When buying a caravan or boat one of the most important things to take into consideration will be towing. After 10 years of owning boats and caravans, and clocking up thousands of miles towing, caravanning and boating are both, for me are one my most pleasurable pastimes. Hitching my caravan or boat and setting off on my holidays or trip are still one of the most rewarding pleasures I have. It’s like another adventure each time I set off and that child like excitement still rolls around my stomach, but without prior preparation and understanding of towing, all this could be wiped away in one foul sweep. I have put together some of the most important things you need to know about towing but by no means is this a comprehensive list. I advise, reading and asking other towers questions. I also recommend taking a towing course or simply find an open space and practice some of your maneuvering skills.
Legal points to towing
Your driving license –you must own a full driving license to tow any vehicle. Your driving license will show the category types for towing - this determines the type of trailer you can legally tow. Car drivers who received a license before 1st January 1997 fall under different rules to a driver who acquired their license after 1st January 1997. Please refer to This Article for further information
Insurance
your car insurance will not always cover all aspects of towing so always check with your insurance company before making your first trip.
Towing weights
It is recommended your caravan or boat gross weight should never exceed 85% of your towing vehicles kerb weight, this rule applies for all braked trailers. In the case of un-braked trailers, then the maximum trailer weight should be no more than 750 kg or half the kerb weight of your vehicle, whichever is less. Always refer to your manufacturer’s specification for information about weights
Overall length / width the chart below lists all UK legal sizes
Towing vehicle under 3500kg GVW
Length (excluding the coupling and drawbar) 7.0 m
Maximum width 2.3 m
Towing vehicle over 3500kg GVW
Length (excluding the coupling and drawbar) 12 m if at least 4 wheels
Maximum width 2.55 m
Length of towing vehicle & trailer combined 18 m
Maximum overhang of load from rear of trailer 3.05 m
Road rules
All vehicles should be in road worthy condition and general maintenance of the trailer / caravan is highly recommended. Tyres, bearings, brakes, breakaway cables, lights and hitches all need regular inspection and servicing. On motorways the third lane must never be used for driving or overtaking. Speed limits of 60 mph on motorways and 50 mph on dual carriageways are the law for the UK, unless speed restrictions are in force. Outside the UK please check first LPG canisters should be disconnected whilst in tow Lights, brake lights, indicators and number plate light should all be checked to be working before setting off. It is against the law for any person to be traveling in a trailer, boat or caravan All loads must be safe and secure Extension mirrors are required to be able to see down both sides of the vehicle
Forward planning
You either love towing or hate it, either way forward planning your trip does take the stress away on the day. Over the years I have found a few tips that just make life easier on the day of towing.
Book your site before you leave, its better than driving around from one site to another looking for vacancies
Plan your trip with the route you want to take, take special notes to steep inclines and descents and choose a route accordingly.
Fuel your car before you hitch up
Check tyre pressures
Carry a small tool kit
Check the weather, high winds forecast? maybe you want to leave earlier or later
Before you set off
Your about to hitch up to your car, the luggage is all packed, the kids are shouting ‘’ are we there yet!’’ but there are still some very important checks to make before you set off. Do a check on both vehicles before you set off The best way ,I find, is to set a routine checklist before you set off that covers all the essential things, sounds all too obvious but there are so many things going through your head before you leave and until you get into a routine you will likely miss something.
Tyres
You must check the condition of the tyres and the tyre pressures of both vehicles before hitching up. Retread tyres should never be used. Radial and cross-ply tyres must never be mixed on the same axle, a wrong pressure in either vehicle can seriously affect your driving ability and can lead to a blow out if not used at the correct pressure. Refer to your vehicle manufacturer for their recommended tyre pressures for towing.
Nose weight - (the weight exerted onto the tow ball once hitched)
Your nose weight on your tow ball is very important, too heavy and it could go over the tow bar manufacturers recommendations or too light can effect the overall towing ability. It is a legal requirement that the nose weight should be 4% of the weight of the trailer or caravan or at least 25kg, whichever is the higher you should aim for, but not exceed, the lower of the 2 figures specified for caravan and car , There are various types of scales that can be used on the market that can measure nose weight To achieve the correct weight you simply adjust your load inside the van back or forth over the axle to balance the weight, this applies to single axle trailers however on tandem wheeled trailers ( twin axle) the tow bar height is also critical. The trailer must be towed level so the weight is carried evenly on both axles. When a tow hitch on the vehicle is too low, the hitch can actually exert a lift on the car that reduces the downward force on the rear wheels of the vehicle creating a possible jack knife situation.
Loads
When packing your caravan you should load it as light as possible with heavy products as low to the floor as possible and over the axle. Make sure nothing can move around in transit or this again could affect the handling while towing. Check all cupboards and drawers are secure and all windows and roof hatches are closed. On boats ensure all sheeting is fastened securely, the winch ratchet is in a lock position and the boat itself is also strapped to the trailer with heavy duty strapping. A propeller bag is also required to cover the blades by law. I always rope down the outboard engine from jumping around in the upward position.
Hitching up
You now have your nose weight correct, the load is secure, you’ve done your essential checks and your steadies have been raise to their towing positions, the trailer is now sitting on its wheels and jockey wheel. Time to lower the hitch onto the ball. The easiest way, I find is to reverse you car as near to the hitch as possible with the help of somebody directing from behind, turn the engine off and set the handbrake fully on, then using the jockey wheel, adjust the height to just higher than the tow ball. Maneuver the hitch over the top of the tow ball and lower using the jockey wheel jack adjustment to gently lower onto the ball. Care is needed to make sure the hitch is properly secure to the ball and you will normally here a click as it locks into position. There are many types of hitches but the newer models show indicators when they are locked into place (refer to your hitch manufacturer’s instructions). In all cases though, always double check by pulling the hitch up hard once a click is heard, if the car suspension lifts then this is also another sign that the hitch is locked. Retract your jockey wheel fully and clamp into a position clear of the road. Finally connect the breakaway cable to the tow ball by looping around or on some tow bars they have a slot to attach to cable through. Always check the condition of the cable for fraying. This can easily be replaced at very little cost if it is showing signs of repair. The break away cable will activate the brakes on the trailer if the hitch detaches from the ball.
Electrics
Once hitched, plug in your towing electrics into the cars sockets, in some cases this could be a twin electric system to operate the likes of a fridge both plugs are colour coded to match the cars sockets. Make sure there is enough cable from the plugs to enable full turns left and right while driving. With help, check all lights are working, brakes stop lights, indicators , hazards, side lights and number plate lights ,fog lights also check the same on your tow vehicle once connected.
Mirrors
It is a legal requirement that if the trailer is wider than your car then you need to attach extendable mirrors to you car. Your car and trailer should be in a straight line before adjustment .You should be able to see down both sides of the car clearly by adjusting the mirror on their extending arm.
Handbrake
Finally when you are ready to leave, check your trailer handbrake is released before setting off.
Towing on the road
We all think we are the best drivers in the world but when it comes to towing for most people, it is not an every day occurrence so it is important to remember that the overall performance of your car and everything about the car will react differently to a normal situation, braking is far less responsive, acceleration will be much slower, gears are used much more and steering you have to allow for a much longer and wider vehicle length, but you quickly adjust to the situation the best advice is to always think ahead and brake far more early than normal. Don’t forget the speed limits differ when towing to normal driving conditions.
Reversing
Straight line reverse the easiest way I find for reversing is to always start, where possible, with both vehicles in a straight line when you start to reverse both sides of the trailer should be clearly viewed in your both side mirrors, slowly reverse, and turn the wheel towards the first mirror that starts to show the side of the trailer, its best to do this slowly to be able to react quickly enough and adjustments left and right will normally be applied but only small movements are normally needed.
Round a corner
Start by turning the wheel full lock in the opposite direction to the way you want to go then once in motion turn the wheel to the other side making adjustments slowly to take you around the corner
Snaking
Most caravans now have some sort of stabilising system that helps reduce snaking on the road and if they haven’t then I would highly recommend getting some sort of stabilising system added, you local towing spares shop can recommend the latest, but by also loading your trailer as stated above up to the recommended max weight 85% of your cars kerb weight ,adjusting the nose weights up to the correct weight and adjusting your tyres to the recommended pressures, then snaking can be almost eliminated, however when high sided vehicles pass you such as a lorry or a coach you generally will feel a draw from the vehicle and the use of your mirrors helps you to be prepared to react. The best course of action is to move to the left as far as possible before they pass. If you do start to snake then the course of action would be to gently brake and slow down to a speed the snaking eliminates, do not accelerate or brake harshly to counteract snaking.
