Towing a 282 Sailfish
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You should have a minimum of 10% of the total weight for a tongue weight. 15% is good if your rig can handle it. The good thing about a boat, it is easy to shift some stuff around to get more or less weight on the truck. Like...forward tank full and aft tank empty or the opposite. All ice chests up front , midships or aft. Given a high enough trailer you can tilt the engines all the way up to transfer weight forward or tilt them down to lighten the tongue. Lots of combinations.
Take the truck and boat to the scales...weigh all the axles.....go unhook the trailer and weigh just the truck axles. The no. 2 lead pencil will do the rest.
Fishtales
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can always tow with empty water, head and low fuel to help.
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Okay, so.. I am ordering Airlift Ultimate air springs and an Airlift remote compressor system. That should help the ride and braking.
Also going to make sure that brakes on the trailer are electric. I wonder if you can change that out if not...If it is surge breaks, I will either sell it and get an electric brake trailer, or, if possible, add electric brakes. Either way, I agree, it needs to be braking as a priority.
For the first ride home, my buddy is bringing his Toyota Tundra.... it is .. I think, better at pulling than my truck and mine is so new.. lol.. the electric braking controller is not being installed till the week after
I will also replace the brakes on the truck a little earlier than normal, and look into what I can do to make those a little heftier... if possible.
As for pulling, I will make sure to plan my trips, as I always do anyway, and ensure I carry the fuel needed to get where I want, and extra for emergency.. so that I end up at the dock with no more than 50 gallons, on a non-emergency basis. That reduces the overall weight from 1350-300, for gas, worst case.
Also, I will plan to get ice etc after she is in the water. That will take planning, but that is the safe way to do it.
Just means I make more map points. Oh.. I do fishing maps.. heh I have a very extensive mapping setup. Used to do a lot more, till I sold the last boat. I'll upload a small screenshot of some of them
Thanks for all the input folks! Will/hope to have a picture in a week or so!
Russ
This is a small piece of the map links. I have shelves of locations going back decades given to me by other offshore fishermen I would then input and give copies of.. they seemed amazed I would share.. lol.. but, I like sharing
In it is the library of Department of Energy info on all oil rig structures, all known shipwrecks, all known reefs, all known Liberty ships etc.. and I have shelves of books still to add, but it crashes my hoss of a system to load it all at once heh..and I have the entire gulf.
Also going to make sure that brakes on the trailer are electric. I wonder if you can change that out if not...If it is surge breaks, I will either sell it and get an electric brake trailer, or, if possible, add electric brakes. Either way, I agree, it needs to be braking as a priority.
For the first ride home, my buddy is bringing his Toyota Tundra.... it is .. I think, better at pulling than my truck and mine is so new.. lol.. the electric braking controller is not being installed till the week after
I will also replace the brakes on the truck a little earlier than normal, and look into what I can do to make those a little heftier... if possible.
As for pulling, I will make sure to plan my trips, as I always do anyway, and ensure I carry the fuel needed to get where I want, and extra for emergency.. so that I end up at the dock with no more than 50 gallons, on a non-emergency basis. That reduces the overall weight from 1350-300, for gas, worst case.
Also, I will plan to get ice etc after she is in the water. That will take planning, but that is the safe way to do it.
Just means I make more map points. Oh.. I do fishing maps.. heh I have a very extensive mapping setup. Used to do a lot more, till I sold the last boat. I'll upload a small screenshot of some of them
Thanks for all the input folks! Will/hope to have a picture in a week or so!
Russ
This is a small piece of the map links. I have shelves of locations going back decades given to me by other offshore fishermen I would then input and give copies of.. they seemed amazed I would share.. lol.. but, I like sharing
In it is the library of Department of Energy info on all oil rig structures, all known shipwrecks, all known reefs, all known Liberty ships etc.. and I have shelves of books still to add, but it crashes my hoss of a system to load it all at once heh..and I have the entire gulf.
wrxhoon
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I think you left the trailer off another 1500? Tongue weight should be between 5 and 10% of the total trailer weight closer to 10% rather than 5% and you can adjust that to suit you by moving the winch post .
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@wrxhoon agreed. Past week has been mind numbing heh....I prefer new boats as I do not have to look as hard for deals lol.
Okay, so someone with a better head on atm, assuming I tow her dry...what is the best realistic guesstimate of max weight she will be and the tongue weight?
My numbers show about...
8000lbs so about 800lbs tongue would be a safe guess?
Okay, so someone with a better head on atm, assuming I tow her dry...what is the best realistic guesstimate of max weight she will be and the tongue weight?
My numbers show about...
8000lbs so about 800lbs tongue would be a safe guess?
I think it is shortsided to "count on" trailering with low fuel. You should be accounting for "worst case scenario", not best case. But, using your numbers, your math is still flawed:
Boat 5800
Engines 1100
Fuel 400
Gear 800
Batteries 200
Trailer 1500
Total 9,800
Tongue weight, with a good trailer, can be adjusted. Figure roughly 7% for that size boat.
Boat 5800
Engines 1100
Fuel 400
Gear 800
Batteries 200
Trailer 1500
Total 9,800
Tongue weight, with a good trailer, can be adjusted. Figure roughly 7% for that size boat.
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Okay, as I stated, I am not accounting on everything so thanks for the numbers.
Not sure what to say. For everyone that tells me I am being stupid, another says I am fine. Not sure what else I could do to make everyone happy, so I will just pull it around the neighborhood and see how it feels.
Thanks for the numbers.
Russ
Not sure what to say. For everyone that tells me I am being stupid, another says I am fine. Not sure what else I could do to make everyone happy, so I will just pull it around the neighborhood and see how it feels.
Thanks for the numbers.
Russ
wrxhoon
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In reality you are going to be at least 10,000. I don't doubt the truck will tow it , probably slow uphills but I don't know the legalities in your country/state. You have to be always under the max tow weight of the truck otherwise if something happens you will be in deep trouble, insurance will not cover you and if someone is injured as a result you can imagine what could happen, in Australia you can even end up in goal.
Legalities aside I wouldn't like to tow the rig very far on the limit of the tow vehicle. IN USA at least you have the option of larger trucks with big diesels relatively cheap.
In Australia we have to pay about $150k for a big diesel USA pick up as it has to be converted to RHD. I tow with a Landcruiser diesel 4x4 only rated at 3500 kg (7700 lb ) I think they are rated around 8500 there so they are capable but still have to stay under 3500 kg to be legal here. The other problem we have here is max width is only 8' 2 1/4". One of the reasons I have a 228 seafarer, everything else USA built that size is over width. Permits here are easy but restrictive on times and roads you can drive.
Make sure the trailer is rated well above the weight you are carrying and electric over hydraulic brakes on all wheels, here they are mandatory on all trailers rated above 2000 kg (4400 lb) as is a break-away system.
Legalities aside I wouldn't like to tow the rig very far on the limit of the tow vehicle. IN USA at least you have the option of larger trucks with big diesels relatively cheap.
In Australia we have to pay about $150k for a big diesel USA pick up as it has to be converted to RHD. I tow with a Landcruiser diesel 4x4 only rated at 3500 kg (7700 lb ) I think they are rated around 8500 there so they are capable but still have to stay under 3500 kg to be legal here. The other problem we have here is max width is only 8' 2 1/4". One of the reasons I have a 228 seafarer, everything else USA built that size is over width. Permits here are easy but restrictive on times and roads you can drive.
Make sure the trailer is rated well above the weight you are carrying and electric over hydraulic brakes on all wheels, here they are mandatory on all trailers rated above 2000 kg (4400 lb) as is a break-away system.
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You know... I am thinking... get the boat back... clean it up....and then get it down south. I could keep it down there for a month or so while I bring the trailer back and make sure it is up to par, i.e. electric brakes etc, then get all three onto a truck scale, as recommended, and see what I am looking at. We like having it here close by, but in reality, if I paid the fee to store it down there....driving there might be easier and thus we might enjoy it more.
Have to keep that in mind too.
Have to keep that in mind too.
Russ, I'm not sure if you used the term "electric brakes" just for brevity or if you are not fully understanding what folks are talking about. IF that trailer has surge type, disc brakes now, you do not need to change your brakes on the trailer but merely add the electric actuator onto the tongue. You already mentioned that you are having a brake controller installed on your truck and that will control the Elec/Hyd actuator. If this was already assumed and understood excuse my boldness.
https://www.kodiaktrailerbrakes.com...ic-Over-Hydraulic-Kit-Disc-Brakes_p_1268.html
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I am sorry, I misspoke. You are right. I was talking to the Ford guy (I have a ranch down south and he has hunted there for 8-9 years. He's the Ford service manager)... he borrowed my 20ft trailer for my tractor, brand new I might add.. lol...and broke the electronic brake battery off it. He fixed it, but what I meant was... looking at the trailer I saw in the ad, I may be missing it, but I did not see a battery, which makes me wonder if it has the actuator on it.
That being said, it may be in a much safer place than the crappy one I had on that trailer and I am missing it. My point was, I plan to have it checked out (the trailer) and make sure it fits the electronic controls I am having installed n 2 weeks in my truck. The truck is new, just got the plates Friday, and they have not installed the electronic braking system yet.
That being said... to be honest, I have towed a lot, but nothing this size so, never really had a need to use or learn about how best to use them.
So, I am looking into any Grady people in Texas that I can get to know. I plan to spend time really cleaning up, checking everything out on the boat, and.. let's be honest.. it would not hurt to both take a boating course as well as find a good Grady person down on the coast that can come aboard and teach me how to safely handle this boat.
I may have said it before, but my family has heard it a thousand times...anytime they make fun of me for walking my boat or.. er "walking my boat" is a term I use for a 'checklist' before doing anything in it...my dad taught me that when we used to fly a Piper Tri-Pacer... he'd walk his checklist every time and one time he opened the hood and found a roll of duct tape and a rag under the engine cowling from a mechanic that had serviced it. That is where I will always remember, "There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots."
To that end, I have a plaque that will go on my boat, always has, that says that...a reminder that we can do anything we want, but some things you can only do once.
So.. while I am a Navy guy, I have been through lots of bad seas..I have owned many boats, I have not owned this one, nor have I owned one this large.. so hoping to learn.. as if I knew nothing....as being safe is my #1 priority.
What I define as "safe" may be different than others, I get that.. lol.. but I am pretty strict on a boat.. you guys get it.. had many a person on my boat that didn't.. and they don't own their own either heh.
Oh... rambled and forgot my point. I sent an email to the guy at Ford asking what it would take to replace the 3.55 axle ratio to a 3.73. That would/should give me about 1800lbs more room to be safer. I think it will be well worth the cost. Then, will add the Firestone air bags.
See? some of us guys actually DO listen
R
That being said, it may be in a much safer place than the crappy one I had on that trailer and I am missing it. My point was, I plan to have it checked out (the trailer) and make sure it fits the electronic controls I am having installed n 2 weeks in my truck. The truck is new, just got the plates Friday, and they have not installed the electronic braking system yet.
That being said... to be honest, I have towed a lot, but nothing this size so, never really had a need to use or learn about how best to use them.
So, I am looking into any Grady people in Texas that I can get to know. I plan to spend time really cleaning up, checking everything out on the boat, and.. let's be honest.. it would not hurt to both take a boating course as well as find a good Grady person down on the coast that can come aboard and teach me how to safely handle this boat.
I may have said it before, but my family has heard it a thousand times...anytime they make fun of me for walking my boat or.. er "walking my boat" is a term I use for a 'checklist' before doing anything in it...my dad taught me that when we used to fly a Piper Tri-Pacer... he'd walk his checklist every time and one time he opened the hood and found a roll of duct tape and a rag under the engine cowling from a mechanic that had serviced it. That is where I will always remember, "There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots."
To that end, I have a plaque that will go on my boat, always has, that says that...a reminder that we can do anything we want, but some things you can only do once.
So.. while I am a Navy guy, I have been through lots of bad seas..I have owned many boats, I have not owned this one, nor have I owned one this large.. so hoping to learn.. as if I knew nothing....as being safe is my #1 priority.
What I define as "safe" may be different than others, I get that.. lol.. but I am pretty strict on a boat.. you guys get it.. had many a person on my boat that didn't.. and they don't own their own either heh.
Oh... rambled and forgot my point. I sent an email to the guy at Ford asking what it would take to replace the 3.55 axle ratio to a 3.73. That would/should give me about 1800lbs more room to be safer. I think it will be well worth the cost. Then, will add the Firestone air bags.
See? some of us guys actually DO listen
R
Dennis,
I do this every trip. When I plan on going to the Keys from North Carolina, I always run the gas down before the trip. I don't need to do it. I want to do it. I don't know Russ's travel habits or his trailering plans. I know you can shave a bit of weight by not trailering with a full tank of fuel.
His truck will likely be at the top of the limit. If it were me I would get the boat , assuming it checks out, and plan on buying a F250 or something down the road. He could go used and use it for his hauler.
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If I had not ordered a truck cap already, I would trade the dang truck in. As it is, I am told it is about 800-1400 to swap the 3.55 axle to a 3.73, which should give me the towing room I need/want for now... and yea.. the next truck would be a 250 or 350... but for now, it is what it is.
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lol! no way.
My buddy is taking his toyota tundra next weekend to tow the boat back, if we get it worked out.
Then, we will have the work done to my truck, air bags, towing controls etc done.. then I will hook it up and see how it feels.
Also ordering a known 15000lb rated tow ball and hitch for it. Don't want that to be the weak point.
We will get it towed well... I also looked at an older used F250 to tow it with.. yea.. they cannot pull as much as this new F-150 can tow....which was amazing.
R
My buddy is taking his toyota tundra next weekend to tow the boat back, if we get it worked out.
Then, we will have the work done to my truck, air bags, towing controls etc done.. then I will hook it up and see how it feels.
Also ordering a known 15000lb rated tow ball and hitch for it. Don't want that to be the weak point.
We will get it towed well... I also looked at an older used F250 to tow it with.. yea.. they cannot pull as much as this new F-150 can tow....which was amazing.
R
The article you are wanting the OP to read about how to calculate tongue weight on a boat trailer is completely haywire. She obviously read somewhere about how to do this but didn't fully understand it. After explaining how to set up the scale and apparatus, she failed to mention just where exactly the trailer jack post is to be located. Without that piece of the equation there will be no way to compute the findings. The gal that wrote this just stepped outside her comfort zone a bit as you can see at the bottom of the article.
About the Author
Tami Parrington is the author of five novels along with being a successful SEO and content writer for the past three years. Parrington's journalism experience includes writing for eHow on medical, health and home-related topics as well as writing articles about the types of animals she has raised for years.
To Russ, If you want to try that scenario to calculate tongue weight go to "etrailer.com" They have a good detailed method with video that is correct.
About the Author
Tami Parrington is the author of five novels along with being a successful SEO and content writer for the past three years. Parrington's journalism experience includes writing for eHow on medical, health and home-related topics as well as writing articles about the types of animals she has raised for years.
To Russ, If you want to try that scenario to calculate tongue weight go to "etrailer.com" They have a good detailed method with video that is correct.
Just a little personal experience. I trailer a Marlin with a Chevy 2500 duramax and I sure wish it was a dually. I'm towing over rated per the manufacturer's rating but everything I found stated the hitch receiver as the limit of 12000#. I upgraded to 18k receiver, 20k ball and hitch, airbag assist on the rear and its still a little difficult to pull comfortably. One thing you may notice is higher than normal trans temps when pulling in any traffic. All that said good luck with the new vessel, I'm sure you'll love it.
OK. I came into this conversation late after being off the site for a few days.
I have a 2001 282. It is kept in dry stack in the local marina. That is more of a
convenience than having to store or tow it around. The only time(s) it got towed
was bringing to the house for maintenance and we then had to borrow a trailer.
The estimated weight of the whole rig was about 10K.
What I have not seen, or missed, was the part about putting the boat on the
trailer and PULLING it up the ramp. That is where you have that total weight
plus the angle of the ramp plus consider a wet ramp and loss of traction.
There seems to be no standard on ramp angles and there are both shallow
and steep ones here. With the shallow ones you end up with the rear wheels
in the water just to get the boat on the trailer.
We pulled the boat out with a GMC 6.6 litre dually diesel, 2WD and it was a chore
to get started. On the highway she just purred along but it is a gigantic boat
to move over highway/streets and we were only going 8 miles each way.
We now have a new Silverado turbo-diesel 4WD, but I think this will be at the
tow limit. Fortunately the dealer has in-water drop off. I just need to get it there.
As Robert Ruark used to say about safari hunting: "Bring enough gun"
I have a 2001 282. It is kept in dry stack in the local marina. That is more of a
convenience than having to store or tow it around. The only time(s) it got towed
was bringing to the house for maintenance and we then had to borrow a trailer.
The estimated weight of the whole rig was about 10K.
What I have not seen, or missed, was the part about putting the boat on the
trailer and PULLING it up the ramp. That is where you have that total weight
plus the angle of the ramp plus consider a wet ramp and loss of traction.
There seems to be no standard on ramp angles and there are both shallow
and steep ones here. With the shallow ones you end up with the rear wheels
in the water just to get the boat on the trailer.
We pulled the boat out with a GMC 6.6 litre dually diesel, 2WD and it was a chore
to get started. On the highway she just purred along but it is a gigantic boat
to move over highway/streets and we were only going 8 miles each way.
We now have a new Silverado turbo-diesel 4WD, but I think this will be at the
tow limit. Fortunately the dealer has in-water drop off. I just need to get it there.
As Robert Ruark used to say about safari hunting: "Bring enough gun"
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