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So what is the smallest tow vehicle anyone has used to take their boat in/out of the water? I have a AWD pontiac torrent that can haul 3500 lbs and was thinking of using it to periodically work on the boat next season but am worried about what will happen when I exceed my towing capacity. (public landing is only about 2 miles away from garage)
The boat is a 2000 mobius v.
Heat is the big enemy. If you are careful and only going 2 miles you probably won't hurt it. But, you also have to STOP it. Keep that in mind.
kaneboats makes a good point about brakes.
We've towed with our S15 Blazer plenty of times, has a tow rating of 5000lbs; towed back and forth from MI to TN multiple times as well. Also have to keep your tongue weight in mind, if you're not level you may be looking at up to 15% tongue weight, if boat and trailer is right at 3500lbs you're looking at a possible max tongue weight of 525lbs.
Yup - Agree with both. I'd say tongue weight would probably be your killer on the littler SUV since the trailer most likely has surge brakes. Just because it may have a tow package rated for XXX pounds on it doesn't mean the suspension is going to hold it up!
It's amazing what some people get away with though. I posted pics before of this guy I ran into earlier this summer that blew me away...
Really big boat...
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k...V/P1070368.jpg
Really NOT so big tow vehicle...
http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k...V/P1070367.jpg
Talked to him and he admitted it was stupid/crazy but he was only going a few miles up the relatively flat road.
Think about liability also. Going a few miles should be ok on side roads but have an accident at highway speeds and you may be looking at a law suit and other legal issues.
I use my S-10 for around town with 5K towing but I still managed to burn up a tranny. Make sure you have a tranny cooler for any vehicle that tows a boat.
I don't think the brakes will be an issue, there are no stop signs :)
Just measured it out on google maps and it is .6 miles launch to garage(maybe we could just push it).....Boat is 3250 lbs dry + 1000+? lbs for the trailer. It really doesn't make sense for us to have a tow vehicle, but it also sucks paying someone to pull it out of the water if we want to give it a mid-summer wax.
Just remember, the hardest part is launching and retrieving the boat. On the incline of the ramp, the boat may drag you down out of contrtol. Or, you may get stuck with the wheels spinning for enternity try to get the boat up the ramp. My Outback would drag my Ford Ranger down a wet ramp, and without 4 wheel drive, it would have never gotten the boat up the wet ramp.
I just use my Chevy Trailblazer. Pulls my 5th wheel too!
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...xxsO_diVrtg73w
Pretty good car jack if you need to change a front flat tire.Quote:
Originally Posted by viking
Yea I'm thinking we need to buy a sub 5k beater truck to just keep at the lake. :)
Attachment 12751Quote:
Originally Posted by viking
That Blazer must have been super custom like this 1 ton HHR!
My neighbor, who's not the sharpest pencil in the cup, had a very short boating span. He towed and launched an extremely heavy I/O with a station wagon, the old school type. Steep ramp, drum brakes, 2wd and water ... well when he backed up it just kept going. Very steep drop at the lake and the wagon, boat and trailer went under completely. Needless to say the wife was done with boating.
rather than paying, why not find someone with a tow rated vehicle and offer them an afternoon on the lake in exchange for a tow to/from?
you get a day on the water, a tow and they get a day on the water.
seems like a win all the way around :)
I'd personally tow anyone's boat to the lake for a reciprocal tow on the boat..
Git er done...
My brother tows a 21ft Alumaweld with a Honda Pilot from time to time. His fuel tank is in the nose so his tongue weight is heavy. Wonder how that ride compares to your Pontiac.
I suppose worst case scenario - give it a try with the Pontiac (assuming you don't have to put any $$ into it to setup for towing). If it goes bad - don't do it again! Maybe have someone in the boat, ready to fire up and put in gear to keep your whole package from sliding into the drink if it starts to go REALLY bad!
my neighbor towed his supra launch 24ssv a few times with a toyota minivan- it didn't look very safe but he made it to the lake and back. I think he put airbags in his shocks or something. When he would stop the trailer would start hopping up and down and it looked like the boat was going to come through the rear window.
How often is your "periodically work on the boat" usage going to be? If it's possible to rent a 4WD full-sized pick-up truck for towing in your area, you could do that many times before racking up the same costs as owning and operating another vehicle.Quote:
Originally Posted by bret
IMO - The smallest rating for any inboard would be 4500lb. Plus you ned to make sure you have the towing packages with transmission cooler and proper suspension. You have to be able to stop in emergency - not just stop signs - to avoid killing a pedestrian?? I pulled my 99 Mobius DD for one season with my 1990 V6 Grand Caravan - and put 2000 into tranny. It was rated for 3500. Of course the GC was known for tranny issues, but still, from my days as a reliability engineer, you never run anything at 100% rated capacity. I am also looking at replacing my Durango - with V8 it is still only rated 4500. It pulls the boat OK until you get to a hill. Good in/out at the launch - in 4WD. Horrible gas mileage in all cases.
I have pulled my 07 LSV behind my '02 4Runner 4X4 with no problems. It actually handled it quite well. Brought home an '11 Ram megacab with the HO 6.7 a few months ago....800 ft/lbs, engine brake, tow/haul on and it doesn't even know it has a boat behind it, taking off, running down the highway, or stopping.
I've launched and retrieved my 08 LSV with a ford ranger edge 2wd 3.0. Launched and received fine, even scooted around town fine. Problem was when I tried to exceed 50 mph
Thinking about getting a Toyota FJ. other than the wheelbase, any bad news with that? its got 236hp v6.
Anyone tow with an FJ? Would be towing an Outback, single axle.
ummmm its ugly and has HUGE blind spotsQuote:
Originally Posted by usaski1
usaski1 - Have an AWD V6 Toyota Highlander with which I pull an '07 Outback on a tandem axle Boatmate trailer. Given that the combined weight is pretty much right at the maximum for this vehicle, I use it only to get the rig in and out of the garage or to and from the local gas station for fuel. Have never used it to tow to the lake or done a launch or retrieve with the Highlander. Anything farther than a mile or so from the house and I hook the boat and trailer to a Chevy Suburban. - Deerfield
Quote:
Originally Posted by usaski1