Trailer protrusion legalities...

[Hard-Drive]

Quick question for you all!

I regularly tow a sailing dinghy, and the mast (longer than the boat) rests at an angle, one end sits in a slot just ablove the lightboard, and the other rests on a support at the front end of the trailer, with the mast just poking out above the car's roof.

I have recently changed my towing car to a Land Rover Discovery, and the mast support is now not long enough to allow the mast to sit above the Disco roof. What are the legalities surrounding it extending out past the lightboard instead?

It would only need to extend about 0.75 metres past the lightboard and would not obstruct the lights at all. Would a conspicuos dangly thing and/or a red trailer triangular reflector do the job?

Long term I'll get the mast support extended but I'm off to the coast on Thursday and I doubt I'll have time before then.

Thanks!

[arfur]

Blimey ... and I read Trailer Park Prostitution Legalities !!

[F348]

I would go for a temporary extension of the support. If the mast extends beyond the lightboard it is likely to obstruct the view of the number plate and/or lights, particularly when you put a warning rag or similar on it. This may encourage a pull. If the extension is tubular a quick simple extension could be to cut it and fit a timber extension in the middle using screws to fix. Should not take more than 30 minutes to do.

[Hard-Drive]

temporary extension is not going to work for reasons that are to dull to go into here. It really does need welding, hence the original question, but thanks anyway

Anyone??

[TPS]

Does this help if you look here www.sonata.org.uk/hints03/trailing.htm

[Dwight VanDriver]

Keeping under 1 metre rear projection does not effect requirements under RV Lighting Regs 1989 and as you say there is nothing obscuring the rear lights of the Disco then you are OK in that respect.

For a rearward projection exceeding 1.83 meters you will go into the realms of marker boards, but again you say your are under.

All that I would do at under 1 metre is tie a distinctive piece of rag on the end.

dvd

[Flat in Fifth]

If it projects not more than 1m you don't need an extra rear position lamp nor reflective marker. If more than 1m then you must have rear position lamp and reflective marker between sunset and sunrise and in conditions of severely reduced visibility.

Personally I'd add an extra reflective marker anyway, rather than just rely on a cloth, but then that's me. Anything extra to avoid muppets driving into it.

Regarding potentially obscuring the trailer board etc. Stand 6m behind the outfit and if all reflectors, lights and so on can be seen then there is no problem imho.

If the lights etc are genuinely obscured then you must either

reposition the trailer lights so that they are not obscured or
place additional light(s) reflectors or rear markings.

In this case, ie originals obscured then the installation, performance and maintenance requirements relating to obligatory lamps, reflectors or rear markings shall be complied with.

Note that brake and indicator lights are required at any time not just sunset/sunrise and reduced visibility conditions.

[Flat in Fifth]

bloddy hell DVD I go for a coffee and a natter mid-post and you're in like Flynn!

[Dwight VanDriver]

Good to see we are on the same lightwave.....

dvd

[Hard-Drive]

Great, looks like I'll be OK.

The Disco lights will be obscured by the boat itself, but the trailer board will not. I'll put something highly visible on the end (I have a hi-viz vest somewhere in my loft, I can cut that up along with a triangle) and it will do the job.

I will get the mast support extended but I'l struggle this week...perhaps it's a good excuse to buy myself a welder!

Thanks again,

Iain