What vehicle to rent to trailer this boat?

[Indysailor]

I have a Forester and a 3500 pound boat; the thought has never crossed my mind to try to pull it out of the water for the 1/4 mile trip from the ramp to the boat yard. Bad for the tranny, bad for the body, just bad all around.
Instead, I pay a twelve pack of Fat Tire to a friend to let me use his pick up.

And here's what a smart car really needs:

 

[Jackdaw]

I think he talking about the event happened in America. It is also a compliment to the ingenuity.

I know what he meant. I was commenting on the ONLY in America bit. When I lived in Europe I saw Smarts pulling an amazing array of stuff. Do a Google Image search of 'smart car trailer' and see what I mean.

 

[caguy]

You can always pickup an older used truck fairly cheaply. No need for low liability insurance, low DMV fees, low gas mileage (but what the heck you're only using it to tow.) I only drive 6 miles to work and the ramp is only 23 miles but the gas is worth the convenience. With the 4x4 and compound low I love my F250, maybe not as much as I love my boat or my cat or my wife. So I was deeply hurt when I found this on my truck window this morning.

 

[Dan Johnson]

Trailer Brakes...

When in the boat business, we would not sell a trailer without brakes to tow any boat weighing more than 2,500 pounds. Surge brakes are bare minimum and an absolute necessity on dual axle trailers.

 

[RECESS]

I love my F250, maybe not as much as I love my boat or my cat or my wife.

The love of your life is down to third billing eh? I understand the sailboat, but the cat too?

 

[caguy]

I'm glad you enjoyed that, I was worried about getting flamed.

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

A dually is entirely overkill for a ~4500lb trailer. Even a V6 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup is rated to tow over 7000lbs. My single rear wheel 2500 is rated to tow 14000lbs. The only reason you ever need a dually is if you're running seriously high tongue weights and need the axle strength

You are certainly entitled to you opinion - no problem. But my statement had nothing to do with legal weight rating. It was based on what I would choose if I were to do an occasional truck rental to pull a decent size boat. And given the choice of vehicle for the job, I would always choose one with dual rear wheels when available. I make this statement based on hundreds of tows using both single rear wheel and dual rear wheel trucks to pull various boats. Besides feeling more stable every minute of the trip (especially in wind), the dual rear wheel truck will give greater reserve braking power, less rear end sway, and also extra safety should the vehicle have a rear blow out ( which can quickly become a handful on a long down hill curve). Either way, Happy Spring! and fair winds to all!

 

[Gunni]

How a gentleman hauls a trailer.
​

 

[kulikhan]

I spoke to a number of people I would call experts after purchsaing a Catalina 250 in Minnesota and planning to take it 1300 to Az. After soul searching I paid 2300 to have it hauled by an agent I found online. Since then I have hauled it 200 miles in state with my v8 Explorer Sportrac and been okay as long as I controlled the time of travel (no wind, light traffic, no animals in the road). I would seriously consider getting a semi pro for a long distance. With a boat like that don't you have a friend with a truck?

 

[StinkBug]

You are certainly entitled to you opinion - no problem. But my statement had nothing to do with legal weight rating. It was based on what I would choose if I were to do an occasional truck rental to pull a decent size boat. And given the choice of vehicle for the job, I would always choose one with dual rear wheels when available. I make this statement based on hundreds of tows using both single rear wheel and dual rear wheel trucks to pull various boats. Besides feeling more stable every minute of the trip (especially in wind), the dual rear wheel truck will give greater reserve braking power, less rear end sway, and also extra safety should the vehicle have a rear blow out ( which can quickly become a handful on a long down hill curve). Either way, Happy Spring! and fair winds to all!

I'm not saying a dually isn't the best thing, it's just way overkill. I tow an 8000lb trailer with a single wheel truck about once a week and never even slow down. I also spent 7 years traveling the country towing about 100k miles a year. The first 5 were in a one ton dually with a camper and triple axle trailer with 2 cars on it that was never unhooked and rarely under 20k lbs combined. The last 2 I was driving a full blown semi-hauler. I've got at least 5 trailers in my yard of all sizes and dont own a car that doesn't have a hitch that gets used. For an infrequent short trip, a dually simply isn't worth the extra expense or hassle to do a job that can easily be done by something smaller and more sensible for other uses. If it's a rental, sure go big. No reason not to, but this discussion has also branched into vehicles to own, and for a twice a year tow vehicle it just doesn't make sense.

 

[Telemark Sailor]

With a boat like that don't you have a friend with a truck?

yeah I probably will by the time it's time to take it out at the end of the season- should be able to get around this rule after some water time:

 

[Gunni]

A good tow vehicle is the whole point of a boat like this, make it part of the system. At one point I had a huge fascination with skinny water, and the F27 was on my short list. There are vast really remote areas that only a boat like this can explore - the Carolina sounds, lower Gulf coast, Keys, Bahamas. If you have a delivery system that puts you at the appropriate launch point, you can go places that most boaters only dream. And the fact that this boat is more camper than cruiser will not matter. A light rear-wheel drive van would work well, and would allow you to tote your kit. I get excited just thinking about it. Go light, go fast.