what truck, trailer, and where to go

T

terraplane

New member
I have had my 22 for almost three years. I keep it year round in a slip on the Chesapeake...

This November I am considering a trip...so here is the advice i seek:

What trucku is recommended..(i am thinking of a used..maybe 2005 model)
What trailer ?

And most important: If i am planning on staying out fo for about three months...where to go? Warm , of course...

Any advice from you seasoned vets would be greatly appreciated.

Terraplane Tom
 
Oh, geez - you are starting up the holy wars on tow trucks! Better duck!

Some place warm in November? Inside the Crab Palace at Birch Bay with the gas furnace turned up to 90! I have zero experience with areas south of Maryland, but I'll bet you'll get lots of great suggestions. If you have three months and a trailer, your horizons are pretty broad. Florida, Alabama (got to get to Lake Martin one of these days!), Texas?


terraplane":8kwle72a said:
I have had my 22 for almost three years. I keep it year round in a slip on the Chesapeake...

This November I am considering a trip...so here is the advice i seek:

What trucku is recommended..(i am thinking of a used..maybe 2005 model)
What trailer ?

And most important: If i am planning on staying out fo for about three months...where to go? Warm , of course...

Any advice from you seasoned vets would be greatly appreciated.

Terraplane Tom
Click to expand...
 
Tom, take a good look at the trucks/trailers that come to Langford next weekend! That'll give you a good idea of what to get. I've got a Dodge V-10 that'll pass anything on the road, towing or not, except a gas station (overkill). My trailer is a Load-Rite galvanized 1994 vintage with rollers and surge brakes and a single axle (underkill).

If I had to do it again, I'd get a dual axle with electric brakes. I like the rollers, bunks would be OK but IMHO, it's harder to winch it back on from a shallow ramp if you can't drive it all the way to the front. I can winch mine up (manual winch) easily, even on the ramp. If the ramp is too steep, and I can get it nearly all the way on, I can pull up the ramp to the level area and then it's a piece of cake.

See you next weekend but we're coming by boat this year if the WX is OK. We drove up with the boat the last two years.

Charlie
 
Ah, Grasshopper, the journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step... 8)

Where to go, how to haul it, and what trailer? I'm amazed you didn't ask "Twins or big single?" :twisted:

This is the proverbial kid in a candy store, and you, my friend, have the key and a bushel basket! There are SO many vehicles that will haul a 22 comfortably... what appeals to you? Chevy, Ford, GMC, Dodge, Toyota? Maybe a nice comfy SUV like a Suburban or a Navigator. You can even step down to an Explorer or a Tahoe. Something with a towing package already installed would be nice. Still too much vehicle? See what has a 5000 pound tow rating, and you're in the ballpark.

We have the King trailer under our 25 and are pleased with it. We've had a Performance and a Pacific on other boats, and they were good, too. Check out a local trailer maker to save the delivery charges. C-Dorys are pretty easy to fit for a trailer, with that reasonably flat bottom.

And the best for last: where to go? There has to be someplace you've always wanted to explore... almost anyplace south of you is going to be great in November. Florida (the panhandle should be downright lovely in November), North and South Carolina, the Gulf Coast, the whole coast of Texas... how far do you want to haul? Your boat is the magic carpet to almost anyplace on the water. Do you like nightlife and museums? That will be a different place from "escape". You can have both... many times there is great solitude only a short distance away from populated areas when you go by water.

I am salivating just thinking about the possibilities!!!! :thup Let us know where you are thinking, and someone here can give you the "local knowledge." We have met some wonderful people by asking for that advice. Keep us posted.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
We towed our 22 with a 30 foot RV most of the time--but at other times used our Honda Pilot or a Dodge Van conversion (Road Trek). Heck even an old Cadillac or Lincoln would be a great tow vehicle!

Even consider Mexico. I would just keep heading South as the weather changes. I saw some lovely lakes in the Carolinas and GA on my recent road trip to New Jersey--those might still be good. By December, you want to be in South Florida or South Texas. Northers can come into the Gulf Coast by even late November.

Just do it!
 
JamesTXSD":1xuisrbq said:
There are SO many vehicles that will haul a 22 comfortably... what appeals to you? Chevy, Ford, GMC, Dodge, Toyota? Maybe a nice comfy SUV like a Suburban or a Navigator. You can even step down to an Explorer or a Tahoe. Something with a towing package already installed would be nice. Still too much vehicle? See what has a 5000 pound tow rating, and you're in the ballpark.
Click to expand...

I do not trust factory tow ratings any more.

I had a 1996 Dodge 1500 (half ton) with 360 V8, auto and 3.73 differential. Admittedly, I babied that truck somewhat (I got 160,000 miles out of it and it still had the original transmission when I sold it.) It was rated to tow 7700#, but when I towed my 22' Hewescraft SeaRunner (aluminum deep-V boat, motor & trailer) which never weighed more than 5000#, sometimes I had to slow to 35 to get up hills like outside of Pendleton or Snoqualmie Pass.

I eventually replaced it with the truck I should have bought in the first place, a 2002 3/4 ton with a Cummins diesel and a 6-speed manual transmission. I'm still working the bugs out of the towing setup, but it works well with my 10,000# Tom Cat. Not as well as Brent's F-450, but well enough.

My point is that IMNSHO you need to talk to people who tow comparable trailers with the specific model of truck you are interested in to find out if it actually tows worth a damn.

Warren
 
Aw, come on, Warren... those tow ratings give you an idea of what a vehicle can handle... and unless way overpowered, almost any gas engine is going to be slowed towing up a steep incline. I assume your diesel is turbo-charged and way more torque than your previous gas truck... makes all the difference. I think most manufacturers are conservative in their tow ratings due to liability.

The right tool for the job. :mrgreen: I recall years ago someone towing a 5000 pound sailboat with a Saab - certainly not the right tool for that job, but they were able to get it home from the marina. I wouldn't want to be in front of them at an intersection (or behind them for that matter). This winter we saw a guy towing an 8,000 pound travel trailer with a brand new Dodge Charger; when I looked it up later for a tow rating it said: "Not recommended for towing". :crook

When it comes to towing ability, I believe in overkill... but I don't think any full size truck would be overworked hauling a 22. When in doubt, err of the side of caution (my disclaimer :wink: )
 
HI we have towed the duck c-22 all over florida with a 4whl honda pilot 4500lb tow rating it tows wonderful in florida I dont know how it will perform in the mountains as of yet .I get about 17mpg around town 21-23 highway no problem on the slippery ramps with 4wheel drive good luck . the other trucks were nissan pathfinder toyota tacoma tahoe etc
 
HI we have towed the duck c-22 all over florida with a 4whl honda pilot 4500lb tow rating it tows wonderful in florida I dont know how it will perform in the mountains as of yet .I get about 17mpg around town 21-23 highway no problem on the slippery ramps with 4wheel drive good luck . the other trucks were nissan pathfinder toyota tacoma tahoe etc
 
Your 22C is relatively light, IMO it dosen't require a heavy tow vehicle. I have a Ford Ranger with 4wd, 4.10 gears, and the 4.0L engine. It is rated at 8500 lb total combined weight. The tow rig and boat loaded up for a week on the water weigh 7500 lbs total. While you definitely know you are towing a load, this pickup suprised me with how well it pulls the boat up hills, gets 14 mpg towing at 60 mph and 20 mpg empty. Others will want a heavier rig but this works for me.
My 22C came with a single axle trailer that is rated to haul a 3700 lb boat. The boat and trailer weigh about that much so there is some extra capacity. If I was buying new I'd probably buy a tandem trailer.
 
I used a ford Explorer........ Worked but your asking allot from a 6. Get a truck with a towing package. Mostly a transmission cooler. I now have a 2500 Chevy suburban V-8. That pulls a 22 without trouble. If your trailering any distance get something thats made to pull.

Trailers........ I have little advice except hot dipped galvanized is worth the extra money if you plan to keep it.

Good Luck

Chris Bulovsky
 
terraplane":3w5ak0ve said:
I have had my 22 for almost three years. I keep it year round in a slip on the Chesapeake...

This November I am considering a trip...so here is the advice i seek:

What trucku is recommended..(i am thinking of a used..maybe 2005 model)
What trailer ?

And most important: If i am planning on staying out fo for about three months...where to go? Warm , of course...

Any advice from you seasoned vets would be greatly appreciated.

Terraplane Tom
Click to expand...


Diesel is more efficent than gas (more bang for the buck) find a used dodge W/ Cummins or Chevy,GMC W/ Duramax (if it wasn't for fords I would have never had a JOB :moon )
A 2 axle trailer is better than 1.
I have a "06" GMC Crew Cab, Duramax & Allison 6sp auto
I get 19+ mpg @ 60mph pulling the boat loaded for a week trip :mrgreen: !!
 
JamesTXSD":347c9oo9 said:
Aw, come on, Warren... those tow ratings give you an idea of what a vehicle can handle... and unless way overpowered, almost any gas engine is going to be slowed towing up a steep incline. I assume your diesel is turbo-charged and way more torque than your previous gas truck... makes all the difference. I think most manufacturers are conservative in their tow ratings due to liability.
Click to expand...

Jim, the manufacturer's tow ratings are all focused on safety. You mentioned liability -- that is what drives the tow ratings. They want maximum deniability in the courtroom in case some bozo tries to pull a Teton 5th wheel with a Luv.

Performance is much more subjective and less quantifiable. What is acceptable performance going up a hill to one guy may be completely unacceptable to the next. That is why I said, don't trust the manufacturer's tow ratings to tell you the whole story about how a given truck model performs.

Warren
 
I pull a 3500 lb trailer with electric brakes for my business. I have a super duty F250 with the V10 engine and 5 speed manual transmission. I got the truck, because I didn't want handling and stopping to be an issue. I have weighed the truck on a truck scale. With two small dogs and 1/4 tank of gas, it weighs 5900#. I was concerned about liability. This truck is barley affected when towing the trailer. Overkill to me is just safety. I get a what I feel is a reasonable 10-12 MPG while towing.
 
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