New Guy Questions

[capnjack52]

Just purchased fellow GG'er vinman's 2006 Seafarer 228G and still haven't wiped the dopey grin off my face! She's in terrific shape, well cared for (thanks, Vinny!), and ready to go. Can't wait to get underway, but ... have to get a tow vehicle. To that end, what is a good weight estimate for a 228G/Yam 225/alum trailer + fuel + gear? Also, need an anchor & rode - best size combo for this boat? I'm a retired Navy destroyerman, so I'm thinking bigger would be better ... but want to be realistic! Suggestions appreciated.

Thanks and hope to further tap your considerable experience as I learn my way around this fine boat.

 

[magicalbill]

hey man..
When I owned mine I weighed it once with 1/2 fuel, full load of ice in livewell, painted steel trailer and 250 Yamaha. No hardtop and it came in around 5800 lbs. This is with 2 anchors, overnite bags, cleaning supplies, etc.
A strong 1/2 or a 3/4 truck will do it right.

 

[magicalbill]

Oh yeah, anchor and rode...
Minimum, 200 feet of at least 1/2" or 5/8" rode. 15 feet minimum of chain.
I carried a Danforth rated for a 25 footer.

 

[seasick]

Oh yeah, anchor and rode...
Minimum, 200 feet of at least 1/2" or 5/8" rode. 15 feet minimum of chain.
I carried a Danforth rated for a 25 footer.

Figure 4-6 times the depth for anchoring while being active and awake like in fishing etc. For overnight anchoring, 7 to 9 times the depth is advised. So the length of rode depends on what you will be doing and where (depth). The optimal anchor type depends mostly on the bottom conditions ( sandy, grass, rocks, mud) but a Danforth is a decent choice in general.

 

[Parthery]

Welcome to the forum...you got a great boat and VinMan took great care of her.

I had a 226....on the trailer with a 200 HPDI (weighed less than your four stroke), abou 70 gallons of fuel, gear, etc... the weight came in at around 6600.

You can tow the rig comfortably with a full size SUV (Tahoe, Expedition, Sequioa, Armada...).

 

[JiminGA]

We tow pur 228 with a Chevy Tahoe (5.3 V8 ) and it tows fine. Tha said it is the LEAST vehicle you'd want. Our tow capacity is approx 8400lbs. When the 228 is attached you KNOW you have a load - especially when fully fueled. We ususally tow long distance (200+ miles). I have LOT of experience towing with this combo and it wroks well. We get 9.5 to 10 mpg at 65 mph.

You would like towing with a 1/2 ton minimum pickup better, but the Tahoe does the job well enough for us.

Feel free to PM me if you have questions.

 

[magicalbill]

Seasick is right. Anchoring conditions, bottom-type and depth vary greatly. Assess your area and boating style and act according to his numbers.
I described a "general all-purpose" setup which did me fine, but fine-tuning your requirements, especially when your safety depends on it is best.

 

[capnjack52]

Thanks for the info guys! Regarding the tow vehicle, I'm leaning toward an F-150 w/5.4-5.7 L engine and 4WD for peace of mind at the ramps. Don't plan on trailering very far from my near-coast storage site and the terrain here in NE FL is pretty flat, so it doesn't have to be a mondo stump puller - just a reasonably capable work(ing) truck. Bottom conditions here are mostly sand/mud, so I'm confident with a Danforth-type anchor (size? 8s? 13s?), but some resources I've checked recommend only a 3/8" rode for a 22' boat. That seems small for the heavier 228G, so I'm more inclined to size up to @ 150' of 7/16" nylon w/6-8' of chain for near-shore/ICW anchoring. Sound okay?

 

[Daman858]

With the 4X4 F-150 with a 5.4 and automatic with a super=cab, Ford says you can pull in excess of 9500 lbs which is right where you need to be. Regular cab a little more, crew cab a little less.

 

[dduflo]

A danforth anchor is great but be sure it is high tinsel. More expensive but a world of difference in preformance. As far as a tow vehicle Iv'e had 3/4 ton gas trucks and went to a Dodge 2500 Diesel and will NEVER go back to a gas rig to tow with.

 

[magicalbill]

I agree. I have the Dodge Dually with the 6.7 Cummins. No more gas engines for me. Pulls my 232 Gulfstream effortlessly and gets 3 MPG better doing it than my previous 454 Chevy.

 

[Walkers Edge]

For anchoring check out the fortress fx-7, that anchor with 8 feet of HEAVY stainless or galvanized chain will be more than sufficient. I have 3/8 rope on my backup anchor and never had a problem with it other than the thicker rope is easier to man-handle without a windlass. The big upside is you can fit much more in the anchor locker for deeper water situations.

I grew up in N. FL bottom fishing and you want at least 300' with an anchor ball.

Congrats on the new ride!

PS the anchor mentioned above is very expensive but riversmarinesupply.com (in miami) has them for much less.

 

[capnjack52]

UPDATE

Thanks to all for your tow vehicle recommendations - I finally have one. Last night, completed purchase of a low mileage 2005 Ford F-150 XL long bed w/5.4L V8, 3.73:1 LS diff, and factory tow pkg - 9800 pound tow capacity. Seller even let me 'test tow' the rig - hooked up the boat & trailer, launched at one of the steeper ramps here, and then pulled her out without a problem.

 

[seabob4]

Re: UPDATE

Thanks to all for your tow vehicle recommendations - I finally have one. Last night, completed purchase of a low mileage 2005 Ford F-150 XL long bed w/5.4L V8, 3.73:1 LS diff, and factory tow pkg - 9800 pound tow capacity. Seller even let me 'test tow' the rig - hooked up the boat & trailer, launched at one of the steeper ramps here, and then pulled her out without a problem.

That's a man confidant in his truck...

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Magic, what mileage or fuel economy do you get with that diesel truck towing the Glufy? I have a 5.8 liter Tundra and in flatland we get around 11 towing the 228. In the mountains it drops to 9.9 or so. I love my Tundra and dont see getting a new truck for a few years down the road. just curious since your truck got 3 mpg more than the gas Chevy what the actual economy is. Thanks.