Re: will this truck pull this boat?
The 1998 Sonoma, 2wd extended cab, with the 4.3 litre V6, auto trans and either 3.73 or 3.42 rear end, appears to have a maximum tow capacity of 5,500 lbs. While you may not have the lower gear ratio, I would say that you are fine at 2,500 lbs. I also recommend that you look in your owners manual to see what the exact setup of your truck is.
The 4.3 litre GM motor is about as good a motor as anyone has ever built. I have one in my 2000 Astro and it has over 150,000 miles on it. My vehicle has the tow package and is rated to tow 6,300 pounds. After a lot of miles, many of which were with a trailer on the back, my vehicle is still going strong.
One of the things that makes this motor so great IMO, is that it is a large displacement V6. These days, there are a number of V8s that are only slightly larger in displacement, yet they spread that displacement across 8 cylinders, generally resulting in less torque. A large displacement V6, on the other hand, tends to be more of a "stump puller."
The only caution that I would offer on your vehicle is that it is light and doesn't have the braking capacity that some larger vehicles do. Your trailer probably doesn't have brakes so it will fight your pickup a bit in rapid stops. For this reason, I recommend that you practice good trailering techniques and maintain as much interval as you can when on the road. Keep your speed down and brake early - this will provide greater safety and less wear & tear on your truck. If you do tow at weights much over the 2,500 pounds that your current setup involves, I would suggest that the trailer have brakes.
