Trailers & sail boxes
Harbeck trailers specified by Petticrows for the Dragon, with large streamlined boxes for all your kit. Every trailer comes with TÜV papers for easy registration in European countries.
Harbeck aluminium 2700
Our standard trailer: light to tow and easy to move around the boat park.
Harbeck aluminium 3000
The same specification, rated to carry extra weight: for a heavier boat or a fuller load of kit.
Our specification
- Shock absorbers
- Spare wheel
- Front bars with lights
- Tailgate rigged to the aft mast bearers with snap shackles
- TÜV papers for registration in Europe
Sail boxes
Most sailors choose two side boxes and one front box. Restyled in 2007, they are streamlined and very large:
- The side boxes are long enough for the boom, sheerlegs and sails, plus all your other spare equipment (and a fair bit of junk too)
- The spare wheel fits into a recess in the front box
Extras
Tim Tavinor's towing checklist
Cars and trailers are so reliable now that it's easy to just jump in and go, especially on short trips. But in the yard we do see Dragons that have been the victims of road accidents, and it makes you think twice. A few basic checks are well worth making part of the routine.
1The trailer
- Service it regularly
- A Dragon on its trailer is a big load, over two tonnes, so have the trailer serviced regularly, especially the brakes and bearings.
- Visual check
- Look for loose bolts, cracked welds, and bulges or cuts in the tyres. Stop a short distance into the journey to check everything is still tied on tightly.
- Tyre pressures
- On a four-wheel trailer, run different pressures front and back: back 42 psi, front 38 psi.
- Lights
- Check the trailer lights before every trip, and carry spare bulbs for any lights you can change easily and safely.
- Keys
- Do you have the keys for the hitch lock, the trailer boxes and any lock on the spare wheel?
2Spare wheel & changing a tyre
- Spare wheel
- Do you have it, is it accessible, and is it usable?
- Jack and wheel brace
- Keep them in the trailer box. Don't rely on the car's jack and wheel brace: they may not fit.
- Top tip: the wooden wedge
- Changing a blown tyre isn't easy. Carry a wooden wedge or a lump of wood in the trailer box: on a four-wheel trailer, drive the good wheel onto it and it lifts the other wheel on that side clear of the ground.
3Weight, insurance & documents
- Weight
- Know the weight of the loaded trailer, and check that your car is legally allowed to tow it. Your car's handbook or dealer can confirm.
- Gross train weight
- Most Dragon trailers are plated to carry 2,500 kg. Make sure the combined weight of car and trailer is within the car's legal limit.
- Insurance
- Is the trailer insured, for the correct value of the Dragon? Make sure the certificate clearly shows that a towed trailer is covered.
- Papers to carry
- Especially in Europe, carry the insurance certificate and the car's registration papers showing its gross train weight.
- Driving licence
- A Dragon and towing car together usually exceed 3,500 kg, which needs a licence that covers it (C1+E in the UK and EU). Check what your own licence allows before you go.
4Safety kit & driving abroad
- Warning triangle
- Compulsory in a breakdown or accident in many countries; hazard lights can be damaged or hidden on bends. Consider carrying two, as some countries require it.
- Reflective vests
- Required in a number of European countries, for the driver and passengers. Wear one whenever you leave a stranded vehicle.
- First aid kit & fire extinguisher
- Strongly advisable when driving in Europe, where drivers are expected to stop and help at an accident if it's safe to do so.
- Headlights
- When driving abroad, your dipped beam may need adjusting so it doesn't dazzle oncoming drivers; ask your car dealer. Some countries require dipped headlights during the day, and Spain requires spare bulbs and the tools to change them.
- On-the-spot fines
- In some countries these must be paid in cash, in local currency, on the spot. Carry enough.
Rules differ between countries and change over time. This checklist is based on Tim's own experience towing Dragons around Europe; always check the current requirements for the countries you'll drive through. Really, the laws are there to keep us and other drivers safe, and safe towing is well worth the investment.
Need a trailer or boxes?
Tell us what you need, for a new trailer, boxes, the rescue kit or a shipping trolley, and we'll send you a quote.