Towing a boat with a car... Nissan Altima

Post by RJ » Thu Sep 09, 2010 5:53 pm

I towed my 15'9" boat for years with my Sunfire....it finally gave up the ghost last week at 376,000 clicks.....likely 75,000 of those had the boat on the back.....

I'd go with a 14 footer over a 12 all day long.

RJ

Post by **Andy_L** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 6:27 pm

RJ wrote:I towed my 15'9" boat for years with my Sunfire....it finally gave up the ghost last week at 376,000 clicks.....likely 75,000 of those had the boat on the back.....

I'd go with a 14 footer over a 12 all day long.

RJ

OMG its FINALLY toast Rob???

say it isn't sooooooo

Post by **fiiish** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 6:27 pm

Derek, between a 12' and a 14', I say go with a 14' for sure, no question.
I can almost guarantee if you get a 12' you will want to upgrade it in no time.

For your concern regarding towing with your car, I tow my 14' tinny with my 2001 Honda Civic, 5-speed, with no problem at all.
The only thing I make sure of is to scope out the launch before I back the boat into the water.

In case you're wondering, the towing capacity on a 2001 Honda Civic is 0... My car is not rated nor is is recommended to tow anything.

They do make a tow bar for it though. Go figure.

Man this pic makes me want to go fishing!

Post by RJ » Thu Sep 09, 2010 6:30 pm

Andy_L wrote:
RJ wrote:I towed my 15'9" boat for years with my Sunfire....it finally gave up the ghost last week at 376,000 clicks.....likely 75,000 of those had the boat on the back.....

I'd go with a 14 footer over a 12 all day long.

RJ
OMG its FINALLY toast Rob??? say it isn't sooooooo

Yep. It was a sad day really.....we picked up a small pickup that Birdee has already claimed as her truck......so it's working out....

Post by **Yannick Loranger** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 7:46 pm

Get the 14...it's a matter of safety...life or death really, especially if you're fishing bigger bodies of water, or the Ottawa or Rideau (big boats = big wakes). http://www.fish-hawk.net/hawktalk/viewt ... ight=yacht

Yannick

Post by **slop** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 7:50 pm

Another vote here for the 14' Spezza....if you say your a big lad....enough said!

Post by **beachburger** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 7:59 pm

14' all the way.

I used to have a Resorter. Had it for 10 years and I wish I still had it as my tinny. If you are worried about your vehicle being able to tow and launch it, I used to launch the Resorter with a John Deere lawn tractor at the gravel launch my neighbour put in years ago. Your vehicle is fine for most 14' aluminum boats.

Post by **cprince** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 8:06 pm

Love my 13 footer. Not terribly big... not wide nor deep... but perfectly stable in my books. Had it in some squirrely water on the Ottawa... (That "Water" can double as self etching primer BTW!!) the Gatineau,

Then again, I keep my head on a swivel. I watch for waves, wakes and drunken seafarers of all descriptions. If you are lost in a haze and don't pay attention on the water, I don't care if you are on The Enterprise... you are going to run into trouble.

I have to admit, the PSI emitted from butt clenching tends to go down proportional to every foot of boat.

Craig

Post by **waynerb66** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 8:44 pm

I tow my boat with my '02 Altima(2.5L). It is a 14 foot utility with a 20 hp. and an upgraded trailer. It is heavier than your average 14 footer, as is the steel trailer. I have no problems as long as I take it easy. I have had stuff loaded in the boat too. Then it is a little sluggish. But as I said, if you don't have a heavy foot, you should be fine. I have towed it for 4 years now. I have only had problems at one launch. That was Leslie Lake. I launch at Dalhousie Lake all the time. It is a gravel launch that has a pretty good slope to it. I have never had a problem getting it out of the water. You should be fine.

Post by **Spezza_Fan** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 11:43 pm

Looks like the vote is clearly for a 14 footer. Now I just have to find one in my price range.

Post by **Spezza_Fan** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 11:45 pm

waynerb66 wrote:I tow my boat with my '02 Altima(2.5L). It is a 14 foot utility with a 20 hp. and an upgraded trailer. It is heavier than your average 14 footer, as is the steel trailer. I have no problems as long as I take it easy. I have had stuff loaded in the boat too. Then it is a little sluggish. But as I said, if you don't have a heavy foot, you should be fine. I have towed it for 4 years now. I have only had problems at one launch. That was Leslie Lake. I launch at Dalhousie Lake all the time. It is a gravel launch that has a pretty good slope to it. I have never had a problem getting it out of the water. You should be fine.

Hey Wayner,
This is the exact same car as me except mine is an '03. If you wouldn't mine, since I live in Aylmer, can you let me know next time you head out so I can come and check a couple things like clearance and all. My car is lowered with low-profile rims but I have my stock suspension and stock rims if I have to convert back. I'd probably have to take out my 200 pound sound system too... :S

Let me know,
Derek

Post by **cprince** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 6:36 am

Spezza_Fan wrote:... My car is lowered with low-profile rims ... my 200 pound sound system too...

Wow... AND your from Aylmer? Who would have thunk it?

Paul and RJ both have and had Sunfires pulling Pauls BIG 14 footer and RJs 16...

The Sunfires had either 150-hp 2.4 or the one that replaced it a 140-hp twincam 2.2-liter 4 cyl.

Either way... you are obviously fine "power" wise.

If those tires are low profile, you will likely be changing them just due to the fact that so many fishing spots are down crappy roads, you will end up blistering a tire or breaking a mag ('cause I doubt you have rubber bands on a stealie!!)... never mind ground clearance!

Post by **Spezza_Fan** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 6:58 am

Hahaha. At least I dont have neons right? And don't worry about those back roads. Im not scared to go down them. Ive been stuck already 3 times what's another time gonna do?

Post by **cprince** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:06 am

Spezza_Fan wrote:Hahaha. At least I dont have neons right? And don't worry about those back roads. Im not scared to go down them. Ive been stuck already 3 times what's another time gonna do?

Make you want to get a truck!!

But you are right to be worried about ground clearance... I have seen SOOOO many scrape their trailer hitch on driveways or the street directly in front of a driveway and of course at boat launches. You can dig in and get hung up.

A buddy with an OLD 1st gen Chrysler Minivan used to bring jacks and ramps just for that purpose at Dechenes. For him and many others that used to get hung up and stuck. That ramp has gotten better over the years.

Craig

Post by **waynerb66** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 9:15 am

Well Derek, I will just say one thing to you, don't get a hitch. LOL! The
Altima tends to sag a little when you have a boat on the back. If you hit a big bump, you will drag. Since yours is lowered, it will bottom out a lot. I haven't fished the river yet. I parked it at the trailer and fished the lake all summer. Just make sure if you do get a hitch you get the one that curves upwards.