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Started By
Message
Towing a boat with 1/2 ton truck.
Posted on 5/7/24 at 7:21 am
Posted on 5/7/24 at 7:21 am
I have a 2022 Chevy Silverado High Country 1/2 ton w/ 6.2L V8 gas engine w/ air bags. The boat I'm looking at is 4900lbs dry w/o engines. Twin 200's at 525 lbs each. Fuel weight would be about 800lbs with a full tank. I'd assume loaded with gear would at up to 1000lbs.
Boat/Engines 6000 lbs
Fuel 800lbs
Gear 1000 lbs
Trailer 1200 lbs
This puts it at 9000 lbs loaded and full of fuel. If you only had to tow it 1-2x's a year but when you towed it you'd have to tow it from Pensacola to St. Amant, LA so not towed often but when you do have to tow it it's not a short trip. Truck towing capacity says 9100 lbs on the door. Question is would you tow it or should I buy a new truck? Love my truck and hate to give up the daily ride of my 1/2 ton but I really want the twin engines. What say the OB?
Boat/Engines 6000 lbs
Fuel 800lbs
Gear 1000 lbs
Trailer 1200 lbs
This puts it at 9000 lbs loaded and full of fuel. If you only had to tow it 1-2x's a year but when you towed it you'd have to tow it from Pensacola to St. Amant, LA so not towed often but when you do have to tow it it's not a short trip. Truck towing capacity says 9100 lbs on the door. Question is would you tow it or should I buy a new truck? Love my truck and hate to give up the daily ride of my 1/2 ton but I really want the twin engines. What say the OB?
22
Posted on 5/7/24 at 7:24 am to WilsonPickett
Keep the truck you got, only towing 1-2x / year, make sure it is near empty of fuel
Posted on 5/7/24 at 7:27 am to WilsonPickett
Why not just rent a 3/4-ton or 1-ton when you need to tow it?
Posted on 5/7/24 at 7:47 am to lsujunky
The number to be concerned with ---- GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) Do not be fooled into using the towing capacity. It's a useless number and only used for marketing.
GCWR is the maximum allowable weight of the vehicle and the loaded trailer, including all cargo and passengers, that the vehicle can handle without risking damage.
(Important: Often the towing vehicle’s braking system is rated for operation at Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, not at Gross Combined Weight Rating.)
Separate functional brakes should be used for safe control of towed vehicles and for trailers where the Gross Combined Weight of the towing vehicle plus the trailer exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of the towing vehicle.
It doesn't matter if you are towing once or a hundred times a year, the gross combined weight must never exceed the Gross Combined Weight Rating.
FYI for my vehicle to stay within the GCWR I'm limited to 1,650lbs. less than the towing capacity.
GCWR is the maximum allowable weight of the vehicle and the loaded trailer, including all cargo and passengers, that the vehicle can handle without risking damage.
(Important: Often the towing vehicle’s braking system is rated for operation at Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, not at Gross Combined Weight Rating.)
Separate functional brakes should be used for safe control of towed vehicles and for trailers where the Gross Combined Weight of the towing vehicle plus the trailer exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of the towing vehicle.
It doesn't matter if you are towing once or a hundred times a year, the gross combined weight must never exceed the Gross Combined Weight Rating.
FYI for my vehicle to stay within the GCWR I'm limited to 1,650lbs. less than the towing capacity.
This post was edited on 5/7/24 at 8:03 am
Posted on 5/7/24 at 7:53 am to WilsonPickett
That setup should work fine for towing every now and then or from home to launch if it isn’t long distance. Tongue weight may be an issue for you depending on how your trailer is balanced. I wouldn’t want to be interstate towing long distance with that rig but from home to launch would be fine
Posted on 5/7/24 at 7:53 am to lsujunky
quote:
Why not just rent a 3/4-ton or 1-ton when you need to tow it?
This is what I would do. Cost of rental would be worth it to me for ease of towing compared to an 1/2 ton and peace of mind.
Posted on 5/7/24 at 8:06 am to magicman534
I wouldn’t tow a 9k boat from St Amant to Pensacola with a half ton twice a year. I’d borrow a 3/4 ton when I needed to do that. That truck will pull that load no problem. Will it stop it safely or allow you to hit the median or shoulder safely in any number of highway scenarios that come up? That’s the risk there.
Posted on 5/7/24 at 8:14 am to lsujunky
quote:
Why not just rent a 3/4-ton or 1-ton when you need to tow it?
Yeah this was my thought also. The boat will live on a lift in Pensacola all the time. The only exception is that I have to pull it off the lift if a tropical storm/hurricane is within so many miles of the marina. It'll never get towed except for then. I could probably borrow or rent a 3/4 truck the few times I have to haul it.
Trying no to turn a $200K boat into a $300K boat with a new truck purchase!
Posted on 5/7/24 at 8:27 am to WilsonPickett
Towing..yes
Stopping..there's the problem
Stopping..there's the problem
Posted on 5/7/24 at 8:45 am to FightnTiger
I imagine the trailer has a braking system on it.
This post was edited on 5/7/24 at 12:00 pm
Posted on 5/7/24 at 8:59 am to WilsonPickett
Sell the trailer. Insure boat. Problem solved.
Posted on 5/7/24 at 9:34 am to GREENHEAD22
quote:
I imagine the trailer has a braking system in it.
Exactly, a boat of that size/price better be on a trailer with a surge brake.
Posted on 5/7/24 at 9:34 am to WilsonPickett
I towed a 31ft contender from Kenner to Venice with an F150 and survived.
Would not recommend though lol. Going up bridge was scary, going down bridge was even scarier
Would not recommend though lol. Going up bridge was scary, going down bridge was even scarier
Posted on 5/7/24 at 9:42 am to WilsonPickett
Weight distribution hitch and I would buy airbags.
Posted on 5/7/24 at 9:57 am to WilsonPickett
quote:
only had to tow it 1-2x's a year
quote:
would you tow it or should I buy a new truck?
Posted on 5/7/24 at 10:38 am to WilsonPickett
Have you ever seen a 1/2 ton truck get pulled into the brink at the launch because the boat was too heavy? Or trying to get the boat out and you have no weight on the rear end……..
You will become famous at that launch…….
You will become famous at that launch…….
Posted on 5/7/24 at 10:45 am to WilsonPickett
Tbh, id only pull it short distances. That truck will pull it but it will struggle on over passes/bridges and speeding up. Fuel up right before you dock the boat may help some during your trip and carry your gear in your truck bed then put into boat when you dock, may also help. It will be a task to slope up/down during docking/undocking. Just rent a Ford 250. I did when I bought mine and went to 16hrs away to get my boat. Pulled it no problem.
This post was edited on 5/7/24 at 10:51 am
Posted on 5/7/24 at 10:46 am to Jack Daniel
As others have said, your truck will do it, but not safely. I towed (around 6k lbs) annually to Kentucky and it was always a stressful trip with 1/2 ton truck..
You have to constantly pay attention to stop (even with trailer brakes). Plus people on the road don't care that you're towing. They'll pull out in front of you pr get over quickly without thinking twice.
Once I did it with a 3/4 ton diesel, I'll never go back to the 1/2 ton gasser.
My take.... if you have a $200k boat, you should have no problem having a 3/4 ton truck to pull it.
You have to constantly pay attention to stop (even with trailer brakes). Plus people on the road don't care that you're towing. They'll pull out in front of you pr get over quickly without thinking twice.
Once I did it with a 3/4 ton diesel, I'll never go back to the 1/2 ton gasser.
My take.... if you have a $200k boat, you should have no problem having a 3/4 ton truck to pull it.
Posted on 5/7/24 at 11:00 am to WilsonPickett
So you are towing it home? You could just drive the boat down the beach if you had to evacuate, go to Panama City or Biloxi by boat.
You could also just drive it an hour north. You really don't HAVE to go to St. Amant I'm assuming back to your home.
For 1-2 trips a year for 5 hours I'd have no issues just driving 50 down the interstate and taking your time. Go early in the AM or late at night when its not busy.
What kinda boat? Give us some boat porn here man.
I tow a 27ft with twin 175s, 150 gallons of gas, etc with an F150 with the 5.0. I don't love doing it but my main ramp is 2 miles from my house and my longest trip has been 1.5 hours. Just drive slow and take your time. I have 0 issues at the ramp and trailer brakes.
You could also just drive it an hour north. You really don't HAVE to go to St. Amant I'm assuming back to your home.
For 1-2 trips a year for 5 hours I'd have no issues just driving 50 down the interstate and taking your time. Go early in the AM or late at night when its not busy.
What kinda boat? Give us some boat porn here man.
I tow a 27ft with twin 175s, 150 gallons of gas, etc with an F150 with the 5.0. I don't love doing it but my main ramp is 2 miles from my house and my longest trip has been 1.5 hours. Just drive slow and take your time. I have 0 issues at the ramp and trailer brakes.
Posted on 5/7/24 at 11:02 am to WilsonPickett
What type of brakes does your trailer have installed? Surge, or electric over hydraulic? EOH provides excellent stopping power and control.
What axle ratio do you have?
I wouldn't sweat towing to Pensacola with a half ton truck with your current load, especially with air bags and a 6.2L V8. It's mostly flat without the need for hill descent control. Tow at or under 70 mph. You should also be towing your boat without fuel to save the extra weight. Gas mileage will suck, but that's about it.
What axle ratio do you have?
I wouldn't sweat towing to Pensacola with a half ton truck with your current load, especially with air bags and a 6.2L V8. It's mostly flat without the need for hill descent control. Tow at or under 70 mph. You should also be towing your boat without fuel to save the extra weight. Gas mileage will suck, but that's about it.
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