pULLING MY 24' PONTOON WITH A chevey traverse

[LynnMeyer]

Would like to know if it would be ok to pull my 24 foot Alaha pontoon with a chevy traverse with a V6 over 500 miles

 

[halfmoa]

Re: pULLING MY 24' PONTOON WITH A chevey traverse

You need to compare the total weight of the boat, trailer and contents of the boat to the towing capacity of your vehicle. Post those values here and you'll get answers, guesses, and opinions.

 

[mla2ofus]

Re: pULLING MY 24' PONTOON WITH A chevey traverse

If you've already towed it w/something bigger you probably already know a pontoon is similar to pulling a drag parachute.
Mike

 

[The Rooster]

Re: pULLING MY 24' PONTOON WITH A chevey traverse

Your towing capacity should be in the 5200 lb. range w/ towing package. You should be fine if you take it easy. Is this a one time thing for 500 miles or will you do this more often?

 

[arvo11]

Re: pULLING MY 24' PONTOON WITH A chevey traverse

Towing it is not the biggest problem. Stopping it is more difficult, unless you have a trailer with brakes. If not, plan your stops as much as possible. In other words, slow down especially in town and try and time the stop lights.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: pULLING MY 24' PONTOON WITH A chevey traverse

Also will your Chevy pull the boat out of the water .Some ramps are very steep. I had a 89 Ford Super cab. and after I bought my 21 ft bow rider I used our local ramp only to find out my truck wouldn't pull the boat out of the water. I had a guy with a 6 cylinder Blazer pull me out. I had a 5.0 engine. Two wheel drive isn't much when the ramp is wet.

 

[mouhotp]

Re: pULLING MY 24' PONTOON WITH A chevey traverse

I have been trailering boats and campers now for about 10 years with different vehicles and was also a trailer boater by nature. I was also concerned on how pontoon boats would trailer. I never really saw many of them on the road.

I had a 21ft open bow speed boat and it weighed about 5500-6000 lbs and it towed great with a dual axle trailer behind the envoy with a V6 rear wheel drive 4x4. Stopping sometimes could be fun.

The pontoon weighs in at about 3000lbs on dual axle bunk trailer with brakes. It trailers great and stops great. However to my surprise at high way speeds they suck gas out of the tow vehicle like a drunken football player binge drinking. It's due to the lack of aerodynamics, it drags the wind something horrible. I trailer with the canvas off and stay around 62 miles per hour but yet I get the same fuel economy with this 3000lbs setup as I did when I pulled an 8000lb fifth wheel travel trailer. On a truck go from 21 miles per gallon to 12 miles per gallon. You will probably get worse.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: pULLING MY 24' PONTOON WITH A chevey traverse

Try opening the front door that will help a lot.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: pULLING MY 24' PONTOON WITH A chevey traverse

sarcastic. but true.

 

[BoogieBarge]

Re: pULLING MY 24' PONTOON WITH A chevey traverse

Hello Lynn,
I have done this many times with no problems and if you are comfortable pulling a trailer (wider than the car) to start with, it would be ok. I towed, launched and hauled a 21ft ski boat behind the one you see in the photo all without trailer brakes. I added the receiver and plug myself to the Traverse which I remember buying because it had more towing cap. then others in the same class. With this purpose in mind, i ordered a AWD model to help at the boat ramps/beaches as it surely did.

That would be the only caution I'd advise you on, at some point you maybe tempted to launch and recover. FWD even with TCS isn't much good.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: pULLING MY 24' PONTOON WITH A chevey traverse

I wasn't trying to be sarcastic I always tow my 24 ft pontoon boat with the front door open and the top down.

 

[1nebel0]

Re: pULLING MY 24' PONTOON WITH A chevey traverse

You guys should try towing a 32ft Tracker with the cabin..Makes the dually slow...an anchor is a better word for towing this monster

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: pULLING MY 24' PONTOON WITH A chevey traverse

You'd be okay towing with the Traverse. I pulled mine 300 miles with a Ranger 4 cylinder automatic.

Like they say, just bring your Shell credit card with you.

I now tow with a diesel Powerstroke crew cab. Such a load will knock me down to 15 mpg from a normal 20 mpg empty on a highway.