towing alot with a 42 fountain?
 

so, im looking to upgrade and found a good deal on a 42 fountain.. been looking at 33-36 bajas... but fell in love with this fountain...

i do tow alot.. usally every weekend during the boating season, sometimes to a local lake... about 40 miles, and maybe 2 times a month to ozarks.. 145 miles.. each way

boats a 42, on triple axle steel bumper pull trailer.

truck in a 2000 ford f350, power stroke, turned up, with built to the gill tranny...
but truck is also lifted 8'' on 37'' tires.


i do own a trucking and exavating company and this truck does alot of towing, mainly our smaller equipment, bobcats and mini hoes... people say im crazy for doing the kinda work i do with this truck, but i have no problems..i have tons of towing experiance, and have hauled about everything...


question is, will i hate my life in the summer towing this big of a boat around.... my old boat was a 29 outlaw... how does this compair.. and do many of you tow a 42 often... or is this dumb???

Just sold a 38 Formula.....stored in the garage and towed every weekend for 5 years. I have friends with a 42 Sonic, 43 Black Thunder who also tow every weekend. I'm a clean freak and wash/dry the boat after every weekend, sold the boat cause my kids wanted to tube all the time and I got tired of the clean-up routine......towing was really never the issue.

You tow all the time so it should not be an issue.I am wondering how it will be with a lifted truck.For a 42 you really should have a dually.

I agree with Expensive Date on the dually. Why don't you just keep that truck for work and step up to the new 6.7 dually? I think you'd be blown away by how powerful and comfortable the new Ford is.

well... for the most part... the trucks perfect for everything i do.. and 110% paid for! and in perfect, better then new shape, my old mans got a 08 f450, and yes! Its amazing! but $$$! i can use it sometimes but they show horses, and tow a 48' horse trailer!


anyone guess how much a 42 on steel trailer weighs?

Boat (from there site) 11500
Trailer (steel) 4000 +/-
300 gals of fuel 2100 +/-

With some personal items you are pushing 18k.I would not tow this with anything but a dually.

my concern would be if there ever was an issue like an accident or something whether the insurance would cover it because you were beyond capicity tow wise with your truck. i have towed with a dually all my life and would never go back. thats alot of boat to tow for distance. if your close to your ramp you should be fine.

Simple issue. They won't cover. The first thing an adjuster/claims investigator is going to do is open the door and look at the factory axle ratings and GVWR, GVWCR on the pillar. They don't give a crap about your mods, your aftermarket hitch, none of it. If you exceed, you're screwed. It doesn't matter what you 'normally' tow with it, or what your skills are either. They are looking for a way to get out of paying a claim, not for a way of being a nice guy and taking care of you. Also, those bigger numbers on your receiver are for weight-distributing hitches. Try counting on your fingers how many of those you see attached to performance boat trailers......
Buy and drive a truck that is LEGAL for what you are towing behind it. If you don't, and don't get in an accident, great for you. If you do get an accident, try and test the system; I wish you luck.

We went from a 29 Fountain to a 35 Fountain and we towed it every time we took it out. We drove mostly secondary roads and found that it could be a betch (they filter the correct spelling) getting it around a corner without the trailer being off the edge of the road. Not a big deal, but still, had to be more careful. The other things we noticed were that, one, it limited the number of gas stations we could get in and out of, easily, and second, none of the boat ramp parking lots at the local lake could accomodate a truck + trailer that was close to 60' long, especially on a crowded weekend. Nothing like getting "parked in" where you couldn't get your rig back out without a major hassle. That was when we lived in Raleigh, NC, but it's not much different where we boat now in Cinci. We eventually sold the 35 and went back to a 29 ... but, and it is a big but :D:, I really miss the 35, and will own another one some day (hopefully sooner than later). My friend has a 42 Fountain and one time I watched him take a street sign down with the fender of his Myco, trying to get it around a corner on the way to Schmidt Field boat ramp, here in Cinci :eek:. When I get another 35, I'll probably find some option so I don't have to tow it so much. I could not image having to tow a 42 every time I wanted to go boating, but maybe that's just me.

still going to be over wieght with tag traller. duallys only increase the wieght for a 5th wheel or goose neck.,not a tag.. I looked at a 2008 3500 gmc 6.6 dually and tag trailer rating 7500lbs. My 02 6.6 non dually is 7000lbs. to be legal you need a medium dity truck like gmc 6500,f650 or so.