in the process of settling up for the big lap so sold the big boat and want to set up a WORKABLE roof topper and trailer. Was going to pull the trigger on a mOzzie boat loader which is a great piece of kit but with the boat, motor, rack and trailer would exceed the 200kg roof limit on the 200 series. Ive seen via the all seeing eye of youtube that some people have a boat on the boat loader with a lightweight trailer (like the Mangrove Jack) strapped down. This would seem an awesome set up but I cant find any information about it. I would love to hear if anyone has done or is doing this and how it did or didnt work and if for any reason it is illegal in any states. if this is in the wrong thread i apologise this seemed to be the closest topic. Cheers!!
My immediate reaction would be that if, as you say, the boat et al on the roof is going to exceed 200kg, a possible ball weight of a larger size van between 280 and 300kg, if not more, and then the normal add ons on the car, people and other luggage, the 200 series, with its relatively low weight allowances from tare to gvm, unless having a decent gvm update, is going to be a long way over weight.
I am certain others will bring better clarity to the discussion.
There is no easy solve to taking a boat, on a 4wd, with a caravan on the back.
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Regards Ian
Chaos, mayhem, confusion. Good my job here is done
I carry a lightweight Viking Fisherman kayak (32kg) on top of my GQ Patrol. Sometimes I also (or instead of) take a lightweight 18kg exercise kayak.
To load I just put protective blankets over the bonnet and slide the boat up onto the roof racks over the bull bar. Mightn't do that on a newish tug but would use one of those lightweight loaders like the Rack & roll? loader that fits onto the roof rack. Effective & lightweight.
Kayaks provide a great way to fish if weight is a concern & you don't wish to go too far .. and aren't in crock infested waters.
Edit ... PS ... A good friend & long time Kayaker has abandoned his Hobie kayaks for a 'Portabote'. Finds it better to share his fishing expeditions with his wife.
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some of those you tube videos could be misleading some have spent massive amount of money modifying/upgrading vehicles and if you see the set up people think they can do the same thing with a standard vehicle.
a long the same lines as legally towing a 3500 kg trailer, as per adverts, can be done if tug bare bones, skinny driver, almost no fuel in tank, no accessories ect.
Thanks much for your replies everyone. I think I kinda missed the mark in my description, what I was thinking was leaving the trailer attached to the boat for travel eliminating the need to store the trailer separately and just take it down and pop on the wheels and bobs your uncle!! I have upgraded the GVM and can do this legally as far as weights go, but as I have only seen one person do this I thought I would ask you, the brains trust, for your opinions BEFORE I destroy my boat, car and caravan. Thanks again all, cheers
I would suggest your choice of vehicle is the issue, it is incapable of legally doing what you wish to do.
In general, what you need is a vehicle with greater carrying and towing capacity, enter light commercial vehicles. My suggestion would be for a 4500kg limited vehicle, it is what I have seen becoming more common over the last 4-5 years, with a multitude of them over the last 2 years, they are seemingly everywhere.
Almost all of them I have seen and spoken with their owners, have one common theme. The need to legally carry shed loads of stuff, and/or tow a biggish caravan at the same time. The vehicle I've seen quite a lot of doing this for virtually the same price as many of the utes available and much lower than the top tier Toyota Land Cruisers, is the Isuzu 4x2 NPR 45-155 which can do some things Toyota Land Cruisers can only dream of. It is a rear wheel drive only vehicle with dual wheels on the rear axle, but by and large will pretty much take you where you wish to go relatively cheaply.
The Isuzu 45-155 is driveable on an ordinary car licence, which is why quite a few people are using these, they really are quite cheap for what you are getting with regard to carrying and towing ability.
Earlier on this year, I was camped near this 4x4 Isuzu NPS which was towing a 4000kg caravan and carrying that boat and it's trailer, outboard and everything they possessed as they had sold their house and were on the road full time. This vehicle requires a Light Rigid (LR) licence, but with relative ease you can get an LR licence. That truck is running an Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) which is, for all intents and purposes an automatic gearbox; you select D and use the throttle or brake pedal to get around.
We have an Isuzu 4x4 NPS, as it allows us to carry our camper on the trayback, is small enough to get into reasonably tight places and fully loaded, we still have around 1100kg of spare carrying capacity. The bottom picture is our vehicle.
