biggest cruiser/cuddy to comforatably tow with 09 4x4 RAM?

The truck is rated close to 10k . I want the towing to be comforatably within the limits of the truck and I will add a seperate brake controller.
I would like a boat with a cabin in the front and a decent toilet. We probably will rarely sleep on it but shelter for our three kids would be great. Fast enough to easily pull a water skier etc.
Thinking about trailer, fuel etc has me thinking a 7k pound boat? maybe a 25 foot Sundancer?

Thanks in advance!

Re: biggest cruiser/cuddy to comforatably tow with 09 4x4 RAM?

That's the range, 23-27' boats will fall into that. Mine's 23' at 6200lbs on the trailer ready to go.

Re: biggest cruiser/cuddy to comforatably tow with 09 4x4 RAM?

My 268 is close to 9000lbs with trailer, fuel, junk etc.

Re: biggest cruiser/cuddy to comforatably tow with 09 4x4 RAM?

I think that if you look at your owners manual you will see that that 10k rating is with a weight dist hitch.... without it may be reduced by as much as 50%..... You MAY be able to use a WDH but at the minimum it is something to look into

btw the truck pulling the 28'er in my sig is a dually and it is effortless..... I towed the same boat with no drives, engines, genny, a/c, fridge, stove, batteries water, or fuel (-3500+ lbs) with a 3/4 ton 4x4 suburban and while it did ok it was marginal.

If you want to use a big boat like this for water sports, understand that it costs about $5 a minute in fuel to run mine at that speed..... A single engine boat would be a little cheaper to run but would be that much harder to plane out

Re: biggest cruiser/cuddy to comforatably tow with 09 4x4 RAM?

You may be asking a lot out of your truck and your potential new boat. We live on the lake, and I've never seen any Sundancer pulling a skier. There are dozens of these boats within 3 miles of us hanging in boathouses.

It takes trim tabs just to get them to plane off, and I cannot imagine the height of the wake. A 22'-24' cuddy cabin might better fit your boating and trailering needs.

I assume you have a 1/2 ton hemi 4x4 Ram pickup. I would be hesitant to pull a big Sundancer equivalent boat that approaches your max load. Such boats are very long (trailer included) and not very aerodynamic. A semi-trailer truck can about turn you sideways as they pass. Despite looking large, 1/2 ton trucks don't really have the springs to handle 1000 lbs. hitch weight, and 1/2 ton brakes are marginal--in spite of having trailer brakes.

I used to pull a 6000 lb. 31' travel trailer with a E150 conversion van. When heavy trucks passed, it was frightening. And, that was with a equalizer hitch and anti-sway bars. My 3/4 ton diesel crew cab setup for pulling--with 80 hp program putting out 700 ft. pounds of torque. My truck is a minimum of what should pull a 25' Sundancer.

Unless you're willing to invest in a Ram 2500 or 3500 diesel, you probably would be best suited to get a lighter boat.

Re: biggest cruiser/cuddy to comforatably tow with 09 4x4 RAM?

Thanks for the replies. I like the looks of the Sundancer and the cabins but I don't think I want something that big. I had a little clue when everyone of them I saw online was drydocked or on a triaxle trailer. They also almost all had a pretty big arch on top. I think a Stingray 250CR cuddy would be closer to what I need.

Re: biggest cruiser/cuddy to comforatably tow with 09 4x4 RAM?


I towed my 2550 SX Chap (almost 7000 lbs with trailer and boat) from Ft. Meyers, FL to New York with an F150 4x4 (rated at 9400 lbs) with no problems at all. Just make double sure the trailer brakes are 100% operational. Towing it is the easy part, stopping is a whole new chapter. Hit a blizzard in NJ / NY during the tow (Dumb move on my part for doing it in February) and had zero problems, just had to slow way down and be carefull.

Re: biggest cruiser/cuddy to comforatably tow with 09 4x4 RAM?

I tow a Celebrity 231 SE, boats almost 24', almost 28' OAL on trailer. My F150 Supercab 4x4, 4.6 auto,3.55 gears, pulls it fairly easy. Big hills do slow me down but not to a crawl. Tow 170 miles to lake Erie all the time. The truck has disc brakes and will stop the truck and boat/trailer on a dime, every time. Tongue weight is no issue either. I also pull it with the wifes Expedition, 5.4 auto, 3.73 gears, no issue with that except it uses way more gas. I prefer to pull with the F150, a bit longer wheel base. Seems more stable at speed.

Re: biggest cruiser/cuddy to comforatably tow with 09 4x4 RAM?

donn this is where I ask you where you are looking to boat, the reason I ask is that if your in Colorado your going to want a big truck with a big motor for that size of boat, can you do it with a F150 or Ram 1500 sure, better hold on to your steering wheel when I pass you though. If your a flat lander then I can't speak to that although I would bet the lighter duty trucks would be fine with a little after market help.

Some pretty serious variables to think about, My boat with gear, gas and trailer is over 7000lbs, but I have plenty of truck.

Re: biggest cruiser/cuddy to comforatably tow with 09 4x4 RAM?

My signature says it all, and by the way, the three times I've towed the nearly 7000 lbs. boat with fuel, gear, water, etc.. My current trailer brakes are inoperable, hence some restore on the trailer as well . My 2003 Chevrolet Suburban 1500 does just fine, to include stopping the whole load. I drive slowly and methodically and rarely exceed 65 mph on the interstate. It does get a little sway in it when big trucks pass by, but nothing scary.

Just my .02 cents worth. Drive it reasonably, and you should have no problems right up to near your towing capacity.