Another trailing question

[Deimos]

Seems that UK light boards might not have reversing, nor fog lights (but if they do, they would be on the wrong sides for France). I am having no luck finding a suitable light board in France (e.g. around me they are all designed to on small box trailers and would cause problems on a boat). When behind a French registered vehicle, does the fog light need to be on the light board and, is it really very critical which side the reversing light (on the light board) is (if present - UK source is unsure if they have reversing lights).

I could just disconnect the fog light and reversing light from the UK sourced light board (unless they were needed).

Many thanks

Ian

[Sunday Driver]

The light board needs a fog lamp which must be on the offside.  A reversing light is optional.  Same rules apply in the UK and in France.

I need a replacement lightboard for my motorcycle trailer (the original Halfords one is crap) and last year, I saw a neat looking one in my local AutoDistribution motor factor.  I haven't been back to have a closer look yet, so if you have a store in your locality you could try them.  Alternatively somewhere that sells bikes may also stock lightweight boards.

I had considered swopping the light units over on my Halfords board, but this would have interfered with the positioning of the reflective triangles.

Nothing is simple, is it?

 

 

 

[Deimos]

Many thanks.

I've found quite a few but they are all made on metal. If it them moves a bit (which it is bound to whilst driving) it will be no time before the metal one has worn through the boat covers and started wearing into the fibreglass boat.

Been round quite a few car and specialist trailer places now and they are all the same (in fact I think they are all selling the same model !).

Ian

[Wozza]

Ian

In most brico / car places they sell all the lights, reflectors etc separately - why not just buy them and fit them to a board of a material that suits your purposes. I bought a replacement light/ indicator unit for my trailer for €5, so wouldn't be that expensive.

Warren

[Cassis]

Decathlon sell a board and padding for use on bike racks (I use one on our towbar mounted rack).  It straps onto the rack or bikes.  I don't know if that would be any good but maybe worth a look.

Mr Outiror sells the lights separately as well, as Warren suggests.  Probably a cheaper option.

[Deimos]

[quote user="Cassis"]Decathlon sell a board and padding for use on bike racks (I use one on our towbar mounted rack).  It straps onto the rack or bikes.  I don't know if that would be any good but maybe worth a look.

[/quote]

Many thanks, but I've looked at the bike ones and they are not wide enough. Boat width is 1.4m (plus a bit on the trailer and the 40cm rule means the bike ones are too short !!

Ian

[Deimos]

In fact this is becoming more than a nightmare. I've now seen that "Any trailer sold for use outside the UK is required to meet a European specification. This requires the road base not only to be fitted with integral lighting but also the rear light board has to be attached to the road base " - from a trailer manufacturer in the UK. Unfortunately the nature of the boat is such that this is just not realistic (as for many dinghies). People do use and sail the boat in France (but the season is now over so there is no way I can ask anybody that has one).

Does anybody have any idea if the "Any trailer sold for use outside the UK is required to meet a European specification. This requires the road base not only to be fitted with integral lighting but also the rear light board has to be attached to the road base" is actually the case of just some manufacturer without adequate experience ?

Many thanks

Ian

[bejay]

[quote user="Deimos"]

Does anybody have any idea if the "Any trailer sold for use outside the UK is required to meet a European specification. This requires the road base not only to be fitted with integral lighting but also the rear light board has to be attached to the road base" is actually the case of just some manufacturer without adequate experience ?

Ian

[/quote]

Don't know, but I do know that manufacturers do talk up this sort of stuff for their own ends.  Its not that its wrong, more of a gross over simplification. (the law requires.....etc.)

Have a look at the website of National Trailer and Towing Association (yes there is one!). You may well be able to get much fuller information there.

In the past I have made up a bracket to fit a trailer board to the rudder pintles of a sailing dinghy. I seem to rember that it worked quite well.

bj