trailering a 38 express cruiser
 

Thinking of going to a more cruiser like boat and the 38 EC has caught my eye. I would like to be able to tow it with my diesel dually to different area lakes. Anybody towing a 38 express cruiser with a diesel dually? Can it be done?

I tow my 47' Lightning with a F350 like it is a jet ski. Not sure about the width of a 38' EC.

Pulling it shouldn't be an issue with a properly equipped rig, but it is over wide and really tall on the trailer. So you have to check towing permits (wide-load) in your area and watch for low hanging wires and trees.

What does your 47 weigh on the trailer?

I would say 16k-20K lbs. with trailer.

My buddy has a 38 EC and he tow's it fine with a dually. It is a wide load but in NC we can get a year long permit so it isn't too big of a deal. We tow a 48 EC which is 12ft wide with F650 dually. Low trees are a problem. I know where you can get a good deal on a new Ford F350 or F450. ;)

with the trailer??? Is that fully armed? full tanks? water and fuel? How does that 350 do on the ramp?

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/f...ly-loaded.html

My boat always stay full. 80% of the time I don't even have to put the truck is 4x4. Towing has never been a issue. Loading the boat in a cross wind is another story.

staggard twin or triple?

I don't think there are any issue towing this 38! unless something is different than usual...

Triples

I pull my 47 with a gas 3500 2wd with no problem but sometimes i need help on a wet ramp. Trouble is that it's illegal here. I need a 550 and a class A license because the trailer weight is over 10,000 lbs. Now I only go about 1/2 mile to ramp.

I have been pulling (and stopping) a 2006 38EC with my 2000 ford f350 for 6 years in Florida. Using a triple axle aluminum trailer with triple disc electric over hydraulic brakes. Never had an issue. Stopping is more important that pulling, so make sure you have the best brakes on all axles. Florida really doesn't enforce width restrictions, so I have never been pulled over for width. I rarely use 4x4 to pull boat out, only when ramp is full of weeds and can't get a grib.

How far do you trailer the 38? My plans include a few 120+ mile trips and maybe one 500 mile trip to Destin.

Also, how much does the boat and trailer combo really weigh? Have you ever put it on a truck stop type scale to really check it out?

I do regular trips to the Florida Keys which is approximately 400 miles from central florida. Also, regular 100+ mile trips to Florida's west coast. Actually, I have not weighed the combo, but been meaning to do so soon. I'll let you know what I find out. A dually with a triple axle trailer has been very stable from my standpoint, usually tow between 60 and 65 mph on freeways. Again, stopping is key.

I've towed my 38EC from Toronto to Fort Lauerdale twice there and back with my F350 Super Duty along with all kinds of other places in southern Ontario without a problem. Only thing is that you are towing a wide load. The beam on the EC is 10'6" and if your going to do a long haul, you have to make sure you have permits. You can't haul in the rain, snow and at night. I had major problem going through West Virgina one year because it was dark and I had a wide load, had to turn around and find a hotel and stop for the night. Otherwise the boat with fuel and all the rest of the stuff on it weighted about 16,000lbs. Speed, always around 60 to 65mph. I found the supercab with the long box towed better, besides has a larger fuel tank than the short box.
Rudy

Rudy, do you have a class A license? I wonder if it's enforced in Toronto. I was caught with my 30 foot cat for overweight and now I'm paranoid about towing the 47 from simcoe to Toronto.

What kind of trailer and trailer brakes do you have on your rig?

What is the height of the 38 express cruiser on a trailer?

I have a 2006 Amera Trail triple axle aluminum trailer. I have tie down disk brakes with an electric over hydraulic pump. Be very careful with brakes as I previously had kodiak brakes and they spit brake pads like Larry the Cable Guy spits tobacco. I have been much happier with the tie down brakes. If you need a trailer, you might want to let Amera Trail give you a quote. I have one awesome trailer and Scott at Amer Trail (go on-line or call at 407-892-1100) will pretty much custom build you what you want. He builds a lot of major fishing boat trailers and a lot for the government, ships all over the Country. He even finished the welds on mine and then I had mine powder coated red to match my boat. My boat is about 10'-4" to the top of the windshield and about 13'-6" to the top of the radar arch.

http://www.osc-eng.com/IMAGES/IMG00004.JPG

I had a Sea Ray 39' EC that I moved overland a few times. It weighed 18K #...I have to say with a 14' beam it was an ordeal to be honest. I always had to launch it with a travel lift...never tried a ramp.

How does it do at the ramp? Can you launch it like a regular sport boat?

I have never had a problem at the ramps here in Florida. Launched in both salt water coastal ramps and ramps on area lakes in Central Florida. The trailer does have to be built so you don't catch the steps on the bunks, but that is the case for all stepped bottom boats. Launches the same as my older boats Formula's 292, 357 and 419.

Just curious as to what everyone thinks the 38EC would look like with out the arch on it?

I actually removed mine for some time in order to develop a hinge system so I can put it in my garage. I like it better with the arch. I'll try to post photos without when I can find them.

Did the hinge system work? pic. of that would be great.

Very sexy boat. I am looking for something like the 38 EC but I cannot afford the Fountain so I am going with the Formula 330 or 350 Sun Sport. Would love to see more pictures of your boat and any other ECs that are out there.

ozarkdevel: e-mail me at [email protected] and I'll send some pics and some dxf files of the exact dimensions of the parts. Mine works great, except the routing of wires and that fact that it is manual and I must be very carefull moving from up to down position and back again.

Take a peak in the Formula section on the "what do you tow your formula with thread" or something like that. There is a guy in there that has his Formula 400SS behind a 2500 GM. A buddy who is a transporter also just posted pics on FB this morning towing a 400SS behind a GM 3500.

38fountainecman I never got your reply to my pm and its says you inbox is full.

E-mail sent 38fountainecman

Kodiak uses full metalic pads and they grab harder under heat. You guys turn your brake controller wide open loaded and it will grab and spit them out.

TN has a year permit for over dimensional for $100 which is no problem at all. If you go by the law you cannot pull on Sundays, nights, or any holidays. That is because the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement guys are off as well as the weigh stations. When you pull out of state you have to have a permit in each state each day which again isn't cost prohibitive, just a pain to not tow at night or on Sunday when you want to come home.

Now that being said... I have pulled mine on Sunday on the way back from Jacksonville and Cumberland and when I went to Destin I didn't even pull permits because I haven't been checked. Now I am pulling a cat which if you are behind me looks the 10' 6" width but not really from the side... That 38EC looks big on the trailer for sure and might draw a little more attention. That 13'6" height will be something you have to pay attention to in many areas. To follow the permit you will have to have a flashing amber light on the rear and "Wide Load" banners front and back along with flags at every corner of truck and trailer. Again, I don't but just wanted to let you know what you are "suppose" to do! I have heard a bunch of horror stories about being impounded and fined etc... from guys who have been stopped but I've been lucky so far.

It is a big difference pulling a 8'6" and a 10'+ trailer IMO as well... Just go in eyes wide open and I can't wait to see one on B Dock!!

I have a contract on one subject to sea trial and survey. We'll see how it goes. Maybe you can see it in a few weeks.

EMS Diver: Unloaded my PM box, please re-send and I'll respond

I pull my 38EC with a Dodge Ram dually diesel (5.9 Liter Cummins ISB) It pulls and stops fine. Open road towing not a problem. Getting it down tight roads in town becomes interesting, especially when road signs are very close to the edge of the road, but doable. Total weight (boat & trailer) is approximately 15,000 lbs. The boat and trailer are 10 feet wide so check your road restrictions for wide loads.

By the way, the 38EC is an excellent choice. You'll find you end up passing most every other cruiser in this size range, and it's a fairly comfortable boat to generally hang out on too.