Almost every state prohibits trailering a load over 8'6" without a
permit. (Some states limit it to 8'0".) The permits are usually easy to
get,(except Wisconsin and Idaho, in my opinion) costing $9 to 20, in my
experience. There some marking, time, location and date restraints, but
these aren't usually much of a consideration until you get over 10'6".

I don't always get one, since no one has ever heard of my boat (a Cooper
Prowler 8M, see what I mean?) and it's likely the local or state
authorities don't know how wide it is.) Someday I will probably get
pulled over and will deal with it then.

The biggest deal is to make sure your vehicle is big enough, your brakes
work, repack wheel bearings annually, be sure the tongue weight is 7 -
10% of gross. I don't use a weight distributing hitch because they
usually interfere with the brakes and the rig tows fine without it. I
also sleep in the boat at truck stops. It saves $$, I know the boat
won't be broken into and I can cook. I'm having trouble getting the head
to work in the parking lot, though.....

The biggest disadvantage to the whole towing/trailering thing is not
being able to hop on the boat and take off for the weekend or day
without the producytion of putting it in the water. I'm able to store
the boat and trailer in a safe marina on Lake Superior for $100/month. A
slip would cost me over $2000/year. And you have to factor in the cost
of owning the SUV which gets 15mpg at best on the highway, 8mpg when
it's pulling the boat.

But I would never be able to have done Alaska and the Bahamas, so I
think it's worth it. And I'm also doing it in a boat I know, trust and
am familiar with. I have not chartered a boat as well outfitted or in as
good a condition as mine, another consideration.

Capt. Jeff