What do you use to tow your boat?

[Addicted]

2008 Dodge 5500 4X4 Laramie. Best towing truck I have ever owned. Bought it new, and still loving this truck.

 

[Mud Skipper]

2011 Duramax Diesel

This was in Fort Lauderdale. We were getting ready for the crossing to Bimini Island. Unfortunately it got cancelled because of Hurricane Debby.

 

[scokill]

2008 Suburban with 125K miles that I've had since new and it's a beast. I would buy another in a heartbeat if we didn't have 2 kids leaving the nest soon.

 

[dan144k]

2010 Chevy Express 2500, 12 passenger van, 6.0 motor with 6 speed. Tows great.
Ride was very rough and bumpy so I removed a leaf spring and added air suspension and bilstein shocks, rides much better now.
We usually have people meet at the house, load into the van, and go launch the boat for the day.

 

[Rigger]

2006 Escalade

 

[BoaterGuy]

View attachment 2516
2011 Duramax Diesel

This was in Fort Lauderdale. We were getting ready for the crossing to Bimini Island. Unfortunately it got cancelled because of Hurricane Debby.

Im going this year and coming a great distance too. What did you end up doing instead? Thats a lot of time and gas to waste.

 

[J&CnNW]

2011 Toyota Sequoia Platinum. Wife got to choose tow vehicle, I got to chose boat.

 

[redthumper9]

2010 Tundra shown here with my old SX210.

 

[Mud Skipper]

Im going this year and coming a great distance too. What did you end up doing instead? Thats a lot of time and gas to waste.

We had already paid for 3 nights in Bimini so we charted a small plane and made the best of it.


This was the only plane that was available on short notice.
When my Dad found out we were driving to Florida with the boat he asked if he could fly down and join us.

After Bimini we went to Universal Studios

12" of rain in 4 days....
There was at least 4 days of nice weather, 2 on the way down and 2 on the way back.
we began calling ourselves the Griswalds.
This was a Vacation that didn't go as planed but now that some time has past I can say that we made some very good memories.

 

[Lspeedss]

2001 Chevy SILVERADO LT 1500 4x4. 5.3 l V8. Extra cab. Damn good truck. 165k. Only miles I put on it are hunting, bad weather and boating. I'll drive it another 10 years if it will hold up.

 

[Craig]

'07 Chevy Silverado crewcab (in my signature photo)

 

[scokill]

Everyone here seems to have such a nice vehicle. I have been driving my 2006 Grand Cherokee since I bought it used back in 2006. I hate car payments, the Cherokee only has 140,000 on her, and I only drive 4 miles each way to work. We manage to get the wife and I, two kids, the Golden Retriever, and all of the camping gear in every weekend for our two hour trip up north so until the boys get too big to ride in the back or the wheels fall off I am going to keep her. Plus it matches the boat.
View attachment 2115

I'm the same as you on car payments. We have 4 vehicles and the newest is what I just bought my daughter. 2003 lexus 140K pretty much new condition, 2006 Chevy colorado for my son 60K miles, it was my truck new, then daughter, now son, and the 2008 Suburban with about 125K miles. I grew up in the car business so I have no attachment or love for vehicles and look at them for what they are.

 

[Zarrella]

2014 F-250

 

[Volffas]

2010 Chevy Express 2500, 12 passenger van, 6.0 motor with 6 speed. Tows great.
Ride was very rough and bumpy so I removed a leaf spring and added air suspension and bilstein shocks, rides much better now.
We usually have people meet at the house, load into the van, and go launch the boat for the day.

View attachment 2803

We are in the market for a new car to haul our kids and their friends around and pull the boat. I think a conversion van would be great, but I am concerned about the local boat ramps. More than once I have had to kick in the 4 wheel drive to make it up a slippery ramp. Most of the ramps around here are long and steep. Have you ever had any issues pulling the boat out?

 

[steined]

We are in the market for a new car to haul our kids and their friends around and pull the boat. I think a conversion van would be great, but I am concerned about the local boat ramps. More than once I have had to kick in the 4 wheel drive to make it up a slippery ramp. Most of the ramps around here are long and steep. Have you ever had any issues pulling the boat out?

I had a RWD Trailblazer SS w/ 4.10s for a while and never had any issues, even at Frederick's landing after it's soaking wet or a few times at Cumberland when it was 40ft down. I think anything with traction control would work pretty well these days. Maybe get one with a G80 auto locker or with a LSD for a safety margin.

 

[pagekl]

2008 Tundra with the 4.7L engine. Struggles at times with the boat, but it's paid for and with the amount of towing I do, it gets the job done.

 

[Volffas]

I had a RWD Trailblazer SS w/ 4.10s for a while and never had any issues, even at Frederick's landing after it's soaking wet or a few times at Cumberland when it was 40ft down. I think anything with traction control would work pretty well these days. Maybe get one with a G80 auto locker or with a LSD for a safety margin.

The only time I ever felt that I NEEDED 4 wheel drive was at Brookville Lake in Indiana. All my back tires would do was spin! The ramp was wet and full of algae and slippery to walk on. (It was the only time we have ever been there so I'm not sure if it is like that all the time or we just caught it at a bad time).

I think for the price difference we are ultimately going to end up with a minivan and save the $20,000. If/when we get into situations that we need to go somewhere with the boat and bring friends we will just take 2 vehicles. The way I figure we could do that hundreds of times and still come out ahead as opposed to buying a Suburban or a 4wd Conversion van.

Do you boat mostly out of Fredericks? That has been our primary boat ramp for the past 6 years but we are seriously considering using the valet service at Aquaramp or Riverside this year.

 

[dan144k]

Hi Vollfas
I have never had any problems with traction on boat ramps, yet. We even use a gravel frequently and it just pulls up it. I have not need four wheel drive yet, and I drive in Chicago snow with it too.

When you look at vans, many of the conversion vans are 1500 series, I went with the 2500 and I think it was about a $3000 difference at the time, got me 12 passenger vs 8 passenger, bigger brakes, and 6.0 motor.

 

[Volffas]

Thanks for the reply!

It really is a sharp looking rig. The jump from 1500 to 2500 was a great decision.

 

[Andy S]

2005 F150 Lariat with 5.4l, 122,000 miles and still going strong.