halfbuzzed

honestly you should upsize the truck, that truck is too light to even consider that load

Ashland72

Thanks for all the advice. We're talking probably 5500 lbs here for the total rig. I rechecked the specs on the truck. It is rated for 4800. I have a buddy who has the same boat (pq 260 legend) and he says he used to pull it all over the place with a V6 F-150 2wd. Said he never had a problem at the launch (most of the ramps around here are pretty slight). Is my buddy full of BS or is really this big of a deal to pull and extra 700 LBS above the rating? Thanks for keeping it real. My truck is not tiny or small keep in mind. It is a 2009 Chevy Silverado Extended Cab truck. Same build as all the other ones you see pulling heavy boats with exception of the engine.

Perlmudder

It is starting to sound like you have made your mind up and were looking for us to validate your opinion, but unfortunately, I don't think anybody on here will. I still think you are under rating the potential weight of a 26ft boat + trailer but that is just my opinion. The 700 pounds (as said before, debatable) is the problem. It just is not legal. It is not enough truck.

That is a big exception...

HTRDLNCN

While keeping in mind it is true that the insurance company will probably weasel out becuase it is over the tow rating you should be 100% fine if you drive with the limitations
of your vehicle in mind. Try it carefully and see how it responds, how its stops, look for an empty road and try some emergency manuevers and see if you can control it.
SO long as you keep those limitations in mind it should do what you need until you can get a bigger truck.
I towed and delivered cars all over the southeast with an Astro van first with the 4,3 then later with a 350 i swapped in.
It was rated a bit higher (5500lb towing) but I doubt that little bit matters much.
Put over 100k miles towing a 1500lb car hauler plus the car on it I was taking usually 3500-3800lbs.
I also towed my 21 Formula (3500lbs) and my 21 Chaparral (4500lbs)
http://www.hotrodlincoln.org/ASTROTOW.jpg
The Astro van uses the same brakes as the 1500 and I never even got close to hitting anything or losing control.
You have to realize most guys like to tow at warp speed and cut thru traffic like a sports car which is why they need to use behemoth sized trucks.
This was all in the relatively flat southeast,, up in the mountains would be a whole other story..