Sold the 4500# boat and the F150 2WD truck that launched it.
Next boat is 7500#, plus 1200# gas, plus trailer, plus gear.
I only tow 2-7 miles to area ramps. More concerned with the launch & retrieve at local ramps than long-distance highway towing.
Will a 1/2 ton rated at 10000ish do it? Need a 3/4 ton? .
I had to to take out a Grady White 28’ Sailfish (just shy of 7500lbs with gear and fuel) with a 1/2 ton F-150 one time. Lots of wind and a steep ramp on HHI. I wasn’t too sure about it at first, but it pulled her out just fine.
A 3/4-1 ton truck is far superior in construction to a half ton. The brakes, suspension, springs, transmissions, radiators, even the hitch is beefed up. Everything is bigger and stronger.
One good and very real example is stopping your boat without trailer brakes. Trailer brakes are high maintenance in the salt water conditions. The brakes will overheat and fade almost instantly trying to stop 15k of weight on a half ton quickly.
Another example is the load rating of the tires. 3/4 tons use E rated tires. When you are making lane changes or sudden movements the stiffer sidewalls keep the truck planted.
I know you said you are only towing short distances but what about towing for repairs or if a hurricane comes?
I have seen where some of the new half’s are rated at 10k lbs but I think they are doing a great disservice to the person who buys one and tows that weight regularly.
Hydra-Sports 22 Bay Sport
225 Rude
14’ Stumpnocker
15 Rude
I can assure you that there’s a significant difference in the way a 3/4 and 1 ton will handle compared to a 1/2 ton under load, and even just around town.
I vastly prefer the ride of a 2500 or 3500 (250/350 in Ford terms). For example, when I was on the maintenance crew of a large educational institution, my cargo van was the only 2500 on the fleet. Everyone else had 1500’s (chevy/GMC). Mine rode much more “confidently” than any of the others, even many that were 5-10 years newer than mine.
I work at a different place now, and we use an E250 cargo van that is basically a Ford carbon copy of the 2500 Chevy I drove at the seminary (same basic motor size/power, 3/4 ton frame). We tow a 16’ enclosed trailer (constructed for hauling cars) full of kitchen cabinets and trimwork absolutely packed to the gills. I don’t know the gross weight of this but I’d assume it to be in the ballpark of your boat, and there’s no way I’d tow that trailer confidently, over and over, with a half ton. Short distances, probably sure.
But like MattR said, the brakes are part of the big sell here. My work van (the E250) without the trailer, but loaded up with tools and sheets of plywood/MDF will stop more confidently than any 1/2 truck I’ve ever owned/driven, empty.
… The Cross of Christ is the anvil upon which the hammer of evil wore itself out.
I agree with the stopping off the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks. We own a f-150, f-250, and f-350 dually and you can really tell a difference in the 3/4 ton and 1 ton over the half ton. Even going just short distances you never know when an abrupt stop may need to be made. We regularly tow cow trailer that add up to around 25000 sometimes loaded through the the mountains and the one ton handles that very well with accelerating and stopping but we get nervous with an equipment trailer that weighs about 9-10,000 loaded behind the half ton. I hope those helps in your decision
sundance 1900
I worked with a guy that had a 23 ft Contender. He towed it with a 1995 Chevy 1500 with a small V8. He said he had no problems pulling it out of the hole or towing it. He said stopping was a bit tricky but not much of a problem as long as he left plenty of room.
Key West 1720 115 HP Johnson Saltwater.
Stickman,
If you’re only transporting the boat a few miles back and forth I think you’ll be fine with the half ton truck. I currently pull mine around with a 3/4 ton and like others said the difference is noticeable. The ride is much stiffer in a 3/4 ton and the brakes are quite a bit larger. You wouldn’t regret having the bigger truck but the half ton will work fine.
Yes I have a flat 2 mile drive to Folly ramp ( well there is the new higher bridge going in!). The only “hill” I’ll ever climb is the drawbridge over Wappoo Cut.
Thanks for all the input! And if you have one to sell…send me a PM.
killinR is right. If you’re definitely only going to tow a couple of miles, you don’t need a beast of a truck. I personally like 4wd at the ramp, and I put my truck in 4LO when pulling a big boat out…every time.
Might want to try add some weight to bed of your pickup to help add traction at the ramp I u’sto haul my 25’ 10’ wide pilot house twin outboard Downeaster around Edisto with my Surberban but used my 3500 desil dually on trips to the upstate and Fla. Now pull my 28’ Bertram with it with no problems