Towing a Fountain 47
Platinum Member
01-28-2012, 09:05 AM
#12
Registered
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 396
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bottom line, there are several trucks that "will do the job".
But I would suggest:
1. Check with both your tow vehicle and boat insurance carrier and advise what you intend to tow the boat with and see what they have to say. If they are ok with what you plan to tow with I would suggest getting something in writing from them to CYA, just in case.
2. Irregardless of what they may or may not say, I would check with your local and state laws and DOT regarding the weight, trailer length, GVW & the CGVW factory rating of the vehicle you plan to tow with.
Thats a big load to pull, similar to mine. Better be safe than sorry. Just because a vehicle can pull it and may stop it in a perfect world, doesnt mean its ok, legal or the smart thing to do. In a panic situation things can be alot different.
Not beating on Offshore by any means, best of luck and regards to him, but if he towed with that setup down here, DOT would crucify him. No way would they let him tow what he does. Laws here & DOT are alot different. DOT is all over rollback tow trucks, trucks pulling trailers like he does, they are worse, depending on the area. They go by manufacturers stated capacity as plastered on the vehicle. They could care less about what "upgrades" you did to the truck. If your over, your done-period.
My opinon on the OP question- Dualley & atleast a 550- Depending on a few differentiating factors.
5th wheel offers more weight distribution and increases the stated tow capacity of the vehicle by the manufacturer over conventional. Only problem with 5th wheel trailer is your always going to have to pull with that set up. Most larger trucks are setup to pull either way- 5th or conventional. The trailer will determine how you will tow the boat as long as its on the particular trailer. Conventional offers alot more options for towing should there ever be an issue with your tow vehicle over a 5th wheel trailer.
But I would suggest:
1. Check with both your tow vehicle and boat insurance carrier and advise what you intend to tow the boat with and see what they have to say. If they are ok with what you plan to tow with I would suggest getting something in writing from them to CYA, just in case.
2. Irregardless of what they may or may not say, I would check with your local and state laws and DOT regarding the weight, trailer length, GVW & the CGVW factory rating of the vehicle you plan to tow with.
Thats a big load to pull, similar to mine. Better be safe than sorry. Just because a vehicle can pull it and may stop it in a perfect world, doesnt mean its ok, legal or the smart thing to do. In a panic situation things can be alot different.
Not beating on Offshore by any means, best of luck and regards to him, but if he towed with that setup down here, DOT would crucify him. No way would they let him tow what he does. Laws here & DOT are alot different. DOT is all over rollback tow trucks, trucks pulling trailers like he does, they are worse, depending on the area. They go by manufacturers stated capacity as plastered on the vehicle. They could care less about what "upgrades" you did to the truck. If your over, your done-period.
My opinon on the OP question- Dualley & atleast a 550- Depending on a few differentiating factors.
5th wheel offers more weight distribution and increases the stated tow capacity of the vehicle by the manufacturer over conventional. Only problem with 5th wheel trailer is your always going to have to pull with that set up. Most larger trucks are setup to pull either way- 5th or conventional. The trailer will determine how you will tow the boat as long as its on the particular trailer. Conventional offers alot more options for towing should there ever be an issue with your tow vehicle over a 5th wheel trailer.
Last edited by 45Tripps; 01-29-2012 at 10:45 AM.
01-29-2012, 10:32 AM
#13
Registered
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
47 behind 96 3500
I pulled my 47 home from WI to Toronto with a 96 gmc 454 dually. Trailer is a MYCO triple with tag hitch. I purchased a 2.5 inch hitch ( biggest I could find) for 15k lbs. It pulled great but I know its not legal. I used it several times last summer to launch when the ramp was dry.
I also have a 30 foot cat with outboards that I pull with the same truck. I was stopped by the cops in september and fined $500 for overweight registration and no trailer safety tag. Lucky I wasnt pulling the 47 or the fine would be many $K.
I learned I need a class A restricted license because the trailer weight is over 10K and a much bigger truck for the 24k trailer. You also need the safety sticker on truck and trailer and the trailer weight added to the truck weight for truck registration.
I also have a 30 foot cat with outboards that I pull with the same truck. I was stopped by the cops in september and fined $500 for overweight registration and no trailer safety tag. Lucky I wasnt pulling the 47 or the fine would be many $K.
I learned I need a class A restricted license because the trailer weight is over 10K and a much bigger truck for the 24k trailer. You also need the safety sticker on truck and trailer and the trailer weight added to the truck weight for truck registration.
01-31-2012, 08:04 AM
#18
In one of Fountains old promotional films, one of their 10M Executioners are hooked onto an old Caddilac sedan!! Looks pretty cool..
In regards to safety... I see a lot of strange boats/trailer/tow vehicles around. What people often do wrong is where on the trailer they put the boat, and how they strap it down and that the trailer lightning may not work properly (because they tow the boat only a few times a year). The care to have their car working properly, but what they put behind it is somewhat neglected. I mean that if the boat is perfectly balanced on the trailer, properly supported in the bow area (so the frame and straps does not flex), the straps are correctly put on and is of a proper rating, the brakes work perfectly and the lightning also work properly, -it is pretty safe to tow a big trailer smoothly even if the truck is somewhat small. What is really dangerous, is if you get a problem while underway, so you need to rest at the hard shoulder along the roadside... There are alot of people who almost fall asleep while they are driving. If a boat stands half way out in the right lane and a heavy truck approaches, that can very quickly become FATAL.. So to take great care of the truck/trailer/boat SETUP is extremely important for not having a flat tire, or to have to re-tighten the traps along the roadside, or to fix loose things etc etc....
For example (and I talk from my own experience with my clients trailers), traiers with surge brakes are in general much worse when it comes to braking than el/hyd trailers. The surge trailers often have a "stuck" or misfunktioning brake pump as they are not used more than a few times a year. El/hyd use to work almost every time, and they brake a lot better too! And tires are another major factor.. Cheap trailers tend to have cheap tires. People tow and tow and tow and forget to think about what happens when it is very hot and their tires do not match the weight. Low tire pressure.... and then you are guaranteed problems.
The truck/rating/insurance question is of course an important matter, but the real life health of the trailer and balance, and the tow vehicle is to me even more important!! It does not matter if the truck is great if you stand alongside the road (or in my case, sometimes on top of a mountain with a twisty narrow road).. Then you better not stop at all!!
My honest opinion...
In regards to safety... I see a lot of strange boats/trailer/tow vehicles around. What people often do wrong is where on the trailer they put the boat, and how they strap it down and that the trailer lightning may not work properly (because they tow the boat only a few times a year). The care to have their car working properly, but what they put behind it is somewhat neglected. I mean that if the boat is perfectly balanced on the trailer, properly supported in the bow area (so the frame and straps does not flex), the straps are correctly put on and is of a proper rating, the brakes work perfectly and the lightning also work properly, -it is pretty safe to tow a big trailer smoothly even if the truck is somewhat small. What is really dangerous, is if you get a problem while underway, so you need to rest at the hard shoulder along the roadside... There are alot of people who almost fall asleep while they are driving. If a boat stands half way out in the right lane and a heavy truck approaches, that can very quickly become FATAL.. So to take great care of the truck/trailer/boat SETUP is extremely important for not having a flat tire, or to have to re-tighten the traps along the roadside, or to fix loose things etc etc....
For example (and I talk from my own experience with my clients trailers), traiers with surge brakes are in general much worse when it comes to braking than el/hyd trailers. The surge trailers often have a "stuck" or misfunktioning brake pump as they are not used more than a few times a year. El/hyd use to work almost every time, and they brake a lot better too! And tires are another major factor.. Cheap trailers tend to have cheap tires. People tow and tow and tow and forget to think about what happens when it is very hot and their tires do not match the weight. Low tire pressure.... and then you are guaranteed problems.
The truck/rating/insurance question is of course an important matter, but the real life health of the trailer and balance, and the tow vehicle is to me even more important!! It does not matter if the truck is great if you stand alongside the road (or in my case, sometimes on top of a mountain with a twisty narrow road).. Then you better not stop at all!!
My honest opinion...
Last edited by Yamaha 225; 01-31-2012 at 08:07 AM.
VIP Member
