according to the listing is 1500kgs and my car has a rating of 750kgs (unbraked) and 3,000kgs (braked).
The seller said ‘yeah the boat trailer has a handbrake so it’s fine’.
Much googling has left me more confused and seeing something called an ‘electronic brake controller’ which I have no idea if I need…
Anyone help clear my confusion ?
lol, a boat handbrake is just to stop it rolling when you hook it up to your car.
Spend some time researching boats, trailers, laws.
Ok, so it has brakes but what I don’t get is how my car makes the trailer brake on a boat trailer ?
Been trying to figure it out with google / RMS website but still confused 😐
It will have an override brake. Inertia of the trailer working against the coupling applies the trailer brakes.
Boats don't generally have electric brakes like caravans as they would not like the constant salt water.
https://www.boatsales.com.au/editorial/details/five-things-y…
Ok figured it out ! Thanks all, link above if anyone else needs it sometime in the future. Provided it had mechanical brake thing it’s fine
What kind of boat are you going for? I have been looking for a while myself.
Maybe interested in a part-share?
Boat shares are absolutely terrible ideas.
Thanks for the offer, this is already a share with me and my neighbor :)
No probs, still curious what you went for?
Quintrex, just under 5m. Deal not yet done, should be this weekend !
Honestly if you can swing it yourself do it. Boat sharing only ends in tears
Is that just based on anecdotal evidence? Many people seem to do it here just fine and there's quite a few companies and software providers that specialise in it. It can't be that dire.
@Hybroid: I work on these things every day and see issues between owners. Granted they are much higher boats than a 5m Quintrex, but the idea is still the same. You get an unexpected bill for $2k for a trim/tilt unit, one owner wants to fix it, then other doesn't have the money so wants to keep going with just topping it up. One owner cleans and flushes meticulously when finished with it, the other does not. Etc etc.
Common one we fit at every dealership I've been at is Redarc. It's a simple dial on the dash, no need for those box systems at knee level or something stupid it's all behind the dash
Should be under $700 fitted
There are normally two types of brakes on boat trailers. I’d guess the most common type on a 1500kg setup is the ‘override’ brakes where the brakes are activated by pushing the weight of the trailer forwards which in turn pulls the cable. These will have a little flip over section on the braking shaft to allow you to reverse the trailer without activating the brakes. These need no extra stuff in the car. This type is common on boat trailers because they are mechanical and you don’t end up dunking electrics in the water when you launch. .
The other type is electrical brakes, and these will require a controller fitted to the car to control the brakes. Redarc , tekonsha are two common brands. Can buy them for under $300 plus fitting it is possible to DIY, but you need to know what you are doing. As above, under $700 fitted. Electric brakes tend to be more common in caravans as they allow better control to the brakes, and don’t need to be as water proof.
For a 1500kg trailer boat you don’t need to be worrying about electronic brakes. As long as it’s got mechanical brakes you’ll be fine (which it must have - double check the trailer).
What are you looking at getting? Sounds a bit like a 5m-ish fibreglass based on this.
Spot on, yup six years old with low usage on the motor. About a third of the cost of a new one.
Any trailer over 750kg capacity must have brakes in NSW - not sure about other states sorry!
https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/safety-rules/road-rules/tow…