I'm starting to weigh the options of moving up to a trailerable weekend boat from my 16 ft. open Dinghy. If you're the owner of a 23.5, 240 or a 26' I was wondering what sort of vehicle you use to tow your boat. Thanks for the input.
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Dave Royce
Tow Vehicle
I use a Jeep Cherokee with a 4.0 and automatic. However I found I get more use by leaving the boat in the water. The setup and break down of the mast is boom is easy but it easier to get on the boat cast off the lines, start the motor and head out. It is also great when you come in, put stuff away on the way in tie up, lock the boat a go home.....
I use a Jeep Cherokee with a 4.0 and automatic. However I found I get more use by leaving the boat in the water. The setup and break down of the mast is boom is easy but it easier to get on the boat cast off the lines, start the motor and head out. It is also great when you come in, put stuff away on the way in tie up, lock the boat a go home.....
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Rich Riesmeyer
Chevy
We tow ours with a Chevy pickup with 350 and automatic. You can hardly tell it's there, tows real easy. Any full size with V-8 will do. Rich
We tow ours with a Chevy pickup with 350 and automatic. You can hardly tell it's there, tows real easy. Any full size with V-8 will do. Rich
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Rick Webb
Gran Marquis
First with an 85 and now a 97 for our 23.5 once on the highway you barely know it is there when set up right. A transmision cooler is a good idea on whatever you use. A truck is not necessary for a 240 or a 23.5 but for a 26 or 260 going very far I would not use any thing else.
First with an 85 and now a 97 for our 23.5 once on the highway you barely know it is there when set up right. A transmision cooler is a good idea on whatever you use. A truck is not necessary for a 240 or a 23.5 but for a 26 or 260 going very far I would not use any thing else.
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Ron
Depends
What you use to tow depends on how often and how far you plan to tow the boat. Also, which boat you buy will make a difference in how much weight you have to tow. I have a H26, usually keep it in the water, but twice a year take fairly long trips to sail the Great Lakes. I pull my rig with a Chevy Blazer which has a 4.3 liter V6 engine and automatic. Also put extra transmission cooler on it to save wear on the transmission. It's cheap insurance. This is probably the minimum size vehicle to tow the H26 since you are towing about 5000 lbs. Larger vehicles would provide a greater margin of safety, but then you have to drive a bigger vehicle with less gas mileage most of the year when you aren't trailering. I agree that having the boat in the water for normal use is much preferred to trailering it each time you want to use it. While it's not hard to launch, it does take time and energy better spent having fun sailing it! For family sailing and cruising, the H26 is a nice boat and you can find one used and get a much better price. Good luck.
What you use to tow depends on how often and how far you plan to tow the boat. Also, which boat you buy will make a difference in how much weight you have to tow. I have a H26, usually keep it in the water, but twice a year take fairly long trips to sail the Great Lakes. I pull my rig with a Chevy Blazer which has a 4.3 liter V6 engine and automatic. Also put extra transmission cooler on it to save wear on the transmission. It's cheap insurance. This is probably the minimum size vehicle to tow the H26 since you are towing about 5000 lbs. Larger vehicles would provide a greater margin of safety, but then you have to drive a bigger vehicle with less gas mileage most of the year when you aren't trailering. I agree that having the boat in the water for normal use is much preferred to trailering it each time you want to use it. While it's not hard to launch, it does take time and energy better spent having fun sailing it! For family sailing and cruising, the H26 is a nice boat and you can find one used and get a much better price. Good luck.
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Mike
Tow Vehicle
I tow our H23.5 with a Durango with the small V8. Here in Pa. we have hills and I wouln't want anything much smaller. The Durango does a great job, but as has been pointed out you pay for it when you are just going back and forth to work in gas milage (about 13 mph) Mike S.V. Sail La Vie
I tow our H23.5 with a Durango with the small V8. Here in Pa. we have hills and I wouln't want anything much smaller. The Durango does a great job, but as has been pointed out you pay for it when you are just going back and forth to work in gas milage (about 13 mph) Mike S.V. Sail La Vie
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Ray Bowles
Ken, Buy the biggest towable boat
you can afford. We have a 1995 Hunter 26' water ballast and that is the biggest boat we found that could be reasonably towed. We have towed up to 1100 miles at freeway speeds with a 95 1/2 ton Ford 4x4 pickup. I totally agree with leaving the boat at the dock for the season, but it is nice to take that 1 hour breakdown time and haul to the coast or another lake. Ray
you can afford. We have a 1995 Hunter 26' water ballast and that is the biggest boat we found that could be reasonably towed. We have towed up to 1100 miles at freeway speeds with a 95 1/2 ton Ford 4x4 pickup. I totally agree with leaving the boat at the dock for the season, but it is nice to take that 1 hour breakdown time and haul to the coast or another lake. Ray
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Ken shubert
TOW AWAY
The best vehicle for launch and retrieve is not the best for higway use. If the ramps are steep and slick it's nice to have 4WD and even a 3/4 ton pickup is nice to get deeper into the water. We pull an H23.5 with a Dodge Dakota with 5.0V8 and 4WD which is more than adequate but has terrible fuel economy otherwise. I've used a Ford F250 4WD 7.0 liter diesel which is extremely nice on the freeway at 75mph but a long vehicle is very hard to maneuver on the ramps and in parking lots. The best launch vehicle from a maneuvering standpoint is a good ol' Jeep CJ. I'd go for the H260 for creature comforts --- you'll find a way to get it there! Ken S/V Wouff Hong
The best vehicle for launch and retrieve is not the best for higway use. If the ramps are steep and slick it's nice to have 4WD and even a 3/4 ton pickup is nice to get deeper into the water. We pull an H23.5 with a Dodge Dakota with 5.0V8 and 4WD which is more than adequate but has terrible fuel economy otherwise. I've used a Ford F250 4WD 7.0 liter diesel which is extremely nice on the freeway at 75mph but a long vehicle is very hard to maneuver on the ramps and in parking lots. The best launch vehicle from a maneuvering standpoint is a good ol' Jeep CJ. I'd go for the H260 for creature comforts --- you'll find a way to get it there! Ken S/V Wouff Hong
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Frank
Ford 350 van
We use a 1988 ford 350 conversion van it has the special gearing and towing equipment and is rated to tow 10,000 pounds. Sometimes I get just over 10 MPG but usually it is less. It tows the little 23.5 with no sway or trouble, but I never go over 70 to 75 MPH. I know other folks use a small ford areostar and say it does ok, but they sometimes sway at speeds over 60.
We use a 1988 ford 350 conversion van it has the special gearing and towing equipment and is rated to tow 10,000 pounds. Sometimes I get just over 10 MPG but usually it is less. It tows the little 23.5 with no sway or trouble, but I never go over 70 to 75 MPH. I know other folks use a small ford areostar and say it does ok, but they sometimes sway at speeds over 60.
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Crazy Dave Condon
One million miles towing these puppies
I guess I have towed more of these boats than anyone and can tell you what to think about in tow vehicles. Since there is alot of discussion which will take about 30 minutes, feel free to call the expert. I feel that my imput can help you when you go to your local dealer. Call Hunter Marine and ask for gregg Emerson. He will give you my number. I may be crazy which my wife now disowns me but there are things that I know over others based on design and experience. Crazy Dave Condon
I guess I have towed more of these boats than anyone and can tell you what to think about in tow vehicles. Since there is alot of discussion which will take about 30 minutes, feel free to call the expert. I feel that my imput can help you when you go to your local dealer. Call Hunter Marine and ask for gregg Emerson. He will give you my number. I may be crazy which my wife now disowns me but there are things that I know over others based on design and experience. Crazy Dave Condon
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Bill Jones
Give me a break
If towing is an issue, get a power boat. I have a 23.5 and love it! But if I had to launch it each time I sailed, I'd have a Sea Ray. Hunter's launch design is probably the best, but it still isn't worth the trouble of launching and reloading each time.
If towing is an issue, get a power boat. I have a 23.5 and love it! But if I had to launch it each time I sailed, I'd have a Sea Ray. Hunter's launch design is probably the best, but it still isn't worth the trouble of launching and reloading each time.
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Olaf
weigth distributing hitch
While on this subject of towing a 23.5 to 26, I was wondering if anyone has comments and experience with using a weight distributing hitch when towing?
While on this subject of towing a 23.5 to 26, I was wondering if anyone has comments and experience with using a weight distributing hitch when towing?
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Doug Nowell
Voice from the UK
In the UK we tend to have smaller cars than you guys in the USA. I pulled my 240 using a Ford with a 2.0l engine. It is what I think you call a station wagon but we call an estate car. It pulled the boat ok without too much problem but I would not have liked to have anything smaller
In the UK we tend to have smaller cars than you guys in the USA. I pulled my 240 using a Ford with a 2.0l engine. It is what I think you call a station wagon but we call an estate car. It pulled the boat ok without too much problem but I would not have liked to have anything smaller
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Per Albinsson
Voice from Sweden
We have a 240 and a place in a nice marina, but we newer use the marina. We keep the boat on trailer in our parking lot and it is very convinient to fill the boat with food and stuffs and then go for a trip. We go straight way to some nice sailing water and stay there for some days. Earlier we had a 33 ft wooden cruiser and normally had to sail 30-40 nautical miles a day for a week just to get to the nice spot we can reach in a less then a day this way. We tow with a -90 SAAB 9000, 2.3 ltr 150hp, 5 gear - works fine but to sawe the clutch we retriewe the trailer with an electrical winch attached to the car. This summer we are signed up for a weekend boat meeting in southern Sweden and then we will tow to Denmark to sail for 7-10 days. (With our old boat we would need two weeks to get there and another two week to go back) Per Albinsson/AMFI
We have a 240 and a place in a nice marina, but we newer use the marina. We keep the boat on trailer in our parking lot and it is very convinient to fill the boat with food and stuffs and then go for a trip. We go straight way to some nice sailing water and stay there for some days. Earlier we had a 33 ft wooden cruiser and normally had to sail 30-40 nautical miles a day for a week just to get to the nice spot we can reach in a less then a day this way. We tow with a -90 SAAB 9000, 2.3 ltr 150hp, 5 gear - works fine but to sawe the clutch we retriewe the trailer with an electrical winch attached to the car. This summer we are signed up for a weekend boat meeting in southern Sweden and then we will tow to Denmark to sail for 7-10 days. (With our old boat we would need two weeks to get there and another two week to go back) Per Albinsson/AMFI
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Crazy Dave Condon
Response to Bill Owens
Bill; Do you ever recall trying something for the first time and being hesitant about it as there was some intimidation or fear? I believe this may be true as to why the question was asked. Crazy Dave Condon
Bill; Do you ever recall trying something for the first time and being hesitant about it as there was some intimidation or fear? I believe this may be true as to why the question was asked. Crazy Dave Condon
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Ken Koons
Ken here with follow up
I wanted to thank everyone for their input. To further clarify how I'm going to use the boat I intend to purchase and the tow vehicle. I plan to keep the boat in a secured dry dock at my local reservoir with the rigging standing most of the time, and then just hook up to the tow vehicle and run it down the ramp and launch most of the time. With an occasional long weekend trip to the Great Lakes mixed in every now and then. I now have a three liter Ford Ranger. I'm pretty sure I could make do for a couple years with this vehicle (until the boat loan would be paid off) with a 23.5 or 240 with around 3,000 lbs of trailer weight. I'm thinking there is NO way this truck would have a chance to pull a 5,000 lb boat out of the water and up the ramp and definitely not do well at highway speed for the three hours it would take to get to northern Indiana and Lake Michigan. So moving up to a 26' would cost around 20k for a used boat and somewhere around 20k for a used truck big enough to pull it. Thanks again for the help. I'm an accountant, I need to know all my options before I make a move. Ken
I wanted to thank everyone for their input. To further clarify how I'm going to use the boat I intend to purchase and the tow vehicle. I plan to keep the boat in a secured dry dock at my local reservoir with the rigging standing most of the time, and then just hook up to the tow vehicle and run it down the ramp and launch most of the time. With an occasional long weekend trip to the Great Lakes mixed in every now and then. I now have a three liter Ford Ranger. I'm pretty sure I could make do for a couple years with this vehicle (until the boat loan would be paid off) with a 23.5 or 240 with around 3,000 lbs of trailer weight. I'm thinking there is NO way this truck would have a chance to pull a 5,000 lb boat out of the water and up the ramp and definitely not do well at highway speed for the three hours it would take to get to northern Indiana and Lake Michigan. So moving up to a 26' would cost around 20k for a used boat and somewhere around 20k for a used truck big enough to pull it. Thanks again for the help. I'm an accountant, I need to know all my options before I make a move. Ken
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Crazy Dave Condon
toe vehicle
Whoops, I meant tow vehicle as anything can pull a toe particulary the Mrs. when she yanked my lazy behind out of the bed onto the floor on Sunday. Is syour vehicle engin a 4 or 6 sylinder. If 6, is it the large or small 6? Crazy Dave Condon
Whoops, I meant tow vehicle as anything can pull a toe particulary the Mrs. when she yanked my lazy behind out of the bed onto the floor on Sunday. Is syour vehicle engin a 4 or 6 sylinder. If 6, is it the large or small 6? Crazy Dave Condon
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Ken Koons
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eddie
towing 260
DON'T LET ANY ONE FOOL YOU IN TO THINKING THAT A FORD 4 OR 6 RANGER CAN PULL A 260 .I HAVE TWO 4 WHEEL DRIVES ONE A FORD THE OTHER A CHEVY.V8'S.IT'S ALL THEY CAN DO WHEN GOING UP A HILL TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER AUTOS. I'M TALKING 45MPH ON THE INTERSTATE
DON'T LET ANY ONE FOOL YOU IN TO THINKING THAT A FORD 4 OR 6 RANGER CAN PULL A 260 .I HAVE TWO 4 WHEEL DRIVES ONE A FORD THE OTHER A CHEVY.V8'S.IT'S ALL THEY CAN DO WHEN GOING UP A HILL TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER AUTOS. I'M TALKING 45MPH ON THE INTERSTATE
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Link Miles
Ranger 4.0 does great with a 23
I am not sure about the weight differences but I have a 23 that pulls quite well behind my ranger with a 4.0. The 4x4 helps getting it out of the water. The boat lives on the trailer except when I am on the water with it. We have mountains to pass through here and as Ray pointed out, you will find a way... I have pulled this boat with a Jeep Cherokee with a 2.4 that was miserable and a Dodge Caravan with 3.0... It did fair with a little sway depending on how I had the wieght on the trailer... having the weight distributed makes a much bigger difference the lesser powered tow vehicle.
I am not sure about the weight differences but I have a 23 that pulls quite well behind my ranger with a 4.0. The 4x4 helps getting it out of the water. The boat lives on the trailer except when I am on the water with it. We have mountains to pass through here and as Ray pointed out, you will find a way... I have pulled this boat with a Jeep Cherokee with a 2.4 that was miserable and a Dodge Caravan with 3.0... It did fair with a little sway depending on how I had the wieght on the trailer... having the weight distributed makes a much bigger difference the lesser powered tow vehicle.
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