Fish-Hawk.Net

Can anyone help me with this? I am looking at buying a boat. Its a fiberglass boat (heavy) 14ft with trailer. My vehicle is rated for 1500LBS towing capacity. I am thinking that the tongue wight will be different because of the motor etc. Is this too much for my vehicle (Vibe GT 185HP). I would only be making small trip around town (45-90 min max)
Thanks,
BA

I think you'll be fine if you stay close to town. Get a 200 pound hitch at least. Your car will tow the boat around but be aware that accelerating is best done slowly! You will slowly learn what you can and can't do. Depending on the boat launches, you will have more or less problems with putting the boat in. Stay away from sandy or gravel launches, or even steep cement ones until you get a feel for your car and trailer combo. I had an old 16 foot princecraft with a 40 on the back, something like 1800 pounds when it was filled with gear and gas and pulled that boat all over, even up North with a Honda Accord! I needed the outfitter to put the boat in and out but I had no trouble pulling the boat. On long hauls with long hills, be prepared to slow down cause I had hills where I could not go faster than 70-80 klicks.
Nothing beats a truck for pulling but if you've only got light hauls, you may not need one.

mm

Also give yourself plenty of stopping distance. You will quickly realize how much a boat with momentum can push a car, so keep a good distance away from the vehicle in front of you.

BBD

Thanks guys. I am thinking a little tinny might be a lighter and better fit for my needs, but its good to know that I would be ok with a heavier load.
BA

Even a 14' tinny can get you up into the 1000 - 1500 territory when you factor in trailer, equipment, etc. Hope it works out for you.

Misterminnow, why stay away from steep cement launches? I have a 2002 Altima, with a 14 foot aluminium and a 20 hp. It is rated to pull 1000lbs. Should I be worried? I have been told I should be okay, taking into account gas and gear. I would not be loading it with more than a couple of hundred pounds of gear. (And a lot of that would be in the trunk or the roof box.)

be carefull. you must include the trailer as weight also. . using a mini vehicle for towing can be very dangerous especially if the roads are wet. you will never stop the rig. small car braking systems are not designed for this. manufactures always put vehicles on the edge for trailering and weights