Towing Help

Bought a Triton Storm 16 that weights 900 lbs. Have a Karavan single axle trailer unknown weight. Problem is I need to know if I can launch and retreive it from a wet boat launch incline with a Ford Escape 6 cyl that only has FWD. This car has "spun" it's wheels going up hill on wet pavement in the past. Would it pull it up an incline maybe in 2nd automatic gear? Any help appreciated as it is my wife's car and she would not be joyful if this endeavour didn't work out! Recently retired and trying to enjoy the fishing/boating world again. xJeff

Re: Towing Help

First of all-- Welcome! Glad you are getting back to something you seem to enjoy.

I would be inclined to try it, pardon the pun. But how steep is the ramp? Is it Paved? Grooved concrete? Gravel/ sand???? You get my drift. All things to consider.

I would also be thinking of bringing along a tow strap and another vehicle to make sure that things went as smoothly as possible on the maiden voyage. If things are not going well such as spinning tires, etc. you can just hook up an additional vehicle to retrieve the rig if things are looking dodgy.

Re: Towing Help

what if it doesnt work out, and the boat pulls the car back into the water? happens alot actually. I wouldnt do it. any tongue weight at all would make traction that much worse. unless you have a few big friends that can sit on the hood maybe.

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I agree, You are not towing a great deal of weight and with only 200lbs of tongue weight you won't be lightening the front end a lot. I would'nt fear it. Just remember to apply the gas gradually (set your emergency brake to hold you on the ramp and then release it once you have some power going to the wheels if you have to) and that should prevent any spinning.

Re: Towing Help

Thank you for your advice. I'm in FLorence Alabama with Pickwick and Wilson lakes. The ramps are paved concrete and probably from 20 to 30 degrees incline. Probably need a RWD truck or something. These are things you think of after the fact! Best wishes, xJeff

marlboro180 said:

First of all-- Welcome! Glad you are getting back to something you seem to enjoy.

I would be inclined to try it, pardon the pun. But how steep is the ramp? Is it Paved? Grooved concrete? Gravel/ sand???? You get my drift. All things to consider.

I would also be thinking of bringing along a tow strap and another vehicle to make sure that things went as smoothly as possible on the maiden voyage. If things are not going well such as spinning tires, etc. you can just hook up an additional vehicle to retrieve the rig if things are looking dodgy.

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Re: Towing Help

Your boat weight is probably just the published weight of the boat -- no engine, no battery, no fuel, no adult beverages, no ice, no fishing tackle, no safety gear. You might be surprised that the total weight of the rig and trailer is closer to double that.

Re: Towing Help

Ocean Airbrush said:

I agree, You are not towing a great deal of weight and with only 200lbs of tongue weight you won't be lightening the front end a lot. I would'nt fear it. Just remember to apply the gas gradually (set your emergency brake to hold you on the ramp and then release it once you have some power going to the wheels if you have to) and that should prevent any spinning.

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Its hard to believe that someone thinks this is a good idea. I thought we had all seen the classic "FWD minivan at the launch ramp" incidents.
And, how is the emergency brake on the rear axle going to prevent the front wheels from spinning? Not being mean, just being serious.

Ive seen my 6000 lb truck in 2wd spin the tires retrieving at the ramp under certain circumstances. Well, to each his own I guess.

Re: Towing Help

Paved ramp, good. Is it ever mossy or slippery? Engine weight over drive wheels, good. That is why FWD cars do well in snow. In an Escape the V6 is the bigger engine, good. If you ever get to the ramp and can't get out start unloading the boat.
I'd also check the tow capacity and GCWR of the Escape. Maybe weigh the whole rig when you are set for travel. I'll bet you're well within the limits of the vehicle though.
BTW, always, and I stress ALWAYS, set the park brake when you are on the ramp launching or retrieving the boat. I also carry some wheel chocks for my trailer because it rolls when disconnected. If you had chocks with you while doing a tough retrieve they could go behind some wheels (rear of Escape?) to prohibit rearward movement. You'd have to move them before getting the trailer wheels through that spot though.
With the parking brake and the transmission in park you get 4 wheel stationary braking. With a rear wheel drive truck you only lock the back wheels. Also with a rear wheel drive truck you have less weight to hold the tires down and make traction. On the other hand my 6000 lb 4WD F150 pulls out my 3000 lb boat & trailer in rear wheel drive on a hard pack sandy ramp without issue.
I'd get a strap just for an emergency, I have had one for 5 years, only used it once, pulled a 4WD out of a snowbank with my bigger 4WD. It cost about $20.
Get the service up to date on the Escape. Transmission flush each 30k miles, brakes and park brake up to date, cooling system and engine in good shape, tires must have good tread, replace them if under 5/32" tread depth, 4/32" or less gives less grip.
OK now that you spent all that money go relax, drown some worms or something.

Re: Towing Help

Thank you--I had concerns of the FWD vs RWD and towing traction. Seems to be little difference if on a good ramp and properly service vehicle. Have been out with brother-in-law with a Tahoe using only 2WD and he said it seemed to tow up the ramp fine. Also ramps have no moss or slime except in low water conditions. You are right that our first attempt should be with qualified supervision! My wife love's to fish and using her Escape in lieu of BIL's Tahoe would give extra freedom. It was great being out on the water again. Wish ya'll (Alabama howdy!) well!

Re: Towing Help

redone4x4 said:

what if it doesnt work out, and the boat pulls the car back into the water?

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No way that little boat will pull his Escape into the water. Might have a hard time pulling up if the ramps slippery, but it's not going to go into the water. If the ramp is that slimey that the Escape slides by itself then ANYTHING will slide into the water, no matter what he launches with.

I used to launch my 5500 lb boat (surge brakes, so no brakes in reverse) with my Jeep Cherokee (probably lighter than the Escape). There was one steep concrete ramp that was always covered with gravel from the gravel parking lot. People loved to watch me launch from there, waiting for a "stupid human trick" picture. Once I backed the trailer onto the slope, it dragged the Jeep sliding down the ramp with all 4 wheels locked up. As soon as the boat floated off the trailer the whole rig stopped. Launched like that for over a year until I bought my 3/4 ton Suburban 4WD.

Re: Towing Help

redone4x4 said:

And, how is the emergency brake on the rear axle going to prevent the front wheels from spinning? Not being mean, just being serious.

.

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For one, it has nothing to do with holding the front wheels, it does have to do with preventing the novice boat tower from rolling backwards only inches from the water and subsequently panicing and romping on the accelerator causing his entire rig to spin and slide backwards. If you have seen the mini-van incident then you'll see that more often than not, bad driving is way more responsible than using a fwd tow vehicle.

second, A FWD has an advantage in towing lighter boats as their drive wheels rarely if ever hit the "slippery" part of the ramp. And with the weight of a V6 sitting over his drive axle, I don't forsee this as a potentially dangerous situation as long as he has a bit of forethought and makes sure that his tongue weight is'nt disabling the drive wheels.

Not everyone has the luxury of buying a dedicated tow vehicle so if you can work with what you got, then I say go for it, as long as you go in informed. IMO, it's the guys who say "try it and find out" who are putting this man in danger.

Re: Towing Help

Should be fine for something that light. My father inlaw used to tow a 21 ft Malibu sunsetter with a chrysler mini van. Occasionally we would have to get a couple people to sit on the hood of the van for additional traction, but it always got the job done.

I personally tow with a 2wd Ram Crewcab, which will haul just about anything - but not everyone wants to ahve a full sized truck.

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I am agree w/ OAB. I tow a package ~ 1200lbs if full out of paved and dirt ramps with a V6 Sonata. I've never had an issue of slipping or being pulled backward.

I consider the FWD and advantage over RWD at this weight also. My Dad and I have used his E150 V8 van and could not get the boat up a ramp once because the bottom of the ramp was so slick.

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On a wide ramp i would cut the wheel to partly one side use the hand brake as my safety and/or back in diagonal and straighten just the trailer out once it was feet wet. That little angle seemed to give some added weight on the downhill tire and made a difference. tranny in "1". Was doing it with a couple of jet skis in a 6cyl Corsica about 15 years ago. would estimate total weight at about 1300#s. Would even work on coarse gravel beaches. Did it long enough to be able to afford a truck.

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I tow a boat about that size with a 2400 lb, FWD Saturn SL2. It works fine on paved ramps that aren't excessively steep.

Ocean Airbrush said:

redone4x4 said:

And, how is the emergency brake on the rear axle going to prevent the front wheels from spinning? Not being mean, just being serious.

Click to expand...

For one, it has nothing to do with holding the front wheels, it does have to do with preventing the novice boat tower from rolling backwards only inches from the water and subsequently panicing and romping on the accelerator causing his entire rig to spin and slide backwards. If you have seen the mini-van incident then you'll see that more often than not, bad driving is way more responsible than using a fwd tow vehicle.

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Exactly. One hand on the E-brake, one hand on the wheel, one foot on the gas and one foot on the clutch. Carefully release the brake as the clutch starts to engage and pull out smoothly. No rolling backwards and no wheelspin on paved surfaces.

Ocean Airbrush said:

second, A FWD has an advantage in towing lighter boats as their drive wheels rarely if ever hit the "slippery" part of the ramp. And with the weight of a V6 sitting over his drive axle, I don't forsee this as a potentially dangerous situation as long as he has a bit of forethought and makes sure that his tongue weight is'nt disabling the drive wheels.

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Having the drive wheels further from the water can make a huge difference. I've used a ramp where the pavement ends about 15 ft before the lake begins. When launching, I had to put the car on the gravel to get the boat in the water and I had a heck of a time getting out with just the empty trailer. Retrieving, I put the front wheels on the end of the pavement and winched the boat up (all of the rollers were out of the water). No problems getting out then.

Another trick I've tried is to winch the boat up just far enough to clip the safety chain onto the bow eye (about a foot from final position for me) and finish winching in the tie down area. Boat farther back = less tongue weight = more weight on drive wheels.

Re: Towing Help

Take a ride down to the ramp with no boat and see how it handles driving up the ramp when wet. If it does that with no issues, then you'll at least have some idea of what to expect. If it spins and slips, forget it with a boat.
I watched a guy this week back down a local ramp with an F250 and a 16' bass aluminum bass boat and get stuck, the boat was maybe 1,500 lbs and the truck had highway treaded tires. The thing spun and refused to climb the ramp with the empty trailer. Even with 8 guys in the bed it still just spun. It took another truck to pull it free of the ramp. I didn't stick around to see how they planned to retrieve the boat.

There's some truth to the fact that a FWD vehicle has an advantage since the tires don't get wet. If the ramp is smooth and there's nothing stopping the trailer from rolling freely, it may not be that big of a deal. It may just take a second passenger in the truck to keep the front wheels planted well enough to pull the load.

If in doubt, buy a tow strap, take a second vehicle just in case. Be ready for the worst. I doubt your in any danger of anything other than tying up the ramp a bit if it does spin, but I'm sure the solution is no more than weight distribution in your case, or at worst, find a better suited ramp.

Re: Towing Help

I think this has been touched on already, but the main thing is to accelerate gently when going back up the ramp. As long as the driver doesn't gun it all should be well.