Trailering a 30 foot shoal draft

[John D3181]

We've closed the deal on the new-to-us boat on Kentucky Lake and now have to move the boat to Patoka lake in Southern Indiana - about 150 miles. Since there are no boat lift facilities on our lake, I've purchased a custom built trailer for winter storage, maintenance and moving the boat. While my Tahoe did an excellent job with our trailer-sailer, I don't believe it's up to the task on moving the 9-10K load. A friend of a coworker has offered to tow it with a pickup and I've gotten several on-line bids from outfits that would also use a pickup truck. Has anyone made such a move? I know there are pickup trucks rated for that capacity but is that a safe way to make the move? Any suggestions?

 

[Ross]

For what it is worth the electric power company

here has placards on their 6500 series trucks that limit towing loads to 12000 pounds with air brakes.

 

[carl]

use your tahoe

for 150 miles use your tahoe and take it easy. is it real hilly? brakes are limiting issue.

 

[Peter]

not so fast

I would be hesitant hauling that much weight with a Tahoe. The towing rating is somewhere around 6000 or maybe 7000 pounds--a ≤360 cubic inch engine doesn't have the horsepower to move much more weight without overworking. Additionally, you will probably exceed the rear axle rating, which is just an educated guess as I do not have this vehicle. The GMC Yukon/Tahoes 2500s with the 8.1L v-8 are rated at 10900 for 2wd, if you happen to have this model. However, you're best to borrow or hire a diesel for this work. The engine won't complain, and the trucks that have 'em are designed for this sort of load.

 

[RG]

Hire

Hire a professional. They screw it up they pay for it. Let them do the worrying and get your boat in the water so you can enjoy it.

 

[Ross]

Just be careful that the tail doesn't wag the dog.

*yks

 

[TT23844]

Trailering

John- For what it's worth, I hauled my O'Day 27 ( trailer & boat weighed c. 9000 lbs) abt. 300 miles with a 1/2 ton 4X4 a few years ago, with no problems.The trailer had brakes on both axles, the tires were within their rated load capacity, I used a load-equalizing hitch and kept my speed at 50 MPH or less.I also had an aux. transmission cooler (auto trans.) & the weather was cool so nothing overheated. Even going up some fairly steep grades the engine temp gauge never went much above the normal range & my speed didn't drop much below 40 mph. The load certainly exceeded the mfg. rating for the truck and I wouldn't want to do it regularly, especially in hot weather ( the tranny & rear axle wouldn't last long with frequent towing overloads ) It's stupid (and illegal) to tow anything over abt. 3000 lbs without brakes on the trailer, and you should have good tires, properly inflated. The equalizing hitch kept my tongue load reasonable and the whole thing was very stable & controlable, despite some strong gusty cross-winds at the start of the trip.The CG of the load is quite high & you're always aware that you're hauling something that outweighs the tow vehicle by 2:1, but the handling wasn't squirrely, it braked & steered well and IMHO was safe & roadworthy. FYI, the max. allowable width is 102" in much of Canada & the US ; over that, you need a special move permit. Max. height is 13'6", so you shouldn't have problems there, but some rural roads, streets & driveways etc may present clearance problems. Drive carefully & take your time and you shouldn't have any problems. Good luck.

 

[Ross]

TT you're good until a kid runs out into the road.

*eak

 

[seadaddler]

Not Safe

Maybe with a 1 ton dually to go a 150 miles,don't forget when hunter ships them they removethe arch.For that kind of trip you will good stopping power I am sure you have a three axle trailer with brakes.

 

[John]

Yoy can do it

I looked in to a triad trailer .The trailer was about 6ooo lb and my F 350 dsl with tow pack can pull that much weight,but it maxes me out .I wanted to pull my boat about 3 mils to my moms house for the winter.I just had my boat hauled about 200mil for 600 bucks plus a 50 tip.A C30 looks huge driveing down the road.(HUGE) The mail boxes where under the hull by afoot or more.I think you can have a coustom made cradle so you can float on the back and drive out of the water my hauler will move a boat for 150 bucks up to 10 mil and bring you back in the spring.They like this short work becouse they always have time to fill wile wateing for a boat or after droping one off . Ihad a cradle made for my C30 for 1100 bucks .I am selling it in the spring .I pull a 12000ld dump trailer with no problems at all. John

 

[Waffle]

I would get a Big Diesel Truck

Nothing pulls like a Diesel.

 

[Brian]

Sell the trailer?

A Tahoe with a 350 V8 has lots of "juice" to do the job as long as your not looking to do 80 mph on the interstate. The real issues are all the other parts of the package.The trailer must have brakes - good ones that work - even a professional isn't going to haul 10,000 lbs without excellent brakesThe hitch - don't just think you can use the factory option - your likely looking at a class IV - with weight distribution bars and an anti-sway barNow, back to the Tahoe - make sure it came with the "tow package" - which includes the over sized radiator and fan as well as a decent transmission cooler.I hate to be to critical but isn't this sort of putting the cart before the horse - buying a trailer before considering all this stuff? Why spend 3 - 5,000 on a custom trailer that you can't use yourself?Sell the trailer?Oh, by the way - the other responses are right - with a 10'9" beam on 306 - you really need to check the permit situation.

 

[John]

One more thing

I was surprised the the NY state police had no problem with me driveing around with my C30 10'10" wide .I had to get a $60 permit and have wide load flags and banner. John

 

[seadaddler]

Check Photo Forum

Look in the photo forum launching large sailboat or trailer a 30 sailboat.these guys use suburban's and pickups for launching but he used 1 ton truck to go 300 miles.

 

[NautiDuck]

Don't even think about it!

We towed a Catalina 250 2,000 miles last fall with a Tahoe with the towing package and an equalizer hitch. It was clearly at the edge of its abilities. The Tahoe is not rated anywhere near your boat and trailer weight.You would have to be **OUT OF YOUR FREAKING MIND** to use a Tahoe for that tow.If you try it I hope you get pulled over and cited before you go 10 feet. You would be an incredible hazard to all other drivers. Don't even think about it.P.S. Horsepower isn't the issue. It's about weight and stopping power!!

 

[Ross]

Just have a crew member on deck ready to

drop the anchor if you really, really need to stop. You are getting some very good advise here and some very questionable advise. You figure it out and do what you will.

 

[John D3181]

No, No, you misunderstood!

Thanks for all the response. Maybe, in effort to be brief, I wasn't clear the first time. I said "I don't believe it's (the Tahoe) is up to the task" meaning I'll not be pulling it. Once here, our marina operator will use the trailer in lieu of a lift to move the boat in and out of the water. My other options were to hire a crane twice a year or to not buy the boat - neither of which was very attractive. So here's the situation in a nutshell. I have a boat. I have a very well epuipped trailer - including electric/hydraulic brakes on both 7000 lb axles. I can have the origin marina drop the mast, lift the boat onto the trailer, and make whatever preparations are necessary.------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What I'm asking for is help finding the right company or individual to tow the package to the destination Marina.------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Once here, I can recommission the boat and our marina operator will use his semi-tractor rig to launch the boat from the trailer.

 

[seadaddler]

Yacht world.com

Try going to yacht world and go to boat transport,also try local boat transportersif you use some one local the cost won't be bad.

 

[Joe23611]

I've done it

John,I've done what you are asking about. I trailored a 30 foot Hunter from Kentucky Lake to Lake Michigan and we used a dually. The trick is to balance the load on the trailor and not have more than 120 lbs. of tounge weight. Make sure that when they set the boat on the trailor that most of the weight is in the center. Take a scales down with you and measure the tongue weight by placing the scales under the wheel of the tongue. Did you buy your boat from Lighthouse Landing? Those guys are good with the lift and will be helpful as well.Hold onto your trailor as you will probably want to bring it back down to Kentucky Lake for some sailing at some point in time. I know because I use to have a 22 foot Hunter at Patoka Lake but got tired of the limited space and moved it back to Kentucky Lake so we could enjoy longer sails and great anchorages. Good Luck!

 

[Ross]

JohnD, Here is an idea. All of the construction

and excavation contractors haul heavy loads routinely and very safely. Talk to some of those guys and see if they are interested in the job.