lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

[JimS123]

Re: lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

Detroit and the government have been trying to convince us for years what we "need" as far as vehicles are concerned. It's all a conspiracy. I live in Buffalo snow country and have never found the need for a 4x4. I have been towing boat trailers for 45 years - all with rear wheel drive vehicles. The first 10 years were with a std. transmission.

 

[bigdee]

Re: lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

Detroit and the government have been trying to convince us for years what we "need" as far as vehicles are concerned. It's all a conspiracy. I live in Buffalo snow country and have never found the need for a 4x4. I have been towing boat trailers for 45 years - all with rear wheel drive vehicles. The first 10 years were with a std. transmission.

You must be an old-timer like me. I have to agree in part. I do not think it is conspiracy theory but rather a marketing ploy. Like 26 hp lawnmowers. I too survived for years with 2wd trucks and sedans...most of them "3 on a tree stick" 6 cylinder with about 100hp. Boats (and trailers) were much heavier back then too. Like I said before , when I see a farmer pulling a 6k trailer/tractor combo with his 1/2 ton pickup I am fine, but I cringe when I see a young kid pulling a 3500lb bass boat with a hemi.

 

[aharper00]

Re: lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

I bought a 2WD Avalanche instead of 4WD for this same reason... I just found that I didn't use 4WD very often. The couple locations that I launch from have never been a problem. No slip and pulls right out with no trouble.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

Detroit and the government have been trying to convince us for years what we "need" as far as vehicles are concerned. It's all a conspiracy. I live in Buffalo snow country and have never found the need for a 4x4. I have been towing boat trailers for 45 years - all with rear wheel drive vehicles. The first 10 years were with a std. transmission.

All I've ever had is a 2wd pickup and it snows for 8 months of the year here - this year anyways

 

[Mason78]

Re: lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

I cringe when I see a young kid pulling a 3500lb bass boat with a hemi.

I cringe whenever an American spends his money on an FIAT 1500-Hemi or not:laugh:

 

[2stroke1971]

Re: lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

I confess, I havent read all the replies, but thought I would chime in. I pull a 20 foot Bayliner cuddy with a '89 Dodge Ram van, a B250.(its a "work van" ) I have NEVER had an issue. crappy, steep ramps, moss, what have you. Had some guy at one of the nicest marinas I launch at ask me about it. (odd because the ramps there are all mild and perfect) He seemed amazed that I had no problem pulling the old Capri out of the water with my van. I didnt even understand what his issue was, he was all like " Don't you ever have any problems pulling the boat out with that?" and I said "Hell no, this things got a 360 in it and it's a beast." Then he explained why he was asking, but that was the first I had ever heard of that even being a problem. Ignorance is bliss I tell ya.
So the short of it is with an E250 and a smallish boat, no problems man.

 

[briangcc]

Re: lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

A lot of it has to do with ramp conditions and trailer setup. I'll relate this story....

My parents towed the first boat in my sig ('56 MFG 15') with an '81 mid size Chevy Malibu Wagon, V6, and low (like 2.xx:1) gearing). They bought the car before the boat and this was during the gas crunch of the early 80's so what it lacked in power, it made up for in gas mileage....and boy was that car a gutless wonder!

We launched at a few locations - Point Breeze NY and Bancroft ON. Point Breeze was a concrete ramp and that car could handle the load. Never slipped but did strain pulling the boat out. Bancroft, was a sand launch and on more than one occasion, we had to disconnect the trailer from the car, hook a 1" rope between the trailer and the car to get the trailer/boat out. The rear wheels spun in the wet sand. One year, the place we rented from offered to launch the boat with their 4x4 (I think it was either a Pathfinder or a 4Runner). In any event they launched and retrieved our small 15' boat without any of the headaches we had with the wagon. So...after that I've always had 4x4 on subsequent vehicles.

Now this was with 2 different bunk trailers for a half fiberglass/half (waterlogged) wood boat. Both my uncles had roller trailers under their aluminum boats and they were able to get their rigs in/out without the hassle we did. They were using rear wheel drive cars as well.

We don't visit Bancroft ON as the campground we stayed at became time share. Ahh the memories...

But there is something to be said about 4x4 being good to have as you'll kick yourself for not having it the moment you need it.

 

[bigdee]

Re: lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

I confess, I havent read all the replies, but thought I would chime in. I pull a 20 foot Bayliner cuddy with a '89 Dodge Ram van, a B250.(its a "work van" ) I have NEVER had an issue. crappy, steep ramps, moss, what have you. Had some guy at one of the nicest marinas I launch at ask me about it. (odd because the ramps there are all mild and perfect) He seemed amazed that I had no problem pulling the old Capri out of the water with my van. I didnt even understand what his issue was, he was all like " Don't you ever have any problems pulling the boat out with that?" and I said "Hell no, this things got a 360 in it and it's a beast." Then he explained why he was asking, but that was the first I had ever heard of that even being a problem. Ignorance is bliss I tell ya.
So the short of it is with an E250 and a smallish boat, no problems man.

Makes sense....the front to rear weight ratio is better than a unloaded pickup. I have towed with both and it seemed the van always had the edge.

 

[JimS123]

Re: lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

Had some guy at one of the nicest marinas I launch at ask me about it..... Then he explained why he was asking, but that was the first I had ever heard of that even being a problem. Ignorance is bliss I tell ya.

Yeah, the kids today just don't have a clue. You'd think that life is not possible without a 4x4.

The rig in my avitar is a "car" pulling a fairly large tandem trailer. Well, not that large but bigger than the car anyway.

A few years ago I was walking back to my car at the ramp when a twenty something couple came over laughing. They said they wondered who owned that car and how the heck could it possibly pull a trailer. They got into the F150 parked next to me and proceded to retreive the boat that was on the other side of the dock than mine. He got to the water first, proceeded to back in till the rear wheels were under water (where the moss lives....LOL), and then went spinning all the way up the ramp. He stopped to put the transom tie downs on just as I was pulling up the ramp.

No effort, no spinning, and of course with my roller trailer I only needed to get the last roller wet. So niether my feet nor the car got wet.

As I passed him they both were looking at me with their mouths open. When I asked them if they needed help they quietly drove away.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

Like most things its know how. I have used a 2 wheel drive 4 cylinder S 10 for the last 20 plus years with never a problem. I often found it amusing to watch people who are clue less.

 

[Lou C]

Re: lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

Here we have very steep hills and winter weather so 4x4 does make my life easier. But back th the day I put studded snows and 4 sandbags in the trunk of my 72 Chevy Impala and just up and went. Did the same with all my rear drives. As for towing, I love the Hemi in my 07 Jeep but if I couldn't have that the 4.0 six in my old 98 Jeep pulls it just fine, just take your time and use common sense.

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

I used to launch my Welcraft 238 CC with my Dodge van. It was barely able to pull it out on occasion.

Things to do when your slipping on the ramp and just cant get her out:

Lower the tire pressure which increases traction
Pull up the ramp diagonally, this lessens the apparent angle and make it less step.
Put sand on the ramp.
Add friends to back of van

 

[Milemaker13]

Re: lauching boat with rear wheel drive van.

I tow my 14' aluminum boat (really no weight there) with my tiny Hyundai accent. It has a 5 speed and front wheel drive. I'll hold the hand brake as I gently let out the clutch so I don't roll back and drop the clutch.

It is fun to drop in, snag the boat and be gone while the other guys are still trying to line up to "power Load" the boat. I always say: Shift late, brake early and keep your wits about you!

Best little launch vehicle I had was the '91 Subaru Loyale. Had a 4x4 button on the stick shift and a "hill holder" feature on the clutch. That one was as simple as it gets! If I could buy another one new, I'd be all over it.