New guy question... boat weight, tow capacity

[mike_s]

Well I've taken the plunge.

Last weekend I bought a 1997 Aquasport 225 CC, and here it is being towed by my Explorer. The boat is in great shape for being 12 years old. I weighed the boat & trailer, and it's approx. 5660 lbs with a full tank of fuel, which is still under my tow limit and GVWR.

nice looking boat.....

one thing is that if you're towing it long distance, you can always reduce your towing weight by not buying fuel for it until you get close to your destination. yeah you might have to pay a little more for gas at a "vacation spot" but it keeps 100 gallons of fuel from "shifting forward" in the tank when you're trying to brake hard and reduces 600 pounds of tow weight. Might make a difference on a smaller truck like the explorer.

Now the big question-- where to mount tank holders? I've heard that some have mounted them on the OUTSIDE of the transom (I have a decent sized platform there). Any thoughts?

I've got to agree with Captain, you might not want them that far aft.

depending on how the boat trims out, it might be too much in the rear. some folks like to put weight (tanks) forward to help give the bow a heavier ride also.

lots of personal preference....

but a tank mounted on the transom is also asking for the possibility of a lost tank overboard (and maybe into the prop) in rough waves.

it'd suck to see you crying on your boat after you just lost a $350 Worthington over the side!

 

[Glock Diver]

You did not trade your Exploder in for the "cash for clunkers" program?

N

Ha ha ha, don't be a hater!


Does anyone have pics of how you've set up your boat for tanks/diving? I've been on alot of dive charter boats, but they're usually larger vessels (except in Mexico of course, but nevermind those).
Thanks in advance!

 

[mike_s]

Well I've taken the plunge.

Last weekend I bought a 1997 Aquasport 225 CC, and here it is being towed by my Explorer. The boat is in great shape for being 12 years old. I weighed the boat & trailer, and it's approx. 5660 lbs with a full tank of fuel, which is still under my tow limit and GVWR.

one more quickie reccomendation.

since you are near the top end of your towing limit, I'd highly reccomend a transmission cooler if your truck didn't come with one from the factory.

It's basically a small radiator that mounts up front of your vehicle and lines that run from the transmission. . The transmission cooler/radiator cools down the transmission fluid, prolonging the life of your transmission from heat damage which can occur to the transmission fluid.



it works like this

can easily be installed by yourself over a weekend or by about any mechanic/transmission shop.


As for tank ranks, Take at look at the "Roll Control System". It's a favorite because you can fold them down.

 

[Nemrod]

Ha ha ha, don't be a hater!


Does anyone have pics of how you've set up your boat for tanks/diving? I've been on alot of dive charter boats, but they're usually larger vessels (except in Mexico of course, but nevermind those).
Thanks in advance!

LOL, we had one way back, it caught fire in the middle of Yellowstone, that resulted in a rather long walk. It also had the famous ejection pop top sunroof, that resulted in a plastic tarp top. Oh and it leaked oil, air conditioner never worked and all the power convenience items quit working just as the warranty expired but other than those minor issues it was a good car .

For your tanks look into the Roll Control rails and brackets. They are in your neck of the woods I think. I like mine but without seeing an interior view of your new boat it is hard to say where they would attach best.

http://eastcoastplastics.com/

Numerous sellers on Ebay also.

N

 

[Waterskier1]

I was wondering about some of the recommendations you got until I saw your picture and realized that here "CC" meant Center Console, not Cuddy Cabin, which is a much more common boat here.

That would be much more than I would want to tow with your tow vehicle, but then I'm towing over 11,000 and trying to maintain 65+ mph on 6% grades, and still keep it under control going downhill. :shocked2:

I would recommend putting your tanks just forward of your console. I'm not familiar with that boat, but most "CC's" have a seat right in front of the windshield/console. That's where I'd look to mounting the tanks. You'll likely want the weight forward for trim and handling.

Also, check your hitch weight and make sure where you put your tanks keeps that weight correct.

It looks like you got a great boat there. I had a cuddy cabin 3 2-ft larger, that I traded for a 20-ft ski boat, before I started diving. It's a great ski/wakeboard boat, but is poor for diving. There is no place to store the gear nicely, and getting on and off is a PITA. If I find someone to boat dive with enough, I'll probably get a different boat. Either a CC (Center Console) or a walk-around CC (Cuddy Cabin) - like a Grady White. I miss not having some place to store my electronics and a place to keep things dry.