Towing Capacity

Dave,
Most on this forum are very cautious about towing. For a 3 mile tow most of the time, a new Jeep GC would do a great job. You are not going to be going down the interstate at 65 mph and need to stop instantly.
That being said, trailer boating sucks. I had an older 20 footer on a trailer this summer to tube with the kids, and after about 10 launches, got tired of it. Those of us used to a big boat on a dock, you get pretty spoiled.
With my first cruiser which was a 26 footer at about 6k lbs., I got into the what to tow with issue, and ended up wasting some money over vehicles. So if you don't want a truck, dont' buy one because you will end up trading it and losing money on it.
Make sure what you get is usable as a daily driver you will like.
 
Thanks! I know all about trailer boating, did it for 4 years before jumping to a high-dry stackable boat.
It's a 2 year gig while Long Island rebuilds and we decide what we want next.
Yes, there are always tense moments at the ramp! I have seen them and been involved a few of my own.
I don't mind it, I enjoy it. Any day that gets you on the water is great.
If I grow tired of the trailer, I may go to lift in my slip.
It's hopefully a short term measure.
I need a new vehicle anyway, I drove my truck thru alot of salt water after the storm, so I feel it's time to upgrade! :)
 
Dave,
You should be just fine with the Jeep GC. You can also even consider just getting a tow vehicle and get yourself a car/suv you enjoy. Towing takes alot out of vehicles and the closer to the tow rating the faster you will kill the tranny, brakes, etc etc...

Early in my boating life I trailered. I will say that the in/out were very stressful depending on the crowds at the ramps and always felt rushed. I tried to rack once too...it was ok until I wanted the boat and they didn't have anyone to run the lift (2nd week). Hated it...moved to a slip and I've been in one ever since. I find I use the boat more with much less stress. The experience you will miss the most is just going down to the boat and hanging out which I've seen you write on a few occasions.
 
The weight of the boat is 5100 lbs. Ask the dealer what the weight of the trailer is. Add in the weight of a full tank of fuel plus fresh water. To that add an additional 200 lbs for items that are stored on the boat; you stated a bowrider so I doubt you'll be over that. You now know the maximum weight of what you will be towing. If you're buying new, then just get the factory towing package to be on the safe side. 4 wheel drive would be nice if the ramp is steep and slippery but not necessary as a must have. Plus it would offer the option of shifting into 4 wheel low for easing up the ramp.
 
Another consideration for the Jeep GC is I believe it is one of the few SUV's that still have 4wd low-range setting for relatively easy ramping at 2.72x normal torque. But you don't want to go farther than necessary to get the boat up past the ramp with Jeep on dry pavement in low range.
 
I tow a 5th wheel trailer which, when loaded with 100 gal of water & enough food for almost a month, weighs in at near 14,000#. I don't worry so much about what I can tow. I worry about what I can stop. No, I don't have to haul up short steep ramps. I do have to haul over mountain passes thousands of feet high & come down the other side in control. My 06 2wd crew cab long bed Chevy has pulled faithfully for over 100,000 miles in every state & most provinces. I am within truck load specs, but not by a whole heck of alot.

Whatever vehicle you look at the specs for towing are there to see. If the trip to the boat ramp is short I would not sweat being real close to limits. Just for insurance carry a tow rope. There is always somebody around willing to give a little pull if needed.
 
Dave,
I know what kind of towing your talking about and the Jeep will be fine but a vehicle the size of a Chevy Tahoe or as stated above the Nissan Armada would be better. The thing to be careful about is how much you load the boat while towing.
Rob
 
Dave......in 1995....I purchased a new 1995 Crownline 225 CCR ( 22' ) with a dual axel trailer....and a 1995 S-10 Chevy Blazer ( 2 door ). We towed from Queens to Lake Champlain.....to Lake George...to Hudson ..... thru the Berkshires .....and finally to Long Island. The tow vehicle looked like a deck ornamentt on the boat....we never had an issue on the road or on the ramps. IMHO....for the way you will tow....the Jeep should do fine. Good Luck in what you decide..........and enjoy the new toy.
 
I like to have about 1/3 of my towing capacity in reserve. We tow my boat to Key Largo each year, 1425 miles each way. The boat weighs 3600 lbs. I had it weighed on a truck scale when I started making the trip. I tow with a Jeep Liberty with the trailer tow package. It has a 5000 lb tow rating. The trailer has disc brakes. Never had a problem.
 
I agree with the majority - the GC will tow fine. I've even towed my boat (a little heavier than what you're looking at) with the last body-style GC with the Hemi (only rated 300lbs more towing capacity than the current non-hemi v8). It pulls like a champ. For long tows you would want a longer wheelbase, but for 20miles max or even a once a year longer run I think you'd be 100% fine. Depending on costs you want the incur there are "nicer" vehicles that can tow the more or same, but I don't think they are worth another 20k. We currently have a Range Rover Sport which we use to tow our boat a few times a year and she pulls great as well, but I think when the Range quits I'd get another Jeep.

There aren't many others out there that I think you and your wife would enjoy to drive on occasion as well. That is going to be the most important factor. Yes tow ratings are subjective, and yes there is a voluntary compliance test for the 2013 year, but most tow ratings are very underrated to prevent lawsuits and try to prevent sheer stupid ideas.

Good luck!
 
quote:
Originally posted by CurrentSea

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Ford sport track with the V 8 tow package. I have the cap over the box but its got some juice , full frame 7500 lb I believe etc etc.
 
quote:
Originally posted by rnbenton

I have a Key West 196 Bay Reef with a Yamaha 150 motor (engine) and trolling motor on it. It sits on a Wesco double axle trailor. I have never weighed the whole thing but, I can tell you, it's an after thought to my Mercedes ML-350.

Bob

Click to expand...


German vehicles, for some reason, seem to haul/carry/tow more than other manufacturers in the same vehicle class. That said, my Excursion will tow your 350 and your boat at the same time :-)
 
Dear Friend,

Like me, have you considered renting a truck to do this. unless you are launching this boat every time you take it out.

let me explain...

I own a 2004 F-150 that I have towed my Wellcraft 01 Martinique 2600.
Last year after replacing the transmission and the rear end gears, I decided to rent a truck to move the boat (twice a year).

The rental cost me $100 but that's a smart move in my book. This allows you to drive a gas efficient car or SUV.

TJ
 
It would be a weekly trip to and from ramp near home or further.
Renting is not a option.
I think the GC will work fine.

Just curious if anyone has ever towed a 260 sundeck and if that is too large of a boat to tow?
It is a double axle trailer and I have only done single axles in the past.

If this does work out to be too much, I will consider keeping boat on a lift and tow twice a year.
At least I will still have a decent SUV to drive as I want a new one anyway!
 
"Just curious if anyone has ever towed a 260 sundeck and if that is too large of a boat to tow?"

FWIW - We pull a 24' very wide boat on an Al double axle trailer each weekend or more the past year with no big issues at all about 8 miles each way. Prior to that we pulled a 19' again with zero issues at all pulling both with one of the following towing vehicles - Traiblazer EXT 4WD, Silverado 1500 4WD. A few times we pulled the 24' boat for many more miles to get away to another location but that only represented a couple of occasions again with no issue (with the Silverado).
There was a time many years ago when we towed much larger and heavier boats a few times each year here on LI and that had its probems but these sized boats generally work very well on these roads and ramps with a decent tow vehicle.

Hope this helps
 
We tow 24.5' Four Winns Cuddy, It is suppoed to be about 4,600 pounds dry. On the trailer, wet, with gear, fuel, it's over 7,000 pounds. On the truck scales with truck, total weight was 14,440 pounds and truck is a little over 7,000. That was just with me as only person in truck. Throw in several other people in the truck, and the stuff they bring along, .... then the boat, fuel, trailer, gear, and people would approach 8,000 pounds.

So, I would not be shocked to see a 26 footer approach 8.5K to 9K pounds with fuel, gear, trailer, and people. Yes, people riding along in the truck/SUV are NOT "free" weight. You have to count it. It is weight that has to be pulled AND stopped.

As said earlier, trips to your local ramp are probably okay. Longer trips at highway speeds would be a bit shaky for emergency stops.
 
Should have added - my double axle aluminum float on trailer rated for towing up to 5,800 #'s weighs in at just under 1,200#'s.
So the trailer weight will be substantial regardless of which one you do end up buying.

Hope this helps
 
We still have our 21ft Chris Craft Scorpion which weighs 3280 lbs dry, with fuel 3700lbs and a load rite tandem T-4400 trailer brings it to 4200 lbs. I have trailered this boat with our 1994 Bronco with a 351 EFI rated at 7500 lbs for 10 years. We now use our 2004 Lincoln Navigator with a 5.4 liter and can tow to 6000 lbs. Both trucks handle the load with ease. Sometime you actually forget it is behind you. The big plus is that I changed the drum brakes to disk brakes on the trailer which is a must have. Also the Navigator has built in ride height adjustment which is very nice.

Below is additional information regarding trailering and the correct hitch and weight distribution systems required based on weight.

http://www.etrailer.com/faq-weightdistribution.aspx#When
 
Agree with the above... you're in the larger range of being able to tow easily, but it skills be fine. My 268 definitely weighs more than 7k loaded up and we haven't had problems. Double axle trailer with disc brakes. Pulls like a champ. Wouldn't say you forget it's back there, but not a stressful tow.
 
The reality is this on towing limits. Very few vehicles are structurally limited on towing weight. Even less on brakes because the legal requirements for trailer brakes. So what is the limitation? Cooling. They base it on being able to continuous tow of the listed weight in 105 degree temp. So the numbers do not bespeak the comfort level of "handling the load". For that you have to test or get feed back experience from actual owners.
 
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