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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Tow vehicle

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DavidMichaelErickson
Deckhand

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USA
1 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/24/2012 : 18:27:52

Looking to purchace a Catalina 25 with the swing keel, but am concerned with the size of the vehicle necessary to tow her.

I most likely won't be towing far, but want to be sure I get something big enough to get her out of the water - regardless of how steep the ramp is.

My second consideration is that the vehicle should be small enough so fuel prices on non-towing days wouldn't be restrictive.

I'm curious what actual C25 (swing keel) owners use to tow their boats.

Any and all comments will be appreciated.

Edited by - on

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 06/24/2012 : 18:49:07

Here you go:

http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22968& SearchTerms=dodge,ram

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 06/24/2012 : 19:38:39

David, welcome to the forum. Lots of great information here. One of the things you'll learn is that this is a very popular topic. It comes up every few months or so. I think the consensus is that a 3/4 ton truck is probably the right vehicle but some will tell stories of towing long distances with much less. Just remember, you'll have roughly 6500 pounds of boat and trailer. I can get that to roll with my Ford Ranger. I just wouldn't want to be in front of the trailer when it comes to stopping it or controlling it and speeds above 5 mph. It also would never get it out of the water.

Edited by - on

hewebb
Admiral

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USA
761 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2012 : 04:30:11

I have two friends that tow theirs with a 1/2 ton pick up. One of them tows several hundred miles to sail in other lakes. Both seem to do quite well. I have a Chevy 2500 diesel and I cannot tell the boat is back there, however, I did not buy the truck to tow the boat. For just the boat I would pick a Suburban or 1500 pick up truck for shorter trips. For long more frequent trips the diesel is much better.

Edited by - on

dasreboot
Admiral

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804 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2012 : 04:54:37

I tow mine with an f150. tows and stops well.I do however have surge brakes on it.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2012 : 06:07:39

[url="http://onlinetowingguide.com/guidelines/gvwr.html"]GVWR[/url]

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Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2012 : 08:03:38

[url="http://www.chevrolet.com/assets/pdf/en/overview/11_Trailering_Guide.pdf"]Chevy 2011 Towing Guide[/url]

[url="http://www.dodge.com/en/towing_payload/2012/"]Dodge 2012 Towing Guide[/url]

[url="https://www.fleet.ford.com/showroom/rv_trailer_towing/2012/2012_default.asp"]Ford 2012 Towing Guide[/url]

Just identify weight you need to tow, add a 20% cushion, and choose the appropriate vehicle to tow the load. The 20% cushion is so you don't max out the vehicle's capability...just a safety factor. You can adjust it to whatever you're comfortable with.

Also be aware that tow ratings for many vehicles are a joke. The three above are reliable for trucks, purpose made. Tow ratings for SUV's can be marketing "stunts" to sell a vehicle.

Edited by - on

Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2012 : 08:12:04

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dasreboot
 I tow mine with an f150. tows and stops well.I do however have surge brakes on it.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

There is such a wide variety of F150's available....engine size, cab size, wheelbase and gearing...all are factors spreading the tow capability from 5500# to 11,300#.

More specific info about your particular F150 would be useful.

Edited by - on

froell56
Deckhand

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USA
14 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2012 : 10:34:18

I tow my C25 SR/SK with a '98 Suburban 2500 (4X4; 454 V8) and hardly notice it is back there. It has more than enough muscle to haul it out of the water and i wouldn't hesitate to take it long distance.

We only use the suburban for towing the boat, or the rare occasion that calls for hauling seven or eight people. Wouldn't want to drive it more frequently at today's gas prices. (We typically have the highest gas prices in the country here in Oregon.)

Edited by - on

sethp001
Mainsheet C-25 Tech Editor

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814 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2012 : 07:55:54

Anybody know how old of a Suburban, Silverado, or F150 you could get (with the right equipment configuration) that could tow a Cat 25? I can't figure out how to find definitive towing numbers for older vehicles. I've been looking to get an old vehicle solely for towing.

Edited by - on

ColinR
1st Mate

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Canada
28 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2012 : 09:31:36

stay away from 6.5 chevy's
'97 and on late 90's f250/f350's are good
don't touch any ford in the f series before 97
late 90 dodges are good
7.3 ford diesel engines are good.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2012 : 10:19:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ColinR
 stay away from 6.5 chevy's
'97 and on late 90's f250/f350's are good
don't touch any ford in the f series before 97
late 90 dodges are good
7.3 ford diesel engines are good.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Stay away from the Ford 6.0L. They are junk. Fod 6.6L isn't too bad.

The company that I work for just sold a couple of Ford Expeditions with the 5.7L. One was an '05 and the other an '06. Both had the HD tow package which rated out around 9500 - 9900 lb's (if I remember correctly). I tried to buy one of them but they were trying to get retail and they were not in that condition.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2012 : 11:24:00

If you are only going to tow once or twice a year, rent a truck when you need it instead of buying one and save the gas $, insurance $, repair $, etc.
Uhaul is now stocking trucks with a 10,000 lb towing capacity. One we rented even had a separate receiver so you could use your own ball mount in case their ball was not the right size. This may be a new item and may not be widely available yet.

Edited by - dmpilc on 06/26/2012 11:24:50

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2012 : 16:19:46

Renting has a lot to recommend it, just be sure that it is permitted by the rental contract. Locally, Uhaul only permitted towing Uhaul trailers with their trucks a couple of years ago. It would be nice if that has changed.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2012 : 18:43:11

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DavidMichaelErickson
 want to be sure I get something big enough to get her out of the water - regardless of how steep the ramp is.

should be small enough so fuel prices on non-towing days wouldn't be restrictive.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Big enough no matter how steep the ramp, yet not cost prohibitive fuelwise....Hmmmm? You'll get one but probably not the other.

Being from Muskegon, you might want to consider buying a boat sans trailer and simply letting the boatyard do all the work. After you work the numbers you may just find, like I did, that you'll save a boatload of money and it'll make your life much easier.

Edited by - on

jrchase11
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2012 : 18:25:53

I tow with Toyota Tundra with larger rear end (Toyota only has two options),4WD, and 4.6L. I get 17 MPG routinely on highway and if I had 2 wheel drive it would be 18 and smaller rear end would be 20mpg (all not towing).

I did invest in both axles having brakes (on trailer) and brake controller (in truck). Would definitely not try it without brakes. Tows fine for short trips and occasional long trip (bought boat and trailered from Treasure Island (st. Pete area) to Jacksonville with no problems).

If I were going to tow all the time on long trips I agree 3/4 ton much better, but this is not the case with boats typically and is more the case with work trailers.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9081 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2012 : 19:51:32

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DavidMichaelErickson
 I most likely won't be towing far...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Speed is a more important consideration than distance. What kind of roads, traffic, and speeds do you expect? One little "surprise" can ruin your whole day (or life) if under duress the vehicle isn't up to both braking and maintaining directional stability. For the latter, the longer the wheelbase, the better. And for anything resembling speeds where you can make the vehicle skid, trailer brakes (electric or surge) are important.

I'd say the 6500# estimate above is conservative, from what some others have reported after putting the full load on a scale--boat, trailer, motor, tank, fuel, sails, anchors, galley stuff, head, cushions, etc., etc. The typical C-25 weighs considerably more than its "dry weight" spec.

Edited by - on

sethp001
Mainsheet C-25 Tech Editor

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814 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2012 : 06:49:31

A year and a half ago when I first started thinking about towing from Virginia to Key West, I called a local Enterprise Rent-a-Car office and inquired. They do not permit towing with any of their vehicles.

I then called the local Enterprise commercial rental office, and they DO permit towing with their truck rentals. I could get an F150 crew cab for about $600 a week, which isn't bad. I would have incurred some mileage overage charges going to Key West but I remember thinking that they weren't that steep.

And there's that guy on the forum who rents his trailer...

I decided not to go the rental route because I would want to stay 3-4 weeks if I made the trip, and then the rental starts adding up, even if you could find a way to turn in the Enterprise truck in Florida. Also, the crew cab would not have fit my entire family - we have 5 kids - so we would have had to take a second car.

So whenever I get around to doing this, I'll be buying a Suburban.

Edited by - sethp001 on 06/29/2012 06:50:15

Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2012 : 08:53:01

A properly equipped Suburban will easily tow the C25.

The 2008+ Suburban 2500 is rated at 9600#. (3.73) (2WD)

Even the 1500 Suburban is rated at 8100#. (3.42) (2WD)

If you need to haul a family, all their stuff, and a loaded up C25, the Suburban 2500 with 2WD and 3.73's will be an excellent tow vehicle choice.

Edited by - on

Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2012 : 09:03:12

I suggest the [url="http://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution/Reese/RP66073.html"]Reese Dual Cam Lock[/url] system.

I pulled a 30', 7500# tongue pull travel trailer for many years and thousands of miles. It's a rock solid system, highly adjustable for load leveling...and when traveling straight with the cams locked down, it doesn't move at all. I've been passed by fast moving 18 wheeler boxes on a narrow 2 lane....and you feel it of course, but the rig never moved....stayed in the lane.

I had an F350, 172 wheelbase, 4 door cab, Powersmoke. Completely rigged, I was almost 60' long and 14k#.

Edited by - on

skybird
Navigator

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USA
135 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2012 : 09:23:37

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dmpilc
 If you are only going to tow once or twice a year, rent a truck when you need it instead of buying one and save the gas $, insurance $, repair $, etc.
Uhaul is now stocking trucks with a 10,000 lb towing capacity. One we rented even had a separate receiver so you could use your own ball mount in case their ball was not the right size. This may be a new item and may not be widely available yet.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

My F250 is an '07--last year of the 6.0 and all the major bugs were worked out by then. Head studs are not an issue unless you are changing programs and overboosting, etc. I have pulled as much as 15,000 lb RVs all over with no issues and get better mileage than a stock 6.4--the other side of that is that my son's welding truck, an '08 in stock trim with his work load on it weighs in at about 11,000 lb and averaged 7 or 8 mpg until he ran out the warranty and replaced the exhaust and chipped the computer. Instantly doubled his average mpg and he has the option to comfortably tow 12,000 lb rv with the 11,000 lb truck. HOW'S THAT for muddying the water?

Edited by - on

fineg
Deckhand

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USA
18 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2012 : 17:34:18

FWIIW, I pull mine around the lake with a 2007 Avalance with 4WD (I can store it fully rigged on the lake property). Tow rating is supposed to be 7,000 lbs. I wouldn't take it on long trips, as that's too close to the limit (or maybe over it as many have commented), but have never had a problem getting it up and down the ramp. 4WD is often a big help on slippery steep ramps. And while I've never needed it, in 4WD Low Range, I'm sure it would climb any ramp with the boat. I get 16-18 MPG, closer to 19 on longer trips. Also, be careful about hitch capacity. My hitch is rated for 5,000 lbs weight carrying, or 12,000 with a weight distributing setup. I don't use a weight distributing setup while towing it around the lake, but would if I decided to take it out on any road.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2012 : 18:04:46

A properly equipped Suburban, or equivelent is probably a pretty good choice for frequent towing. It has good creature comfort, longish wheelbase, and has better aerodynamics than a pickup. The Boat/US "Trailer Guys" recommend not towing over 90% of capacity, but regularly towing at that level probably shortens the vehicle's life. Incidentally, I did some research after reading 10-15% numbers here and other places, and a magazine for trailering (I think it might have been "Trailering") regularly tests trailers and tow vehicles (often bigger than we are talking about) and there actual testing said 7.5-10%, and, almost always, 7.5% was the the number.

Edited by - on

rrick
Captain

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USA
261 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2012 : 18:56:26

Hitch is a concern, but remedied if you have an impact wrench, torque wrench, and about $350 (for a 10-12k pound weight carrying receiver, matching forged drop tongue and 1-1/4" shaft ball).
I towed once with a land cruiser, now with an F250 4-door pickup. Since I'm a *** cat on the throttle while towing, the major difference I noticed with in the length of the ford. Long wheel base is desirable for stability.

Edited by - on

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