| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 1019.1 | Maybe, maybe not?? | LEDS::BEAULIEU | | Wed Mar 08 1989 12:35 | 10 |
| A point of interest: The boat sitting on a trailer will not exert
the full weight of the boat on the hitch this is called tongue weight
and will be only a fraction of the full weight. I believe if you
are going with a class 1 hitch, that the max is 2,000 lbs or 200lbs
tongue load. As far as your car being able to pull this , I think
it could but if the boat/trailer requires more than a class 1 hitch
I'd say it was too much!
Shawny Riber
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| 1019.2 | go 4 it | LUDWIG::KERSWELL | | Wed Mar 08 1989 12:56 | 7 |
|
Buy the boat!!! then about a week after, kinda break it to
your wife like? Oh honey NOW I HAVE TO BUY A TRUCK, make her
feel guilty and let her pick out the color.. Good luck!!
Ronni
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| 1019.3 | Total Weight | WORSEL::DOTY | Russell Doty, ESG | Wed Mar 08 1989 12:58 | 16 |
| Key factor to look at is total weight of boat, engine, trailer,
and any misc. stuff.
Your car can probably handle around 1000 lbs. I have an Audi 4000
that has a towed weight rating of 1000 lbs (with a bumper hitch).
I've been pulling a rig with a total weight in the 600-700 pound
range, with no particular problems. You have to downshift
occasionally, but that's about it.
My theory would be: under 800 pounds, go for it. Between 800 and
1000, think about it. Over 1000, probably pushing it. Make sure
that you include odds and ends like battery, cooler, fuel, etc.
in your calculations.
Regards,
Russ
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| 1019.4 | It will work but | CURIE::PLUMLEY | | Wed Mar 08 1989 13:01 | 17 |
| I use to own a 84 Datsun (I refuse to call them Nissan) sentra
desiel two door sedan. Std, no radio, no heater. Traded it in this
summer.
It cost me $100 +/- at U-haul to install a trailer hitch. In addition
to stylish commuting, I used it for two summers to haul my 15' Boston
whaler. (2200 lbs +/-)
I cant say it did a real good job, but it did work. In the interest
of full disclosure, I should tell you that I lost a clutch pulling
out of a lake in Framingham.
I'm not sure it happened because the car was overloaded, I believe
it was a pre-existing problem. I only had the oil changed three times
-car care is not one of my strong points..
points
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| 1019.5 | Oh what a feeling | MOSAIC::MACINTYRE | Terminal Angler | Wed Mar 08 1989 13:15 | 11 |
| Your owners manual will tell you how much you can tow. But with
a boat, and especially a fishing boat - the towing isn't the worst
of it. Launching and pulling the boat out of the water, trailering
the boat down rough roads to get to that honey hole, etc...
I tried trailering my small (under 1000lbs boat/motor/trailer) boat
behind a Ford Escort. After a couple months of towing the boat
I had to replace struts, tires and wheel bearings. So I smartened
up and bought an Toyota 4x4.
donmac
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| 1019.6 | Trailer Basics | LUDWIG::MATTSON | | Wed Mar 08 1989 13:37 | 37 |
| Dancin Bear,
Finally something I can reply to that I have experience on.
Everything everyone has told you so far is good input(I think Ronnie's
reply was the best). Look in your owners manual,usally it has what
the weight capacity is for towing a trailer. If there's nothing
there call the dealer.
Now some more basics concerning all trailers. First off your
car either has a 4 cyl or a 6 cyl. No 4 cyl engine should ever pull
a trailer more than 2000 pounds. If you have the 6 cyl engine it
will have more than enough power to pull a boat the size you mentioned.
If your real lucky and have an automatic transmission that's an
added plus. The torque converter acts as a great buffer in that
initial transfer of enery when starting to pull a trailer,once you
get going it doesn't matter much weather it's an auto or manual
transmission. You can tow with a manual transmission but the clutch
will eventualy take a beating,especialy pulling a load up a boat
ramp.
I haven't seen a vehicle yet that somebody doesn't make a trailer
hitch for it. Like a note before though you'll want a class 1 hitch.
I used to race dirt bikes years ago,when I first got started I pulled
my bike to the races with a 4 cyl standard Capri. The bike,gear,
and trailer probobly weighed 500-600 lbs. I never had a problem
but I never had to go up a steep grade starting out.
My gut feel is the unit you described will weigh about 700-1000
lbs trailer and everything(It would be real nice if the boat was
aluminum,much lighter than a comparable size fiberglass). Even if
you have the standard tranny and a 4 cyl engine you'll be able to
pull the unit safely,but like when you snow plow with a 4x4,you
have to expect a little more wear and tear.
I've been involved with friends that pull bikes right up to
monster size Mud Boggers and can give you any hints or help you
need,but I don't want to make this anymore long winded then what
I already have. Give me a call if you like.
Gary S. Mattson
DTN:: 225-6648
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| 1019.7 | Pray for rain and an early ice out | ISLNDS::GAFFNEY | NASCAR **** 600 HORSEPOWER | Wed Mar 08 1989 14:17 | 10 |
| You might have a problem at the Quabbin, as all the launches are
gravel. With the water so low, you practicly have to back half
of your tow vehicle into to water, before you can get your boat
off. I used a 2wd Ford Ranger to haul my boat up there the last
couple years, and there was more than one time, I whished I had
four wheel drive. With this winter's drought, we'll probably all
need military 4wd weapons carriers to launch at Quabbin.
Gone fishin
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| 1019.8 | do you smell something burning ? :-) | FURTHR::HANNAN | Dancin' Bear | Wed Mar 08 1989 15:30 | 17 |
| Wow, a lot of responses! Thanks everyone... I'll have to check
the owners manual to check on the weight pulling capacity.
A couple of people hit on some key points, the most important of
which I think is getting the boat out of the water, like in
gravel at Quabbin. This is what I fear the most: getting stuck
there and smelling a burning/melting clutch as I try to haul
out the boat along with the added weight of a HUGE prized lunker
laker :-). This happened to me once *without* a boat (nor the
laker:-() as I lazily backed down to the pier to get my gear
from the rent-a-boat...
I think I might buy the boat and then take it from there. I sure
would like a nice powerful 4x4 pickup, but we just bought a new
car last fall... kinda tough to handle all this stuff at once.
But I'd think it would be kinda aggravating to have boat in the
yard that I can't get to the water.
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