Largest boat you can practically trailer?

I need a little advice on a big boat. What do ya'll think is the largest boat you can practically trailer around? I know anything can be trailer with enough truck and permits.

My Wife is already hitting the point of wanting a larger boat with a larger "Basement" cuddy or cabin and I haven't even got my 223 into the water yet. LOL.



Truck size isn't a problem. I got a 4wd K1500 Chevy, 3/4 ton K20 Chevy 4wd and a Dodge 3500 CTD 4wd dually.


Edit: Please post a few year, make, models in the size ya'll recommend, I need research material.

Thanks! Y'all are some of the most helpful bunch of people!

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

I've got a 26' Wellcraft Antigua that I've pulled with my Ram1500. Doesn't require any permits as the beam is 8'3" but it's BIG, and my wife any I are just about to get ourselves a slip. Both for convienience and for sanity. A 26'er can be trailered - but it is work.
(and I like you - haven't even gotten it in the water yet since purchasing her last month).

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

Usually you will be to big once you get to 28ft. At that point you could be getting to wide depending on the manufacture. Some will be 8.6 wide,some wider.The widest allowed on the highway without permits is 8ft 6in (102wide).Beyond 28 ft you will most likely be to wide. Length will not be a issue.For practicality 26 ft would be the limit.Also you will need to watch the height if it has a radar arch.



I trailer this (30ft) and it can be a handful

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

I tow my 92 Cruisers 2870 Rogue occasionally. She's 32' OAL x 9.5' Beam and 12.5' high on the trailer. Fully loaded with fuel & water she's about 12,500lb on the trailer. If she's empty she'd be closer to 11,500lb.

My truck is a 94 Ford F250 with a 460ci gas motor so she's quite the beast to trailer around.
Your Dodge 3500 would be a much better choice.
Much easier to keep her in a slip and let the marina handle haulout and storage.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

Dawg'sLife93 said:

Truck size isn't a problem. I got a 4wd K1500 Chevy, 3/4 ton K20 Chevy 4wd and a Dodge 3500 CTD 4wd dually.

Click to expand...

Believe it or not, your truck (and your budget of course) will limit the size of the boat.

I know a few people towing boats that you couldn't safely tow with a 1 ton dually; one in particular is towing a 50' Wellcraft Meteor (behind a cabover Kenworth). "Practical to tow" really depends on the person and where you boat.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

We trailer our 270 sundancer and it is 31 foot overall and 10 foot on the beam.
We get a over width permit by the month for $30.

NOW, with just the wife and me, this is a beast and before we even attempt to launch or load it we take alot of time to pick the right place to do it as water levels change and become to shallow, or current could be to fast, ramp to steep ETC.

So the best advise I can give you if the wife can't drive/back the truck and trailer, or proficiantly drive the boat, dont go big, what a PITA!!

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

... how far you're trailering comes into play too. A few mile drive is not gonna' be as big a deal on a weekend as a 2 1/2 hour haul draggin' a sea monster.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

I trailer my 28' welly all the time by myself... it's no more difficult that launching my 10'er EXCEPT for climbing over the nose.... If I was feeble I couldn't do it.

My boat has a 10'3" beam. You don't need permits unless you have to travel a state highway.... county roads and city streets (unless they are on a state route) don't need permits... That said I've made 3 2000 mile round trips with this boat, a sister, and a 12' wide regal on the return trips and my 108" wide trailer empty on the way up and never bought a single permit.... Not to say you couldn't get a ticket but if your trip to the ramp is short then it's unlikely.

I barely even feel the boat behind my dually and 70 mph cruise is easy and relaxing.

Obviously not everyone's driving skills are up to towing at all much less at a 20,000+ lb gross but I have no issue with it at all and it saves me $200-$300 / month plus $1-$2 / gallon of gas.

Towing big you HAVE to be in the group of people that look a bit further than the hood going down the road... don't even think about pulling into a gas station or anywhere else till you know how you will turn around and get back out.

Width can be an issue but usually height will be a problem first.

13'6" is legal height in most states and going over DOES require permits... specified routs and possibly escort cars with feeler poles BUT anything over 12' and sometimes 10' will often put you into trees... light limbs don't hurt a semi but can be hell on antennas biminis (rolled of course) and etc plus fill the boat with leaves..... dodging trees and oncoming traffic requires a special breed of driver.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

a2dubnut said:

I've got a 26' Wellcraft Antigua that I've pulled with my Ram1500. Doesn't require any permits as the beam is 8'3" but it's BIG, and my wife any I are just about to get ourselves a slip. Both for convienience and for sanity. A 26'er can be trailered - but it is work.
(and I like you - haven't even gotten it in the water yet since purchasing her last month).

Click to expand...

Thalasso said:

Usually you will be to big once you get to 28ft. At that point you could be getting to wide depending on the manufacture. Some will be 8.6 wide,some wider.The widest allowed on the highway without permits is 8ft 6in (102wide).Beyond 28 ft you will most likely be to wide. Length will not be a issue.For practicality 26 ft would be the limit.Also you will need to watch the height if it has a radar arch.



I trailer this (30ft) and it can be a handful

Click to expand...

bekosh said:

I tow my 92 Cruisers 2870 Rogue occasionally. She's 32' OAL x 9.5' Beam and 12.5' high on the trailer. Fully loaded with fuel & water she's about 12,500lb on the trailer. If she's empty she'd be closer to 11,500lb.

My truck is a 94 Ford F250 with a 460ci gas motor so she's quite the beast to trailer around.
Your Dodge 3500 would be a much better choice.
Much easier to keep her in a slip and let the marina handle haulout and storage.

Click to expand...

Thank you for the replies. Thats the kind of info I'm looking for.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

emilsr said:

Believe it or not, your truck (and your budget of course) will limit the size of the boat.

I know a few people towing boats that you couldn't safely tow with a 1 ton dually; one in particular is towing a 50' Wellcraft Meteor (behind a cabover Kenworth). "Practical to tow" really depends on the person and where you boat.

Click to expand...

If I have to pull out the 379 Pete with the ISX Cummins, I don't need a boat that big! LOL.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

rbh said:

We trailer our 270 sundancer and it is 31 foot overall and 10 foot on the beam.
We get a over width permit by the month for $30.

NOW, with just the wife and me, this is a beast and before we even attempt to launch or load it we take alot of time to pick the right place to do it as water levels change and become to shallow, or current could be to fast, ramp to steep ETC.

So the best advise I can give you if the wife can't drive/back the truck and trailer, or proficiantly drive the boat, dont go big, what a PITA!!

Click to expand...

The permits will be a PITA, I'll be towing in 4 states. To much hassle.

My wife can drive. LOL She pulled her drag car with her 4500 Kodiak and her 28ft enclosed all by herself.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

southkogs said:

... how far you're trailering comes into play too. A few mile drive is not gonna' be as big a deal on a weekend as a 2 1/2 hour haul draggin' a sea monster.

Click to expand...

I'll be traveling anywhere from N.GA to NickerJack to Guntersville,AL to Decatur,AL. So, anywhere from 15 mins to 4 hours.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

smokeonthewater said:

I trailer my 28' welly all the time by myself... it's no more difficult that launching my 10'er EXCEPT for climbing over the nose.... If I was feeble I couldn't do it.

My boat has a 10'3" beam. You don't need permits unless you have to travel a state highway.... county roads and city streets (unless they are on a state route) don't need permits... That said I've made 3 2000 mile round trips with this boat, a sister, and a 12' wide regal on the return trips and my 108" wide trailer empty on the way up and never bought a single permit.... Not to say you couldn't get a ticket but if your trip to the ramp is short then it's unlikely.

I barely even feel the boat behind my dually and 70 mph cruise is easy and relaxing.

Obviously not everyone's driving skills are up to towing at all much less at a 20,000+ lb gross but I have no issue with it at all and it saves me $200-$300 / month plus $1-$2 / gallon of gas.

Towing big you HAVE to be in the group of people that look a bit further than the hood going down the road... don't even think about pulling into a gas station or anywhere else till you know how you will turn around and get back out.

Width can be an issue but usually height will be a problem first.

13'6" is legal height in most states and going over DOES require permits... specified routs and possibly escort cars with feeler poles BUT anything over 12' and sometimes 10' will often put you into trees... light limbs don't hurt a semi but can be hell on antennas biminis (rolled of course) and etc plus fill the boat with leaves..... dodging trees and oncoming traffic requires a special breed of driver.

Click to expand...

I don't want to risk tickets. I got a seatbelt ticket the other day just crossing the road from one lot to the other lot. LOL. I'll get busted for no permits, if I just think about it.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

btw... the rig in my sig is the one I'm talking about

If you intend to stay under 102" I wouldn't get a cruiser any bigger than 25-26' or a cig boat any bigger than about 28'

as for permits check with the permit offices in the states in which you plan to tow. Some have exemptions for rec boats and many have cheap annual permits for rec boats.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

Dawg'sLife93 said:

If I have to pull out the 379 Pete with the ISX Cummins, I don't need a boat that big! LOL.

Click to expand...

Of course you don't NEED a boat that big, but the question is do you WANT a boat that big?

Again, it's a personal decision, but I feel comfortable with this setup. Wife drives the boat (unless we're fighting wind and/or current), I drive the truck, and it's pretty easy for us to get around. Boat is 26' (28 1/2' overall). The cuddy is just big enough to nap (or use the porta potti)....wifey wanted a trailerable cruiser but I wasn't on board with that (and I write the checks). It was a good compromise for us.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

I tow my Bayliner 255 around with a 2500 Diesel. Pulling it is not a problem. Putting it in and out every weekend can get a bit old esp when the ramps are busy. I wish I got the 28 footer but I think that would be as big as I would want to go with.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

Also check your local laws about permits. I know in NC personal boats are exluded from the8''6" limit.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

emilsr said:

Of course you don't NEED a boat that big, but the question is do you WANT a boat that big?

Again, it's a personal decision, but I feel comfortable with this setup. Wife drives the boat (unless we're fighting wind and/or current), I drive the truck, and it's pretty easy for us to get around. Boat is 26' (28 1/2' overall). The cuddy is just big enough to nap (or use the porta potti)....wifey wanted a trailerable cruiser but I wasn't on board with that (and I write the checks). It was a good compromise for us.

Click to expand...

No, I don't want that big. LOL I have used Grandpa's Wellcraft 400. Uses way too much gas and is a pain to enjoy.

I have basicly the same as you now, but the wife wants something larger that we can weekend on.

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

Dawg'sLife93 said:

I have basicly the same as you now, but the wife wants something larger that we can weekend on.

Click to expand...

That Condurre is a nice boat, Cobalt's "hot rod". I like 'em, but you're right....not a weekender.

The problem (as I see it) isn't really size. Honestly, once you get used to it you'd be surprised at how easy it is to launch and recover a 30, 40 or even 50' boat.

My issue with trailerable "cruisers" is twofold: First, they're generally a little "tippy". For anything over 24-25', you need more beam than you can trailer without a permit. Second, and this is what has kept me out of cruisers (except for one experiment with a 30' Century in 1991-1992) is all the various systems. Stove, fridge, HVAC.....all of that stuff has to survive bouncing around in a marine environment AND has to be repaired/replaced when (not if) it breaks. Gensets are generally pretty bulletproof, but they need annual maintenance (something like having another engine).

I just didn't want to deal with all that complexity.....the potential for something to break. With my limited amount of boating time I want to make the most of it; boat rather than wrench. Been there, done that, just wasn't my thing (personal opinion of course). Besides, it's cheaper to stay in a hotel than buy/maintain/operate a bigger boat. :lol:

Re: Largest boat you can practically trailer?

I'd say 23'; anything bigger goes in a slip. I can't imagine it would be pleasurable to deal with hooking up, driving, launching, parking, hauling out, driving and parking something that big just for a boat ride, and every time at that.

but that's just a coastal perspective