Vehicle to pull a boat?

[BeachJunkie]

Well, upon returning from Afghanistan and getting out of the Army, I plan on purchasing a boat for diving. I've read through the "which boat" section and haven't decided what I will get but have an idea what to look for. I plan on moving to Florida and I was wondering how everyone gets their dive boats from one place to another. Do you keep it docked somewhere? or do you drive it from your house? If you dock it, how much does it cost per month and what are the maintenance things to check and do regularly? If you drive it, what kind of vehicle do you use? I currently have a 01 jeep wrangler. I'm doubting it will be enough to pull a boat but I don't know.

So, the short version, how much does it cost to keep a boat docked somewhere? If you trailer it back and forth, what do you use to pull it? Suggestions for engine size/vehicle type for boat length/type.

thanks for your time.

 

[ScubaAl]

Chev Duramax 2500/3500HD, Al

 

[Nemrod]

A Jeep Wrangler is a nice vehicle but perhaps one of the worst tow vehicles there is. The short wheelbase coupled with high center of gravity is not a good combination at all. The vehicle you need to tow a boat depends upon the distance, terrain you tow over and the size and weight of the boat and your gear you carry. I tow my Boston Whaler Outrage 190 easily hundreds of miles with a Tacoma (06) loaded to the gills and it is a great midsize tow vehicle, larger boats will need perhaps a more heavy duty truck/vehicle. I would tell you to keep your boat on a trailer at your house if at all possible rather than in slip or marina. Other opinions will vary. Good luck and be safe.

N

 

[OceanObsessed]

I plan on purchasing a boat for diving. I've read through the "which boat" section and haven't decided what I will get but have an idea what to look for.

Are you sure that you will only be using the boat for diving? The ideal situation is to own about 3 different style boats . If you cruise with females then you may want to consider a head (toilet) on the boat. Will you be doing overnight trips and sleeping on the boat?... then you may consider a cuddy cabin. Personally, I prefer an open fisherman style with no cabin for more available practical space. I had a cuddy cabin once and I thought it was mostly a waste of space based on how I used the boat.

what are the maintenance things to check and do regularly?

Check the water separating fuel filter(s) for water regularly. If your boat does not have one I would recommend getting one. Checking these filters is even more important for diesels. Keep the blower operational. If you keep your boat in the water then you need to watch the zincs and bilge pump and battery/trickle charger... this is your boats life support system. Keep an eye on the drip on the stuffing box for inboards. Inboards and IO's are similar in maintenance to a car engine. Change the gearcase lube for outboards and IO's according to manufacturers requirements/specifications. (Do yourself a favor and don't get an IO ). Watch for cracks in fuel hoses around bends and hose clamps. Always carry an assortment of spare hose clamps. Carry a spare prop in case you slip a hub or damage a prop. The more spare stuff you carry with you the better. If you submerge your trailer parts during launching then keep an eye on out for rust on all sumberged parts... especially bearings. I am sure others will post more good info as I am sure there are tons of things that I am forgetting.

If you dock it, how much does it cost per month ?

I am not up to date with the rates, however, it will depend on a few factors... how close you are to the inlet?, if your boat has a flybridge then how many fixed bridges to the inlet? Keeping your boat in the water requires much more maintenance than trailering. I would recommend trailering at first and then if you are really using your boat alot then consider a slip.

If you drive it, what kind of vehicle do you use? I currently have a 01 jeep wrangler. I'm doubting it will be enough to pull a boat but I don't know. ?

If your Wrangler is a 6 cylinder then you should be able should pull most boats. I have a buddy that pulls a 23 Grady White with a 6 cylinder Wranger just fine. Anything much larger then you may consider an 8 cylinder. For long distance trips the Wranger may not be the best but you can certainly get away with it for medium sized boats and short trips to the ramps. I have owned two different trailerable 20' boats and pulled them both with a 6 cylinder. A 4 cylinder is fine for smaller boats like a 13' whaler and a bit larger. It really just depends on the weight of the boat and the pitch of the ramps that you will be using. The steeper the pitch the more engine power you will need. The weight of your vehicle/boat/trailer combo may come into play for highway braking if your trailer does not have a braking system.

 

[BeachJunkie]

My jeep is a 6 cylinder but I will be selling it before heading off to aghanistan. I had an 05 tacoma before the jeep but lost it to a deer. I would love to have another one. I'll probably end up pickin one up when I get back. good to hear it does well with pulling a reasonable boat. I'm not looking for anything too crazy. Thanks for the info on maintenance. I will be using the boat promarily for diving, but do have a lady in my life (for now) who will be joining me and would probably like the comfort of a cuddy cabin. I would also like to be able to make some weekend + trips down to the keys and maybe farther so I perhaps a boat that can handle moderate chop. I'm in the 20k range so any suggestions would be great. Used boats are fine. Looks like I'll be trailering it around. I would prefer that anyway. Thanks for the info everyone and keep it comming

 

[Nemrod]

My wife has a Jeep Liberty and it has a factory tow option that allows it to tow 5,000 pounds max. It is a workout for it to tow our Outrage. It also waddles and wags and lacks braking power on steep grades. The Tacoma has a longer wheelbase, much stronger brakes, never waddles or wags and has a factory tow option allowing over 6,000 pounds. The Tundra I had before was a 7,500 capacity I think and the F150 Ford van with 302 V8 we had before was 3,500 pounds. Our trailer does have brakes and they do work BTW. The Jeep Wrangler I think has a 3,500 tow limit. I could be wrong about that but the first thing to do is to check your vehicle owners manual for recommendations. Many vehicles have a surprisingly low tow rating for many reasons. Jeep has a new diesel rig available in the Grande Cherokee that is very strong and gets good mileage too. Many full size 1/2 ton pickups can tow over 9,000 pounds as long as GVW stays within capacity. I would think routine towing long distance of boats in the 6,000 pound range and higer might justify a 3/4 ton vehicle. Just for sake of discussion and reference to the vehicles I list above, our boat weighs about 4,000 pounds fueled and loaded including trailer etc.

Since your a Toyota guy, there are rumors that Toyota may finally bring it's small diesel that has been in the world HiLux forever and ever to the North America Tacoma. For those of us who outgrew isssues with mine is bigger than yours decades ago, what the world really needs is a super duty midsize pickup truck with a turbo diesel. Please Toyota, give me one.

N

 

[dsc2679]

Be careful in Afganistan! Thanks for your service and God speed.

 

[Hank49]

Since your a Toyota guy, there are rumors that Toyota may finally bring it's small diesel that has been in the world HiLux forever and ever to the North America Tacoma. For those of us who outgrew isssues with mine is bigger than yours decades ago, what the world really needs is a super duty midsize pickup truck with a turbo diesel. Please Toyota, give me one.

N

I have an 06 Hilux. It's the same size as all the mini pickups (Mitsubishi, Ford Ranger, Mazda, Nissan etc) with double cabs that are popular world wide....except in the US. The 06 came out with a 3 liter instead of the long lived 2.8 liter engine. It's got more power and speed but the truck itself is not as rugged as its predecessors. It didn't even come with a trailer hitch and I had to weld and drill to make one for it. I'm going to go to Houston or Miami and get a used Dodge Ram 2500 and bring it down. Much more rugged which I need given that half my mileage is on dirt...mud...roads.

 

[Nemrod]

Yeah, I agree, I think all the manufactuers including Toyota have dropped ruggedness (even though they advertize the Hades out of it) as a high priority. The new Tacoma is not rthe same truck as pre-05. The Tacoma is NOT the same as the world HiLux either. The underpinnings on the Tacoma are pretty rugged and the frame is flex free and it did come with a hitch and tow harness etc. My 91 HiLux has a more rugged build however and it's smaller footprint is better offroad. I was recnetly offered 5,000 dollars for my 91 with 250,000 miles on it! obviously if I were towing a larger boat I would start looking at a 3/4 ton diesel. I am trying to trim my carbon footprint. Really, I could get a bigger boat and bigger truck and bigger and bigger but when is enough enough. I had to draw a line. I hate driving huge vehicles in traffic and trying to squeeze them into a garage.

 

[Hank49]

I hear you on the carbon footprint. good on you. I work and live on a farm though and our boss is just now understanding that we need "real" trucks to pull heavy (10,000 lbs with water and live shrimp) trailers and be able to get out of and through mud and deep water at times. Nice 91 truck. You take good care of your stuff.
I also pull my boat across the dirt and mud of the farm but it doesn't weigh near as much as the shrimp loads I pull.