What do you pull your boat with?

overload

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 26, 2008
Messages
39
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

My boat puller is '97 GMC K1500 with 350 V8, 342 rear end. Boat fully loaded with gear and supplies is about 2500 lbs. Hardly know it's even back there, perfect. Pulls a Ski Nautique almost the same. Saddly the truck has 215K and the transmission is due for a rebuilt plus all the other quirks of a 200k plus truck. My wife is trying to get me to retire the old truck and invest in a Honda Pilot.
 

BIGcarpy50

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
268
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

pull the 1971 starcraft superspot with a 04 f150xl v6 rwd. can't even feel the thing on the back. sorry if the pic is dark..only one i have right now
 

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JasonB

Lieutenant
Joined
Feb 10, 2003
Messages
1,449
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

Pull our 19' (4200lbs ready to roll) with the wife's '01 Expedition XLT Sport 2wd w/ the 4.6l and 3.31 limited slip gears. Really needs a bit lower gears to go with the larger 17" wheels, but it holds its own. Can occasionally get it to stay in OD for a while on level ground @ 65-70. Gets anywhere from 14 to 22 empty, 12-14 towing.
 

rc3477

Cadet
Joined
Jun 17, 2008
Messages
29
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

I pull a 16' celebrity 125hp Force, with a 2007 F-150 5.4L V-8 4wd
 

jkust

Rear Admiral
Joined
Aug 2, 2008
Messages
4,942
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

I pull our 2003 Chaparral dry weight 2900# loaded up around 3300# with our 2000 Oldsmobile Silhouette mini Van. It is front wheel drive with factory tow package. Tows, stops and pulls great even at the steepest ramps....unless they are poor quality ramps or dirt. I have to avoid dirt ramps or ones that require 4 wheel drive. My plan is to get an SUV this upcoming year for next season to get some extra power on take off and get onto some of the lakes I can't access without 4 wheel drive. I have gotten a few disbelief comments that a van can handle the boat as well as it does.
 

Andy in NY

Commander
Joined
Oct 25, 2007
Messages
2,109
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

'73 mfg gypsy 14' w/66 merc 500, towed by a 99 olds bravada

DSC00257.jpg
 

NelsonQ

Lieutenant
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
Messages
1,413
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

Pull my 17' 2002 Hurricane Deck boat with a 2004 Pontiac Montana
 

clarkbre

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 3, 2008
Messages
176
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

Ok, don't laugh...here's my set up:

I pull a 2000 Lund WC16 with my 2003 Subaru Legacy. The boat's equipped with a 15hp Suzuki and the whole package only weighs in at 900lbs. The Sub does great and it's nice to have a car match the clolor of my boat. Anyways, I just found the forum and am learning a lot.

 

matt9923

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 6, 2008
Messages
421
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

I pull my skis and boats with a 2004 f250 super duty, jeep wrangler, or yamaha grizzly!.
Wow im on my laptop don't have picks :eek:
Yamaha-Grizzly-700-FI-Automatic-4x4-2007-red.jpg
 

Dante04SRT

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Messages
311
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

2000 GMC Sierra 4x4 w/ 5.3 Vortec and 4spd auto.
2007 Ebbtide 200 SE w/4.3 Merc (rated empty at 2900#)

No complaints - Plenty of power to pull.

A few feet shy of 50 FEET LONG goin' down the road!

DSCF3531.jpg
 

drknute3

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
98
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

Day trips to the local lake I pull with an 07 Avalanche LTZ. If its going away for the weekend, we pull with 38 foot Holiday Rambler motorhome.
 

bigred69

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 23, 2008
Messages
96
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

2001 Ford Expedition 4.6:cool:
 

reelfishin

Captain
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
3,043
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

1994 Ford Ranger 4x2 4cyl 5spd stick long bed.
I also have a 1996 Dodge one ton van but the Ranger runs cheaper and does just fine with all but my largest boats.
The van lacks traction on the ramp and gets about 12 to the gallon.
The Ranger gets 20+ even when towing.
The Ranger replaced a Crown Vic wagon which towed fine but was pretty rough on gas.
I've been looking for a clean, low mileage mid 90's F150 4x2 with a 4.9L I6 with A/C in either an auto or stick with no luck. I had one of those years ago and it did great. I sold my old one after over 280,000 miles.

Most of my boats are in the 1500lb range with only one being a bit heavier, so I don't need a large truck these days. Gas prices have had me slowly converting all my boats to smaller aluminum models with smaller motors.
Gone are the days of the F350 Diesel Dually and 31' Sportfishing boat with twin engines. With gas at $4+ at the docks, I prefer to save as much as I can and to be able to spend more time fishing even if it means making do with less truck or boat.
 
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
12
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

I drive a 2007 f150 crewcab 4x4 with a 5.4 8 cyl. Gets about 10 mpg towing the pontoon...
 

Uraijit

Banned
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
884
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

Swear I've posted it before... There seem to be a lot of these threads floating around. :D

DSCN1525-1.jpg
 

cpdinc1800

Cadet
Joined
Apr 25, 2008
Messages
9
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

I use a 1999 Volvo V70 station wagon to tow a 16.5 foot Key Largo CC with an 80HP Mercury. Laugh if you will, but the Volvos (240/ 850/V70, etc) are rated to tow 3,300 lbs. The boat is listed at less than 1,000, the motor is probably @ 250. Total has got to be under 2,000lbs. With the turbo models, they have a tranny cooler from the factory. I launch at the Baldwin Bridge ramp in CT and have not had a problem yet. Traction control and front wheel drive. I really want a 13ft whaler so I can tow it with my Toyota Echo!!:p
 

Uraijit

Banned
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
884
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

I see no problem with your current rig.

The fact that you have an eco, though... Well, at least it's not a "smart" :)rolleyes:) car. :D
 

krakatoa

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 8, 2008
Messages
705
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

My SSV 190 Glastron is pulled by a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Special Edition V6, NO PROBLEM MAN!:)

pull1.jpg


pull2.jpg
 

winfan

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 13, 2008
Messages
36
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

I pull a 1988 VIP Vision 1750 with

When camping 2002 Rexhall Aerbus Ford V10
AB1.jpg


When not camping 2006 2500 HD 8.1L 6 Speed Allison Trans
2006C2500.jpg
 

cadunkle

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
May 8, 2006
Messages
128
Re: What do you pull your boat with?

I tow my 21' Marlin (not sure on weight, maybe 2500-3000) with an '86 F-250. 351W, ZF5 stickshift, NP208 tcase, 4" lift on 38x15 bias tires. I would like to go back to 35" radials as the 38" bias tires are no fun for towing and in general are a pain on the street. They like to follow ruts, but that is the nature of bias ply tires. Only 15 minutes drive to the ramp though. Pic is with 35" tires.

P1010903.jpg
 
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