Hauling 96' Rinker Captiva 212

rh92

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Feb 25, 2013
Messages
37
Hi, this is my first post. I recently bought my first boat and I am very excited even though its only 30 degrees here in Ohio :lol:.

I am wondering if my current vehicle will tow/ dock my new boat. I have a 2002 Ford Escape XLT V6 3L automatic (max towing capacity of 3500 LBS). The boat I recently boat is a 1996 20.5ft Rinker Capitiva 190HP mercruiser. I checked out the weight on your website for the boat and it sits about 2,675 LBS without gear. On the registration of the title it says the trailer weighs 1,000 LBS. Would you guys recommend using my Escape? The previous owner told me he weighed the boat at 5,700 LBS, I am not sure that is correct or even close.



Boat: 1996 Rinker Boats 212 Captiva
http://www.ford-trucks.com/specs/2002/2002_escape.html


Thank you for your help.
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: Hauling 96' Rinker Captiva 212

You need a stronger vehicle, rh92. By the time you have a full load of fuel and toys you will likely be over 5,000LBS.

I would NOT recommend a vehicle with a 5,000LB tow rating. I suggest a vehicle rated for 7,500Lb or more and be sure the trailer has good working brakes.

The Escape is a great little vehicle, but it is not a Expedition.
 

rh92

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Feb 25, 2013
Messages
37
Re: Hauling 96' Rinker Captiva 212

Hi, this is my first post. I recently bought my first boat and I am very excited even though its only 30 degrees here in Ohio :lol:.

I am wondering if my current vehicle will tow/ dock my new boat. I have a 2002 Ford Escape XLT V6 3L automatic (max towing capacity of 3500 LBS). The boat I recently boat is a 1996 20.5ft Rinker Capitiva 190HP mercruiser. I checked out the weight on your website for the boat and it sits about 2,675 LBS without gear. On the registration of the title it says the trailer weighs 1,000 LBS. Would you guys recommend using my Escape? The previous owner told me he weighed the boat at 5,700 LBS, I am not sure that is correct or even close.



Boat: 1996 Rinker Boats 212 Captiva
2002 Ford Escape Overview


Thank you for your help.


Thanks for the reply I appreciate it.
 

bnicov

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 25, 2009
Messages
348
Re: Hauling 96' Rinker Captiva 212

You definitely need a bigger vehicle to tow your boat with. The boat weighs 2775 + fuel (approx 200lbs for 30 gals) and gear. Add the trailer and you are over 4000 lbs. I would imagine its a tandem axle trailer (2 axles and 4 tires), you need a proper tow vehicle (full size SUV or 1/2 ton pickup). Don't mess around for safety's sake. You may be able to get it moving with the Escape, but at highway speeds, there is no way you will be able to stop it in any way of a hurry and your Escape will get destroyed trying to haul the boat. The transmission and engine will be abused big time.
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,468
Re: Hauling 96' Rinker Captiva 212

You need a stronger vehicle, rh92. By the time you have a full load of fuel and toys you will likely be over 5,000LBS.

I would NOT recommend a vehicle with a 5,000LB tow rating. I suggest a vehicle rated for 7,500Lb or more and be sure the trailer has good working brakes.

The Escape is a great little vehicle, but it is not a Expedition.

Ayuh,.... I agree with JB,...

I'd think with yer current car, the Tail, would wag the Dog...
 

jkust

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
4,942
Re: Hauling 96' Rinker Captiva 212

As mentioned above, you are in the wrong ballpark tow vehicle-wise. While the Escape presumable is capable of pulling that much weigh, it'd destroy the drivetrain, and can only imagine the potential disaster on the highway with any sort of emergency maneuver. I would however recommend a minimum of 6,500lb tow rating of many midsized, body on frame suv's.
 

tpenfield

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
17,624
Re: Hauling 96' Rinker Captiva 212

Figure on 4500 lbs total. The specified weight of the boat seems light, but I checked a couple of places. The funny thing is that the next size up is a whole lot heavier.

anyway tow vehicle rated for at least 5000 lbs would be good for you, as the others have mentioned.

did you really think folks would say the Escape was OK?
 

jkust

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
4,942
Re: Hauling 96' Rinker Captiva 212

Surpisingly you can get unibody crossovers with whimpy v6 engines that are rated to tow 5000lbs. I'm not certain how that is possible as I always just assumed 3500lbs was the limit for unibody. Chevy Traverse and all of it's cousins can be up to 5000lbs depending on how it is ordered. The next step up from the 5000 puts you in truck body territory where even a 6500lb capacity is drivetrain limited not robustness limited as they will have the same large v8 in much larger trucks but not the same drivetrain parts (so they have to manage the torque with the pcm). My point I suppose is while the 5000lb minivan based crossover can tow, the truck based crossover will do a much better job at the margins. I almost forgot about the new Jeeps and Durangos with even higher tow ratings.
 

briangcc

Commander
Joined
Jul 10, 2012
Messages
2,090
Re: Hauling 96' Rinker Captiva 212

^^ Uh huh. My brother in law's Jeep (I think its the Liberty) is supposedly rated for 3500 towing (not verified, I'm going off what the B.I.L. claims and that's been known to be bad info). This is one of the first gens and there's no way in heck I'd tow 3500 with it. He's still insistent he can pull the 20' bass boat (he doesn't own one yet) with it.

Now my sister's Wrangler is another story...I'd feel really comfortable towing 3500 with that. Wider and longer wheelbase than her hubby's Liberty.

OP...look at something like the Trailblazers, Yukons, or Silverado/Sierra (from the GM lineup). Alternately the Tacoma or Tundra should do just fine with your load.

BTW: If you want to know your total weight, hitch it up to a friend's SUV/pickup and take it to a public scale with all the gear you plan on carrying. You'll know without a doubt what it weighs and the tow rating you should be shooting for. Around NY, most major truck rest stops have public scales as do junk yards and recyclers (paper, metal, etc). Just pay a nominal fee and you'll get the weight of your load.
 

jkust

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
4,942
Re: Hauling 96' Rinker Captiva 212

^^ He's still insistent he can pull the 20' bass boat (he doesn't own one yet) with it..



OP...look at something like the Trailblazers, Yukons, or Silverado/Sierra (from the GM lineup). Alternately the Tacoma or Tundra should do just fine with your load.QUOTE]

20 Foot Bassboat likely weighs very little compared to the same loa deep v with an i/o. Trailblazer and it's nicer cousins Envoy, Rainier and the uber nice SAAB 9-7x I think are some of the best deals on the market...you can get them for practically nothing with a 5.3 or a 6.0 (not the Evnoy) with 4wd or AWD with all of the appropriate towing features but they were last produced at the end of 2009.
 

briangcc

Commander
Joined
Jul 10, 2012
Messages
2,090
Re: Hauling 96' Rinker Captiva 212

My point about my B.I.L. wasn't the weight necessarily, although I still wouldn't do it with his vehicle...its more a function of wheelbase. That trailer gets swaying for that non-existent bass boat of his dreams (and my sister's nightmares) and he's going to be in a ditch or worse.

My uncle tows with a Trailblazer without any issues. 18' Sylvan with 75HP Yamaha. My cousin had the GMC flavor until he stepped up to a 1500 Chevy Crew Cab 4x4 to tow his newer 18' Sylvan with I want to say an 80 Rude.
 

Jake007

Seaman
Joined
Jan 8, 2011
Messages
73
Re: Hauling 96' Rinker Captiva 212

Like others have said... get a new tow vehicle. I used to drive Ford Explorers for previous 20' boats, but all it took was one highway speed quick stop from the car in front of me for me to realize that I needed a bigger vehicle. The explorer could tow the boat fine it just could not stop it in emergency type handling. I had all four wheels locked up on the trailer and truck, yet the boat pushed the explorer like it was not there. I still avoided an accident since I do not follow close especially when I trailer. Soon after I went out and traded into the Tahoe line. I have been running Tahoes ever since. I pay a little more in gas but I feel much safer for my family and self. Consider a Tahoe or truck for boat towing.
 
Top