Audi Allroads for slipway launches?

[TiminYorkshire]

Planning on getting a Cornish Shrimper 19 trailer sailor. It will live mainly in the village harbour, so there will be the annual launch and recovery in the village. In addition the plan will be to drag it from Yorkshire to the Scottish west coast and maybe further.

Previously we had a rib, and used either a Land rover Discovery or Fergie tractor for the launching. After getting rid of the boat we had a C6 Allroad for a few years, unfortunately the wife introduced it to some road furniture...

So does anyone use a more modern Allroad for boat launching? Is the bi-tdi the only way to go reliability wise? It seems like the ideal mix, I'd prefer not to have a big bulky 4x4 for my daily.

[hidetheelephants]

If there's a tractor at the home port use that; when visiting the west coast most of the slipways suitable for launching from are in marinas, so as you're likely to be paying a fee anyway getting it lifted in and out is probably the least stress. Which is a roundabout way of saying don't restrict yourself to a 4x4 for launching a boat twice a year.

[Huntsman]

Depends how step the slip is.

I can think of many that would be fine, and a few where you might struggle, some are bloody step.

[TiminYorkshire]

hidetheelephants said:

If there's a tractor at the home port use that; when visiting the west coast most of the slipways suitable for launching from are in marinas, so as you're likely to be paying a fee anyway getting it lifted in and out is probably the least stress. Which is a roundabout way of saying don't restrict yourself to a 4x4 for launching a boat twice a year.

Thanks, good point and info.

[TiminYorkshire]

Huntsman said:

Depends how step the slip is.

I can think of many that would be fine, and a few where you might struggle, some are bloody step.

Yep, I get your point. Our village has 3 potential launch points, the two less steep are definitely tighter! One was suitable for our T4 van at the time, the steepest down to the beach was accessible for the Ferguson and Discovery but had more space and even turning room on the beach.

[stevemcs]

I’m not sure I would trust Quattro, for anything slippy a disco 4 will be better

https://youtu.be/M0O6owrAXw4?si=3V74qllmKVp8e0-V

[loskie]

type of tyres probably quite important.

[stevemcs]

The other thing to bare in mind is compared to a Discovery you will find quite a lot of the car will be in the water when launching the boat

[hidetheelephants]

Generally if the tow car is getting wet the person in charge is doing it wrong, assuming the slipway isn't an extremely shallow angle or the trailer ill-suited to the job.

[loskie]

or it's raining
or the tide's heading out.



Subaru Forester plus some underseal?