On Jan 31, 3:31�pm, Mister Jerk wrote:
I am looking to buy a small boat for cruising and occasionally
waterskiing.

In my area there are a few dealers, Doral, Regal, FourWinns, Campion,
Sea Doo.

One of the main issues is the tow capacity of my 2004 ford escape FWD
(6cyl) which is 3500lbs.

It seems that my first two choices of boat will bring it from a little
to a lot over that 3500 mark including the trailer and gasoline.

Does anyone have recommendations/experience on this? Is there any
leeway for the max towing capacity of my SUV? Should there be a 20%
buffer zone on weight for safety?

Thanks,

mj

Moving the trailer isn't going to be as difficult as stopping it. The
size of the brake system is a major consideration when evaluating
towing limitations. In addition, FWD is the poorest option for trailer
towing.