Find the Right Vehicle to Haul Your Boat
You bought a boat and can’t wait to spend a day on the water, but first you need to figure out how to get it there. There are several factors to consider when choosing a vehicle that will tow your boat: what you’ll use the vehicle for when not towing the boat, who you’re bringing with you, and the weight of your boat and trailer. You need to choose one that fits your towing needs and your lifestyle.
Choosing a Vehicle
Determine whether this vehicle will be a dedicated vehicle for hauling your boat or if it will be used as a daily vehicle too. If you plan to drive it every day for work and errands, you need to consider the kind of cargo area and seating you will need. If you need to bring along a lot of people and gear, consider an SUV. It’s more versatile, because it has a cargo area and can seat several passengers.
The size of your boat will also help determine which vehicle you choose. If your boat is larger, you need more pulling power. Diesel engines have a better towing ability because they provide more torque. Also, if you need to use a boat ramp, having four-wheel drive is a better option.
When choosing a vehicle, make sure it has the proper towing capacity for your boat and trailer. Boats can weigh from 300 to over 16,000 pounds, and trailers can weigh from 600 to 1500 pounds. Keep in mind that advertised payload and towing capacities are calculated based on an empty truck and one 150-pound driver. Hauling a trailer that is too heavy for your vehicle can be extremely dangerous and could damage your vehicle.
Use these general guidelines to determine which type of vehicle can handle your boat:
- Small boats (300 to 900 lbs.) – car or crossover (Subaru Outback, Honda Accord)
- Medium boats (1000 to 6000 lbs.) – SUV or truck (Chevrolet Suburban, Toyota Tacoma)
- Larger boats (7000 to 16,000 lbs.) – truck (Ford F-250 Super Duty, Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD)
Now that you have a general idea of the type of vehicle you need, head to the dealership to find the perfect vehicle. See the resources section at the bottom of this blog for recommended vehicles for towing. A knowledgeable salesperson should be able to help you determine which vehicle can tow your boat. However, it’s always a good idea to do your own research.
How to Calculate Towing Capacity
Figuring out how much weight a vehicle can tow is not a simple number. You can go by the sticker on the inside driver’s side door panel for some of the numbers, but there are other things to factor in. This involves some math and understanding the terminology. Here are some helpful terms you need to know:
- Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) – the maximum amount of vehicle weight when loaded with cargo and passengers. This information is found on a sticker inside the driver’s side door or the owner’s manual.
- Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)– the amount of weight that one axle of the drivetrain can support. Typically, front and rear axles have different ratings. This information is found on a sticker inside the driver’s side door or the owner’s manual.
- Curb weight – how much your vehicle weighs with a full tank of gas but nothing else in it. This information is found on a sticker inside the driver’s side door or the owner’s manual.
- Gross combined weight rating (GCWR) – the weight of your loaded truck and trailer.
- Trailer tongue weight - how much weight the towed load exerts on the truck’s tongue (about 15% of the total trailer weight).
- Payload – how much weight a vehicle can carry on the inside, which includes the passengers, plus the tongue weight. This is the gross vehicle weight rating minus the curb weight.
- Towing capacity - the total weight your vehicle can safely pull.
- Dry weight - the weight of the boat itself without an external motor, fuel, equipment and passengers.
- Wet weight – the weight of the boat with an engine and fuel. Each gallon of fuel weighs 6 pounds.
- Package weight – the wet weight plus the trailer weight.
- Gross trailer weight (GTW)– the total weight of the trailer, boat and all the cargo that will be inside the boat during towing.
- Braked and unbraked towing capacity – some trailers have their own brakes which means the vehicle can tow a heavier load versus ones without brakes.
You need more towing capacity than the heaviest weight you will be pulling. Your vehicle will need to haul its own weight, the people inside, the cargo in the vehicle, the weight of the trailer and the weight of the boat plus whatever you have stored inside. Generally, dealers recommend that you don’t tow above 80% of the maximum towing capacity to account for miscalculations and shifting loads.
To calculate the towing capacity:
GCWR – curb weight = maximum towing capacity
Can This Vehicle Tow My Boat?
To determine if the vehicle you’re interested in can tow your boat, follow these steps.
- Add up the weight of the freight you’re carrying and passengers. Subtract that amount from the maximum towing capacity. This amount is your actual towing capacity for this load. This is the number you need to determine if it’s safe to tow your boat with all the cargo you just calculated.
- Calculate the gross trailer weight (GTW), which is the weight of your boat (including the motor), trailer and any equipment you are transporting inside it. This is the package weight plus any equipment stored on the boat. If this number is less than your calculated towing capacity in step 1, then you can safely tow your boat.
Resources:
Best SUVs for Towing, Car and Driver
SUVs With the Best Towing Capacity for 2024, Road and Track
Best Diesel SUVs, CarMax