I have a 1993 Hunter 23.5. I would like to determine the towing weight of the Hunter 23.5 including the boat, mast, furling jib, single axle trailer and 5HP motor. I found a reference by the Practical Sailor that suggests: "All told, boat, motor and trailer weigh a combined 2,450 pounds". Is this correct? All references on the Hunter23.5 indicate it displaces 2000 lbs without the added 1000lbs of ballast water. Does the 2000 lbs include the motor, mast, and rigging? Then the "2450 pounds" weight given by the Practical sailor puts the trailer at only 450 pounds weight which seems low. I would have guessed closer to 700 pounds. Has anyone weighed their trailer? or do they know what it weighs? I read somewhere that you can get the weight from a plate on the trailer by subtracting the trailer's maximum capacity from the GVWR. Right now our boat is sitting on our trailer up north so I can't confirm this until I get up there in the next few weeks. Thank you!
Weight of Hunter 23.5 trailer plus boat i.e. including boat, mast, furling jib, single axle trailer and 5HP motor
- Thread starter Westerly
- Start date
Yes that is helpful. Thankyou. I wondered however if your trailer axle was single or double and what else was on your boat when you weighed it. Eg. Mast, rigging, furling jib, batteries, anchors, supplies etc.
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Boat dry weight (NOT displacement when in water because of the water ballast) generally includes mast, sails, rigging but not outboard motors, fuel, water, stores. So 2,000 lbs plus a couple hundred lbs of stuff.
Your trailer probably weighs about 600lbs. (https://www.etrailer.com/faq-how-much-boat-trailer-weigh.aspx?origin=serp_auto)
So my guess is that you are probably looking at 2,800 lbs, not the 2,450.
Your trailer probably weighs about 600lbs. (https://www.etrailer.com/faq-how-much-boat-trailer-weigh.aspx?origin=serp_auto)
So my guess is that you are probably looking at 2,800 lbs, not the 2,450.
Not sure where I got the numbers from, but I remember the weight of the trailer as 980# an empty boat is 2,000#. Right from the start you are pushing 3,000# add a motor and all the other stuff the boat did not originally come with you are easily over 3,500#. If you have 10% of your weight on the tounge you can subtract that from the axle weight but still pushing the single axle capability.
I added another axle to mine years ago it was a surprisingly job if thought through. Somehow, I got through that one with no kinks.
I added another axle to mine years ago it was a surprisingly job if thought through. Somehow, I got through that one with no kinks.
Dry weight of the 240 is 2,300, or 300 more than the 23.5, which would make the 23.5 2,840 lbs.
Single axle trailer, mast and boom were on board. No sails, no battery, anchor was in the locker, no supplies. We went out to float it, motored around. Our goal was to weigh it on the way out and then weigh it when we came back in (they matched) Our trailer is made by Magic. I will go down and see if I can find some info on it.
Great info. Thanks for your time. Based on Gvwr minus carrying capacity your trailer weight works out to 530lbs. Mine is likely very similar. An estimate of 2840 lbs towing weight is probably pretty close allowing for some extra "stuff" in the boat.
I got 630 using the axle weight rating. 630# seams light 530# seen ridiculously light. There were two other trailer manufacturers. Mine was made by hunter and aside from a single axle being marginal for a 1,000#ish trailer and a 2,000#ish empty boat it is a stout well-made trailer.
MagicTilt maybe such a better trailer manufacturer they can make them lighter but for that boat it really should be a tandem axle trailer.
MagicTilt maybe such a better trailer manufacturer they can make them lighter but for that boat it really should be a tandem axle trailer.
Please post a picture of the plate. Never saw one on my trailer if it ever had one. I'd have to look but I think the 980# figure in my head came from my vehicle registration which would be a good place for folks to check. The answer to the trailer weight may be right there.
You could take the boat, motor, trailer and all related gear to a truck stop that has a scale and pay a small fee to park your unhitched rig on their scale for a minute. Back the tow vehicle onto the scale , hook up and pull out of the way.
That would give you a gross trailer weight which is all that matters when towing. Hope this helps.
That would give you a gross trailer weight which is all that matters when towing. Hope this helps.