How much boat can I pull?

[bryan wagoner]

I am new to boat/trailer game. Have a '97 Merc Villager 6 cyl. and a '91 Subaru Legacy 4 cyl. My hope is to buy a 15'-17' boat that I can use on calm Lake Michigan days and on the Detroit River, etc. Have looked at 17' aluminum SkiNymph on non-roller trailer and a 14' Whaler jet on an easy-load. Really liked a 17' SeaRay fiberglass on non-roller trailer. Can I pull any of these boats with either of my cars??? Once up and back to the UP each year with several local jaunts as well. How about trailer type for my shallow UP launch?? Thanks to all who take the time to read this.

BCW

[Tim FRick]

your owners manual should be able to tell you, if not check your local dealer. I wouln't recommend your 4 cylinder engine. It puts allot of strain on your motor and transmission. Even a 6 cylinder car can have some problems, especially with the transmission getting to hot. Make sure you change your transmission fluid each year due to this increase of tempature. You can burn up your tranny fluid fast when towing. Don't over due it, it will diffently shorten the life of your car if it's not designed for towing.
Good Luck!!
Tim FRick

[Fred_G]

Check your vehicle owners manual for the GVRW and compare that to the fully loaded weight of the boat, motor and trailer you like. That will give you a pretty close estimate, however, you may find that you need to add a transmission cooler also. Towing increases transmission temps a lot, and can be very hard on transmissions. LOL Fred

[scottcny]

Bryan,

I would stay away of towing anything with the 4 cylender car. I think your just asking for trouble there. The van should tow the boats you mention on the open road ok but you have to look at trailering in two parts: over the road and at the launch. Mini vans are not set up as tow vehicals from the factory so that means the engine might ( and i say might because a small 6 is not the best) have the power to pull a standard 2000# but you might want to add a tranny cooler to the van as insurance. When your at the ramp you may have problems with the low ground clearance of the van. I run a 4x2 truck and I occasionaly have issues with this. Another reason trucks a preferred tow vehicals is because they are rear wheele drive. This is a huge benifite when your pulling out of the water. mini vans of coarse are front wheele drive so you might have some problems at ramps. if i was in your position I might consider Trading the Suberu on a pick up with a big 6 or small 8 in it. 2 or 4 wheel drive is your choice. The Dakota is nicly priced and you can get it with a 3.9 six or a small 8. I run the 3.9 and pull a 16' lund with absolutly no problems on the road or at the ramp.

just my 2 cents.

[Steve (CO)]

I don't disagree with anything said above...however...
I have pulled a 15.5' fiberglass Crestliner trihull with an 80HP Merc behind a 4 cylinder Nissan Stanza front wheel drive (4WD capability) wagon for 12 years. I figure the rig goes at least 1500#. The car is rated for towing 1000#. I have had no problems whatever in using the front wheel drive mode and consider that I am at 5000' altitude which cuts my engine power. I mostly pull locally but have towed a couple of hundred miles. I wouldn't try to pull this up into the mountains, obviously. I go real slow in low gear up the one steep hill to our local reservoir. Believe it or not, I used to pull this rig behind a VW bus!

Anyway, my point is it can be done. Is it good for the vehicle? Maybe not as indicated above, but I have had no untoward effects with local use. If I were on the road with this rig alot, I might have a different story to tell. Just wanted to give another side to the story.
Steve

[Dave in Mpls]

All good info above.

When most people contemplate buying a boat, they worry about having enough motor and tranny to pull the load, paying little or no attention to the other end of the spectrum. Perhaps your post should have read "How much boat can I STOP?"

I think the Villager would be questionable, at best. Forget the Legacy - no need to ruin a perfectly good car. Buy the right rig for the job.

I'm glad Steve was never behind me with that Stanza setup. Down right scary!!

Regards

[REW]

Two thoughts -
A 4-cylinder engine for any kind of towing is mariginal - can be done - but most of the 4-cylinder components - including the clutch are not really up to the task.

2. If you elect to tow with the mini van - a couple of thoughts

a. Put a transmission cooler on your auto. This is very cheap insurance in helping to keep your transmission oil temperature down. Typically a $50 installed price.

b. If you are towing - and find that you are upshifting / downshifting a lot -- or going into and out of overdrive -- shift down - to minimize the up/down shifts. Frequent shift changes are hard on a transmission.

c. If you are suspect in the rear spring department -- add overloads or air shock struts. These can be added for about $100 / side -- and allow you to haul an extra 1000 lbs - without having the headlights point to the sky - and have your hitch scrape on all of the driveway entrances.

d. If you work very much with unimproved ramps -- you might want to consider adding an additional hitch on the front of the vehicle. Then when you pull your boat out of the water -- you back up the ramp. This means that you have to stop at the ramp and rehitch to the front of your vehicle -- but because of the rearward weight transfer during a hard pull - it can mean the difference between getting out of a ramp or not.

e. Another thing to consider that I have done in times past -- have a 20 foot chain along. If you really get into a jam - you can hook a chain onto your hitch -- put the trailer into the water -- winch the boat onto the trailer -- then -- from a distance away -- in a spot with good traction -- using either the front or back of the vehicle -- you can pull the loaded trailer out of the water. This can be particularly troublesome - if you have a very shallow ramp -- that requires that the tires would normally be in the water - for boat retrival.

Good luck and enjoy your new rig.

If in doubt -- slow down, and gear down -- and you will be fine.
-
REW

[REW]

I reread your post and had a thought -
You mention a suburu legacy.
I assume that this vehicle is an all wheel drive vehicle. Does this vehicle have a "low" range on the transaxle. If so -- this car might be just the ticket if you need to work low or unimproved ramps.

If you have lots of gears -- hp is not a big deal. Although this is not a particularly heavy car -- if you go slow -- have brakes on the trailer -- and keep from overheating -- it could be just the car for short pulls - and troublesome ramps.

Take care

REW

[Steve (CO)]

I do have brakes on the trailer behind my Nissan, so I'm not dependent on the car stopping the rig, but you make a good point.

[Dave in Mpls]

Here's a story you'll appreciate...

I'm driving home from Lake Minnetonka one Saturday afternoon. I get near an intersection and see a bunch of flashing lights, and see a 19' Sea Ray on it's side in the intersection, with the trailer t-boning a Chev 1500 pickup. The Chev obviously wasn't pulling the Sea Ray, but there didn't appear to be any other vehicles involved. As I approached, I finally see a Pontiac Fiero literally under the Chev. You guessed it, there was a hitch on the Fiero!!! The trailer had brakes, too....

[Steve (CO)]

Okay guys, let's be accurate here. First, I am not advocating pulling a 19' Sea Ray behind a small vehicle. I have pulled a relatively light rig, mostly within 10-15 miles of home. I have never had a problem with stopping, even with quick stops. If I did, I would have stopped pulling the rig. I like my health as much as the next guy. Second, Dave in Mpls, from your description you did not see the accident...for all you know the truck may have run a red light a blind-sided the car and trailer (not an excuse for the Fiero and Sea Ray as a potential problem, however).
Enough said. I agree that it is better to use a bigger vehicle to avoid all the problems everyone has mentioned and I will pull my new 1700 Fisherman with a Chevy K2500 so you don't have to watch out for me any more.

[The Terminator]

I was in exactly your situation about a year ago.
I have a 1996 Camry wagon with a V6, 188 hp.
The very best advice is read your owner's manual thorougly.
Here are the key points I got from mine
- max. tow weight (includes trailer, etc.); 2000 lb:
- max. weight above which trailer brakes needed: 1000 lb
- max. tongue weight: 200 lb. (The tongue weight of the trailer can be measured with a good bathroom scale. Tongue weight + all the stuff in the car can't excede total weight limit allowed in vehicle.

I expect your minivan will be similar- check manual.

I also called my mechanic and he told me to ONLY drive with the overdrive OFF. This was in the manual but I missed it. I also put in a transmission cooler and change my trans fluid and flush at the end of the season-the Penske dealers at K-Mart's will do this.

Good luck...Tony

[Dave in Mpls]

Steve-

I certainly wasn't trying to suggest that you addvocate activities as extremem as this example. Merely trying to make a point, with, as I said, an extreme example!

Regards

[EyeBoy]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-31-00 AT 11:20PM (CST)[p]OUCH!!! Poor people in the Fiero.