US towing permits

[Bosman]

I have a question - in Canada it is possible to purchase an annual towing permit for boats that are over 8-6 and below 10 feet in width. Such permit is valid within one province, for example Alberta.
For an individual boat owner (not company), is there something similar available in the US?

 

[Jackdaw]

No such thing as a USA wide permit.

All states have 1-3 day passes. Some have annual, some have weekly. Almost all can be applied for in advance online.
Here's what a daily permit will cost you.

You can find state by state info here:
http://www.heavyhaul.net/oversize_permits-escorts-requirements/

 

[Bosman]

Thank you Jackdaw, this very much answers my question.

 

[Jackdaw]

Thank you Jackdaw, this very much answers my question.

No worries. Us 'sorta-a-trailerable-but-really-kinda-big-for-that' guys have to stick together.

 

[Meriachee]

Good thing I knew about this site after I got home with the little Catalina.

 

[Bosman]

'sorta-a-trailerable-but-really-kinda-big-for-that'

What do you mean by that? I consider myself very trailerable

 

[Meriachee]

Seems like a lotta shots of the back lot at that marina around these parts.

 

[Jackdaw]

What do you mean by that? I consider myself very trailerable

I assume you’re kidding. Your boat (like mine) is pushing every limit of the definition of trailerable.

 

[Will Gilmore]

I assume you’re kidding. Your boat (like mine) is pushing every limit of the definition of trailerable.

It sure looks VERY trailerable to me. No fixed keel, rides low on the trailer. Like a Hake Seaward 32

This, on the other hand, is not very trailerable.

Just be sure you know how to use the launch ramp correctly.

- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[MisterR6]

I used to be a repossesion agent and had to deal with this stuff. That Hake seaward 32 is over the limit for width and combined weight for trailering without permit in us. Just because you dont get caught doesnt make it legal or safe without using proper equipment to tow. In georgia the limit to tow with a light duty vehicle is 150% of gross vehicle weight, to tow THAT boat and the trailer you would need a truck that requires a cdl to operate, due to combined weight of truck,trailer and load but still need permits due to width. Not being argumentative (Will I love your posts!) just pointing out what MANY people may not consider. Not that we didnt move stuff without permits too, but the right truck and equipment will keep it from being unsafe and obvious that you at least know what you are doing. Just pointing out a few technicalities that unless you have dealt with before may catch many people off guard. But THAT ONE is close enough to slide under the radar in many places behind the right truck. Like jack said " pushing the limits!".

 

[Will Gilmore]

Not being argumentative (Will I love your posts!) just pointing out what MANY people may not consider.

I forgot my sarcastic emoji. I was just carrying Jackdaw's post with Bosman another step. My trailerable weighs in at 1350 lbs and just over 7' wide.
However, I'm glad you said something to inform me, and I assume others, of information I didn't really know for sure. In the Live Free or Die state, those kinds of things are often a little more relaxed. Don't know about trailer load or width limits. My horses trailered at around 6000 lbs and I never gave it a thought.

- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Meriachee]

The little Catalina on the trailer tips the scales at just over 11000 lbs, and is fully 6” too wide to be legal in the two provinces it’s likely to be seen in.
It can be done safely, and the trailer design took all that and more into account. People said there was no need for three 6k axles, but do the math and it’s close.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

As a dealer I pulled various boats over the years and there is a lot out there. First I have told people to buy a boat that fits their needs and if trailering, ask questions about that boat only as some for exampl big boats do not apply to trailerable boats and so on. Stay on point and in this case dealing with permits in the U S as it goes state by state. Jackdaw was right on and that reference is a good one.
If total is over 26000 pounds, you are considered as a professional no matter what. You have to abide to width and length requirements per state of travel. Then there are state reciprocal agreements for example liscese plates if pulling for example South Carolina which there are no required tags is legal pulling through Virginia as long the tow vehicle is tagged in SC

 

[capta]

I assume you’re kidding. Your boat (like mine) is pushing every limit of the definition of trailerable.

I'm a bit confused. What is this permit for? Not ever having owned a sailboat that was trailerable, this is way outside my ken, but I'm interested. If you are talking oversize loads, then I understand, but those rates seem awful cheap for that.
My wife is an ex equestrian and has not had to get a permit for her big horse trailers.

 

[Meriachee]

Big horse trailer is just long. There are varying width restrictions in different areas. Trailerboats are hardly ever overheight, but some places are picky about load length behind the back axle.

 

[Meriachee]

This, on the other hand, is not very trailerable.

What's not trailerable about that? It looks pretty much ready to go to me.

 

[Will Gilmore]

What's not trailerable about that? It looks pretty much ready to go to me.

My definition of trailerable has nothing to do with towing permits and everything to do with ease of independent launching at a public boat ramp. That particular trailer Meriachee is reposting looks like it might actually have extending ways that overcome the restrictions of launching fixed keeled boats at a standard boat ramp. The boat might be too big for a typical canal launch but at a public marina, maybe it is a trailerable?!
Of course, ease of independent launch includes stepping and unstepping the mast. Is there some kind of mast step system that would make that reasonable for one or two people to raise and lower the rig?

- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Meriachee]

The boat is only slight higher than mine on the trailer. That is a ludicrous comparison, as there's no facility to raise the mast or get the trailer into or out of the lake, but it certainly does look like it -could- be done.

 

[Bosman]

I assume you’re kidding. Your boat (like mine) is pushing every limit of the definition of trailerable.

I believe we might have to agree to disagree on this one. I consider myself very trailerable for the following reasons:
- crane not required
- abundance of tow vehicles in Alberta (pick-up truck being an extremely popular vehicle)
- where I live, with an inexpensive annual permit (due to the beam of 9' 9"), I can move the boat anywhere I wish (common sense prevails- obviously I will not be driving with trailer through downtown at 5:15PM on a weekday)
- the boat can be splashed on any public boat launch (floats in about 20 inches of water). No tongue extension of any sort is required and on the photo posted by me, when launching the rear wheels of the truck are just touching the water.
- mast can be raised/lowered by one person in about 10 minutes (integrated A-frame) on the trailer or on the water, similar design to this one:

- after the initial 'after-the-winter re-assembly-off-all-the-trinklets', the boat can ready for sailing in about 1-1.5hrs (2 people), which is not different than the boats I see coming to our lake during the summer (Hunter 25, WB Catalinas, MacGregors etc)

 

[Jackdaw]

I believe we might have to agree to disagree on this one. I consider myself very trailerable for the following reasons:
- crane not required
- abundance of tow vehicles in Alberta (pick-up truck being an extremely popular vehicle)
- where I live, with an inexpensive annual permit (due to the beam of 9' 9"), I can move the boat anywhere I wish (common sense prevails- obviously I will not be driving with trailer through downtown at 5:15PM on a weekday)
- the boat can be splashed on any public boat launch (floats in about 20 inches of water). No tongue extension of any sort is required and on the photo posted by me, when launching the rear wheels of the truck are just touching the water.
- mast can be raised/lowered by one person in about 10 minutes (integrated A-frame) on the trailer or on the water, similar design to this one:

- after the initial 'after-the-winter re-assembly-off-all-the-trinklets', the boat can ready for sailing in about 1-1.5hrs (2 people), which is not different than the boats I see coming to our lake during the summer (Hunter 25, WB Catalinas, MacGregors etc)

Fair enough!