Towing a boat through a river crossing.

[wojtech]

Hey All,

Starting to prepare for our trip from Cairns QLD to Gove NT.

Most of the 3200kms is sealed road but the last few hundred kms is dirt with some river crossings. Mostly creeks and mostly fairly short runs through water.

My GQ Wagon is well prepared for water crossing, I'm running 35's with about 5 inches of lift and have crossed water over a metre deep before with no probs.
Never tried it with a 5m boat on the back but and a well laden truck. Boat + Trailer will be 800-1000kg by my calculations, no fuel and minimal gear inside.
Any tips???
Will putting a bit of water into the boat for the crossing help??

[threedogs]

My thinking is the Bow wave off your Patrol will leave your trailer in less water than the front,
Also be very wary of Buff up that way, A guy was killed by one walking home from Gove pub,
a few years back, and another guy destroyed his 4x4 having a head with one.

[MEGOMONSTER]

I suppose watch for strong currents too, as it may lift the boat sideways

[wojtech]

I've heard that about the Buffalo up there!! So driving at night is pretty much off the cards!! Hoping the river levels will be low enough not worry too much but any advice is good advice!! Cheers!

[MEGOMONSTER]

I had a terrible ordeal on my first river crossing, deep water, raging torrent but I had to get through it, there was no turning back.
Heart in mouth stuff.
30215

[P4trol]

I fail to see why you would have trouble in dry season.

The buff don't reflect back in the headlights, only eyes if they are looking at you.

Hopefully you have a canvas or similar cover, and it extends over the front of the boat. Maybe even a camper trailer style stone deflector on the trailer.

[jack]

I had a terrible ordeal on my first river crossing, deep water, raging torrent but I had to get through it, there was no turning back.
Heart in mouth stuff.
30215
Hope you didn't stain those seats MEGO

[MEGOMONSTER]

Hope you didn't stain those seats MEGO

It was touch and go for a while.

[daggy]

Ensure that the boat is securely fastened to the trailer, once the hull is in the water it will want to float, at least if it's connected with the trailer it will come down onto the trailer and not on the side of the road.

[krbrooking]

Hope you didn't stain those seats MEGO

No those seats were well stained at ab's house at the build.


Sent from my iPhone using Motorculture mobile app

[wojtech]

I'm still thinking 10-20 buckets of water into the hull before a deep crossing so she doesn't float.
Anyone tried that??

[P4trol]

How deep do you anticipate the crossings?

[Clunk]

Hope you didn't stain those seats MEGO


No those seats were well stained at ab's house at the build.


Sent from my iPhone using Motorculture mobile app

That's the beauty of leather, wipes clean quick n easy lol

Tapping on the Tab via MC

[Clunk]

Depending on the width of the crossing, how about take the boat over first then follow with the trol n trailer ????????

Tapping on the Tab via MC

[MudRunnerTD]

I'm still thinking 10-20 buckets of water into the hull before a deep crossing so she doesn't float.
Anyone tried that??

10 or 20 bucket of water will make very little difference mate sorry. At best that works out to be 100lt to 200lts of water (200kgs) and the trailer that it it fastened too will be twice that.

Your bow wave will create a depression behind you and likely relieve the perceived problem. Soldier on.

If the boat floats then its Bonnet height anyway and you need to be going a bit quicker to create a bigger bow wave, you have a Bra on and you know its a big deal. You are in Low Range 2nd and driving for real! It may also see you launch the boat as suggested above.

Allot of modern designed boats (bar crusher for instance) take on water at rest by design to sit lower int eh water for ballast then dump it on take off but they still float. making it Not float would be very very difficult.

The Bow Wave and rear Depression will be the key to a successful crossing with a large boat in tow.

have a great trip. Bra up.

[MudRunnerTD]

at the end of the day about the time your boat starts to float so will your car mate.

Check out this little rippa!

Warning Language Warning.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHZI2hQ83hg

[Drewboyaus]

at the end of the day about the time your boat starts to float so will your car mate.

At which point you'll be pleased you towed a boat across to hop into. LOL


Tip tip tip......tap tap tap....

[pascal1]

well if it is a wide crossing and you checked the depth all the way, then in doubt you may trie to tie the boat upside down ?!

[P4trol]

So, I had a particular slideshow in mind. I did find this in the meantime.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dc9QV2e5kc

Yes it's an old landcruiser. Sorry about that. Remember how all these vehicles are having rust problems? You now know why!

The last few seconds were funny when you see they don't all fit on the back.


So I think I found the slideshow. Here's an article written after the fact.

http://www.exploroz.com/Forum/Topic/63011/Guy_crossing_flooded_river_finally_charged.aspx

You can find it easily by googling 'when wankers and h2o combine', but here's the link:

http://www.powershow.com/view/239789-NjFlZ/When_Wankers_and_H20_Combine_powerpoint_ppt_presen tation

[MudRunnerTD]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1KnaTZofwM

[BigRAWesty]

at the end of the day about the time your boat starts to float so will your car mate.

Check out this little rippa!

Warning Language Warning.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHZI2hQ83hg

That is funny as... But good thinking. If it gets that bad, drive the boat and tow the car... Lol..

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[Sir Roofy]

i had a terrible ordeal on my first river crossing, deep water, raging torrent but i had to get through it, there was no turning back.
Heart in mouth stuff.
30215

tears rolling down my face reading this mick,why because it reminds me so much of the first time i took the wife out 4x4ing
now where up over the tyers now, so shes getting better

[P4trol]

Yep, getting yelled at first time for popping a wheel up a gutter. (no water in sight.)

[wojtech]

Doing that was always in the back of my mind, but I was more thinking of car first then boat that way I can winch it across. Hard to say how deep the crossing will be but it doesn't look like there has been that much rain there recently. Hopefully can just punch through it.

[P4trol]

Well, take a few photos, and update us when you are able.

[FNQGU]

I've done most of that stretch. The rivers are all pretty good to cross with hard stoney bottoms. I was towing a 12ft tinnie on a raised off-road trailer. I reckon that if your trailer is raised a bit, which it should be anyway for that trip, then you shouldn't have too many dramas. I'm sure everyone would agree - if you are wondering whether your boat is going to float off in the first place, you probably shouldn't be crossing. If you are thinking about putting water in it as a last resort and giving it a crack, then I reckon your risk management process might be letting you down a bit.