Even Home Depot sells 1-1/4" tow bars that are good for 3500# -
Your issue is likely with the ball itself. If that is the case, then I am going to guess that you have a 1-7/8" ball, rather than the more common 2", which normally carries a much higher weight rating as long as the shank is more than 5/8". If the trailer has a 1-7/8" ball coupler, then the trailer is probably only rated for 2,000#, which I think is the weight of your boat all by itself. You might need to check if your trailer is up to the task.
If the ball & coupler are the only components that are underrated, then you can probably change them both from 1-7/8" to 2". The ball couplers usually just bolt onto the trailer. They are usually easy to change.
It is also possible that you have a 2" ball coupler that has an adjustment for ball clearance that is set too tight. If that is the case, then backing off the adjustment nut may let you go to a 2" ball with a heavier rating. See what info you can find stamped on the ball coupler & see what info you can find in the ID tag of the trailer.
While you are checking things, you might want to double check the tow capacity of your Escape. I looked at them recently. 3,500# was the max tow rating for the version with the big engine. Most of them were rated for 2,000#. A salesman at the dealer gave me some bad info about that. When I asked to see some things in writing, the story changed & I didn't buy the vehicle. Just because the receiver hitch says 3.500# on it, does not mean that the rest of the truck is rated for the same tow capacity. Often the vehicle carries a lower rating. The number stamped in the receiver is only for the hitch itself.