Do I have enough to tow

[red-oak]

I have two trucks one is a 2004 toyota tacoma extend a cab V6 4X4 5 speed manual trans, the outher is a toyota FJ cruser V6 auto trans . I am interested in buying a 23 foot thunder craft cuddy for the great lakes fishing and weekends away. My concern is can i pull it with out a hassel?

 

[robert graham]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

Maybe check the towing capacity on the truck and the total weight of boat/trailer/rig, see what it says. Sounds like a pretty big/heavy boat. May also depend on how far you've got to tow it, 5 miles or 500 miles. I doubt the FJ would be up to pulling that rig. Good Luck!

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

I tow my 16' Alumacraft with a 4-stroke 90hp motor with a 4.0L v6 Ford Ranger. The truck is rated to tow 5,000lbs if I remember and it does fine on my 500mile round trip runs to the cabin. However, I definitely feel it. I don't know how much your 23' cuddy will weigh but I suspect that with an I/O you'll be significantly heavier than my load. Your truck is probably about the same power and weight as mine.

 

[Jerryh3]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

My 23' cuddy is around 6,000 pounds, so I think you're going to over for both of those vehicles.

 

[drrpm]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

Check your owners manuals. They will tell you what those vehicles are rated to tow. I would guess that a 23 foot cuddy on most likely atandem trailer will exceed the tow ratings of those vehicles.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

Welcome aboard red-oak. Without knowing the weight of the rig or the towing capacity of your vehicles noone can give you a definitive answer, but I can't imagine that either of those trucks would be up to pulling a 23' glass cuddy. Determine the weight of the rig, then consult your manual(s) for towing limits. That's the only way to be sure.

 

[Jerryh3]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

A 23' Cuddy is probably going to be too much boat for either of those. Looks like the capacity of the FJ is 5K and the Tacoma is 3.5K.

 

[642mx]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

A 23' Cuddy is probably going to be too much boat for either of those. Looks like the capacity of the FJ is 5K and the Tacoma is 3.5K.

The Taco's capacity is 5K with the V6... same as the FJ.

 

[cribber]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

A new Tacoma is rated at 6500 lbs towing capacity and the FJ is rated at 5000. You're likely at the limit of what the Tacoma can haul around. I'm in the same boat so to speak... I'm maxed out at 3500 towing and need to upgrade my tow vehicle before I can move up to a cuddy cabin.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

The 2004 Tacoma is rated for 5000#. Starting in 2005, the newer generation Tacomas could tow 6500#. The 2005 and up had a bigger V6 engine.

 

[Lakes84]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

Depending on the trailer under your boat, you'd be over...even at 6500. I just had a 21 ft Sport-Craft shipped from Florida. The boat and tandem axle aluminum trailer weighed in at 5990 lbs. The guy who towed it had to run it over a scale. If the trailer under your boat is anything besides aluminum, you for sure would be over 6500. Otherwise your boat is only somewhere between 2-3 hundred pounds heavier than mine.

See you on the lake

Joe

 

[chris.j.marshall]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

You might dare short trips with the Tacoma. With the short wheelbase on the FJ, I wouldn't.

 

[2300max]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

I have two trucks one is a 2004 toyota tacoma extend a cab V6 4X4 5 speed manual trans, the outher is a toyota FJ cruser V6 auto trans . I am interested in buying a 23 foot thunder craft cuddy for the great lakes fishing and weekends away. My concern is can i pull it with out a hassel?

There's some good comments but the real answer is how safe and comfortable you feel towing your boat. It's been pointed out several times that you must consider not only your safety but others on the roadway specifically when it comes to stopping your load. You'd be surpised what you can tow/haul the trick is how to stop it! I tow/haul a 23'5" cuddy on a tandem trailer with a ford 350 6.0 crew cab. Of course, folks will say it's alot of truck for that size boat, but it's what I feel comfortable and safe when it comes to towing my boat. I did have a ford 250 V-10 but wanted the extra towing power on the ramp and on the roadway. Just like they said, check tow rating of vehicle and be mindful of towing reg's in your state.

 

[badkins50]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

I have a 210CC cuddy that measures 23' and with the boat, trailer and gear I'd say I'm in the 5500 lb range. I have a Dodge Ram 1500 V8 automatic with the towing package. The tow cap is around 7000 lb and I can tell you that towing and stopping (with surge brakes) isn't an issue at all. The issue is on any very steep ramp that is wet and slippery. I would not want anything less for sure nor would I personally want to do it with a 5 speed manual transmition. Good luck.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Do I have enough to tow

I know the trailer-boat lifestyle is rising in popularity and gives a lot more people a lot more access to the water. However, there comes a point where boats are just too big to trailer regularly, practically speaking. Sure, anything can be trailered, and somewhere, there is a vehicle that can tow anything. But it seems that dumping tons of money into a special purpose vehicle just to be able to make a large boat as portable as a small one becomes upside down.
Options? consider slipping or dry-slip the big boat at a place you frequent, or having a couple of smaller vessels. I have observed that often, the larger the vessel, the less frequently it gets used. I should think the same would apply to large towing operations.

Just speaking generally; a 23' boat is not at the "too big" range, for many people.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

My 23 foot four wins sundowners weighs 6250 on trailer so I would say not with a v6 stick

 

[mommicked]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

badkins50, Are you trying to say a bigger heavyer truck can overcome a steep, slippery ramp better than a 150?

 

[Jerryh3]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

badkins50, Are you trying to say a bigger heavyer truck can overcome a steep, slippery ramp better than a 150?

I think he was just stating that a full size truck is the minimum he would use to launch a boat like his.

 

[badkins50]

badkins50, Are you trying to say a bigger heavyer truck can overcome a steep, slippery ramp better than a 150?

If you mean F150 then not at all. As jerryh pointed out for me all I'm saying is in general a full size v8 is what makes me comfortable and I personally would not use anything less. That goes for for any SUV as well. I'll never be in a p!ssing match when it comes to truck vs truck although anybody that knows me personally will tell you I'm a dodge guy through and though.

sent from my bolt using tapatalk

 

[mommicked]

Re: Do I have enough to tow

jerryh3, I just had to ask! I was at the ramp recently and a guy w a big lifted mud tired dodge dropped his long, steel, tandem small wheeled pontoon trailer off the end of the ramp. It was exciteing watching the big truck hop and jump back and forth w the wet mud tires and 4wd engaged. he finally got it to jump back on the ramp to cheers from the crowd! Not any real damage to the tough trailor. and badkin50 I ment a 1500 compared to a 25- 3500.