"Genius? Not!" wrote in message
. ..
I've got an 18 foot boat. And I'm new to boating. So I've got a million
questions. And probably more to follow those!

I think my day-trip limit, for now, is 2 hours to reach an uncrowded
warm-water lake.

The first thing to come to mind is how far do you like to trailer your
boat
for vacations and long weekends?

How far is too far and what's makes your destination too far?

What makes your destination worth the distance?

Marty

I live in central Ohio, and I would say I limit my day trips to 2 hours
travel each way. And that's pulling a 25' Malibu inboard, behind a 2500
Silverado.

This gets me pretty much anywhere in the state, including the Ohio River and
Lake Erie...both of said trips, I have made many times.

I also trailer to Lake Cumberland, KY at least once a year, about 280 miles
one way, but always stay at least a long weekend. I sometimes take my old
18' Cheetah jet-boat there...its a lot lighter than the Malibu, and trailers
well.

I have never justified any trips longer than that. When we visit the east
coast, we end up renting because we usually only spend one day on the water,
and we fly. I wouldn't want to trailer a boat all the way down there, just
for one day on the water.

Methinks a lot of it would depend on how big your boat is, and what you are
pulling it with. I rode with a guy pulling a 32' Baja to Erie (2 hours)
behind an F-150 six-cylinder/short bed, and it was all he could do keeping
it at 50 mph. On the other hand, I don't even notice my 18' behind my 350
cid Chevy.

--
-Netsock

"It's just about going fast...that's all..."
http://home.columbus.rr.com/ckg/