Never owned a boat!

[MarioAlvaradoJunior@outlo]

It's funy that this site ranks you based on the number of posts lolz

 

[MarioAlvaradoJunior@outlo]

Only having 2 WD is probably the biggest issue. Even with minimal fuel and gear aboard your launch and retrieve weight is going to be 8,500-9,000 lbs.

You will certainly be over your weight rating, so it is a matter of the driving situation and the launch ramp situation.

Let us know how it goes.

I think you make the most sense the 2wd 8,000 lbs GVWR at an incline makes the biggest issue! Just having a 4x4 diesel won't improve the situation anymore unless it is a 2500HD or beefier vehicle.

 

[Lou C]

The other issue is that 4x4s have low range which is a huge benefit in pulling out a heavy boat. Here's the NV242 transfer case shifter in our old '98 Jeep, the low range gives you a 2.73:1 gear reduction. Our '07 has an automatic full time transfer case with electronically shifted low range, same thing....
Both of them lock the front and rear driveshafts together in low range for maximum traction....

 

[Scott Danforth]

It surprises me that people be launching boats full of water black water etc.. I looked at the batteries their about 60-70 pounds apiece 3 batteries are average so that 120 pounds. I have looked at lighter boats, and rented them but it's like being on a 7-meter rib after a while you're like now what? So, I definitely do not want to go lighter. 5 to 15 knot cruising speed is just fine and dump black water at 10 NM. But I would probably fare better with a 2500 HD ford in pulling her out.

3 batteries are 60-70# is 180-210#. Not 120

The Monterey most likely has a pump head vs macerator. So you are pumping at home or at the fuel docks and not dumping at sea

 

[Scott Danforth]

I think you make the most sense the 2wd 8,000 lbs GVWR at an incline makes the biggest issue! Just having a 4x4 diesel won't improve the situation anymore unless it is a 2500HD or beefier vehicle.

4 wheel drive simply gives you traction. I have pulled 10000# rigs up a ramp with an 4 wheel drive durango for guys that couldnt move it with a F350 diesel duely because they were spinning. however yes, a 250 or even an extended heavy duty 150 would have a higher towing capacity. a 250 HD would squat less.

 

[RMClark]

you also only have 2 wheel drive. if there is any algae on the ramp, you will not be able to retrieve the boat and most likely will end up on youtube with your yukon being pulled in. 50% of the ramps I launch and retrieve from require 4 wheel drive a good part of the year. these are improved ramps with algae and slime on them which makes them slicker than elephant snot. the tides hide or expose up to 20 feet of this slime and the truck will just spin the rear wheels. so I switch to 4 wheel drive

This is the point I thought of when I first read the post.

It's amazing how slick boat ramps can be, even those that have grooved cross-cuts for improved traction. I almost always use 4WD when I'm on the ramp either launching or recovering because I don't want any slippage. Those front wheels are more likely to be on a dry section of the ramp.

Yes, there are many who only have 2WD vehicles launching boats. But most I see around here use 4WD/AWD vehicles, and the boats they're launching usually weigh less than the tow vehicle. I think the boat in the OP weighs more than the standard weight of the tow vehicle. If there's a slick ramp surface, it could be a real challenge getting that boat out of the water on a wet ramp.

 

[airshot]

We have a lot of slick ramps in my area, I see many with only 2wd at rear wheels using longer trailer tongues to keep their rear tires on drier parts of the ramp. One fellow I see often, has at least a 4' extension on his tongue !!! Our ramps also tend to be shallow so you need to back further in, which creates similiar issues.

 

[jimmbo]

We have grooved ramps, that even One Wheel Drives, have little trouble with

 

[Lou C]

I put a 4’ long tongue on my old Load Rite for that reason. The only ramp I know of that is grooved is the one maintained by the town. None of the private ones here are grooved & most are in rough condition with cracked concrete, pot holes etc. Storms & bad winters take a toll. For this reason I still use bias ply trailer tires due to their thicker & stronger sidewalls.

 

[tpenfield]

My sailboat had an extending tongue (6 or 8 feet IIRC) as it really needed to go deep in order to launch.

 

[tpenfield]

@MarioAlvaradoJunior@outlo . . . when are you launching the boat?

Do you do daily launch & retrieve?

 

[Scott Danforth]

not sure what it is in the algae, salt water and florida sunshine that makes the ramps that slippery, however I wont own a tow vehicle without 4 wheel drive because of it. I usually wear my Teva's because the soles look like mud tires. bare feet and flipflops have no traction. my trailer is already 29 feet for a 26' boat. not wanting to add on.

 

[Lou C]

Can't really see now long it is here but you get the idea. I was able to get a factory Load Rite tongue with all the holes already drilled so it wasn't a hard job. Ramp is shallow so with a short tongue your tires would be in salt water maybe even the axle housing.

 

[tpenfield]

I bought my truck, (which is quite under rated for my towing load), based on . . .
.
the Off-road Tires and SVT rims,
4WD Lo, and
EcoBoost.

So far, so good.

I did notice that the town who maintains the ramp, put gravel in some large crevasses that have developed between the concrete slabs of the ramp lately. BAD IDEA . . . lots of folks just end up spinning their tires on the gravel.

 

[Chowie]

I would highly not recommend towing that boat with you Yukon XL 2WD. Your vehicle have the power to tow it down the road just fine, but stopping will be another issue and would be unsafe. I can tell you from experience launching and retrieving with your XL. I've done it with a boat that has a dry weight of 5400lbs and it slide down on the dock everytime and it's an uneasy feeling.

 

[jimmbo]

I would highly not recommend towing that boat with you Yukon XL 2WD. Your vehicle have the power to tow it down the road just fine, but stopping will be another issue and would be unsafe. I can tell you from experience launching and retrieving with your XL. I've done it with a boat that has a dry weight of 5400lbs and it slide down on the dock everytime and it's an uneasy feeling.

Doesn't everyone want to be like Al Bundy "No Brakes No Brakes!!!" Crash.. and the Family "Yay Presents!!!"

 

[tpenfield]

No matter what happens, we want videos

 

[Scott Danforth]

No matter what happens, we want videos

Pics and vids or it didn't happen

 

[Silvertip]

My experience with a not so adequate tow vehicle was on the St Croix (Mn/Wi border) where this dude was trying to pull out a 26 ft cruiser with a Ford Aerostar Van. Can't imagine this thing in a panic situation on the highway. Talk about overloaded and helpless. Couldn't even spin the wheels on the van. At the time I had a Century 300/351 Ford I/O which was not a lightweight by any means and towed it with my K5 Blazer (400CID). As I was preparing to leave I noticed this fellow in trouble. The ramp was steep, wet, but not overly slimy. I pulled up nose to nose and asked if he needed a tug. You betcha was his response. I gave him the chain to attach at his end and I did my end. 4 Low/Lock and the Blazer walked the entire lineup of equipment up the ramp backwards without breathing hard. Gearing, good tires, a four wheel drive system with a center diff lock and positraction or locking diff is about as much insurance as you can have where power is needed. HP helps but that power is useless if you run skinny tires with highway tread. Without a locking center diff and positraction in the rear the best you have is two wheel drive (one front and one rear wheel). Seen older vehicles stuck that way on a perfectly flat parking lot in the winter. For you AWD fans, turn off Traction Control during a hard pull out.

 

[briangcc]

Been around boats long enough we've probably all seen someone try using a vehicle that isn't up to the task.

For ex: in the 80's saw a F150 2wheel, single wheel peel, try to retrieve a 30' cigarette boat out of Point Breeze, Lake Ontario. Boat was on the trailer. Truck was smoking the rear wheel and not moving. Plenty of guys were in the WTF stage trying to figure out how they were getting the boat home as it was obvious they launched it with said vehicle.

Or back about 10 yrs ago a 2wheel drive S10 pulling a 19' I/O. Again a retrieval where the driver stomped on the gas and promptly put up a smoke screen that the marines would truly be envious of. He made it up the ramp, truck tires still smoldering. Last I saw the vehicle, still smoldering, left the ramp entrance, made a couple turns, and was on its way...still smoldering. Pretty sure at that stage something was actually on fire on that vehicle.

I launch my boat fully outfitted for a day on the water as I'm not the village idiot tying up a launch ramp while I try to get everything onboard. From the time that I back down the ramp, with the blower going, to the time I pull out onto the water might be 5 minutes - most of that is getting the tow vehicle parked and getting back to the dock. IF I have someone with me that's not going out that can take care of the vehicle/trailer, I can be out on the water in under 2 minutes - mostly letting the engine warm up.