Towing a 282 Sailfish

[RussGW270]

Okay, reading a lot of stuff online.. and, the consensus is.. don't tow.. but...that is not an option.

I like having my boat local so I can clean and keep it up to par. I have a brand new 2018 Ford F-150 SuperCrew 4x4 with the 145 wheel base and towing package etc. It is rated at least 9100 lbs. I plan to add anything and everything to get that number a little boost but, it is my opinion that it should pull this to the coast just fine. I get it, if I decide to go to the lake up north, taking a winding and elevation route would be slow going, but...

Am I off on thinking this truck should tow this well?

Oh, it is the V8 engine, gas with the 3.55 axle ratio (could not find one with the 3.73)

Between here and the coast, mostly wide highway and pretty flat the entire way.

Thoughts? Precautions?

Thanks

Russ

 

[Halfhitch]

Russ, you will be just fine with your truck. The internet is chock full of folks with "the SKY is FALLING!" way of thinking. Over 50,000 families traveled the complete Oregon trail with all their worldly goods in a wagon towed by a couple of oxen or horses so I think you can tow your fiberglass toy down a smooth asphalt highway with a new 400 HP truck if you use your head and I'm sure you will. An electric over hydraulic brake system would be a good addition but sure not required. The whoa is a lot more important than the go. I can't wait to see a picture with it all hooked up behind your truck!

 

[Greyduk]

How far will you be towing?

 

[RussGW270]

Well, probably max, 3-4 hours. Austin to Port Aransas or Corpus or Galveston etc.. all points along the coast heh. 250-ish miles

 

[DennisG01]

What does the rig weigh? Boat, motor, trailer, gear, ice, batteries, full fuel, water, etc. Add it up properly and figure out where you are. The 3.55 axle is going to hurt it for "power to the ground", but let's start with the actual weights and see what we're dealing with. This is not an area to assume or guess.

I agree 100% that for the safety of your family (and others on the road!) that the ability to brake well is the most important thing. If you damage your tranny or engine, well, so be it - that was the risk you knew you were taking (depending on weights, of course). Heck, that's the risk we all take when trailering. But the safety and lives of people are another thing. Safety should not be compromised. Hills or flats doesn't matter - you need to be able to safely do a panic stop/swerve in a respectable distance. If it turns out the truck can't safely do the job, then either buy a smaller boat or a stronger truck.

 

[Greyduk]

Go slow and don't tailgate. That is what I tell myself and follow. I go 65 MPH on the interstate and just take it easy. You won't have any problems.

 

[RussGW270]

Boat: 5800 lbs
Gas (Full): 1320 lbs
Engines (2): 1000 lbs
Water: call it 300 lbs
oh hell.. forgot.. the trailer needs to be part of the weight too...

That pretty much dictates this truck, while a good towing truck, is not going to tow this freaking boat.

2018 Ford F-150 4x4 145" wheelbase with 3.55 axle ration and tow package.
frickin.. crap... back to the drawing board.

I should say to hell with it .. but I am trying to keep my payment below 700 a month...


Not trying to be wishy washy guys... just not easy finding a GW with a trailer that is within my limit of $700 a month and has a trailer. Everything I find needs a trailer, or is old.. has 1 motor and I want two... or not taken care of. So.. don't change the username yet.. lol...


R

 

[RussGW270]

Holy cow, I just looked at the local dealer. Does GW even make 23-25ft boats with the cabin below anymore? Okay, the Seafarer.. but nothing I saw like the dang Gulf or the Sailfish.. with all the "amenities" till you step up to the big dogs.

R

 

[Toothpick 10]

I tow both a 30' travel trailer and a GW 270 (not at the same time). I have always towed with an F350. My first F350 had a 5.4L V8 with 3.73s. It struggled pulling the TT. If it was cool out and I was on flat roads, I could do it, but if the weather was hot and I got into some hills, the engine and tranny temperatures got hot. My current F350 has a V10 with 4.10s. It will pass everything but a gas station while towing.

Your current truck is going to struggle with the 3.55s. Your trailer surge brakes better be working or stopping is going to be an issue.

 

[Fishtales]

I think you will be fine. As stated go slow and leave extra room to stop.

 

[Fishtales]

oh yea, the only risk might be the beam. If I recall it is 9'6" on that boat. If so, it is pretty easy to spot.

 

[DennisG01]

Unfortunately, it looks like you're going to be quite a bit over - maybe even approaching 11K. The beam issue is one to take into account, but I assume you're aware of that since your 232 is over width. The 282 boat will be even more obvious. Something else to consider is that (at least in the past), most manufacturers rated their vehicles with only a drive in the truck. Any other weight put in there should be subtracted from the trailering weight. You might want to look up the GCWR for a more accurate assessment, though. Sometimes, they still limit the trailer weight. It seems like the rating system has been a little inconsistent over the years and also from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Another consideration is "if" you had an accident and were trailering "illegally", I would imagine that wouldn't be good for you in terms of insurance or fines. I honestly don't know if insurance would (can) deny your claim - but it's certainly not something I'd want to gamble on.

Do you own or lease the truck? What about an early trade-in? Granted you might lose a little there - maybe wait another year?

 

[Greyduk]

The beam is 9'6". It might be a case of the tail wagging the dog. Not sure I would want to tow that 300 miles with an F150 every time I wanted to go fishing.

 

[Legend]

Holy cow, I just looked at the local dealer. Does GW even make 23-25ft boats with the cabin below anymore? Okay, the Seafarer.. but nothing I saw like the dang Gulf or the Sailfish.. with all the "amenities" till you step up to the big dogs.

R

The Gulfstream is still available and is still in production.

 

[Sea Shift]

One more recomendation for safety is change from the surge brake system to an electric over hydraulic. it has and immediate response and allows the trailer to do its own breaking.

 

[Fishtales]

Holy cow, I just looked at the local dealer. Does GW even make 23-25ft boats with the cabin below anymore? Okay, the Seafarer.. but nothing I saw like the dang Gulf or the Sailfish.. with all the "amenities" till you step up to the big dogs.

R

The dual consoles are all the rage these days. The cabin boats are sucking hind boob....

 

[Ky Grady]

Being on flat ground in Texas, the F150 will "get by" with the Sailfish, just make sure the trailer brakes are working and at least two of the three axles have brakes. I wouldn't want to pull for any great distance with the F150, premature death of the truck packing that kind of weight. Not a doom and gloom guy, just stating the facts. A F250 would be better suited for it if you are planning to travel to different places to boat.

 

[RussGW270]

I am going to hold out for exactly what I want, how I want it. Don't care how long it takes... man on a mission. I think the Islander is the boat for me. It has everything I want in it, and a 8'6" beam.

I really like the aft cabin berth of the 282, not sure which others have it... but I think the Islander fits everything I "really" want and need.

I have a guy in NC trying to put together a good deal.

Also, found uship.com and they can ship most these boats for under 2k... so now all I have to do is find an Islander, late model as I can afford, with a trailer and twin engines and I am set.

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

Remember, nobody ever said you have to trailer your boat full of fuel long distances. When we travel on long trips I try to have my gas tank 1/4 or less. I have the 228 and tow it with a 2015 Tundra.

 

[RussGW270]

@SmokyMtnGrady That is what I came to last night. Couple questions, and please bear with me guys.. heh.. never dreamed of "going this big" so, .. damned if I had a chance to buy a 250 last month and got a freaking 150 heh...

Decoding the VIN does not tell me jack because it contradicts the Ford site.... go figure.

The tongue weight on one of these Sailfish, any idea what it is?

What sort of mileage does the Sailfish get with a couple 200s on it? My thinking, as you said, was.. keep water in it for the porta potty, just in case....and put about 50-70 gallons of gas in it.. or.. buy gas when I get there, based upon what I think I will need, with a buffer of maybe 30-50 gallons extra, if I plan to go out more than 10 miles, otherwise it can be less. Mostly, I am betting I would fish within 10 miles of shore anyway, right?

I can get ice, water, gas after I get it in the water, if I plan right, I would bet.

That would keep the weight down tremendously.

At 5800lbs, on the 2005 and older, another 1100 for engines, and whatever gas is left over from the last trip (keep it under 50) puts me at 7200 plus the trailer. The gear should not weigh more than 500-ish, but even if it his 800.. I am still way below the towing capacity.

That leaves the tongue weight. No idea how to figure that.

R