weight
- Thread starter roddy
- Start date
Wandering Sagebrush
Free Range Human
Noddy,
I put my boat and trailer on a scale last year. I did not have all the cruising stuff on it, and the water was empty, but everything else was topped off. With the Honda 90, Honda 8 kicker and odds-n-ends, it hit right at 4100 pounds.
On the topic of truck, my recommendation is to go for overkill. Smallest practical turns into being an ordeal on long pulls.
Steve
I put my boat and trailer on a scale last year. I did not have all the cruising stuff on it, and the water was empty, but everything else was topped off. With the Honda 90, Honda 8 kicker and odds-n-ends, it hit right at 4100 pounds.
On the topic of truck, my recommendation is to go for overkill. Smallest practical turns into being an ordeal on long pulls.
Steve
Roddy,
"Sea Shift" on the tandem axle King Trailer with twin Johnson 50's, full fuel and 1/2 tank H2O, no coolers was 4,720 #'s.
RE: Tow rig.....a lot of information available on this site under "search engine". Personally, I enjoy the 3/4 Ton Dodge Ram Diesel 4X4...I don't even know that I'm towing anything.... :thup (It is possible to tow with less, therefore research the "search engine"). (It also depends upon the terrain and distances you are towing....if in mountains go for the larger rigs, if in a flat state like Florida.... :roll: .
"Sea Shift" on the tandem axle King Trailer with twin Johnson 50's, full fuel and 1/2 tank H2O, no coolers was 4,720 #'s.
RE: Tow rig.....a lot of information available on this site under "search engine". Personally, I enjoy the 3/4 Ton Dodge Ram Diesel 4X4...I don't even know that I'm towing anything.... :thup (It is possible to tow with less, therefore research the "search engine"). (It also depends upon the terrain and distances you are towing....if in mountains go for the larger rigs, if in a flat state like Florida.... :roll: .
Adeline weighs in around 4500#s fully loaded, fueled, iced, and provisioned with Johnson 70 +15, single-axle.
I tow with an '86 Dodge Ramcharger/360 v8.
This rig has plenty of power but the wheelbase is too short and she "hobbyhorses" on uneven roads. There is a stretch of I-5 that's absolutely terrifying. A suburban or pickup (longer wheelbase) would be better.
I tow with an '86 Dodge Ramcharger/360 v8.
This rig has plenty of power but the wheelbase is too short and she "hobbyhorses" on uneven roads. There is a stretch of I-5 that's absolutely terrifying. A suburban or pickup (longer wheelbase) would be better.
Don and Brenda
New member
I think the flatlanders in Florida just throw the hitch over their shoulder and pull. The day I picked mine up from the dealer it had full tanks and pulled fine with our Honda Pilot on rolling hills. I towed it from Washington to Calif for the winter and used my Toyota Tacoma which has a 6500# tow rating. Fortunately I sold it right before all the recalls. I now pull with a Nissan Titan and as Dave says, don't even know it is there. I prefer to go bigger than small, by the time you have it cruise ready your talking 5500# or better.
Wandering Sagebrush
Free Range Human
Adeline":1h8x7v09 said:
Pete, I think that the single axle trailer is a big factor in the "hobbyhorsing". Even with my F250, I get an uncomfortable bounce when on segmented pavement. My overload springs probably contribute to the stiffness of the ride. With the Expedition and its softer springs, the ride is not nearly as jerky...
Steve
Wandering Sagebrush":38a8zusp said:
Pete, I think that the single axle trailer is a big factor in the "hobbyhorsing". Steve[/quote]
Steve,
Even with the tandem axle, the "hobbyhorse" effect is present on stretches of I-5. (Between Seattle and Tacoma / between Mt. Vernon and Arlington).
I believe the only way to smooth those areas of I-5 is to purchase one of those new C-Dory Hovercraft Trailers. :wink
smittypaddler
New member
I pull my c22 cruiser with a 6-cylinder Ford Explorer. I've trailered from Wisconsin to Florida and back three times now, with almost no problems. I go through a lot of trailer lights, and keep several spares. The first year the double axles were out of alignment by .75 inches, causing a lot of tire wear, but since that was fixed, no problems with tires (BTW, the trailer came from the dealer with mis-aligned axles; also a few critical nuts, like the one holding the trailer tongue on!). Replacing the original tires with radials increased my gas mileage by about 1 mpg. With a following wind and warmer temperatures I get about 15 mpg, and I've averaged about 12 mpg on each trip to and from Wisconsin and Florida. A head wind will quickly drop my mileage down to 10 mpg. I cruise on the highway at between 55 and 60, but have had it up to 80 on some downhills in Missouri, which is not my usual practice at all! I prefer not having to pass; I think I passed two vehicles on the way here in Florida from Wisconsin this winter. But I like my Ford!
Roddy,
When we scaled Cedar Mist, we were around 4200. 90 and 8 Yamaha on two axle aluminum trailer. No water, 1/4 tanks and little in the way of cruising items.
We were towing it down from Fort St John to Port Alberni where we now live. We have a 2006 Ford F150 and find this is plenty of truck.
Andrew
When we scaled Cedar Mist, we were around 4200. 90 and 8 Yamaha on two axle aluminum trailer. No water, 1/4 tanks and little in the way of cruising items.
We were towing it down from Fort St John to Port Alberni where we now live. We have a 2006 Ford F150 and find this is plenty of truck.
Andrew
I don't get the "Hobby Horse" effect with a '98 Durango with the 360 V8 and a tandem trailer on my CD-22.
Lots of good advise here.
We get a lot of questions about how small a tow vehicle one could use with various combinations. Better to build in some safety margins, because...
It's more important to be able to STOP in an EMERGENCY than to be able to tow up a long hill, ALTHOUGH you can slow tow with an undersized vehicle if you like until the AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OVERHEATS AND GOES UP IN SMOKE!
If you've ever had to stop quickly with a tow and just kept getting pushed along and then into the crash scene you'll know what a helpless feeling it is. BTDT!!! Never again!
If you ever tow like that, stay off the highways and dangerous roads.
Joe. :teeth :thup
Lots of good advise here.
We get a lot of questions about how small a tow vehicle one could use with various combinations. Better to build in some safety margins, because...
It's more important to be able to STOP in an EMERGENCY than to be able to tow up a long hill, ALTHOUGH you can slow tow with an undersized vehicle if you like until the AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OVERHEATS AND GOES UP IN SMOKE!
If you've ever had to stop quickly with a tow and just kept getting pushed along and then into the crash scene you'll know what a helpless feeling it is. BTDT!!! Never again!
If you ever tow like that, stay off the highways and dangerous roads.
Joe. :teeth :thup
:wink Sea Wolf":1nhelnjw said:
Being a retired Teamster, I am interested in safety and comfort. I use a Ford Super Duty F250 with the V10 engine. I can tell my boat is back there. I don't really care about mileage. I am pleased with what I get.
Roddy, you can pull your boat with a go-cart if you put a big enough engine on it. As Joe mentioned, the big deal is stopping and control. I am a bit on the conservative side, but I have driven nearly 4 million miles without a chargeable preventable accident as per the ATA guidelines. The longer the wheelbase, the heavier the tow vehicle, the safer you will be.
You want panic? Wait until Granny pulls out in front of you with no where to go. Do not scrimp on your tow vehicle. You will be smiling every time yoiu tow, if you get a capable vehicle.
patrick and linda
New member
would agree with steve "constant craving" go larger than you would normally expect to need. i would also recommend 4 x 4. i purchased my 2003 ford f350 diesel, 4 x 4, dually, had 5 miles on it and today has 158,000. my goal is to end up somewhere around the 300,000 range. i can pull just about anything, any time, any where.
good luck and let us know what you purchase.
pat
good luck and let us know what you purchase.
pat
Salty is towed behind a Honda Ridgeline. The Ridgeline has four wheel drive and big brakes. The trailer is a tandem axle aluminum trailer with four wheel disc brakes. The Ridgeline towes my 22 cruiser so smoothly I sometimes forget the boat is behind the vehicle. The combination of outstanding brakes on the tow vehicle and four wheel discs on the trailer gives excellent stopping power. Honda has the gears figured out right on the Ridgeline and it hauls the boat up hills with no problem. Whatever you decide make sure you put disc brakes on your trailer. In my experience drum brakes are a nightmare and rarely work well for very long before the ever forming rust wins!