Re new trailer regulations.
The new EU Regs are a classic example of Europe sticking it’s noses into our affairs without providing any benefit but imposing upon us onerous and pointless legislation that is going to cost us all a lot of money.
All trailers manufactured from October will require “type approval”. This will put the price of your Flying 15 trailer up by at least £100.00. Your trailer will be no better, in fact considerable less convenient to use.
No longer will you be able to attach your lighting board to the back of the boat as we have always, and quite safely, done. The lights have to be integral with the trailer, so now the trailer will have to be long enough so that the boat does not extend beyond the permitted overhang for a load, I think 1 metre.
If the trailer is over 6 metres long and 2.1metres wide, additional front and rear lights have to be fitted mid way down the length of the trailer.
My current proposal for our trailers is to have a removable frame that is “bolted” in to open end of the side members, which will extend the trailer to 5.9999999999999 metres!! The trailer is only about 1.8 metres wide, so no additional lights required. The lighting board can be attached to this frame, and the cable run to the car as is current practice. For launching the frame will have to be unbolted and removed. So wonderful, we now have a dinghy park full of useless bits of steel frame whenever we go to an open meeting!!
What is annoying is that they have done nothing control the manufacture of trailers. Anyone can weld together a trailer with the most ” Mickey Mouse” equipment. This will not change. The Constructional Steel Industry is currently bracing itself for European legislation that will require factory control of manufacture and all welders will have to be proven to be able to weld to a required standard. In my opinion the same should apply to trailer manufacture. How much damage can be done if a trailer fails on the open highway!? But they have done nothing to address this.
The above is how I and other trailer manufactures I have spoken to have interpreted what is going to be required. Please don’t take it as gospel, but as guidance. I may well be (and often am!) wrong, and will not be offended if anyone wishes to put forwarded an alternative interpretation.
Ian Preston
The Flying Fifteen Blog 
Hi Ian
Very helpful thanks; I suppose the question is when we are towing a flying fifteen are we towing a 3mtr trailer with a 6.1 mtr load on it or are we towing a 6 mtr trailer with its wheels in the middle. If one takes the latter view would we not then have an integral lighting system noted to the back of our boats!
Just speculating!
I have not seen or read the regulations, but the implications of what Ian is saying will affect all dinghy trailer,s I assum, as all boats extend beyond a metre. What will be the effect of this on the dinghy market in general? Also, I think the point is well made that space is going to be at a premium at any sailing club now with all the extra metalwork lying around. As a matter of interest, will existing trailers continue to be legal and also if combi trailers are to be extended i would like to see how that will work?
I’ve always tied my lighting board on integral with the trailer over the keel. Cars can pass underneath the transom so the boat is level going down a steep slipway. so no worries with this one.