I've read many other threads here about towing small boats with small
cars. The information has been great: safety, overloading
transmissions, just getting a boat up the ramp! Now, I've got the same
question, with different inputs.

I am looking to buy a 16' trihull (fiberglass) boat with 75HP Mercury
outboard and EZ Load trailer. I think the boat actually measures 15',
and the model is the National 150, implying that it's 15'. It's a very
narrow boat. The reason I mention that is that I'm trying to make the
boat sound lighter! The rated capacity of the boat is 1,411 lbs. for 6
people at 150 lbs. each and the motor, which I assume means 511 lbs. is
the max motor weight. I don't know how much the whole setup, boat
motor and trailer weighs, though I am trying to find out.

I have a 1997 Audi A4 1.8L 4 cylinder front wheel drive non-turbo
non-quattro car. It (obviously!) doesn't have a tow package, but I'd
get a Drawtite or Reese and install it. The rated tow capacity is
1,400 lbs.

So- can I swing getting a 16 foot trihull with 75HP Mercury and tow it
behind my Audi?

Related questions: does anyone have any idea how much the boat I'm
looking to buy actually weighs? My best estimate is: Mercury 75HP, 380
lbs.; Boat, 750 lbs.; Trailer, 250 lbs.; total weight 1,380 lbs., not
counting stuff in the boat. It's hard to find weight data on
fiberglass trihull boats, though- does anyone know what is the weight
range, very generally, for 16' fiberglass boats?

Thanks!
David

I seriously wouldn't do it. You also have to consider the stability of
your car with the boat under tow. plus the cars brakes. I have an 18
ft
Chris Craft fiberglas with a 140 mercruiser IO on a single axle
trailer, and I tow it with a Mercury Grand Marquis simply for the
factor that it has a 5.0 (302) V8 and good brakes extra-heavy
transmission cooler . But still, at a road speed of about 60 mph I need
to pull it with out the overdrive due to strain on the transmission.

My boat isn't really heavy,and I know that is a relevent term, but my
wifes 2003 Chrysler town and country van is rated for a 5000 lb towing
capacity, and I wouldn't even think of towing the boat with her van.

Also you must rememebr ramping the boat/trailor. going into the water
is one thing, but coming out with a boat is something else. all your
weight is shifted to the back and under load. thus you have less
traction with your front wheels, and especially on a wet ramp this
could be big trouble! like...sliding on down and submerging the car.

I know you're trying to be optomistic, but look at the hard facts.

your car is way to light!

Tim

How much towing will you be doing? Are hills or mountains involved? I'd
suggest that you "should" stay within the car's rating, but...

If your just going back and forth to a ramp, on level streets, short
distance, I'd say you'd be okay, but consider the risks. I had a friend
who regularly launched a 19' wood boat w/ o/b using a 10yr old Civic
manual trans. He said he could only get up the ramp at high tide and
wondered how much longer his clutch would last... but he did it. I towed
and launched my 19' fiberglass boat with 150 merc o/b (about 2500 lbs)
with a 5.0 Mustang automatic rated at 1500 lbs tow capacity, for about
10 seasons, quarter mile round trip to the ramp, level streets... no
problems ever.









wrote:
I've read many other threads here about towing small boats with small
cars. The information has been great: safety, overloading
transmissions, just getting a boat up the ramp! Now, I've got the same
question, with different inputs.

I am looking to buy a 16' trihull (fiberglass) boat with 75HP Mercury
outboard and EZ Load trailer. I think the boat actually measures 15',
and the model is the National 150, implying that it's 15'. It's a very
narrow boat. The reason I mention that is that I'm trying to make the
boat sound lighter! The rated capacity of the boat is 1,411 lbs. for 6
people at 150 lbs. each and the motor, which I assume means 511 lbs. is
the max motor weight. I don't know how much the whole setup, boat
motor and trailer weighs, though I am trying to find out.

I have a 1997 Audi A4 1.8L 4 cylinder front wheel drive non-turbo
non-quattro car. It (obviously!) doesn't have a tow package, but I'd
get a Drawtite or Reese and install it. The rated tow capacity is
1,400 lbs.

So- can I swing getting a 16 foot trihull with 75HP Mercury and tow it
behind my Audi?

Related questions: does anyone have any idea how much the boat I'm
looking to buy actually weighs? My best estimate is: Mercury 75HP, 380
lbs.; Boat, 750 lbs.; Trailer, 250 lbs.; total weight 1,380 lbs., not
counting stuff in the boat. It's hard to find weight data on
fiberglass trihull boats, though- does anyone know what is the weight
range, very generally, for 16' fiberglass boats?

Thanks!
David

Thanks for the reply. I am trying to be optimistic, that's true, but I
will in the end do what is right. The first thing to note that I
didn't say before is that the distance from my boat storage to ramp is
either 2 blocks, 3 miles, or 6 miles, depending on where I want to put
in. I will rarely if ever go any distance with the boat, and if I did,
I'd rent a $29.99 truck from Budget or Enterprise. The second thing is
that that short distance is, in fact, totally flat. Now, about getting
the boat out of the water, that does definitely concern me a great
deal. I had a 15 foot trihull with 65HP Mercury some years ago, and I
towed it from Indiana to Alabama behind my (get ready for this!) 1981
Volvo 240GL 4 cylinder with 5 speed transmission! Made it fine, though
just creeping over the mountain passes in Tennessee. Was able to
barely yank my boat out, and eventually got it in dry dock. But my
Audi, while it is 4 cylinder, is pretty powerful at 152HP - my Volvo
produced a whopping 90HP, for point of comparison. Traction on the
front, you're right- a problem. I read another long thread here about
snatch straps and other alternatives for getting one's boat out, and it
seems pretty doable. I'm going to look at the 3 ramps in my area
tomorrow to see how gravelly and slick they are and consider that in my
decision. Again, thanks for the info.

How much do you think a 1972 16' fiberglass trihull with 75HP Mercury
weighs? 5.0 liter Mustang, 2500 lbs boat. 152HP Audi, 1,400 to 1,600
lbs. Same deal as you - flat streets, very short distance, just city
streets. I think I will have to check the tides at the 3 ramps I'm
considering and make sure to choose the best times of day to put in and
take out. Thanks for the reply.