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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Renting a Tow Vehicle?

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MartinJW
Navigator

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USA
241 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/24/2008 : 04:08:23

Hello Everyone,

We don't own a suitable tow vehicle for our new C-250, but we only tow the boat two times each year: from the storage yard to the lake in the spring and lake to storage place in the fall. (We keep the boat in a slip all summer.) Our total towing requirement is less than 200 miles per year. I just couldn't see buying a full-sized pickup for which we'd have such a limited need.

So, I'm assuming - perhaps incorrectly - that it won't be too much trouble to rent an appropriate pickup for 2 days per year. (I've also seen an ad. on Craigslist.org from someone who tows boats from nearby areas to Lake Tahoe; a few months ago he was charging $1/mile, but I suspect that this rate has increased.)

Has anyone else had a relatively big boat/trailer but NOT owned a full-sized pickup? Any recommendations, opinions, pointers, things we should consider?

Thanks,
Martin

C25/250 Int'l Ass'n Member
2008 C-250 WK #973
"Bluebell"
Lake Tahoe, CA/NV

Edited by - on

wmeinert@kconline.com
Past Commodore

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USA
353 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2008 : 08:20:38

I personally would place an add in the paper and ask for a local F-250 owner to hire out for the tow, I had the same issue many years ago and found a guy who did it just for a case of beer and a ride, he showed up every time I call and in fact he loved sailing so much he bought his own boat.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2008 : 08:54:36

Good Luck! I looked and looked and finally gave up and hired somebody to move my boat when I bought her. After that, somebody suggested a heavy equipment rental company but I didn't pursue it. None of the major rental companies allow towing. Even U-Haul couldn't accomodate the weight with their pick-ups.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2008 : 09:45:11

Go to the destination lake, make friends, ask for a hand from one of the people you will sail with.

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Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2008 : 15:30:07

Martin, I bought an F-150 and must admit we don't use it much at all especially that we now have a slip in beautiful Sylvan Lake AB about 100 miles away from Calgary. However I do look forward to getting the boat to the San Juans and Vancouver in the summer of 2009. I bought my boat out of Oregon and couldn't find any rental places so caved in and bought my own truck to bring it back to Calgary. Last year I needed my truck since I was dry sailing, but this year it's sitting outside and seldomly used if at all.

Hard to justify the expense I must admit. When you think about it the truck costs me about $6500/year. For that money I could easily charter a larger boat for a week in Vancouver and pay a guy to tow my C250 back and from the lake. I like the convenience and freedom of owning my own truck but then again at what cost?

If I would be living on the coast somewhere believe me that I would much rather sell the truck and C250 to consolidate the money into a single 32-35 footer.

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 05/24/2008 15:35:40

MartinJW
Navigator

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USA
241 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2008 : 16:23:18

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Blackburn
 
[edited]...
Hard to justify the expense I must admit. When you think about it the truck costs me about $6500/year. For that money I could easily charter a larger boat for a week in Vancouver and pay a guy to tow my C250 back and from the lake. I like the convenience and freedom of owning my own truck but then again at what cost? ...[edited]...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I think simply paying someone to tow the C250 to/from the lake twice each year is a good idea; I'll probably abandon the idea of trying to rent a vehicle to do this myself. I'm guessing that paying someone to tow the boat 25 miles will only be a few hundred dollars each year, but even if it's $500, it won't be that much additional expense compared to the annual cash flow required for the boat loan payments, insurance, slip rental, maintenance & repairs.

Thanks again, Steve, I appreciate your perspectives.

Martin

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2008 : 20:11:51

Last year a guy in Annapolis, MD donated to our yacht club a Northstar 500 (I think they knew a member of our Northstar 500 fleet who went racing up north). The guys who went to get it rented a 15 passenger van from a local truck & van rental company. These vans are set up for groups like church groups and choirs going on retreat who will haul a trailer with supplies, etc., so they are equipped for towing. Check out that angle in your city. I also like the idea of putting an ad in the paper, just give yourself a lot of lead time.
I'm hauling mine out next week to fix the keel trunk leak. One of the guys in our C-22 fleet has a conversion van on a 250 chassis and is doing the towing for me.

Edited by - dmpilc on 05/24/2008 20:13:21

SCnewbie
Navigator

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166 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2008 : 20:44:35

Martin, check out www.uship.com to try and find someone local to you. It was only going to be about 400 for someone to tow mine from tampa to Charleston. I would imagine someone local wouldn't charge you much at all. There are a lot of people on the uship site that are just people with F350 style trucks.

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2008 : 21:21:32

I found a local rental company that rents trucks that can be used for towing. It is an Oilfield rental company here in Calgary.
My GM 2500 4X4, as much as I love it, is on its way to the classified ads.

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piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2008 : 22:24:33

Martin, I have to agree that getting a fellow sailor where you keep your boat or maybe a neighbor where you live. How about putting up a sign on a community board where you keep your boat. I have one at the marina where I keep my boat-all year round- and people put up all sorts of requests. Good luck.
Steve A

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.