Boat Trailer Weight

I am looking to buy a new boat and SUV. The boat and trailer's dry weight is around 4200lbs. What is the minimum towing capacity of the tow vehicle?

#1. Dry towed weight should not exceed 75% of the vehicle's towing capacity.

#2. Make sure you have a Type III or better frame bolted towing hitch.

#3. Keep in mind of the tongue weight of the load being towed, this adds to the maximum cargo weight limit of the vehicle and if not balanced, can cause unsafe towing.

#4. Do remember that fuel and any gear put in the boat adds weight as well. That roughly will come to be around 5 to 10% of the boat's dry weight.

#5 Passengers, fuel in vehicle, and gear stored in the truck/SUV also factors in adding to the maximum load limit.

#6. Finally, NEVER exceed any vehicle's towing capacity or cargo weight limits.

In short you need a full sized truck or SUV that has a towing capacity of at LEAST 8,000 pounds. That probably will require that your truck or SUV have a V8 engine. Towing anything close to 5,000 pounds with a V6 will be a very unpleasant and possibly costly experience.

2008-09-27 04:26:36 by Eric Z

Rusty Stainless shows you how to balance a boat trailer to get the correct weight on the tow ball for safe towing.

I want to register my boat, but i need to know the weight limit on my trailer. I cannot find anything about the weight limit, and would really appreciate if someone could help me with this. It's a 1973 Windstar boat trailer.

200 lbs i suppose.

2008-05-28 12:36:38 by sumthinwikid

Price: $49.99 $14.49

5-1/2" sprocket and large 10" handle for increased leverage--more pull with less effort
21' Length 2"-width water-resistant nylon strap, 4" drop-forged steel hook with safety clip
Heavy-gauge steel construction with corrosion-resistant zinc finish

Trailers have load ratings the heavier the boat the stronger the components of the trailer

i.e. A 25 foot center Console Fishing Boat would weigh much less the a 25 cabin cruiser

An aluminum trailer will weigh much less than a steel trailer

But as a rule of thumb figure trailer weight as 1/6 of the load it will carry
For a 10,000 lbs boat the trailer will weight about 1,600 lbs

2008-10-10 16:10:22 by Dean N

Price: $19.99 $13.59

My husband bought a small fishing boat with a 14 foot trailer. The state of Michigan will not give us a license for the trailer without verification of the trailer's weight. It is a Skipper B trailer, model #GLT 14. No help from manufacturer. How can I find the weight without taking it to certified scales? Thanks.

Even if you *find* the weight online, you said Michigan is demanding "verification." It must have been registered before he bought it, isn't the weight classification on the previous registration enough? Did they not tell you what they would accept as verification?

Is it the trailer weight they need, or the maximum gross weight rating, which would include the heaviest load the trailer could carry?

2009-09-24 07:03:42 by Nancy Freeman

with in a range is fine. I can not find my old title or anything from the state to indicate the weight... Thanks

It should be about 1000 pounds

2007-09-27 13:27:03 by markkistner@sbcglobal.net