35-40' Performance boat trailering experience?
 

Hello-thinking about consolidating from a 26' FB Cruiser and a 25' Checkmate to a 35-40' Performance boat of some sort. Just a future plan. How is trailering one of these longer boats. Is a dually a requirement? Currently have a 1999 F250 Powerstroke 4wd, that pulls the current boats great. TIA

The truck you have will work fine. You might want to add air bags to the truck, but probably not necessary.

Trailering it is nothing - you will be used to it so fast you will be amazed. Just lock, load and go. I would be hesitant to go through drive thru's for a while though:lolhit:

As for weight - I would decide on whether you are comforable with a SRW truck once you decide on the boat. A 35-40 foot boat could be somewhere between 9klbs dry and about 15k dry depending on the boat make.

I personally would not be comfortable towing my Cafe without a dually. If I am full of fuel and on the trailer I am most likely over 14k and I don't feel comfortable with that level of exposure on anything less than a DRW.

From a legal standpoint - make sure you are within the capacity of your truck is going to be most people's recommendation.

You will be fine with that truck. Make sure to maintain the trailer accordingly and you shouldn't have any problems. With a tri axle trailer I would carry two spares if your going long distances. Mine is 39' loa and is a breeze to tow. I also have no problems loading and unloading alone.

Get a good electric over hydraulic brake system on the trailer. If you have a 250, I'd put overload springs or air bags in for sure. If you trailer in the hills, you'll be wishing for more truck, but if you plan on taking your time you'll be fine. Dually would be nice. I pull my 35 Cig with a 4500 Kodiak, and that's prob a little overkill, but I don't like to worry much either. A late model 3500 would do nicely.

Moved up from a 29 outlaw to a 38 Gun. Use a 3500 Srw crew cab chevy. Put bags on back and the trailer has Elec over Hyd.
No problem towing it. Just turn a little wider!!

Check your build specs on the truck. Ford offers a heavy duty option on the suspension. If it IS hd, your good. My last 2 boats were big and heavy. 402 Formula and a 39 express cat, (12' wide). Single wheel handled both with ease. I say EASE! Trailer MUST have good brakes and tires. Also, you may need to adjust axels forward or back on trailer to get the right amount of tongue weight. My boat and trailer weighed 21,000 lbs. I could spin the tires on dry pavement. I actually had to move the axles back aout a foot to get more weight on the hitch. towed them every week an hour and a half to the shore and then back. Pulled it from detroit michigan to NJ. with the cruise set at 85 all the way. It is no poblem if everything is adjusted right. BUT make sure you have good quaility , name brade, heavy duty tires on the truck all the way around! If you blow one, you may be sorry. Joe

PS/ pulled with 02 crew cab diesel 3.73 gears manual trans

It depends what kind of area you will be towing it around.

For the most part, it is a pain in the ass. You have to be sure to plan your route, making right hand turns is not easy with a 40 foot trailer. Manuevering around tight ramps is a pain, and most of the time the general public don't give you the room you need.

It can be done but it can also add a lot of additional aggravation. Pulled a 38 around for 2.5 years, don't miss it one bit.

c deezy had (one) good point. Most ramps SUCK to launch anything bigger then 25 feet. Ramps are short and steep. can't get the right angle with a 40 footer on most ramps. you will need to experiment on your local ramps or watch others with big boats to see how it works for them. If you go away from home, plan ahead! ask people on this site that ive in the area for a good ramp to use. And MAKE SURE they own a large boat.


The only thing you need to check is how you register it in your state. Some are combined GVW for truck and trailer weight, some just go by the trucks GVW. If its just truck GVW that will linit you alot. If you crash and you rGVW doesen't add up right, your insurance will be no good. Also you can get stopped and check in police spot checks and get an over weight ticket which could cost thousands!

Hauled a 38 every weekend for 5 years........a buddy who worked at a RV dealer (and towed them regularly) about chit as I whipped around in a gas station one day. I was comfortable with it but he just wasn't used to something that long. Like anything else you get used to it with practice.

That's a really good point, you don't want to grind the middle of your trailer because it's too steep.

I went from a 28 foot Powerquest ridding on a tandem axle Eagle trailer to a 38 Powerquest ridding on a triple axle Vanguard trailer and I can get into more ramps with the 38 than I could with the 28.
The trailer on the 38 sits higher and although it is longer I have yet to get hung up where I used to with the 28.
As far as towing with the longer rig it does make it a little harder for on the road fuel fill ups but with a little planing and wise choices it isn't that bad.

Anything a SRW can do a DRW can do better--when it comes to towing.

It's about wheelbase as well. If you have a short wheelbase SRW, it's not going to be as stable of a towing platform as a CC/LB.

One of the best things you can do to add towing stability (NOT CAPACITY), is wider than factory wheels--like 8-9-10 inches (proper weight capacity), and a bigger tire footprint, (again, proper weight capacity). And you can add rear-helper airbags. They help the springs carry the weight by adding another distribution point too the frame. I have run them on all of my towing trucks; INCLUDING my dually. They also improve ride-quality and handling when NOT towing.

I pull my 38 with a Ford F450 dually diesel, the truck never wanders or begs for driver input. I also have rear airbags and I cannot be happier with the stability of the set up at speeds.
Transports or crosswinds play zero factor while towing on the highway.
Another thing to keep in mind as it has been mentioned before, if you are towing beyond the manufacturers rating and are involved in an accident you may be left out in the cold...

+1.... I towed my Formula357 with a GMC 2500HD/Dmax for 2 years. I thought it was fine till I bought a dually this spring. There is no comparison when it comes to handling. If you plan on alot of towing, I would consider a dually.

+1. Nothing beats a dually for towing.

I am not nocking a dually in any way . If you can afford to have just for that , go for it. it is better.

I did pull a 45 sonic with triple 502's behind an Ford excursion in 6 inches of snow From NJ. to Washington DC. (before the trans went)! NOT reccomended , but doooable!:lolhit:

I remember that! :D

bigger is better