Pipe Dream or? (1/2 ton towable aft cabin cruiser)

alan ber

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
143
O BOY MY FAVORITE TOPIC
I went from a walk around 21 ft fishing too a 31 ft
31 ft was sitting on a beautiful 3 axle trailer . Boat weights around 10 thousand lbs
I have a 1997 Ford F 350 5.8 gas not pretty but does a fine job towing, which is why I agreed too purchase boat.
In am no beginner towing anything . As a young man ( retired ) I owed for my business tractor trailer & straight job trucks
With that being said , Florida drivers scare me .
Retirement offers time too use boat and not crazy about monthly marina fees but sure beats launching, retrieving which is a two person job.
Driving on roads with inconsiderate knuckleheads ( will be polite ) road construction all over state , traffic
Forget about side streets, trees, turns, narrow streets
Purchased yearly wide load permit . $ 25.00 beats $ 1000 for no permit if DOT pulls you over .
Recently I had too tow boat from Cape Canaveral too Clearwater around 200 miles for mechanical work . What a royal pain in the butt ., stop & go traffic , panic break stops, merging traffic .
Biggest issue in my mind as I drive down I-4 or rt 95 legalities , getting into an accident your life can turn up side down . Tow vehicle under rated , bad tires, trailer brakes not working properly , the list goes on & on
I have done it with other boats but towing a short distance on straight away is generally OK . Pulling out at boat ramp is
the tough part. Also stopping puts additional strain on tow vehicle .
Even with my experience I have white knuckled it over bridge spans in wind ,
My original plans was too tow all over state like a water condo , a few weeks one area, then few weeks another area.
Found once I get someplace I now have too deal with truck & trailer parking. Few wanted too offer parking .
Go too a state park , launching is easy , now try finding parking for truck & trailer hoping too find when I return in a few days

TOWING A LARGE BOAT IS LIKE A JOB, AFTER A WHILE ITS NOT FUN for this silver haired retired guy

I now leave at a in/out marina . Call ahead boat in water, They offer slips too tie up few days with electric too hang out
When done they haul out into yard were I flush, clean, cover , go home . I find I am at boat 2 days of every week . If I had too tow boat would be sitting.
For 50 bucks if I want too trailer they will put boat onto my trailer . Would be free but do too size they have too use straps
Marina fees get old but no options

Back too my morning coffee , HAPPY BOATING .
 

JoLin

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
5,146
I hated it. 1999 Chris Craft 240 Express. With trailer, fuel and all the usual stuff aboard, the rig topped out at around 8,000 lbs. My tow vehicle was a 2003 Dodge Hemi-Ram 2500. The truck was a beast and fully capable of handling the load. I towed it 15 miles a few times a year and hated every second of it.

Once at the ramp, the boat was pita for my wife and I to launch and retrieve.

My .02
 

BRICH1260

Lieutenant
Joined
Jul 6, 2011
Messages
1,342
Why do you think that? There are many equalizing hitches that work fine with surge brakes.

I use an equilizing hitch with my boat trailer although I do have elect/hydraulic brakes.

Not saying it cannot be done. Just pointing out the fact that unless you read the fine print on actual towing capabilities you may be misinformed as to your trucks actual "real life" capabilities without. Most boaters do not plan on using or purchasing a WDH when they buy their rig. I see very few around our ramps.
 

Jeffh40

Recruit
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
4
How far are you going to be towing?
Bear in mind most truck tow ratings displayed are for use with a weight distribution hitch. Not real practical with a boat trailer.
I'd be leaning toward a 2500 series just to have the extra brakes and suspension, if nothing else.

Brakes and suspension, yes, but don't forget tires. They make a huge difference when towing any distance. I had a F-150 years ago that pulled a 7K travel trailer. We would get blown all over the road by the tractor trailers. The truck was rated at 10K but is wasn't comfortable. I bought a F-250 and the same trailer was a breeze. The tires and suspension are so stiff that the truck doesn't move at all. You don't notice the trailer at all.

I've since moved up to a 12K 5-th wheel. Same F-250. No towing issues.

I wouldn't want to two anything longer than a 24' cruiser with a 1/2 ton truck and only short distances, but that is just me.
 

Jeffh40

Recruit
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Messages
4
Aft cabins come in WAY less than 24-26 feet folks.. Our '87 Searay is one example, it's 21'. We spent 4 vacations and many many weekends in between camping out in this boat...

I had that exact model boat a dozen years ago or so. I loved it and spent the night on it a few times. A little cramped but with just me and the wife with babies, it was doable.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
Most boaters do not plan on using or purchasing a WDH when they buy their rig. I see very few around our ramps.
With all of the larger boats we owned, we used WDH hitches. Way more common around here. See them all the time.
 

Blind Date

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Messages
462
Not uncommon to have a 1/2T truck with less than 1500# of payload. That gets eaten up pretty fast with tongue weight.

Good point & true but:

Unlike a travel trailer a boat the size the OP is looking at should only have 5% of the total weight or less on the tongue if it is set-up correctly vs a travel trailer that will be at least 10% or greater. I'll bet my Sundancer doesn't even have 400 lbs at the tongue, probably closer to 350 & it tows like an absolute dream.

If you stay around 24' a modern 1/2 ton truck won't hardly break a sweat towing a pocket cruiser if everything is set up the way it should be and you drive it like you got 4 tons behind you.
 

Maclin

Admiral
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
6,761
The GVCR (Gross Vehicle Combined Rating) should be consider as well in my opinion. This is the total weight of the whole rig, vehicle+payload+trailer, actual weights going down the road. In many cases a full tank of gas in the tow vehicle can put the GVCR over limit even with a trailered weight just under the max tow rating of the vehicle.
 

NYBo

Admiral
Joined
Oct 23, 2008
Messages
7,107
I had a 26 foot Wellcraft I pulled with my F150. My new F150 can pull 12 tons. I think the big restriction is how wide the boat is. Someone can correct me here but I think ten feet and wider you need a special permit.
You are off by a factor of 2. The max for a "1/2 ton" is 12,000# or 6 tons. Still pretty impressive.
 

roffey

Commander
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
2,187
Yeah....I kinda doubt that!

The serious restrictions that 1/2T trucks have is not the rated towing but the rated payload. Not uncommon to have a 1/2T truck with less than 1500# of payload. That gets eaten up pretty fast with tongue weight.

I was what I like to say wrong.... 12000 lb or 6 tons.
 

roffey

Commander
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
2,187
What did you get? I just ordered an 18 Lariat Super Crew with e 3.5 ECO boost.

Wise choice my friend... mine is a XLT 2017 with the 3.5 echo boost. It is a blast to drive. I have never had a truck with this kind of power. With the lighter frame and motor .... it is just plane fun to drive. You will like it.
 

garbageguy

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 8, 2012
Messages
1,531
Don't think you can find an aft cabin and still tow "easy" with a half ton, 2500 for sure. Look at the lighter boat manufactures and this can help

I agree. Do any of the boats discussed/shown in this thread really have an aft cabin - or are terms being mixed?
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
Wise choice my friend... mine is a XLT 2017 with the 3.5 echo boost. It is a blast to drive. I have never had a truck with this kind of power. With the lighter frame and motor .... it is just plane fun to drive. You will like it.
Out of curiosity, what does the yellow sticker on your front door panel say the payload is? I know on the Super Crew, it can be up to 2040# but that is a bare bones model. Every option you get subtracts from it.
 

hvymtl939

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 6, 2017
Messages
495
So, don't think this is going to be an issue. We've decided to keep our pontoon as our trailer boat, and when we're ready for a crusier, we're just going to rent or purchase a slip at Lake of the Ozarks for it, since that's where it will get used for the most part.
 

roffey

Commander
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
2,187
IMHO, that's the way to go. When I had my cruiser and trailered it I had to have a first mate go with me to assist with retrieving the boat. I have stories to tell about the less experienced help... :facepalm:

... and you really can't hold them to task, if they don't know what can you say they were there just to help.
 
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Old Ironmaker

Captain
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,050
Good decision. If I ever moved up to a cruiser I would need to have a back up tinny to trailer to get to my fish. Tough to fish for Bass in a 28'er.
 
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