Question for the Big Boat Guys
01-20-2016, 03:03 PM
#21
VIP Member
VIP MemberThread Starter
Again…thanks for all the thoughts.
If we go the 43 route, I'm giving serious consideration to a gooseneck style trailer. I don't want to get way off topic, but it's always amazed me that there aren't more G/N trailers on boats from about 30' up. We seem to be the only recreational market that isn't taking advantage of that style trailer.
I'm aware of the towing challenges presented by 43' x 9' 6" boat; the logistical issues due to the size and the legal issues that aren't universally enforced. However, I think - at least in MI - the weighmasters all seem to have a chip on their shoulder and you probably aren't going to get off with a warning, you're going to get parked. And, without climbing on a soapbox, if you have assets and are operating illegally, you're rolling the dice on some serious potential liability.
All of the above is why I mentioned with the bigger boat we'd home port out of Grand Haven as we have an open slip there now. That's the lifestyle decision we have to make between the 30 and the 40.
With the 43, the vast majority of the time we'd leave from Grand Haven and go by water. That's not really a bad choice - we buy boats so we can use them, right? But it's an hour drive to GH each time we want to use the boat.
With the 32 I have easier options. We can slip it in GH. Or we can leave from our house and tow to wherever without the drama of the bigger boat. This isn't impossible with the bigger boat, it's just not as convenient.
The 43 has a bunch of advantages in the water, but what I was really worried about was how hard it is to find dock space. We don't like to be tied in to a plan. If we decide to go somewhere for dinner, we'd rather be able to decide where we're going while we're rumbling out the channel as opposed to counting on me being responsible enough to have made reservations somewhere in advance.
At this point I just realized the question I should have asked first and maybe could have saved us all a bunch of typing:
Can I park a 43 with 9' 6" beam at the Landings in Ironton ? Or am I gonna have to leave it on the hook and bribe someone to come get us ?
That really is the question. If we're in Ludington, or Charlevoix, and decide to run to TC, or see how the beer tastes in Milwaukee, do I have to worry about not being able to find dock space.
Cheers
If we go the 43 route, I'm giving serious consideration to a gooseneck style trailer. I don't want to get way off topic, but it's always amazed me that there aren't more G/N trailers on boats from about 30' up. We seem to be the only recreational market that isn't taking advantage of that style trailer.
I'm aware of the towing challenges presented by 43' x 9' 6" boat; the logistical issues due to the size and the legal issues that aren't universally enforced. However, I think - at least in MI - the weighmasters all seem to have a chip on their shoulder and you probably aren't going to get off with a warning, you're going to get parked. And, without climbing on a soapbox, if you have assets and are operating illegally, you're rolling the dice on some serious potential liability.
All of the above is why I mentioned with the bigger boat we'd home port out of Grand Haven as we have an open slip there now. That's the lifestyle decision we have to make between the 30 and the 40.
With the 43, the vast majority of the time we'd leave from Grand Haven and go by water. That's not really a bad choice - we buy boats so we can use them, right? But it's an hour drive to GH each time we want to use the boat.
With the 32 I have easier options. We can slip it in GH. Or we can leave from our house and tow to wherever without the drama of the bigger boat. This isn't impossible with the bigger boat, it's just not as convenient.
The 43 has a bunch of advantages in the water, but what I was really worried about was how hard it is to find dock space. We don't like to be tied in to a plan. If we decide to go somewhere for dinner, we'd rather be able to decide where we're going while we're rumbling out the channel as opposed to counting on me being responsible enough to have made reservations somewhere in advance.
At this point I just realized the question I should have asked first and maybe could have saved us all a bunch of typing:
Can I park a 43 with 9' 6" beam at the Landings in Ironton ? Or am I gonna have to leave it on the hook and bribe someone to come get us ?
That really is the question. If we're in Ludington, or Charlevoix, and decide to run to TC, or see how the beer tastes in Milwaukee, do I have to worry about not being able to find dock space.
Cheers
__________________
There are 2 types of people in this world:
1. Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are 2 types of people in this world:
1. Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.
01-20-2016, 03:34 PM
#23
Registered
Again…thanks for all the thoughts.
If we go the 43 route, I'm giving serious consideration to a gooseneck style trailer. I don't want to get way off topic, but it's always amazed me that there aren't more G/N trailers on boats from about 30' up. We seem to be the only recreational market that isn't taking advantage of that style trailer.
I'm aware of the towing challenges presented by 43' x 9' 6" boat; the logistical issues due to the size and the legal issues that aren't universally enforced. However, I think - at least in MI - the weighmasters all seem to have a chip on their shoulder and you probably aren't going to get off with a warning, you're going to get parked. And, without climbing on a soapbox, if you have assets and are operating illegally, you're rolling the dice on some serious potential liability.
All of the above is why I mentioned with the bigger boat we'd home port out of Grand Haven as we have an open slip there now. That's the lifestyle decision we have to make between the 30 and the 40.
With the 43, the vast majority of the time we'd leave from Grand Haven and go by water. That's not really a bad choice - we buy boats so we can use them, right? But it's an hour drive to GH each time we want to use the boat.
With the 32 I have easier options. We can slip it in GH. Or we can leave from our house and tow to wherever without the drama of the bigger boat. This isn't impossible with the bigger boat, it's just not as convenient.
The 43 has a bunch of advantages in the water, but what I was really worried about was how hard it is to find dock space. We don't like to be tied in to a plan. If we decide to go somewhere for dinner, we'd rather be able to decide where we're going while we're rumbling out the channel as opposed to counting on me being responsible enough to have made reservations somewhere in advance.
At this point I just realized the question I should have asked first and maybe could have saved us all a bunch of typing:
Can I park a 43 with 9' 6" beam at the Landings in Ironton ? Or am I gonna have to leave it on the hook and bribe someone to come get us ?
That really is the question. If we're in Ludington, or Charlevoix, and decide to run to TC, or see how the beer tastes in Milwaukee, do I have to worry about not being able to find dock space.
Cheers
If we go the 43 route, I'm giving serious consideration to a gooseneck style trailer. I don't want to get way off topic, but it's always amazed me that there aren't more G/N trailers on boats from about 30' up. We seem to be the only recreational market that isn't taking advantage of that style trailer.
I'm aware of the towing challenges presented by 43' x 9' 6" boat; the logistical issues due to the size and the legal issues that aren't universally enforced. However, I think - at least in MI - the weighmasters all seem to have a chip on their shoulder and you probably aren't going to get off with a warning, you're going to get parked. And, without climbing on a soapbox, if you have assets and are operating illegally, you're rolling the dice on some serious potential liability.
All of the above is why I mentioned with the bigger boat we'd home port out of Grand Haven as we have an open slip there now. That's the lifestyle decision we have to make between the 30 and the 40.
With the 43, the vast majority of the time we'd leave from Grand Haven and go by water. That's not really a bad choice - we buy boats so we can use them, right? But it's an hour drive to GH each time we want to use the boat.
With the 32 I have easier options. We can slip it in GH. Or we can leave from our house and tow to wherever without the drama of the bigger boat. This isn't impossible with the bigger boat, it's just not as convenient.
The 43 has a bunch of advantages in the water, but what I was really worried about was how hard it is to find dock space. We don't like to be tied in to a plan. If we decide to go somewhere for dinner, we'd rather be able to decide where we're going while we're rumbling out the channel as opposed to counting on me being responsible enough to have made reservations somewhere in advance.
At this point I just realized the question I should have asked first and maybe could have saved us all a bunch of typing:
Can I park a 43 with 9' 6" beam at the Landings in Ironton ? Or am I gonna have to leave it on the hook and bribe someone to come get us ?
That really is the question. If we're in Ludington, or Charlevoix, and decide to run to TC, or see how the beer tastes in Milwaukee, do I have to worry about not being able to find dock space.
Cheers
01-20-2016, 03:57 PM
#24
Again…thanks for all the thoughts.
If we go the 43 route, I'm giving serious consideration to a gooseneck style trailer. I don't want to get way off topic, but it's always amazed me that there aren't more G/N trailers on boats from about 30' up. We seem to be the only recreational market that isn't taking advantage of that style trailer.
I'm aware of the towing challenges presented by 43' x 9' 6" boat; the logistical issues due to the size and the legal issues that aren't universally enforced. However, I think - at least in MI - the weighmasters all seem to have a chip on their shoulder and you probably aren't going to get off with a warning, you're going to get parked. And, without climbing on a soapbox, if you have assets and are operating illegally, you're rolling the dice on some serious potential liability.
All of the above is why I mentioned with the bigger boat we'd home port out of Grand Haven as we have an open slip there now. That's the lifestyle decision we have to make between the 30 and the 40.
With the 43, the vast majority of the time we'd leave from Grand Haven and go by water. That's not really a bad choice - we buy boats so we can use them, right? But it's an hour drive to GH each time we want to use the boat.
With the 32 I have easier options. We can slip it in GH. Or we can leave from our house and tow to wherever without the drama of the bigger boat. This isn't impossible with the bigger boat, it's just not as convenient.
The 43 has a bunch of advantages in the water, but what I was really worried about was how hard it is to find dock space. We don't like to be tied in to a plan. If we decide to go somewhere for dinner, we'd rather be able to decide where we're going while we're rumbling out the channel as opposed to counting on me being responsible enough to have made reservations somewhere in advance.
At this point I just realized the question I should have asked first and maybe could have saved us all a bunch of typing:
Can I park a 43 with 9' 6" beam at the Landings in Ironton ? Or am I gonna have to leave it on the hook and bribe someone to come get us ?
That really is the question. If we're in Ludington, or Charlevoix, and decide to run to TC, or see how the beer tastes in Milwaukee, do I have to worry about not being able to find dock space.
Cheers
If we go the 43 route, I'm giving serious consideration to a gooseneck style trailer. I don't want to get way off topic, but it's always amazed me that there aren't more G/N trailers on boats from about 30' up. We seem to be the only recreational market that isn't taking advantage of that style trailer.
I'm aware of the towing challenges presented by 43' x 9' 6" boat; the logistical issues due to the size and the legal issues that aren't universally enforced. However, I think - at least in MI - the weighmasters all seem to have a chip on their shoulder and you probably aren't going to get off with a warning, you're going to get parked. And, without climbing on a soapbox, if you have assets and are operating illegally, you're rolling the dice on some serious potential liability.
All of the above is why I mentioned with the bigger boat we'd home port out of Grand Haven as we have an open slip there now. That's the lifestyle decision we have to make between the 30 and the 40.
With the 43, the vast majority of the time we'd leave from Grand Haven and go by water. That's not really a bad choice - we buy boats so we can use them, right? But it's an hour drive to GH each time we want to use the boat.
With the 32 I have easier options. We can slip it in GH. Or we can leave from our house and tow to wherever without the drama of the bigger boat. This isn't impossible with the bigger boat, it's just not as convenient.
The 43 has a bunch of advantages in the water, but what I was really worried about was how hard it is to find dock space. We don't like to be tied in to a plan. If we decide to go somewhere for dinner, we'd rather be able to decide where we're going while we're rumbling out the channel as opposed to counting on me being responsible enough to have made reservations somewhere in advance.
At this point I just realized the question I should have asked first and maybe could have saved us all a bunch of typing:
Can I park a 43 with 9' 6" beam at the Landings in Ironton ? Or am I gonna have to leave it on the hook and bribe someone to come get us ?
That really is the question. If we're in Ludington, or Charlevoix, and decide to run to TC, or see how the beer tastes in Milwaukee, do I have to worry about not being able to find dock space.
Cheers
Also, consider all size aspects of each boat. What I'm getting at: a 38 PowerPlay is a MONSTROUS boat compared to a 37AT or 38/39Cigarette. A 43 NorTech will completely eclipse a 42 Fountain.
01-20-2016, 04:25 PM
#25
There were several occasions over the years where we used a lot of fuel to run somewhere for the night or for dinner, only to get there and not get a slip. I have a crazy work schedule that does not allow me to always "plan" our trips and docking our 38' boat proved to be a problem on several occasions. I also tow oversize loads at work and the weight masters are definitely on a mission right now. We don't go anywhere without a permit.
01-20-2016, 06:36 PM
#26
Registered
iTrader: (1)
Anything gooseneck in Michigan gets you a second look from the dot. My friend has a gooseneck trailer for his toy truck, and he's been pulled over for no dot numbers. Even though it's private and so is his truck, it's kinda a gvw thing/looks like it should be commercial. 1 ton dodge and a 35'ish gooseneck. No 3500, 4500, or 5500 cab and chassis. All store bought stuff. Bumper pull(receiver hitch) is less conspicuous, tough to tell how wide you are from the median. May your conscience be your guide. Lol.
01-20-2016, 09:25 PM
#27
Registered
iTrader: (5)
Go the 43 if it runs 80+ ;-) what a beautiful boat though!
The 32 won't be enough....unless it runs 100+ then maybe fun for a while but you will crave more
You will be fine towing the 43, even in Michigan, I really don't think there's anything to worry about. It will be as natural as breathing.
I've been saying the same about gooseneck trailers! They are the best, the only way to go. Especially with the axles way back on a boat trailer.
Over width in the 9'6" range won't get noticed on a long sleek offshore style boat. But uearly over width permits for recreational use are easy to get cheap.
NO slip is a guarantee, you should call ahead either way. Smaller slips are more common, but smaller boats are more common.
Get the 43 and come to Traverse City! Looking forward to it!
The 32 won't be enough....unless it runs 100+ then maybe fun for a while but you will crave more
You will be fine towing the 43, even in Michigan, I really don't think there's anything to worry about. It will be as natural as breathing.
I've been saying the same about gooseneck trailers! They are the best, the only way to go. Especially with the axles way back on a boat trailer.
Over width in the 9'6" range won't get noticed on a long sleek offshore style boat. But uearly over width permits for recreational use are easy to get cheap.
NO slip is a guarantee, you should call ahead either way. Smaller slips are more common, but smaller boats are more common.
Get the 43 and come to Traverse City! Looking forward to it!
01-20-2016, 10:11 PM
#28
VIP Member
VIP MemberThread Starter
Go the 43 if it runs 80+ ;-) what a beautiful boat though!
The 32 won't be enough....unless it runs 100+ then maybe fun for a while but you will crave more
You will be fine towing the 43, even in Michigan, I really don't think there's anything to worry about. It will be as natural as breathing.
I've been saying the same about gooseneck trailers! They are the best, the only way to go. Especially with the axles way back on a boat trailer.
Over width in the 9'6" range won't get noticed on a long sleek offshore style boat. But uearly over width permits for recreational use are easy to get cheap.
NO slip is a guarantee, you should call ahead either way. Smaller slips are more common, but smaller boats are more common.
Get the 43 and come to Traverse City! Looking forward to it!
The 32 won't be enough....unless it runs 100+ then maybe fun for a while but you will crave more
You will be fine towing the 43, even in Michigan, I really don't think there's anything to worry about. It will be as natural as breathing.
I've been saying the same about gooseneck trailers! They are the best, the only way to go. Especially with the axles way back on a boat trailer.
Over width in the 9'6" range won't get noticed on a long sleek offshore style boat. But uearly over width permits for recreational use are easy to get cheap.
NO slip is a guarantee, you should call ahead either way. Smaller slips are more common, but smaller boats are more common.
Get the 43 and come to Traverse City! Looking forward to it!
I thought I was locked in on the 32 and yeah, I was looking at enough power to run that magic number. Then the big boat became available and things got complicated. I've been in the boat and it's amazing, but my wife hasn't seen it and is concerned that a 43 is just too big. It would simplify my life a lot if Lee would either sell it before we had a chance to fly out and get serious about it or pull it back off the market.
Sydwayz - We have a great relationship with a manufacturer and that's what they build; a 32 and a 43. The 32 carries a lot of beam fairly far forward and is a "big" 32. The 43 is just in another class of boat, and is a great opportunity.
Thanks guys
__________________
There are 2 types of people in this world:
1. Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are 2 types of people in this world:
1. Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.
01-21-2016, 07:37 AM
#29
Gold Member
Gold Member
I pull a 40 ft Outerlimits with a Ford 350SD single rear wheel no issues. I have been pulling 40 ft boats around for 10 years and have never been asked about the width. More importantly, you will like the ride of a bigger boat especially on open water like Lake Michigan. Good Luck!
01-21-2016, 08:13 AM
#30
Registered
I have a question. There has been mention in this thread about the "wide load" laws. Doesn't that apply to the width of the trailer wheels? Not the width of the boat. I'm not sure about this, but for example a dually probably takes the law pretty much to it's limit with the wheel width not the over hanging fenders. I don't know, just asking.
