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Double towing camper and boat.

B0at1n

B0at1n

Jetboaters Lieutenant
Messages
517
Reaction score
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Location
Little elm
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2019
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
19
Who else double rows their Yamaha behind their camper?

We made our first trip Friday, drove from north Dallas to Lake Conroe about 4 hr drive.

I was able to back tie boat into the storage spot at the campground while still behind the camper. Was easier than I though it would be.


5C122CA0-0840-4AA8-8974-B57BB59B8474.jpegFF756007-AB20-481D-BF9B-5054FC61E636.jpeg6E059529-FB5B-4E03-B9B0-D3902DF8954F.jpeg
 
@B0at1n That's amazing. I love it.

How does it drive? turning an issue? Can you run 65-70mph with all that back there? Did you have to get a 5th wheel rated for tandem towing? how to find the tow rating of a 5th wheel?

I have so many questions.
 
2kwik4u said:
@B0at1n That's amazing. I love it.

How does it drive? turning an issue? Can you run 65-70mph with all that back there? Did you have to get a 5th wheel rated for tandem towing? how to find the tow rating of a 5th wheel?

I have so many questions.
Click to expand...
I stay at 65MPH when towing the fifth wheel.
there was already a hitch installed, it is only rated for 300lb cargo. My buddy came over to weld it and he looked at it and said this thing is stout not much I can do to make it stronger. The next year the campers are rated for 300 tounge and 3000 trailer.

Drives great, didn’t feel any different than the fifth wheel. It tracked pretty much identical but I still took turns wide like usually with a 35 ft fifth wheel.
 
Sean R said:
I didn't think that was legal, maybe west of the Mississippi is different ?
Click to expand...
Depends on the state. Usually a max length of 65-70’ though from what I’ve read. I’d love to try it someday. But, I’m guessing 37’ camper + 24’ boat + whatever the truck adds would be over 70’.

@B0at1n thoughts whether I could try in IL or where to find specifics?
 
Texas is legal to 65ft. I am a 20 ft truck, 35 ft camper, 20ft boat. I can’t do math but I have never heard of anyone getting stopped for being over length. So I’m gunna send it!

I think as long as you’re being “safe“ your good. I think the likely hood of them pulling you over to measure you is extremely low.

I have heard people in Florida have done it but double tow is illegal there so that one would be an easy target if a cop wanted to stop you.

I drove by and next to multiple LEO and no one stopped me.
 
B0at1n said:
I do have a rear view camera so I can see the boat while it’s behind the RV at all times.
Click to expand...
I was wondering about that as well.

Would be great to take the boat and the camper on a week long vacation somewhere. Explore some far away lakes, and not have to rent a cabin/hotel while there.

Very cool indeed.
 
2kwik4u said:
I was wondering about that as well.

Would be great to take the boat and the camper on a week long vacation somewhere. Explore some far away lakes, and not have to rent a cabin/hotel while there.

Very cool indeed.
Click to expand...
Lake Powell is on the list. Was supposed to be this trip but I pussied out decided to not double tow 3,000 miles for my first trip in case there were issues.

now bimini and Powell are being put off till next summer.
 
Well so far, all has gone well made it to Conroe and now at lake Medina.

I made relatively tight u turn not thinking about how the trailer swings at the rear and how tight it would make the boat go...made contact jack knifing while moving forward...ooops!

does anyone know if a canvas shop can fix this tear in the black cover?06CBDE58-9AC0-4CAD-A021-56BDD8A294DC.jpeg
 
My hat is off to you man... I towed my new 212X home 1,200 miles for my first trailer experience. It got better as I went, but a little nerve wracking. I got stuck at one spot where I needed to back up and turn around where I thought I could pull around and building and was unable to. I would have been toast if I was driving that beast.
 
BigAbe75 said:
Depends on the state. Usually a max length of 65-70’ though from what I’ve read. I’d love to try it someday. But, I’m guessing 37’ camper + 24’ boat + whatever the truck adds would be over 70’.

@B0at1n thoughts whether I could try in IL or where to find specifics?
Click to expand...
As a police officer in Illinois I can tell you that it is illegal to double tow like that in Illinois. Tandem trailer semi's are the only ones allowed to do that and the driver has to have a special endorsement on their CDL. It is legal in Wisconsin, and ironically, I was up in northern Wisconsin last week and saw this for the first time. It was pretty cool to see and props to guys doing it.
 
Lawman25 said:
As a police officer in Illinois I can tell you that it is illegal to double tow like that in Illinois. Tandem trailer semi's are the only ones allowed to do that and the driver has to have a special endorsement on their CDL. It is legal in Wisconsin, and ironically, I was up in northern Wisconsin last week and saw this for the first time. It was pretty cool to see and props to guys doing it.
Click to expand...
Well, that’s frustrating.... I’ll definitely defer to you and admit that I have not done any of my own research. But, the article listed above (https://jetboaters.net/threads/double-towing-camper-and-boat.29974/#post-487223) specifically mentions IL and reads like it is allowed up to 60’ total length. I have no idea the validity of the article.
 
Lawman25 said:
As a police officer in Illinois I can tell you that it is illegal to double tow like that in Illinois. Tandem trailer semi's are the only ones allowed to do that and the driver has to have a special endorsement on their CDL. It is legal in Wisconsin, and ironically, I was up in northern Wisconsin last week and saw this for the first time. It was pretty cool to see and props to guys doing it.
Click to expand...
So... in an effort to search for more definitive information, I found this on the IL General Assembly. It looks like it is perfectly allowable for a truck to pull a fifth wheel RV, which pulls a boat or utility trailer, up to a total of 60’.


781C31AE-D535-4AE2-A84D-720C0698CEB8.png

Not sure what other caveats there may be. I haven’t read the whole thing yet.
 
BigAbe75 said:
So... in an effort to search for more definitive information, I found this on the IL General Assembly. It looks like it is perfectly allowable for a truck to pull a fifth wheel RV, which pulls a boat or utility trailer, up to a total of 60’.


View attachment 133638

Not sure what other caveats there may be. I haven’t read the whole thing yet.
Click to expand...
Interesting thread. I just pulled up the statute and saw that. Getting further into the subsections, which you pretty much need a law degree to interpret, I noticed it limits the length of both trailers individually, not just total overall. The other thing I noticed was safety inspections for each component- tow vehicle, travel trailer, boat trailer. Also the type of road it's allowed on, basically it's only allowed on a class 1 highway. Finally, and this isn't in the law just common sense, overall length allowed is 60'. My F150 crew cab with the 5.5' bed is 19.5' long, I know this because of my garage, and your truck is longer than mine. A travel trailer will be at minimum 20 ft if it's a 5th wheel, and the statute stipulates it has to be a 5th wheel setup. Pretty safe to assume you're already at 45'. You'd have to have a really small boat to make it under 60'. Remember tongue length, and the furthest point at the rear of the boat, whether it be the edge of the swim platform or an outboard. Thanks for bringing that to my attention, I hate not being factually correct. They change traffic codes so often it's hard to keep up sometimes with ones like this that you never encounter.
 
Lawman25 said:
Interesting thread. I just pulled up the statute and saw that. Getting further into the subsections, which you pretty much need a law degree to interpret, I noticed it limits the length of both trailers individually, not just total overall. The other thing I noticed was safety inspections for each component- tow vehicle, travel trailer, boat trailer. Also the type of road it's allowed on, basically it's only allowed on a class 1 highway. Finally, and this isn't in the law just common sense, overall length allowed is 60'. My F150 crew cab with the 5.5' bed is 19.5' long, I know this because of my garage, and your truck is longer than mine. A travel trailer will be at minimum 20 ft if it's a 5th wheel, and the statute stipulates it has to be a 5th wheel setup. Pretty safe to assume you're already at 45'. You'd have to have a really small boat to make it under 60'. Remember tongue length, and the furthest point at the rear of the boat, whether it be the edge of the swim platform or an outboard. Thanks for bringing that to my attention, I hate not being factually correct. They change traffic codes so often it's hard to keep up sometimes with ones like this that you never encounter.
Click to expand...
Yep... no way my rig would be 60’. Lol

Still, it sure would be handy to not have to take 2 tow vehicles everywhere. I pull the camper with the truck, and the wife pulls the boat with her Tahoe. Did it twice on a 6 hr tow to the Ozarks this summer.
 
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