Towing 7000# boat 3.5 hours a couple times a year with Tremor?

[Bannerman]

I currently have a 3000# boat/trailer, Tremor tows it like it's not there. Don't have brakes on trailer, again, never has been a problem. I am considering a new to me Grady White 257. Boat would be roughly 7000 including trailer. With the 3.73 gears, ecoboost, and 10,900 tow rating this shouldn't be an issue right. I'm confident it's fine but just want to make sure I'm not overlooking anything before I make this major purchase. I am not new to towing but nothing this large, would not be towing for weekends as we live on the lake, but I would tow it several times a year to the beach which is 3.5 hours and possibly once a year 10-12 hours to FL Keys.


Current boat pictured:

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[RickBullotta]

Issue could be tongue weight in the context of payload (though you'll likely be fine). Throw in a couple passengers, a cooler full of beer, some fishing gear, and other stuff and it can add up. What's the payload sticker on yours? Any idea what the tongue weight of the new boat & trailer will be?

 

[Bannerman]

Issue could be tongue weight in the context of payload (though you'll likely be fine). Throw in a couple passengers, a cooler full of beer, some fishing gear, and other stuff and it can add up. What's the payload sticker on yours? Any idea what the tongue weight of the new boat & trailer will be?

Just shy of 1600 pound payload, so that’s for sure sure our limiting factor. Coolers would probably go in boat so that leaves 600 for passengers and gear which will be fine until kids get bigger I guess. I would use airbags or similar too.

 

[RickBullotta]

Just shy of 1600 pound payload, so that’s for sure sure our limiting factor. Coolers would probably go in boat so that leaves 600 for passengers and gear which will be fine until kids get bigger I guess. I would use airbags or similar too.

That Grady White is a sweet boat. Enjoy it man!

 

[Bannerman]

That Grady White is a sweet boat. Enjoy it man!

Thanks we have a GW 180, built here in NC so I have always loved them.

 

[780]

I don't think it would do it. Probably very dangerous for yourself and family.
Probably best to let me take the risk for you by giving me that sweet boat and truck combo.
Don't worry about thanking me, I'm happy to help.

 

[Blue]

Watch the payload, that's the first thing people run out of. So 7000# times 15% which would be max tongue weight is 1050, hitch is usually 100#. So if your payload is 1600 that leaves 450# for people, kids, dogs, food, beer and everything else that goes in the truck, cutting it close.

 

[DBL R]

Depends on your comfort level and experience with trailering. If you’ve towed before then get a weight distributing hitch and call it good. If the tremor rear suspension is super soft then consider adding airbags just for a little extra lift while still letting the WD hitch do most of the work. If adding airbags, go with the new kit by readyair. Unloaded ride quality is much better than airlift bags. Either way, payload will be your limiting factor.

 

[Polo08816]

Issue could be tongue weight in the context of payload (though you'll likely be fine). Throw in a couple passengers, a cooler full of beer, some fishing gear, and other stuff and it can add up. What's the payload sticker on yours? Any idea what the tongue weight of the new boat & trailer will be?

Yeah, I think the question is what is the tongue weight and does the truck have (not the payload) but the rear axle weight rating to support that load.

 

[Polo08816]

Depends on your comfort level and experience with trailering. If you’ve towed before then get a weight distributing hitch and call it good. If the tremor rear suspension is super soft then consider adding airbags just for a little extra lift while still letting the WD hitch do most of the work. If adding airbags, go with the new kit by readyair. Unloaded ride quality is much better than airlift bags. Either way, payload will be your limiting factor.

Is it easy to use a WD hitch on an aluminum pole tongue? My understanding is that they are a bit different than a typically flat bed or enclosed trailer frame.

 

[Skier167]

You’ll be ok on the weight. My boat weights a little over 6k and I regularly tow it to the lake an hour away and once a year 8 hours to a cabin on Lake Huron. We put almost all of our bags and stuff in the boat since it has a cover to reduce the payload weight. I also have max tow with 3.73 eco boost. I avg around 11mpg when towing it.

 

[Aron]

I’ve never towed a boat, so take this with a grain of salt, but I always heard that boat trailers could get away with closer to 10% of the trailer weight on the hitch (compared to 12-15% for travel trailers) due to the boats being more streamlined than dragging an 11’ wall behind you.

If that’s the case, then you’ll likely be fine with payload, especially if you put most of your gear in the boat.

 

[LD50]

A lot of boats will come in even less than 10%. Mine is about 8K on the trailer and about 600-650 tongue weight, which is right where the manufacturer suggests it should be. It tracks well with no sway and I have no issues towing it. You can run a WD hitch on a pole tongue boat trailer, but it's best to check with the manufacturer first to ensure their won't be issues. You may also have to get a little creative with the mount for the wd bars on a pole tongue. I used an equalizer and the brackets work well with just getting some different bolts. I know they used to make a pole tongue adapter but it wasn't work it to me. Lastly, if your trailer has surge brakes, I'd suggest looking to pin or weld the tongue and convert it to electric over hydraulic. If you set the wd hitch just right, the surge brakes can still work, but it's not a good setup. Converting the brakes on trailer weighing that much is just a good idea anyway behind a half ton.

 

[Pirate]

It will squat a bit but it will be fine.

 

[12Lariat21]

I think the only thing you'll need to be concerned with is that your 7,000# boat/trailer is now a heavier mass than your ~6,000# truck. With no brakes on the trailer, stopping (in an aggressive or emergency condition) will result in the trailer pushing the truck around. If the new trailer has brakes, then no worries, but I don't believe they put brakes on any boat trailer, since they get submerged in water....Just another thing to consider.

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