SmallCraftAdvisor.com

Hi all,

I am wondering how much tow capacity I should be looking for in my next vehicle. My current boat is a non-issue, at 450lbs I can pick up the trailer tongue and walk it around the yard, I bet I could tow it with anything.

However, the biggest boat on my "dream boat" list is the Compac Eclipse which clocks in with a displacement of 2200lbs. not sure about trailer weight . . . 800lbs maybe?

I'm not after specific vehicle recommendations (although that would be fine) but when I go to the car dealer do I say, "I need 3000lbs towing capacity" or do I need even more?

I'm not buying the new boat for awhile yet, but I might have to replace the mini-van pretty soon - makes sense to do it right.

Thanks,

John

John:

the weights you are quoting are what many call 'dry weight'. this is before all you stuff: outboard motor, food, water, clothes, safety equipment, sails, fenders, anchor, rode, stove, fuel, ice, cooler, beer, wine, etc are on-board. the actual weight of a boat 'wet' will by many 100s of pounds more than quoted in the builder's literature. another thing is the quoted weight of the trailer, without boat, may not be correct. I've experienced this and have found the quoted weight from the trailer manufacturer is over 200 pounds below the actual trailer weight.

you want the tow vehicle to have additional ability above what the trailer weighs. if the boat/trailer package is 3000 (wet - see above what i mean by this) i would want to tow with a vehicle able to handle at least 3,500 0... better still 4,500 pounds.

the larger and greater ability the tow vehicle the more secure towing (in general). never get into a situation where you exceed the tow vehicle's weight ratings ... such as GCWR (gross combined weight rating), GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating), axle weight ratings, tongue weight rating, etc

be very careful when listening to a vehicle sales person. their understanding about towing and their honesty in a vehicle's ability, in general, are not to be believed.

talk to owners of the boat(s) you are considering. ask if they have weighed their boat & trailer & stuff on a scale. look for 'real world' weights.

question for you - how often have you towed? this will assist myself and others in providing assistance.

to answer that question myself. i am a boat builder. i have towed many a boat across the country. last month i traveled over 6,500 miles going from coast to coast. 3/4th of that was towing.

You might also check with an RV dealer and ask them what size tow vehicle they might recommend for one of their travel trailers. Same weights apply. I had a 2250 lb travel trailer that I used a Dodge Ram 1500 with the "tow package". That included electric trailer brake and stabilizer and anti sway bars.

lustyslogger wrote:You might also check with an RV dealer and ask them what size tow vehicle they might recommend for one of their travel trailers.

just take their recommendation with a grain of salt ... RV dealers can be worse the the car dealers.

lustyslogger wrote:had a 2250 lb travel trailer that I used a Dodge Ram 1500 with the "tow package". That included electric trailer brake and stabilizer and anti sway bars.

2250# (if this was the wet weight) is well within the range of my Ford Ranger (4L V6, 4x4, tow package, standard shift). A Sage 17 full of stuff on a deluxe trailer weights in at about 2300-2400#. I've hauled across the country multiple times using the Ranger w/camper in bed (light weight at only 800#) and boat. This includes crossing the Rockies on I-70, I-80 and I-90.

Perhaps I should clarify. The 2200 lbs is "displacement," that's the only spec. I see listed.

My understanding of "displacement" is that it is basically the weight of the boat under sail. Including people, motor, gas, diet pepsi, etc.

I understand how Archimedes defined displacement. I'm not 100% sure what it means on a spec sheet.

john_k wrote:Perhaps I should clarify. The 2200 lbs is "displacement," that's the only spec. I see listed

in trailer sailors displacement usually equals 'dry weight'.

you may need to take boat & trailer to a scale, the ones the semi-trucks use, to confirm the weight.

Thanks -

There's more to consider:

Is this your primary commute vehicle or a luxury tow mostly vehicle?

How many people do you need to transport along with the boat?

How far are you transporting?


Pick-up trucks are great for towing. But limited for passengers. They have the advantage of being able to carry a lot so you don't have to stuff the boat.

Don't forget the trailering weight is:boat, trailer, outboard (if equipped), fuel, gobs of gear and spares.

a RULE OF THUMB, i go by, is when the towed package exceeds 50%± of the weight of the tow vehicle i add brakes & an equalizer hitch

both of my current tow vehicles(F-350, quad cab, 4x4, diesel, automatic & Jeep Cherokee, 4x4, 4.0/auto) have a TOWING PACKAGE

you will read about & find many who will expose their families & toys to lesser standards and some of them get away with doing so

the most common problems arise when trying to stop in a hurry

being able to keep the towed package substantially less than the tow vehicle's towing capacity is in your best interest

the above suggestion to look for 4500# towing capacity would be a minimum for this old fat man

depending on the size of your family/passenger list, a mid sized, or larger, SUV/PU might be in order¿±?

GOOD LUCK W/ YOUR QUEST

sw