Hello, I am looking into moving up from a Precision 18 to a Hunter 23.5. I am confused about the towing weight of this model. The specifications for the 23.5 under model information on this site list displacement at 3000lbs and ballast at 1000lbs. But this is a water ballast vesssel, so does that mean that the dry weight is 2000lbs with another 1000lbs or so for trailer? Thank you in advance for your response. I tried searching the archives for 23.5 and towing and was unable to find the information. Regards, John Haley
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Those Numbers are Good
An empty boat should be about #2000 the trailer nine somthing. Now add all the weight of the stuff you put on the boat motor, fuel, drinks, etc. You'll soon realize you are pushing the #3500 load limit on the axle and tires. Keep that in mind when loading the boat up for a trip.
An empty boat should be about #2000 the trailer nine somthing. Now add all the weight of the stuff you put on the boat motor, fuel, drinks, etc. You'll soon realize you are pushing the #3500 load limit on the axle and tires. Keep that in mind when loading the boat up for a trip.
Mine is 3300# at the axle, empty
so I'd say 3500 pounds minimum, absolutely empty. I bought my H23.5 in Vancouver and towed it over the Rockies to Calgary. I lost a bearing just before going over The Divide. I'd have to say this was due to zero maintenance done to the 7-yr-old trailer by the original owner. Anyway, after replacing the entire axle assembly I drove it over a weigh scale. By this time, the outboard was off the boat, leaving nothing but the battery, a few cheap lifejackets, a blanket, life-ring, and half a bottle of alcohol for the stove. And maybe a gallon or two of gasoline. I have no idea if the new axle is heavier than the factory original. The back axle alone on the scale weighed 3300 pounds. At 10% there would be about 300 more on the hitch. Had I known, I would have gotten a 7000# axle built instead of another 3500 pounder. Had I known I would have made sure the bearings were actually serviced. It turned out in the end the dealer just squirted grease into the Bearing Buddies. I didn't trust the trailer (after reading the reviews here) so I was stopping to inspect the trailer every hour on the road. The last check found the bare spindle riding on the rim. It had ground about 1/3 the way through the spindle. I was probably minutes away from the unthinkable. I was minutes away from spectacular high, windy cliff-edge vistas of the Kicking Horse Pass. Back on topic, I had rented a 3/4-ton diesel to go over the mountains, but around Alberta I have towed the boat on-the-flat with a 1991 Dodge Caravan 3.3L V6. I did add a tranny cooler first. It doesn't seem to labor at all. I am quite sure I'm over the specified towing limit of the van though. Now that it's "at the lake for good" I ony launch and retrive it once a year with the minivan. No problem there. ...RickM...
so I'd say 3500 pounds minimum, absolutely empty. I bought my H23.5 in Vancouver and towed it over the Rockies to Calgary. I lost a bearing just before going over The Divide. I'd have to say this was due to zero maintenance done to the 7-yr-old trailer by the original owner. Anyway, after replacing the entire axle assembly I drove it over a weigh scale. By this time, the outboard was off the boat, leaving nothing but the battery, a few cheap lifejackets, a blanket, life-ring, and half a bottle of alcohol for the stove. And maybe a gallon or two of gasoline. I have no idea if the new axle is heavier than the factory original. The back axle alone on the scale weighed 3300 pounds. At 10% there would be about 300 more on the hitch. Had I known, I would have gotten a 7000# axle built instead of another 3500 pounder. Had I known I would have made sure the bearings were actually serviced. It turned out in the end the dealer just squirted grease into the Bearing Buddies. I didn't trust the trailer (after reading the reviews here) so I was stopping to inspect the trailer every hour on the road. The last check found the bare spindle riding on the rim. It had ground about 1/3 the way through the spindle. I was probably minutes away from the unthinkable. I was minutes away from spectacular high, windy cliff-edge vistas of the Kicking Horse Pass. Back on topic, I had rented a 3/4-ton diesel to go over the mountains, but around Alberta I have towed the boat on-the-flat with a 1991 Dodge Caravan 3.3L V6. I did add a tranny cooler first. It doesn't seem to labor at all. I am quite sure I'm over the specified towing limit of the van though. Now that it's "at the lake for good" I ony launch and retrive it once a year with the minivan. No problem there. ...RickM...
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