Hi New Member with some ?s

H

Havitall

New member
Strongly considering a 25' cruiser or, really want, 26' Venture as a trailerable trawler. I'm asking members to comment as to the suitability of a GM 1500 pick up with the 5.3 litre engine as a suitable tow vehicle...the 1500 is a 4-wheel drive.

Thanks for any advice,
Havitall
 
Nope, not even for the 25 and for sure not the 26. Now, if you are only going a few miles from storage to the ramp, then you would be fine. If you are going to climb any mountains and go many miles, you would be "under-trucked." I know there are people on this board who will take some issue with that, but it comes down to wear and tear on the truck, and how the light duty truck deals with a heavy trailer load in wind, emergency maneuvers and braking. Just because it is a truck and you can hook up and tow is only one small part of a larger and more complex equation. I now tow with a 2500 Dodge diesel and have found it to be just right for loads in the 4000 lb and up category. I've towed with a 1500 and with a 2500 V10 and the diesel is the only way to go.

To put my comments in context, if I want to get to a large fresh water lake or to salt water, I'm looking at hundreds of mile climbing and descending mountains. So my bias to bigger is best is showing.
 
So it's V8 4x4 right? Even if it was only a V6 4x4 then you'll be fine. These boats ARE so light. I can't see a Venture 26 or a CD 25 being more than 6k lbs in TOTAL. You'll be fine. I guess the only other consideration would be your towing geography. Are you towing up and down mountains a lot??? LOL. I'm assuming MI is relatively flat overall terrain.
 
potter water":1by0kw3h said:
Nope, not even for the 25 and for sure not the 26. Now, if you are only going a few miles from storage to the ramp, then you would be fine. If you are going to climb any mountains and go many miles, you would be "under-trucked." I know there are people on this board who will take some issue with that, but it comes down to wear and tear on the truck, and how the light duty truck deals with a heavy trailer load in wind, emergency maneuvers and braking. Just because it is a truck and you can hook up and tow is only one small part of a larger and more complex equation. I now tow with a 2500 Dodge diesel and have found it to be just right for loads in the 4000 lb and up category. I've towed with a 1500 and with a 2500 V10 and the diesel is the only way to go.

To put my comments in context, if I want to get to a large fresh water lake or to salt water, I'm looking at hundreds of mile climbing and descending mountains. So my bias to bigger is best is showing.
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Well mountainous towing is totally different game. For lots of us Brats we're in the flatlands and never hit any elevation changes of any significance.
The OP has a V8 4x4!! If he can't tow a C Dory 26 or 25 then American truck manufacturers have a big issue on their hands. Cmon!!
 
First things first. What is the tow rating for that 1500 and what is the true weight of the boats you are looking at. Most the folks here have found the CD-22 on a trailer averages around 4500-4800 lbs. I suspect the 25 and 26 weigh between 6K-9K, but I'm just guessing. I'll let those owners chime in with what it really weighs. As for the tow rating, if you are set up properly, you could comfortably tow up to that rating. I tow my fully loaded 4800 lb CD-22 behind a Highlander rated to tow 5000 lbs. I have electric brakes on the boat trailer, and have been quite impressed with the capability of my highlander to tow my boat across the Rockies several times now. Along with some steep boat ramps. I also change my transmission fluid and filter annually!
Regardless of the type of terrain you are towing in, again it all comes down to the tow rating of your vehicle and the weight of your tow. Along with being properly set up for the environment you expect to tow in.
Colby
 
colbysmith":243yhc67 said:
First things first. What is the tow rating for that 1500 and what is the true weight of the boats you are looking at. Most the folks here have found the CD-22 on a trailer averages around 4500-4800 lbs. I suspect the 25 and 26 weigh between 6K-9K, but I'm just guessing. I'll let those owners chime in with what it really weighs. As for the tow rating, if you are set up properly, you could comfortably tow up to that rating. I tow my fully loaded 4800 lb CD-22 behind a Highlander rated to tow 5000 lbs. I have electric brakes on the boat trailer, and have been quite impressed with the capability of my highlander to tow my boat across the Rockies several times now. Along with some steep boat ramps. I also change my transmission fluid and filter annually!
Regardless of the type of terrain you are towing in, again it all comes down to the tow rating of your vehicle and the weight of your tow. Along with being properly set up for the environment you expect to tow in.
Colby
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Well, I checked that before I initially responded....but here it is. Now this is for a 2015 Ecotec. I'm not sure what year the OP's truck is. That would be a valuable nugget of info. :) But even if his model year's truck's towing rating was half of the aforementioned 11.2k lbs then he'll be fine in "most" terrains.

2015 Chevy Silverado 1500 Towing and Hauling
Engine Max Towing Capacity Max Payload
4.3L EcoTec V6 5,600 lbs 1,800 lbs
5.3L EcoTec V8 11,200 lbs 1,800 lbs
6.2L EcoTec V8 12,000 lbs 1,780 lbs


Then to the 26 Venture's total towing weight. I went by the C Dory website and just rounded up to 6k lbs. The average towing weight as per the website was 5300 lbs.

http://www.c-dory.com/boats/venture/cru ... enture.pdf
 
South of Heaven":u8258r8f said:
So it's V8 4x4 right? Even if it was only a V6 4x4 then you'll be fine. These boats ARE so light. I can't see a Venture 26 or a CD 25 being more than 6k lbs in TOTAL. You'll be fine. I guess the only other consideration would be your towing geography. Are you towing up and down mountains a lot??? LOL. I'm assuming MI is relatively flat overall terrain.
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Not even close. Our 25 was 8,700 pounds on the trailer, with some of the cruising gear in the bed of the truck. Less than 1/4 fuel. We weighed it at a CAT scale (they guarantee their weight readings).

You cannot go by the weights listed on the website. I was told by the factory (at the time of purchase) "6,500 pounds all up on the trailer."

They missed it by OVER A TON.

Yes, some people tow a 25 with a 1/2 ton pickup. I wouldn't recommend it. We towed with a 3/4 ton diesel, and it was a good match. I cannot imagine going with a lighter tow vehicle.
 
I would allow 7500 pounds minimum for a 25 or 26 on a trailer.

Then what is the tow capacity of the truck? I don't
think an older 5.3 would have the proper rating.
 
JamesTXSD":1rxsmnrm said:
South of Heaven":1rxsmnrm said:
So it's V8 4x4 right? Even if it was only a V6 4x4 then you'll be fine. These boats ARE so light. I can't see a Venture 26 or a CD 25 being more than 6k lbs in TOTAL. You'll be fine. I guess the only other consideration would be your towing geography. Are you towing up and down mountains a lot??? LOL. I'm assuming MI is relatively flat overall terrain.
Click to expand...

Not even close. Our 25 was 8,700 pounds on the trailer, with some of the cruising gear in the bed of the truck. Less than 1/4 fuel. We weighed it at a CAT scale (they guarantee their weight readings).

You cannot go by the weights listed on the website. I was told by the factory (at the time of purchase) "6,500 pounds all up on the trailer."

They missed it by OVER A TON.

Yes, some people tow a 25 with a 1/2 ton pickup. I wouldn't recommend it. We towed with a 3/4 ton diesel, and it was a good match. I cannot imagine going with a lighter tow vehicle.
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Damn! Well, shame on C Dory. They should update the website. Those weight's weren't even close....I'm glad they were pretty close with the 16 and 19. I've been towing those 2 little babies with a coupe and a 5 cylinder turbo. Love it!
 
We only towed ours twice but it was over 9k the one time we had a chance to check. I towed it with a commercial truck rated over 15k and it did not have an easy time with it for just the short tow home.

Greg
 
Wow, that's a dramatic weight increase from the 22's to the 25's. Not a linear growth at all. (Although from my prior observations Greg has been known to have HEAVY boats. Lol)
 
It helps to have folks who own or have owned one of the boats and similar trucks to answer this type of question. Our 25 weight was in the 7,000 to 8,000 # class, depending on how it was loaded fuel/water, ice, gear), to loaded for a month in AK, plus boater home caping on the way.

A 3/4 ton diesel was the truck we used.

Currently we have a Yukon XL 4 x 4 1500 with heavy duty towing package and the --similar towing capacities as the 1500 pickup. We have the 5.3 liter V 8, with the 3.08 rear end and tow capacity is 6,000#. With a 3.40 rear end you can tow up to 8,000 rated capacity. The lower ratio rear end is gong to give you poorer fuel economy on the road. Note that most of these trucks require a weight distribution hitch when towing over 5,000 lbs. Most of our owners do not follow this. However, we did find that a WD hitch with out C Dory helped a lot. Theoretically a 1500 with the 3.40 rear end and HD package could tow up to 8500 lbs....

Would I tow a C Dory 25 with the current Yukon? Maybe for a short tow to a ramp. But we tow coast to coast, over the rockies and into Canada. For this, you need at least a 2500 and a diesel to have the best experience.
 
thataway":38dep61t said:
It helps to have folks who own or have owned one of the boats and similar trucks to answer this type of question. Our 25 weight was in the 7,000 to 8,000 # class, depending on how it was loaded fuel/water, ice, gear), to loaded for a month in AK, plus boater home caping on the way.

A 3/4 ton diesel was the truck we used.

Currently we have a Yukon XL 4 x 4 1500 with heavy duty towing package and the --similar towing capacities as the 1500 pickup. We have the 5.3 liter V 8, with the 3.08 rear end and tow capacity is 6,000#. With a 3.40 rear end you can tow up to 8,000 rated capacity. The lower ratio rear end is gong to give you poorer fuel economy on the road. Note that most of these trucks require a weight distribution hitch when towing over 5,000 lbs. Most of our owners do not follow this. However, we did find that a WD hitch with out C Dory helped a lot. Theoretically a 1500 with the 3.40 rear end and HD package could tow up to 8500 lbs....

Would I tow a C Dory 25 with the current Yukon? Maybe for a short tow to a ramp. But we tow coast to coast, over the rockies and into Canada. For this, you need at least a 2500 and a diesel to have the best experience.
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Bob, how is the C Dory website off by so much on their average towing weights for the 25 and Venture 26?? It's not even close. It's an egregious estimate.
 
You have to remember, the weight given by C-Dory, and probably all other boat manufacturers, is the dry weight of the boat. They might have an idea how you will power it, but couldn't care less about another vehicle under it. IOW, you have to add weight for the motors, additional supplies and equipment, and your trailer. Most boat trailers for these size boats are going to weigh between 1000 lbs and 2500 lbs, depending upon what it's made of, and how many axles. I believe the C-Dory boat dry weighs 2500 lbs or so. Add the motor and all the crap we all carry you can easily be up to 3300 lbs. I haven't weighed my empty aluminum twin axle boat trailer, but I bet it's somewhere around 1500 lbs! Colby
 
colbysmith":u06l5bdc said:
You have to remember, the weight given by C-Dory, and probably all other boat manufacturers, is the dry weight of the boat. They might have an idea how you will power it, but couldn't care less about another vehicle under it. IOW, you have to add weight for the motors, additional supplies and equipment, and your trailer. Most boat trailers for these size boats are going to weigh between 1000 lbs and 2500 lbs, depending upon what it's made of, and how many axles. I believe the C-Dory boat dry weighs 2500 lbs or so. Add the motor and all the crap we all carry you can easily be up to 3300 lbs. I haven't weighed my empty aluminum twin axle boat trailer, but I bet it's somewhere around 1500 lbs! Colby
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Colby,
The website has a dry weight AND an "average" towing weight for all of our boats. That's what I've been using. The 25's dry weight is 3602 lbs. dry and 4800 total. If you scroll down, the average weight is near the bottom of the PDF. Obviously I understand that each boat will have different cruising items on board and galvanized trailers are heavier than aluminum BUT still! That's why when our fellow Brats are talking about a 7k-10k lb. total weight I'm blown away!

http://www.c-dory.com/boats/classic/cruiser-25/
 
Jason, the link didn't work, but I found it anyway. :-) Not sure where they come up with 4800 lbs. That's the average towed weight for the CD-22. I've talked to several C-Brats with the 25', and I think they've all told me in the 8000-9000 lb range....

This reminds me of when I bought a used 1988 Searay 268 Sundancer. I had a Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab. My first look at specs, it appeared it could pull this 9800lb boat & trailer. Soon, I learned that the combined rig was over GCVWR. Their engineers or spec editors must have been doing some funny math, as I was ok on the towed weight rating... (IT's been some time, so I may have some of the ratings backwards...) IN the end, it was like the tail wagging the dog. I ended up trading the Dodge in for an Excursion, and it was like night and day in pulling the boat! Now days, with the C-Dory 22 and Highlander, it really is a very comfortable and efficient combination. But I am aware I'm towing up to my max tow rating, and maintain my vehicle accordingly. Colby
 
colbysmith":1fa0tzfh said:
Jason, the link didn't work, but I found it anyway. :-) Not sure where they come up with 4800 lbs. That's the average towed weight for the CD-22. I've talked to several C-Brats with the 25', and I think they've all told me in the 8000-9000 lb range....

This reminds me of when I bought a used 1988 Searay 268 Sundancer. I had a Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab. My first look at specs, it appeared it could pull this 9800lb boat & trailer. Soon, I learned that the combined rig was over GCVWR. Their engineers or spec editors must have been doing some funny math, as I was ok on the towed weight rating... (IT's been some time, so I may have some of the ratings backwards...) IN the end, it was like the tail wagging the dog. I ended up trading the Dodge in for an Excursion, and it was like night and day in pulling the boat! Now days, with the C-Dory 22 and Highlander, it really is a very comfortable and efficient combination. But I am aware I'm towing up to my max tow rating, and maintain my vehicle accordingly. Colby
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I updated the previous link, thanks. I can relate to you. I'm towing up to max rating as well but she's been great. I don't even feel the trailer behind me. The looks I get on the highway are priceless....

Btw, where is the OP of this thread????! He started all of this! LOL
 
Thanks for all the straight up answers. They are confirming what I feel deep down that I knew. The 1500 could probably handle it on the flats but on grades will be struggling. I had a 25' Dusky center console that I towed with a 5.7 litre conversion van. It was all right but I knew I was pulling something. On occasion I pulled it with my 1 ton Ford with PowerStroke and it was like I had nothing behind me.

Thank you all for your time. I'm going to enjoy this group and can hardly wait to be a boat toting member.

Havitall
 
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