wrote in message
...
On Sat, 15 May 2004 19:41:21 GMT, "Tony Thomas"
wrote:

First of all - I think you have drastically underestimated the weight.
According to the SeaRay website - the 21' Sport has a dry weight of 3150
lbs. Add 40 gallons of fuel (240 lbs) battery, life jackets, all your
stuff
and your at 3500 lbs for the boat. Now add another 1000 lbs (or more)
for
the 21' trailer (I assume it is tandem axle w/ brakes) and your at 4500
lbs.
4500 lbs is way too much for a minivan to tow and not destroy the
transmission.
Look at SUVs or 4 door trucks. And remember, if the vehicle is rated for
4900 lbs, 4500 is going to be a real load at highway speeds and you will
not
maintain 70 mph going up an kind of a hill. You need something rated for
5500 lbs or so to make it a comfortable tow.


Based on the weight calculated by Tony, you'll need a tow vehicle with a
V8.
BTW, for my 21' Center console I bought a LoadRite galvanized, tandem-axle
trailer with disk brakes on all four wheels last fall and it weighs 1,250
pounds. The Tundra has the best reliability rating in "Consumer Reports"
magazine and the Ford F-150 is next. You can get either one with an
extended cab or a double-size cab. For an SUV, the Toyota 4-Runner rates
very high and it has been available with a V8 beginning with the 2003
model
year.

Based on what I hear from an acquaintance who visits the 3 American
manufacturers, helping them set up their machining equipment:

Keep in mind that Ford's engine manufacturing tolerances are measures in
feet, instead of thousandths of an inch, like Toyota's. So, even if Ford's
reliability ratings are close to Toyota's, the Ford will be puking burnt oil
out of the tailpipe from the minute it's driven away from the dealer's lot.
Chevy & Chrysler aren't far behind.