FunHome

Does anyone tow a 38 Special?? Does the extra width make it a pain in the A$$?? I have towed may boat's before and have the truck to pull with but what are the pro's and con's??

Dock Holiday

I did not know there was any extra width over 8ft 6 in?

There was a guy here on Lake Norman that had a 1999, 38 Special with 502's. He had a radar arch on it custom made from alumium and had radar, sonar, you name it.

His name was Todd, I wish I had taken a picture of this, but honest to God, he pulled this boat with a Ford Expedition. NOT an Excursion, but an Expedition.

I was behind him on I-40 one day and he pulled off on the shoulder and I pulled off behind him to make sure all was OK.

He had the auto load leveling system, but the factory stock hitch, and his commit was that he heard something funny, and with 8000 lb tow capacity and 13000 lb boat if you hear something funny you stop and look!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Expedition would pull the boat fine, but he could not stop it. The truck did not have enough brakes to be able to kick in the surge brakes. He sold the boat over a year ago now, but pulled it twice to the beach that I know of.

I gues I have some crazy friends, but another buddy just pulled his 2002 Fountain 38 Sport Cruiser (18000 Lbs) almost 60 miles to the lake weekend before last with a Ford F-250. He is suppose to have a permit because of the width, but did not get one.

FunHome

I just looked, the 38 Special is 9ft 3in wide. I was wondering if that caused any problems??

CigDaze

Yep, anything over 8'6" will need special permits, "Wide Load" signs, sometimes you will need official escorts, etc. This is the national DOT limit; some states and some roads can have even narrower restrictions. In most states, you are even restricted to what times you can tow; mainly daytime only and non-peak hours.

The physical towing should not be a big deal by itself, though, as long as you are concious of the extra width on narrow roads, turning radiuses and when passing/being passed.

Griff

A local guy here tows a 38 special regularly. He only has to go a couple miles to put it in the water here, but also tows it down to LOTO a few times a year.

FunHome

Griff, Do you mean Ash??

How about it Ash. How much of a pain is it to tow that thing?? Have you ever towed it anywhere else other than LOTO and around Omaha??