Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

[Cap'n_Half-hitch]

Hello, all! I hope this isn't a rehash of any older posts, but I couldn't find anything during my searches that would help. I could really use some advice from some of you experienced boaters out there.

Currently I have a lovable old 15' Glastron bowrider that I tow with a Subaru Forester. The rig is so light sometimes I forget it's back there until I look into the rearview mirror and see a boat tailgating me. That's always a little disconcerting. . . Anyway, now I've got a couple of kids and I'm looking for a small cuddy ski boat (protected waters).

My Subaru is rated for 2400 lbs towing in the US, and 4800 everywhere else in the world. I assume the difference has to do with American marketing or regulation and not the car itself.

I have two questions.
1. Should I stay under the American towing limit? If I'm a bit over do I risk a fine? I really do think the capability of the car is much more.
2. Can anyone recommend lightly built cuddies? Most of the ones I'm looking at are 2000 or newer and they are all pretty wide and heavily built. 2700 lbs is about as light as I can find one, and that's before gas and trailer.

Thanks in advance for the info!

 

[surge006]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

The main concern would be the boat taking over control of the car if something were to happen like swerving or braking. Most anything can tow more than it is capiable of towing its just not safe. Is it illegal ? No. Its not but i wouldnt wanna with my family in the car.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

I cannot think of a single cuddy you could safely tow with a Forester.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

The main concern would be the boat taking over control of the car if something were to happen like swerving or braking. Most anything can tow more than it is capiable of towing its just not safe. Is it illegal ? No. Its not but i wouldnt wanna with my family in the car.

Agree.....A short wheelbase vehicle like that was just not designed for towing heavy loads.It would not take much for the boat to push the tow vehicle sideways in an emergency stop condition.
Also you never want to tow the max rating anyway.Add gear,fuel,passengers,ect there is no way i would hitch a boat that size to the Subaru..

 

[NYBo]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

There are some older cuddies in the 17' range that will be light enough. However, with such a light tow vehicle, I would absolutely add brakes to the trailer and a transmission cooler to the Subaru.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

If you can afford a 2000 and newer cuddy then you can afford an old 80's chevy pickup to pull it with and occasionally haul a couch for a buddy

why destroy your car and risk lives to save on buying a $1500 pickup

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

C-Dory 16'.

http://www.c-dory.com/boats/classic/cruiser-16/

Towing weight would be less the 2000 lbs.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

14' Mayland
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MAYLAND-14-CU...ewItemQQptZUK_Power_Boats?hash=item27af354019


Aeroliner

http://www.autotrader.ca/result/det...no=1&srt=10&CompanyID=&r=newfoundlandlabrador



I'm with smoke, spend a couple grand on a truck, then get the boat you really want.

 

[Cap'n_Half-hitch]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

Thank you all for your input, and especially RotaryRacer for the link to a very interesting looking C-dory. I've never seen one of those before but they look like a definite possibility.

I remember growing up in the 70's when nobody would think twice about towing a 20' boat with a car while the kids hopped around in the back seat unrestrained. It's interesting how our perception of risk has changed lately, isn't it? I wonder if our children will be horrified that we took them boating without automatically inflating exposure suits and individual EPIRBs?

 

[JB]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

I can't imagine a cuddy that I would try to tow with my Forester, even with trailer brakes.

 

[Cap'n_Half-hitch]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

Hey, I just saw that Mayland link from Roscoe. That's a really cute boat. I'd need two of them to pull me on skis though!

I get where you guys are coming from on the big old truck concept, but if we're just talking about safety I'd still take a modern Subaru with all wheel drive, electronic stability control, six airbags and modern engineering over an old Chevy and just go a little smaller on the boat.

Don't get me wrong, I like big old trucks on a visceral level and old sports cars, too. I just don't fool myself into thinking they are all that safe. Statistically speaking, you're much more likely to die in a pickup than in something like a modern Honda Civic.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

The idea is to drive and tow safe, you dont have to participate in a Nascar race with the truck while towing the boat.
I'll take the pick up truck in an accident against a civic.

 

[Cap'n_Half-hitch]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

Speaking of racing and towing. . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHHmQ_e2X_8

So this would not be the right way to pull a boat, right? It kinda reminds me of the boat ramp on Memorial Day.

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

I loved my Arima. 15'11" X 7 1/2'. Boat/engine/trailer = 2150lbs.​

http://www.arimaboats.com/se16.htm​

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

That thing is cool ^^^^^

 

[jonesg]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

Check out aluminum , 18' cuddy , they tend to be quite light, very nice boats.
I agree you can snag v8 pickups very cheap these days if you need one.
I use a large van.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

Thank you all for your input, and especially RotaryRacer for the link to a very interesting looking C-dory. I've never seen one of those before but they look like a definite possibility.

I remember growing up in the 70's when nobody would think twice about towing a 20' boat with a car while the kids hopped around in the back seat unrestrained. It's interesting how our perception of risk has changed lately, isn't it? I wonder if our children will be horrified that we took them boating without automatically inflating exposure suits and individual EPIRBs?

All well and good but those cars back in the 70's weighed at least twice of what the new cars weigh.
I drive big rigs for a living and have towed everything you could imagine with dually pick up trucks.Until you have one push you sideways when trying to stop you will not understand. Not worth risking lives by using a small tow vehicle.
I tow my 21 ft cuddy with a Chevy Tahoe and believe me,a panic stop can still get hairy.
Not trying to be cynical but safety for the family and other motorist should come first.
I have seen so many wrecks with boats and campers hooked to these small SUV vehicles.
The weight of whats being towed versus the weight and short wheelbase of the tow vehicle can be a deadly combination.

Just the other day i came across a Honda Odessy van that was towing about a 18 ft bowrider. Both were destroyed and in a mangled heap in the median.

As far as being safer in a new Honda Civic versus an older truck as someone mentioned....i would take the truck any day.

I had a new Honda Accord pull out in front of me a few years back.
My Tahoe needed a new bumper and grill...the Honda was a total loss.

 

[Cap'n_Half-hitch]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

Hey, that Arima is cool. Now the trick would be to find one in my area. All the dealerships are in New England and the Pacific NW, but I'm sure some must have trickled down. I like the C-Dory too, even though they seem to have ripped off their name from Cape Dory yachts. This forum is great. Thanks, guys.

Here's my boating philosophy in case anyone cares. Smaller is better. Easier to launch, easier to tow, cheaper to operate, less polluting.

When I have a bigger crowd than can fit in my boat, I either shuttle them to a park that becomes our base of operations or we go raft up with other friendly folks. It's more fun that way. The talkers can talk, the skiers can ski, and the snoozers can snooze.

 

[Cap'n_Half-hitch]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

All well and good but those cars back in the 70's weighed at least twice of what the new cars weigh.
QUOTE]

I thought that too. Those old cars sure do look heavy, but surprisingly modern cars weigh about the same as their older counterparts. Their engines, sheetmetal and frames are lighter (though stronger and stiffer), but newer cars have a bunch of other stuff, like 30 miles of copper for electronics, airbags, more padded seats, etc. that really adds up. Don't take my word for it - look up curb weights if you like. Compare, say, a Ford Galaxie to a new Taurus. (Both about 4000 lb) Strange but true.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Light cuddy to tow with a Subaru Forester?

The idea is to drive and tow safe, you dont have to participate in a Nascar race with the truck while towing the boat.
I'll take the pick up truck in an accident against a civic.

might want to reconsider...

in a multi vehicle accident, you are about 2x as likely to die in a pickup/suv compared to your average car.

In a single vehicle accident, it goes up to 4x more likely to meet the big guy upstairs. (if you put a pickup/suv into the ditch, you probably are going to roll) Father-in-law is a 25 year retired highway patrol. His experience and stories back those up. He pretty much knew if there was a pickup involved it most likely rolled, and your chances go down once your wheels are up.

And your odds in a pickup vs car collision aren't any better. Almost always the car will lift up a corner of the pickup and send it wheels up, while the car spins out.

I had a new Honda Accord pull out in front of me a few years back.
My Tahoe needed a new bumper and grill...the Honda was a total loss.

About 2 months ago there was a picture on the front page of a local paper. Honda civic pulled out in front of a F250. Civic had a damaged front end, nothing too bad but probably not totaled either. The owner was shaken but not hurt. Pickup was upside down in the ditch, cab collapsed, owner was under a white sheet. The car had pulled out without seeing the truck, the truck hit the front end and lifted up, rolled, slid over a curb and down the ditch upside down. Accidents like this a VERY common.