I've settled on a Toyota Sequoia for towing our H 260 with at 9.9 Evnride. My question is, what are your opinions regarding paying the extra $1,500 for the four wheel drive and the added cost due to less gas mileage as compared to Relying on the 2 wheel drive "anti slip" system. I generally leave the boat in the water all year and would only be towing/removing the boat at most a couple of times a year - located in "the windy state" - aka FL. All opinions appreciated!!! Fair winds, Bill
4x4 for towing
- Thread starter Bill P.
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what does the ramp look like?
go check out what the ramp that you plan on using looks like. Is it paved? is it a very steep incline? what are the others in you area doing as far as 4 wheel drive? If it is the only reason you are buying 4 wheel it would be cheaper to have a boat hauler (W 4 wheel) lauch and haul you boat when needed(or borrow a friends 4 wheel) rather then buy one,If it cost you $100 per launch you still make out compared to buying,the ramp is the only place you might need 4 wheel drive.All this said I would buy the 4 wheel because I want one.
go check out what the ramp that you plan on using looks like. Is it paved? is it a very steep incline? what are the others in you area doing as far as 4 wheel drive? If it is the only reason you are buying 4 wheel it would be cheaper to have a boat hauler (W 4 wheel) lauch and haul you boat when needed(or borrow a friends 4 wheel) rather then buy one,If it cost you $100 per launch you still make out compared to buying,the ramp is the only place you might need 4 wheel drive.All this said I would buy the 4 wheel because I want one.
FWIW
I had a friend a number of years ago that would move his boat twice a year - TO (in the Spring) then FROM (in the Fall) his marina. It was heavy, and he used his Saab to do it. His feeling was that it was heavy, but if he did it carefully, then he would be OK for the few times that he would be doing it. So, for a pickup truck, I think that 4WD may not be necessary if you find that the conditions at the boat ramp, and along the way, are quite ordinary and passive. What is the towing capacity of the 2WD version of the truck? That should give you the answer. There doesn't really seem to be a payback for the 4WD option.
I had a friend a number of years ago that would move his boat twice a year - TO (in the Spring) then FROM (in the Fall) his marina. It was heavy, and he used his Saab to do it. His feeling was that it was heavy, but if he did it carefully, then he would be OK for the few times that he would be doing it. So, for a pickup truck, I think that 4WD may not be necessary if you find that the conditions at the boat ramp, and along the way, are quite ordinary and passive. What is the towing capacity of the 2WD version of the truck? That should give you the answer. There doesn't really seem to be a payback for the 4WD option.
Towing Capacity...
...is the key here. And remember, you have to add the weight of the trailer to the "towing weight" of the 260. Even more important is that when you pull the boat the ballast tanks are full of water and this added weight is not included in the "towing weight." If the grand total is greater than what the vehicle in question can handle, the boat could pull the vehicle into the water upon retrieval - four wheel drive or not! Good luck, Drew
...is the key here. And remember, you have to add the weight of the trailer to the "towing weight" of the 260. Even more important is that when you pull the boat the ballast tanks are full of water and this added weight is not included in the "towing weight." If the grand total is greater than what the vehicle in question can handle, the boat could pull the vehicle into the water upon retrieval - four wheel drive or not! Good luck, Drew
4WD
Hi Bill: In my experience, launching and towing are the easier cases for the 260. Most two wheel vehicles with appropriate towing capacity can handle this well. Recovery of the 260, when the water ballast tank is full and there is other equipment/gear on the boat, is the most difficult. Several times I have needed the 4wd on my Dodge Ram to successfully get our boat out of the water. However, it always depends on the ramp condition and incline. Please don't hesitate to give me a call to help get your boat out of the water any time.
Hi Bill: In my experience, launching and towing are the easier cases for the 260. Most two wheel vehicles with appropriate towing capacity can handle this well. Recovery of the 260, when the water ballast tank is full and there is other equipment/gear on the boat, is the most difficult. Several times I have needed the 4wd on my Dodge Ram to successfully get our boat out of the water. However, it always depends on the ramp condition and incline. Please don't hesitate to give me a call to help get your boat out of the water any time.
U won't believe how useful 4WD can be!
Getting the 4WD option may be a function of how long you plan on keeping the truck. I have had my full size Bronco since it was new in 1986 and I have wanted to hug my 4WD many times as my life changed. Bought the Bronco in Southern Calif for off road exploring in the desert where 4WD is a obvious necessity. Eventually bought a 25' travel trailer. I could usually find a campsite in crowded campground that required 4WD to get into so often we camped when, without 4WD, we would have had to go elsewhere. Moved to the mountains of Upstate Calif a few years ago. 4WD is marvelous to get up my 1/8 mile uphill driveway when it snows. I now keep my boats on one of my old logging roads which are significantly sloped. I would not be able to retrieve/store my boats in the winter when it is wet without 4WD. I never anticipated the usefulness of 4WD but I sure have appreciated it over the years!
Getting the 4WD option may be a function of how long you plan on keeping the truck. I have had my full size Bronco since it was new in 1986 and I have wanted to hug my 4WD many times as my life changed. Bought the Bronco in Southern Calif for off road exploring in the desert where 4WD is a obvious necessity. Eventually bought a 25' travel trailer. I could usually find a campsite in crowded campground that required 4WD to get into so often we camped when, without 4WD, we would have had to go elsewhere. Moved to the mountains of Upstate Calif a few years ago. 4WD is marvelous to get up my 1/8 mile uphill driveway when it snows. I now keep my boats on one of my old logging roads which are significantly sloped. I would not be able to retrieve/store my boats in the winter when it is wet without 4WD. I never anticipated the usefulness of 4WD but I sure have appreciated it over the years!
Braking
Make sure the breaking power of your truck has the capacity to stop both the boat and the truck when coming to a stop. I have seen trucks pushed through stops signs and traffic lights. too much weight!
Make sure the breaking power of your truck has the capacity to stop both the boat and the truck when coming to a stop. I have seen trucks pushed through stops signs and traffic lights. too much weight!
4 wheele drive, I never use mine
It depends on how you use your vehilce. But I have a 4-wheel drive vehicle and in the several years I have owned it, only once did I really need the 4-wheele drive. I had a trailer sailer at one time, but it was relatively light and just about any vehicle could tow it. I have a Hunter 340 now so, I'm not doing any towing, but my experience is that you can do quite well without 4-wheele drive which will give you a much harder ride as well as use more fuel. If you hunt or drive in the mud a lot, you would probably use it a lot. ajp
It depends on how you use your vehilce. But I have a 4-wheel drive vehicle and in the several years I have owned it, only once did I really need the 4-wheele drive. I had a trailer sailer at one time, but it was relatively light and just about any vehicle could tow it. I have a Hunter 340 now so, I'm not doing any towing, but my experience is that you can do quite well without 4-wheele drive which will give you a much harder ride as well as use more fuel. If you hunt or drive in the mud a lot, you would probably use it a lot. ajp
Forget About 4 Wheel Drive.
Especially if the application is just towing the boat 2 times a year. I live on Long Island, which is probably a lot like your area in FL. Every day I see all these 4 wheel drive SUV's which will never leave comfort and safety of the asphalt. Maybe two (2) days a year, when it snows, would they ever have a need for 4 wheel drive traction. And yet they are all paying through the nose with increased fuel costs all year long. I have a friend, who has a diesel, single axle & not 4 wheel drive, who puts my H260 in the water in the spring and takes me out in the fall. When this comes to an end I will look into renting some type of small truck with a hitch. I noticed "Home Depot" has small trucks that you can rent by the hour. Furthermore, if your concern is the extra weight when your taking the boat out of the water, consided pumping out the 2,000lbs. of water ballast before you put the boat on the trailer. I installed an $18. Rule pume in my water ballast tank and, when I am motoring to the dock I start the pump about 30 minutes before I get to the dock. The tank is empty when I arive and the boat just floats on to the trailer. Good Luck, Bob
Especially if the application is just towing the boat 2 times a year. I live on Long Island, which is probably a lot like your area in FL. Every day I see all these 4 wheel drive SUV's which will never leave comfort and safety of the asphalt. Maybe two (2) days a year, when it snows, would they ever have a need for 4 wheel drive traction. And yet they are all paying through the nose with increased fuel costs all year long. I have a friend, who has a diesel, single axle & not 4 wheel drive, who puts my H260 in the water in the spring and takes me out in the fall. When this comes to an end I will look into renting some type of small truck with a hitch. I noticed "Home Depot" has small trucks that you can rent by the hour. Furthermore, if your concern is the extra weight when your taking the boat out of the water, consided pumping out the 2,000lbs. of water ballast before you put the boat on the trailer. I installed an $18. Rule pume in my water ballast tank and, when I am motoring to the dock I start the pump about 30 minutes before I get to the dock. The tank is empty when I arive and the boat just floats on to the trailer. Good Luck, Bob
Front wheel drive only
Hello again Bill This summer I towed my 260 to the coast and encountered the worst (best?) ramp ever. It was so steep that the boat floated all the way up to the bow roller with the ballast tank full and I did not have to use the trailer extension. When came time to pull forward the less than ideal front wheel drive minivan and the traction control had to fight serious wheel spin on the sandy ramp. I was still able to pull up enough to get the ballast tank emptied, and then drive off the ramp. I have used several other ramps and never had any kind of problems with that vehicle. Your rear wheel drive Toyota would probably have handled that ramp much better than the minivan. Happy trailering!
Hello again Bill This summer I towed my 260 to the coast and encountered the worst (best?) ramp ever. It was so steep that the boat floated all the way up to the bow roller with the ballast tank full and I did not have to use the trailer extension. When came time to pull forward the less than ideal front wheel drive minivan and the traction control had to fight serious wheel spin on the sandy ramp. I was still able to pull up enough to get the ballast tank emptied, and then drive off the ramp. I have used several other ramps and never had any kind of problems with that vehicle. Your rear wheel drive Toyota would probably have handled that ramp much better than the minivan. Happy trailering!
Many Thanks!!!
Thanks folks - I think we will go for the two wheel version given that I was wrong - it costs closer to $3,500 more for 4x4. Thanks for all the input - Russell, my thanks as always, hope all is well - got the boat back in the water yet? Bill
Thanks folks - I think we will go for the two wheel version given that I was wrong - it costs closer to $3,500 more for 4x4. Thanks for all the input - Russell, my thanks as always, hope all is well - got the boat back in the water yet? Bill
Resale value
Bill: They can tell you about how well a two wheel drive will do and how a front wheel drive will do the job but when you get on one of those slimey old ramps you may wish you had a 4x4. When you try to trade a 2x4 SUV you will probably take a bigger hit on the depreciation. In this part of the world it is almost impossible to sell a 2x4 SUV. I realize that Fl. is not Nevada, but do some research on the resale values before you make your decision.
Bill: They can tell you about how well a two wheel drive will do and how a front wheel drive will do the job but when you get on one of those slimey old ramps you may wish you had a 4x4. When you try to trade a 2x4 SUV you will probably take a bigger hit on the depreciation. In this part of the world it is almost impossible to sell a 2x4 SUV. I realize that Fl. is not Nevada, but do some research on the resale values before you make your decision.
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