What length sailboat can I pull safely with a full size truck? I need to pull the longest trailor and longest boat over some sandy dirt roads on the way to deep water. Would a smaller sailboat take more rough road abuse and be easier to handle in traffic? Will a stronger trailor make for a longer sailboat in coastal cruising? I like the idea of sailing for a week or two then dragging my sailboat home, getting it ready for the next outing. I would like suggestions on make and model combinations that are easy to launch. Any day now I will take my checkbook and throw it into the water to see if it floats. Thanks. LAM
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The length is of no more importance
Than the height of the woman. The important question is the weight. She (the boat or the woman) can be long and lean or short and heavy. What defines a full size truck? In the ford series A 250, or 350, or 450, or are you referring to a Kenworth, Volvo, Peterbuilt or international. How sandy is the road?
Than the height of the woman. The important question is the weight. She (the boat or the woman) can be long and lean or short and heavy. What defines a full size truck? In the ford series A 250, or 350, or 450, or are you referring to a Kenworth, Volvo, Peterbuilt or international. How sandy is the road?
Check the gross towing weight rating for ...
your truck and make sure the boat's loaded weight plus the weight of the trailer do not exceed that figure. If you are going over 2,500 lbs get a trailer with brakes and a brake controller. A twin axle trailer will tow better than a single axle with reduced sway and tire temperatures. I gather you are talking about a 1/2 or 3/4 ton pick up truck with a V6 or small V8. Either would be adequate according to its rated towing capacity. If you are going to be towing in sand I would recommend a 4X4 or a limited slip rear end on a 2 wheel drive. The raining season is almost here and sand turns quickly into a slippery mud. A 22 ft boat like a Catalina makes a nice trailerable. Loaded plus trailer it should weigh around 3,800 pounds. Get an appropriate trailer as you may need a tongue extension to launch the boat in a shallow ramp. Trailering does shake things loose so before you launch check any through the hull hoses to insure they are tight. Hunter makes a couple of water ballasted boats that are light and can be launched in a shallow ramp. Do your homework and good luck.
your truck and make sure the boat's loaded weight plus the weight of the trailer do not exceed that figure. If you are going over 2,500 lbs get a trailer with brakes and a brake controller. A twin axle trailer will tow better than a single axle with reduced sway and tire temperatures. I gather you are talking about a 1/2 or 3/4 ton pick up truck with a V6 or small V8. Either would be adequate according to its rated towing capacity. If you are going to be towing in sand I would recommend a 4X4 or a limited slip rear end on a 2 wheel drive. The raining season is almost here and sand turns quickly into a slippery mud. A 22 ft boat like a Catalina makes a nice trailerable. Loaded plus trailer it should weigh around 3,800 pounds. Get an appropriate trailer as you may need a tongue extension to launch the boat in a shallow ramp. Trailering does shake things loose so before you launch check any through the hull hoses to insure they are tight. Hunter makes a couple of water ballasted boats that are light and can be launched in a shallow ramp. Do your homework and good luck.
4 wheel drive
4 wheel drive really helps on the ramps. I towed with a Chevy s-10 2 wheel drive and would sometimes smoke the tires getting up the ramp. With a Toyota Tacoma 4 wheel I just put it in 4 wheel low and it just idled up the ramp. Stopping is a bigger problem than going!!!! Have trailer brakes. Getting the boat on and off the trailer is the hard part. we had a Mac 26 for years and it trailered well also had a Helsen 22. I wouldn't want to try to load and unload a boat much larger than a Mac 26. Guides to help line it up on the trailer helps a lot.
4 wheel drive really helps on the ramps. I towed with a Chevy s-10 2 wheel drive and would sometimes smoke the tires getting up the ramp. With a Toyota Tacoma 4 wheel I just put it in 4 wheel low and it just idled up the ramp. Stopping is a bigger problem than going!!!! Have trailer brakes. Getting the boat on and off the trailer is the hard part. we had a Mac 26 for years and it trailered well also had a Helsen 22. I wouldn't want to try to load and unload a boat much larger than a Mac 26. Guides to help line it up on the trailer helps a lot.
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