212S with MDX?

[pmellen]

Does anyone have experience towing their 212S with a 2016-ish Acura MDX? We are considering a new 212S as our first boat and we have no experience towing or getting boats into and out of the water. We already passed on a 2020 AR240 because it seemed too heavy for the MDX.

We have already outfitted our car with the towing upgrade, which Acura says gives it a 5,000 pound towing capacity. 212S dry weight on trailer is 4600 pounds.

We will be keeping the boat at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, so not a lot of hills or mountains. The furthest we can imagine towing it is via the relatively flat 100 mile stretch from the beach to Chesapeake Bay.

I've heard all kinds of things about how you shouldn't exceed 75% of towing capacity. Also not sure about actual weight vs. dry weight. So any experiences that people are open to sharing would be really helpful.

Thank you!

 

[biffdotorg]

Before you get flooding with responses like, "I tow my boat with this" and "you are fine and ratings are BS"

Do what you feel comfortable with, and your insurance is comfortable covering. Many rumor of the liability you may have if that boat pushes you into a crash and you are over the rated limits. Nobody here has been in that situation, so only your insurance agent can address it.

That being said, it sounds like you have gotten some good advice. 75% is a good rule of thumb, and your boat loaded will be well over 100% of your tow rating. So I think you already know the answer, that you are going to be pushing it in your own mind as far as safety.

Will it do it, you bet it will. Will it bother you, from what you have said, yes it will. We will let the responses flood in, but they will be all over the board, and based on their experience with a totally different boat and vehicle. So be prepared for that.

Put it this way, you won't be the guy at the ramp with the 35ft cruiser on the triple axle trailer skidding down the ramp. But you will be the guy with pit stains when a deer jumps out in front of you, and the boat pushes a little more than expected for an emergency stop.

Good luck!

 

[Chris D]

I’m with the above response. I’m towing a ar195 with my 2017 4Runner rated at 5000lbs and I feel like this is maxed out. I would upgrade suvs before I tried to tow any heavier of a boat. Remember you’ll need to subtract your interior weight too. I don’t see the transmission on the Acura holding up for too long at that weight and I’m sure the brakes will be hating life. Too risky for me.

 

[2kwik4u]

Before you get flooding with responses like, "I tow my boat with this" and "you are fine and ratings are BS"

Do what you feel comfortable with, and your insurance is comfortable covering. Many rumor of the liability you may have if that boat pushes you into a crash and you are over the rated limits. Nobody here has been in that situation, so only your insurance agent can address it.

That being said, it sounds like you have gotten some good advice. 75% is a good rule of thumb, and your boat loaded will be well over 100% of your tow rating. So I think you already know the answer, that you are going to be pushing it in your own mind as far as safety.

Will it do it, you bet it will. Will it bother you, from what you have said, yes it will. We will let the responses flood in, but they will all over the board, and based on their experience with a totally different boat and vehicle. So be prepared for that.

Put it this way, you won't be the guy at the ramp with the 35ft cruiser on the triple axle trailer skidding down the ramp. But you will be the guy with pit stains when a deer jumps out in front of you, and the boat pushes a little more than expected for an emergency stop.

Good luck!

Can we make the first part of this a standard response for these questions. Maybe we should "group write" a towing FAQ. I feel like that is needed at some level or another to help. Maybe an online calculator with some "default" numbers in it that evolves over time!?!?

The MDX is a mid-sized SUV, with a modest tow rating. IMO it's not enough if you are towing far, often, or heavy. I can detail the numbers for @pmellen if you like. For reference, I have a 9,200lb rating, and tow a "baby" AR190. I was within 2,500lbs of the limit on vacation last year (by estimation) after I took into account fuel, food, toys, vacation doo-dads, 4 people, and all my gear. I had a good deal of head room, and the tow was easy-peasy for me for over 1k miles on the truck/trailer combo. I've done shorter trips with a V6 powered Traverse with 4 adults and 3 kids, and honestly it was more than the Traverse wanted. I had cooling issues, and power issues on that trip.

My experience ranges from towing a 19ft runabout with a 2500 pickup, to a 24ft tri-toon with a minivan, and most ranges in between over the last 15 years. That 75% number you got, it's not just about "will it do it", but "will it do it comfortably". That added 25% safety net takes the white out of your knuckles and the brown out of your shorts when things go bad. Emergency stops, that guy cuts you off on the expressway, the wind catches you wrong coming off that semi, and any other of the myriad of things that are out to get you when towing.

 

[212s]

As mentioned, you should tow how you feel comfortable and keep it within legal limits. With an SUV I'd limit the towing distance and keep the SUV lightly loaded to reduce wear and tear on the vehicle. If needed for the long hauls, pack a second vehicle with the heavy stuff like camping gear.

We have a 2020 212s and our SUV with a 5000lbs rating pulls the 212s just fine, plenty of pulling power from the V6. Boat scales at 4950 with a full tank so we tow to our destination and fill up saving about 200+ lbs of fuel weight, and then we add about 100 lbs of gear at the ramp to keep under the legal limits while on the road. Due to SUV's having soft suspensions, I slid the axles to lower the tongue weight to Shorelander specs of 5% (250lbs) and it rides much smoother and level now. We don't need to tow too far (15mins to ramp) on flat terrain so wear and tear on the drivetrain isn't an issue for us. The new 2020 tandem trailers should have brakes on both axles, so stopping power shouldn't be an issue either. These trailers use a 7-pin blade connector for the lights like RV trailers, so make sure your vehicle is compatible. If you disconnect the light cord at the ramp like we do to ensure no shorts in the vehicle, you'll want a magnetic surge brake lockout key - very handy.

Once at the ramp, you'll want someone with experience showing how to launch and retrieve properly and safely. This is important for new boaters. We've been boating for years since we were kids and my wife and I can launch our boat in about a minute - takes longer to park and come back to the boat to drive off. We don't power launch or load our boat due to environmental restrictions here, and since it's a jetboat, there's 2 vacuum cleaners under the hull ready to suck up rocks, sand and any other debris at the ramp so try to avoid that. Operate the boat in 3 feet or more depths and you'll be fine.

Handling - you'll need to practice stopping, turning, reversing, and docking - do this in open water till you get a feel for how she handles. Watch videos on boat handling and docking and don't be afraid to ask for help before you go out - boaters are generally friendly folk and there's always someone who will help out - but your first outing should really be with an experienced boater you trust so you don't make any big "oops" or forget anything.

If you haven't already, make sure you take a boating safety course so you know the "rules of the road" and how to operate safely on the water. Driving a boat is like driving a car and has similar consequences if you mess up.

Aside from that, get out there and have fun!

 

[Beachbummer]

So, what's the pull like? 3 miles to the ramp, or 3 hour drive over mountain pass? I tow my SX230 very infrequently and short distances (<6 times a year, only a few miles away) with my Honda Pilot and the Pilot is a bit strained, but does the job well. I'm itching to tow the boat to Destin from Houston, but I won't do it with the Pilot.

You pay your money, and you take your chances, and you deal with the consequences. Best of Luck!

 

[anmut]

Short pulls, sure I would do it. Long pulls, I might consider putting a weight distribution hitch on. I don't know how you pack your boat, but after my wife packs our 212S, there's at least 300lbs of extra crap in that boat.

 

[Crob83]

I most definitely would not pull a 21 ft boat unless a few miles to a ramp with a mid sized SUV. Asking for trouble IMO

 

[El Comandante]

Ask your Acura service department. I believe you’ll find a response along the lines of “...sure, you can do it, but...”

At 5000lb max tow capacity you’ll be at or exceeding that limit.

If you crush someone because you couldn’t stop, you’re going to have to find a good lawyer.
Get a bigger truck.

Dry weight means no oil, water,gas, toys on boat.

 

[pmellen]

Thank you everyone for these thoughtful and competent responses. I'm really grateful for the generosity of this community.

Sounds like I can make this work for short distances with a second car to carry gear and stay under load limits, but anything more and I need a bigger truck to go with my bigger boat. This is getting expensive! Wish there was a different answer...

We gave up a chance to buy a 2020 AR240 so that we could get a smaller boat which the MDX could handle. Now I'm thinking about seeing if the AR240 is still available and figuring out another way to move it around. We definitely don't want to go smaller than 21 feet.

Maybe it's time to buy the wife a new Audi Q7 with a 7,700 pound towing capacity. Would that be enough? Or does her new car need to be a pickup?

 

[applemagic77]

2012 242 limited S with surge brakes and duel axle trailer with my 2015 Acura MDX. Got the ATF cooler from Acura installed pulled it 100 miles (mostly flat) and it worked fine. In the Colorado high country as well.... had a friend drive it up from Denver thou with a Chevy 1500. I’m in summit county so easy access to Dillon and green Mtn Resi.... took it out to Wolford as well with the MDX and no problem. Would not do big incline drives with it thou

 

[jgourlie]

I tow a AR192 with my Odyssey and I have airbags and a large transmission cooler and it does just fine. Same engine as the MDX and I wouldn’t want to tow any heavier than my 192 at about 3000lbs with that power.

 

[2kwik4u]

@pmellen

I would shoot for something with a 7k+ tow rating. The Q7 is a great choice. Tahoe/Yukon, Expedition/Navigator, Armada/QX80(is that right?), Durango/ML550, and a few other SUVs fit the bill.

Be cautious of full-size pickups. Easy to find one with a hitch and a 6k rating. Check the spec sheet before purchase to make sure it's equipped properly. That goes double for the SUVs. Something like the Durango can be as low as 3,500 and as high as 8,200 depending on options and engine/trans combo.

Another option. Slip the boat somewhere and rent a tow vehicle the few times a year you need it. If you're not towing often this can be very cost effective in combining transportation and storage costs. Get as big of a boat as you want then!

 

[WetWillie]

We only trailer about 10-12 miles depending on which ramp we choose based on traffic in our Santa Fe it does just fine. I leave plenty of stopping distance and will likely install rear air bags between now and next season as that’s the only complaint the rear suspension sag... If we traveled anything more than double this distance; I would upgrade to a more dedicated hauler. Would agree that 7k+ tow for 24ft would be suitable and why we steered to the 21 to not have to change tow vehicles at time of purchase

 

[Julian]

I towed our 2005 SX230 with our 2006 MDX and it did fine. Mostly it was to and from local lakes, but once a year it would go 13 hours to Canada. When we did that, I ensure that all of the weight went in our other vehicle so the MDX was only pulling the boat and light stuff. Never had an issue. Was always extra careful about stopping distances etc, but the MDX has some hefty brakes and always stopped well - and I always have the trailer brakes serviced/checked before long tows.

 

[djetok]

2012 242 limited S with surge brakes and duel axle trailer with my 2015 Acura MDX. Got the ATF cooler from Acura installed pulled it 100 miles (mostly flat) and it worked fine. In the Colorado high country as well.... had a friend drive it up from Denver thou with a Chevy 1500. I’m in summit county so easy access to Dillon and green Mtn Resi.... took it out to Wolford as well with the MDX and no problem. Would not do big incline drives with it thou

Lake Dillion sure is beautiful. Would love to boat on a high mtn lake. We see it all the time as we go past to breck, copper, and BC.

 

[applemagic77]

Lake Dillion sure is beautiful. Would love to boat on a high mtn lake. We see it all the time as we go past to breck, copper, and BC.

Yea it’s really great. Other then my boat only gets to 32mph on it!!! But I don’t wanta drop a grand on new impellers.... got it to 37 at Wolford which was good enough for me.

 

[djetok]

Yea it’s really great. Other then my boat only gets to 32mph on it!!! But I don’t wanta drop a grand on new impellers.... got it to 37 at Wolford which was good enough for me.

Haha you are at about 7k elevation. I always wondered though. Whats the water temp like?

 

[applemagic77]

Haha you are at about 7k elevation. I always wondered though. Whats the water temp like?

Dillon is at 9000... was 64 degrees last week... Wolford is at 7500 and water was 69

 

[AZMark]

Thank you everyone for these thoughtful and competent responses. I'm really grateful for the generosity of this community.

Sounds like I can make this work for short distances with a second car to carry gear and stay under load limits, but anything more and I need a bigger truck to go with my bigger boat. This is getting expensive! Wish there was a different answer...

We gave up a chance to buy a 2020 AR240 so that we could get a smaller boat which the MDX could handle. Now I'm thinking about seeing if the AR240 is still available and figuring out another way to move it around. We definitely don't want to go smaller than 21 feet.

Maybe it's time to buy the wife a new Audi Q7 with a 7,700 pound towing capacity. Would that be enough? Or does her new car need to be a pickup?

You are thinking correctly now!
I got the 212 thinking I could just get by towing regularly with a 5,000lb rating (4Runner) and it just sucked. After a few months I upgraded to a bigger vehicle and then wished I had gotten a bigger boat now that I can tow it.
Also I’m still using a short wheelbase SUV and it does fine. These size boats don’t have all the towing issues that travel trailers and such have. A pickup is definitely not necessary as long as you have the towing capacity.