I Need Some Opinions...

3066 Views 10 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Jeffonc, Feb 21, 2008

Dave1273

Discussion Starter · Feb 19, 2008

My Dad is almost ready to buy another boat after his accident last fall and this time is looking at a larger boat. The one he has found is in the 23 to 24 foot range center console with a 225 outboard

. I have no idea who made the boat or the year model as I haven't been to the coast since he found it. Here's the concern, He has an almost new, 06 or 07, Chevy 1500 with tow package and limited slip rear end but it's not 4 wheel drive. He's afraid his truck won't pull a boat that big out of the water. I know the boat is probably too heavy for that truck to trailer on the highway but that's not an issue since if it needs to come home, I'll pull it with the dually but I have no idea whether it'll pull it out on a wet ramp.
So, what do you think??? The only thing I told him is we'll have to hook it up and try it but he can't afford to buy the boat and then turn around and trade trucks too.

Any opinions???

Thanks,

Dave

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Dave B.

· #2 · Feb 19, 2008

Shouldnt be a problem for the 1500 to pull a 23 - 25 ft boat.
I did all the time with my 25 wellcraft with a 2 wheel drive Ford F-150 w/ the 5.4L.. not a problem or ramp issue at all.

Anything over that... I'd consider movin up in truck size to at least the 2500 series or F-250 series truck

With a boat that size,, the back tires of the truck should never hit the water no matter what grade the ramp. As long as you dont spin the tires, put it in low 1 and slow roll the boat on out... I've done that with both the Dodge 5.9L and the Ford 5.4L (both 2wd's) and with a 7,000 lb load on the hook. Dually would be over-kill unless you need to pull out a 10K or larger sized boat.

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Dave1273

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 19, 2008

Dave B. said:
Shouldnt be a problem for the 1500 to pull a 23 - 25 ft boat.
I did all the time with my 25 wellcraft with a 2 wheel drive Ford F-150 w/ the 5.4L.. not a problem or ramp issue at all.

As long as you dont spin the tires, put it in low 1 and slow roll the boat on out...

. Dually would be over-kill unless you need to pull out a 10K or larger sized boat.

Thanks Dave, That's what I was hoping you'd say.

re: Low 1, That's what I suggested too

re: Dually, I agree but since I've got it, I might as well use it if the boat needs to make the 250 mile ride home. That way, maybe he won't hide the boat keys when I get a chance to head east.

lol

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Dave B.

· #4 · Feb 20, 2008

I hear ya.. yeah, if you got it use it for sure, like tappin a finishin nail with a sledge hammer... dually will git'r done

This truck here towed around this boat for 3 years no problem (05 F-150, boat was 7,400 lbs full wet on the hook)

This truck here's for my next boat:

I know salt ramps can get rather slipper especially at low tide and trying to recover.. but hasnt been an issue..
Yup, we roll from NC to Fla on a regular basis and have used alot of different ramps

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tcfisherman

· #5 · Feb 20, 2008

But Dave It's A Ford, What Would You Expect, I Think The 1500 Should Do The Job, Chris

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capefearfly

· #6 · Feb 20, 2008

Well he did help himself by saying he was a Dodge owner before he downgraded.

The Chevy will do fine with that load. My Dad pulls a small backhoe and Kabota tractor with his 1500 to various job sites and has never had any trouble.

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Topsail Angler

· #7 · Feb 20, 2008

On a slightly different but related subject: Turning radius. Recently we had to reconfigure parking and driveway for the boat ramp owned by our Home Owners Association. In doing do we wanted to make sure that the turning circle was big enough bu no bigger than needed.

There is 4 of us on the Boat Ramp committee plus another neighbor joined us for the test. 2 Chevies, 2 Fords, 1 Dodge. Our first layout was a little tight but the Dodge and Fords had no problem making the turn. Neither Chevy came close. We had to add another 10 feet to the circle.

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Dave B.

· #8 · Feb 20, 2008

ha ha ha ha... y'all are funnier than a rubber crutch...

I wont start the Chevy/Ford/Dodge debate.. but I will say...

Dodge 1500 (or at least my 2001 Ram 1500) was a good truck except for the tranny - she was a dog pullin a 7K load (3.73 rear gears w/ 5.9L)

Not sure how the newer Dodges with the Hemi do, but I'm gonna guess better than the 5.9. The 5.9 is a good motor but the tranny in the 1500 doesnt do it justice in my opinion... might be ram tough, but not Ford Tough. Now the Dodge Ram 3500 w/Cummins Diesel and 4.10 gears... Wooo that thing will pull stumps! Drinks the fuel though and the floor boards get pretty hot on long distance heavy load hauls, so in the summer,, better have the A/C charged.

Ford F-150 (05 w/ 5.4L and 3.73 gears) ran circles around the Dodge pullin the same load

The F-350... I've only pulled my brother inlaws boat with it so far and his 21 bowrider is like a toy behind that truck. (7.3L Turbo Diesel w/ 3.73 gears).

Marty pulled my boat with his Chevy 2500 and the Chevy pulled it better than the F-150 (which is expected).

As long as the Chev 1500 has a large V-8 (i.e displacement), then a 23 or 24/25 ft boat shouldn't be too much as long as it's around 3,700 to 4,100 dry hull weight.

One thing I'll say is,, the newer trucks definately out-do the trucks of yester-year. I NEVER was a Ford guy, but after towing with the Ford's, I'm sold on them now.

Oh, and Marty ended up replacing that fancy new Chevy with a Ford F-250 turbo diesel (2005 6.0L) Harley Edition....

For all the miles that Todd/Marty/and I have put on the road towing boats from NC to Fla all the time and locally pretty much everywhere in the state from Lake James out to the coast... I'd have to say I'd pick the Ford for long hauling or the Dodge HD (out of state), within the state, the Chevy 2500 for heavy haul and for med/light use the F-150 or 1500 series Chevy/Dodge would probably be more than enough truck.

When we're hot an heavy we average about 14-15K towing miles each season (including Fla trips)... Long haul,, diesel cant be beat though for fuel mileage.

If I had to rank truck on my experience, my picks in order would be:

1. Ford
2. Chevy
3. Dodge
4. Toyota Tundra (even my bro inlaw would rather have the Ford instead of using his Tundra - at least that's what he said to me...)

Just my .03!

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lefty

· #9 · Feb 20, 2008

Dave B. said:
If I had to rank truck on my experience, my picks in order would be:

1. Ford
2. Chevy
3. Dodge
4. Toyota Tundra (even my bro inlaw would rather have the Ford instead of using his Tundra - at least that's what he said to me...)

Interesting -- Nissan Titans keep showing up in my neighborhood, although not a lot of boats behind 'em...

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sundrop

· #10 · Feb 21, 2008

I'm a Ford man, but I just bought my first Chevy. 2004 1500 4x2 xcab 5.3 auto. So far so good. Pulled my boat no sweat, pulled a 24ft camper home for a buddy from Belhaven to Lake Gaston with no worries but I could tell it was there for sure ( no electric brake hook-up)..LOL... Best way to judge a truck is to notice how many are on the road and obviously being used for work and how they seem to be holding up for their age. Too many folks buying trucks these days to haul coolers to the ball park and mulch for Mama to judge by sight....