towing 22 cruiser with Tacoma

H

Hellsranger

New member
Well Hello there,
I have a question id like to toss out there and maybe get some input. I live in Bellingham, WA and have a friend who has a lot of experience in the waters around Vancouver Island. He led kayak tours for Whatcom County Parks in the Bunsbies and Broken Islands for 15+ years and has a wealth of experience out there and has relationships with 1st Nation Peoples over there. So anyway I want to take my 22 Angler over and let him show me around. Heres my Question; I have a 2011 Toyota Tacoma with a V-6, 6 speed manual transmission, and the stock tow package (class III hitch & oil cooler). I've only towed my boat back and forth from my storage locker outside of town to the boat launch at the harbor in Bellingham. Does anyone have any experience towing a 22 cruiser on a dbl axel trailer with surge brakes, with a V-6 Tacoma? I'd appreciate any sage advice, words of encouragement, etc. Not interested in buying a different truck, so please don't respond if you have no experience with the type of truck I have, I just want to know if my current rig will get me to the ferry in Tswassen. Thank you for your input.
 
No I don't have experience with a Toyota Tacoma. But have with similar vehicles. Your Truck has a tow capacity of 3500 lbs-and that would disqualify towing a C Dory 22. You might weight yours on a scale and find out what the real weight is...Many of us have done that. However most 22's are in the 4500 to 5,000 range as far as towing weight.
 
Pretty sure the factory tow package increases the towing capacity to 6500lbs. At least that is what I recall from when I owned one. I’d imagine you’d be more than ok if that is what you have.
 
I tow my 22 on a dual axle trailer with a Nissan Pathfinder. It has a 4.0l V-6 and is rated for 6K#.

The boat with a typical load onboard and the trailer weigh 4400#.

I thought about a Tacoma and a 4Runner, but the Pathfinder was about 1/2 the price of the Toyotas.
 
I tow mine with a 2018 4Runner. Capacity is listed as 5,000 pounds. I have no trouble, but I wouldn't go fast and I'd want something else if I had to drive through the mountains.
 
I towed my 22' cruiser with a Tacoma with the V6 and tow package (rated to tow 6500 lbs). I have electric over hydraulic brakes and frequently towed from Roseburg to the coast and back (windy and hilly roads) as well as up to Sequim WA. When I purchased the boat in Blaine WA I towed it home through horrendous stop and go Seattle traffic, later to find out the surge brakes did not work (so I replaced them with EOH).
So, yes, you can tow just fine with your Tacoma -- you will go slow up hills and watch the recommended speed on corners. You probably want to keep the speed under 60 mph.
 
I've got a 2016 TRD Sport with a 6-speed manual transmission. No issues towing my 22' cruiser fully loaded. My boat is twin 50's so slightly heavier than a single motor boat.
 
First thing you should do is find out what your Tacoma is speced to tow. My 22 cruiser on a tandem axle aluminum trailer weighed 5100 lbs wet. Most folks I know that have weighed their 22 cruisers came in around 5000 lbs, with the trailer. I don't know if an angler is lighter or not. I towed my 22 with a 2010 Toyota Highlander with the 6 cyl with no problem. The Highlander was rated to tow 5000 lbs, so I was right up at the limit. I towed several round trips over the Rockies. I also had full electric brakes on the trailer, as opposed to surge. Colby
 
Thanks for all the responses, I really do appreciate it.
My 2011 Tacoma truck has the TRD Sport package and is rated for 6500-6800 towing capacity and 1500 lb. cargo capacity. It's one thing to read the specs but still really nice to know that others with the same truck haul their boats safely, if not fast. I did have the braking system in the trailer completely rebuilt when I bought the boat 6 years ago, just have not had it on the highway yet. Again, thanks for all the input, and happy new year!
Mac
 
Mac, good knowing your payload limit as well (Cargo?). I believe mine on the Highlander was 1100. This was important to know as well. My tongue weight on my 22 was 460lbs I believe. That meant I could only load another 640 lbs. There were a couple times that my wife's sister came with us, and I know I was pushing that limit. At one time I was looking to replace my Highlander, and looking at later model years. After the 2010's, they changed and dropped the payload 100 lbs. I know that isn't much, but it was one of the reasons I decided not to replace the one I had, since I knew I was likely already up against it. Also, the Highlander was a unibody frame, so that payload spec was pretty important. So many times I found that the other weight limits actually reduced the actual towing gross weight allowance.
 
We have a 22 Cruiser (90 Honda single) on an aluminum double axel trailer, equipped with surge brakes and a 2014 V6, automatic, 4x4 double cab Tacoma. The Tacoma towed our 22 over the Canadian Rockies from the Sunshine Coast B.C to Edmonton, Alberta via the Coquihalla Pass (Highway 5)/ Yellowhead (Highway 16) route and back to the Sunshine Coast.


Our Tacoma handled the tow well. We did not break any speed records. We felt safe. You should not have problems towing on Vancouver Island with your Tacoma. Just make sure all equipment is serviced. Have fun!
 
For a short while, we towed our 22 over the Oregon coast range with a 1996 Toyota T100, V6, automatic. Probably the same engine as the Tacoma. It wasn’t peppy, and it was a rough ride, but it worked. My biggest concern was emergency stopping.

From Bellingham to the ferry, I suspect you’ll be fine, but be cautious in traffic. For legal reasons, you want to be at or under your towing capacity.
 
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