I wonder how much of our National Fleet sits on a Hayling Trailer?? A third, maybe more??
I realise that with all these EU Laws coming, a trailer will be a vehicle from October 2012, so it will be “all change” for owners of new Flying Fifteens. I’ve decided to try and get my next trailer sorted out right away before all that hoo haa starts up. May as well as it’ll be cheaper this way.
Anyway, we have at least three really good manufacturers with trailers built for our Fleet. It’s not as if I don’t have a choice, but I’ve had a few Haylings in a row and life is rather tuned up for them – our parking bay, our wheel ramps through the grass, our hitching post height etc etc – the list goes on. You kind of grow into a trailer design I think.
Then the rumour spread like wildfire that Hayling Trailers may be in some difficulty. A famous fleet person popped in there for me a week or two ago and did find some trailer building happening, but not much “going on” and not much, “Can we help you, Sir” in evidence. So that’s it as far as I’m concerned. Need another answer…
Then with some relief, Alan Bax called from our favourite Chandler, P&B, and filled me in on the background. Basically, all those years ago for the Flying Fifteen Class, Roy Windebank was living down there and Alan had won the worlds, Ovington were sorting out the hull product and becoming definitive in the market. And the Hayling Trailer design that we/I know and love evolved between those guys. Hayling Trailers were ‘just around the corner’ and they started building the design for the Class.
Time has moved on – P&B have always listed the Hayling as the FF Trailer in their catalogue, and I got spooked suddenly when I couldn’t find it on the P&B website – hence Alan’s call. It would seem that P&B became concerned about the relationship at Hayling and “went their own way” as Alan called it a couple of years back. I noticed last year that Andrew Murphy’s new P&B boat came on a trailer bearing a different manufacturer’s nameplate. Same design and Andrew has been very pleased with his and put 12,000 miles on it in no time (Belgian Champions and all that). Alan says he pretty much always has one in stock and has regular deliveries. They can be delivered or collected, so if you want another Hayling Trailer before the EU takes over, then give P&B a quick call…. Might save you some money in the long run.
It probably sounds a bit nerdy for me to admit that for years I have always slept with a P&B catalogue under my bed. But it’s true. Invaluable for planning the sailing year, and brilliant for a midnight read. I note that this year the cover (left) has a Flying Fifteen photo – brilliant !! Thank you, Alan!!
The Flying Fifteen Blog 