Articles
   
       
Pics/Video
       
Wake 101
   
       
       
Shop
Search
 
 
 
 
 
Home   Articles   Pics/Video   Gear   Wake 101   Events   Community   Forums   Classifieds   Contests   Shop   Search
WakeWorld Home
Email Password
Go Back   WakeWorld > >> Boats, Accessories & Tow Vehicles Archive > Archive through March 18, 2009

Share 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old     (georgeliddy)      Join Date: Jun 2008       06-08-2008, 2:16 PM Reply   
I'm hoping to get a wakeboard boat for next season. My dad has a currently-empty boat lift, but of course we'll sometimes need to tow the boat out for repairs, etc...

We don't have a vehicle that can tow more than 2000lbs, and the boat would be around 3600lbs.

Any suggestions on the cheapest tow vehicle? Or would it just be better to rent a truck for the few times a year it is needed (do they even rent trucks with trailer hitches)?
Old     (kingskrew)      Join Date: May 2004       06-08-2008, 2:17 PM Reply   
Make friends with someone who likes to wakeboard and has a truck.

-Steve
Old     (boarder_x)      Join Date: Mar 2006       06-08-2008, 3:19 PM Reply   
most car dealerships have rentals. When my truck went in for repairs they gave me a rental truck for free. it had a tow hitch, but said i couldn't use it. .. HA HA!!! put my ball in the receiver, put my pig-tail in the adapter, and hooked up the boat.

they also said, that if i did tow with it, there would be no way for them to know. ... essentially told me it was ok, as long as they didn't know about it.
Old     (polarbill)      Join Date: Jun 2003       06-08-2008, 3:36 PM Reply   
Go buy a 70's or 80's Chev/Ford half ton pickup.
Old     (antoddio)      Join Date: Dec 2006       06-08-2008, 4:15 PM Reply   
Uhaul...$20-30 a day and $.69/mile, and they are fine with towing.
Old     (greatdane)      Join Date: Feb 2001       06-08-2008, 4:37 PM Reply   
Just learn to service/repair your own boat. Thats what I did. Its pretty easy.
Old     (jarrod)      Join Date: May 2003       06-08-2008, 5:25 PM Reply   
While we're on the subject of Tow Vehicles....

has anyone towed with a Honda Ridgeline? I'm in the market for an efficient and econonic truck.

The ridgeline has 4 doors, 4x4, 247 hp out of a v6, and 20 miles to the gallon on the highway. It looks like it might have just enough room in the back for 2 dirtbikes too.

It may never tow a boat long distance, but it would be cool to know that it could. The rating is 5000 pounds which is the same as american 1/2 tons, and it weights 6000 pounds.
Old     (bill_airjunky)      Join Date: Apr 2002       06-08-2008, 6:08 PM Reply   
When we moved from Seattle to Spokane 4 yrs ago, we used a 24' U-Haul truck. They told me I could only tow their trailers with it & could not tow my boat with it.
Of course they don't know if you do it. But if you had an accident, insurance coverage is going be questioned.

I wasn't terribly impressed with the Ridgeline. 5000 barely tows the lightest inboards any of us own. And if you fill it full of gas & gear, plus a couple of friends in the truck, then your over it's limit. If your just using it for short trips, go for it. But don't go very far or up/down any big hills with it.

BTW, my 1/2 ton Chevy is rated for 7700 lbs & gets just shy of 20 mpg on the freeway.

To the OP, call around to "rent a dent" type car rental places. They will have a truck you can rent that will tow your boat.
Old     (pennery)      Join Date: Jul 2006       06-08-2008, 6:30 PM Reply   
I just picked up a Ridgeline in Vegas a couple of Months ago and pulled my VLX with it for the first time today.. It worked really well.. I went 80 miles and it pulled no problem at 60-65mph..
On a side note I have owned quite a few vehicles in my life and I have yet to enjoy one as much as the Ridgeline...
Upload
Old     (jarrod)      Join Date: May 2003       06-08-2008, 6:41 PM Reply   
Thanks Bill. You're right, the tow rating is higher; for years though, a lot of half tons were rated at 5k pounds.

Our boat stays at the delta in a storage unit. So I'm only towing about one city blocks' distance to the ramp. Tow capacity is at the bottom of my priority list though.
Old     (lakeski)      Join Date: Dec 2006       06-08-2008, 7:11 PM Reply   
We tow with a Honda Pilot, which is about the same as a Ridgeline. It works great. We tow at least 1,000 mi/year with it.
Old     (georgeliddy)      Join Date: Jun 2008       06-09-2008, 8:47 PM Reply   
Thanks for the advice.

If I rent a truck, it needs to have insurance that will cover the boat. So far I haven't found a rental place that will do it.

I don't think I'll be trying to do the maintenance myself. My dad is definitely more mechanically inclined, but I'd be too worried about trying to fix something so expensive without really knowing what I'm doing.

Something else I will check into is whether the dealer will tow the boat as needed. I know my Jet Ski dealer will do that, but it's about $100 per trip. Still, that's a lot cheaper than buying a truck, but I'll see what I can find in really old trucks as someone mentioned.
Old     (antoddio)      Join Date: Dec 2006       06-10-2008, 12:23 AM Reply   
I've never heard that uhaul can't be used for towing your own trailer. I couldn't find it on their website either. I can't imagine your personal insurance wouldn't cover any accidents. Uhaul is the most laid back company I've dealt with, I can't see how they would really care. I've towed with them a few times and know others who have also.
Old     (jason_b)      Join Date: Feb 2008       06-10-2008, 11:07 AM Reply   
Menards rents for $18/hr. They don't care what you tow, just bring it back full of gas.
Old     (ncsuuh)      Join Date: Jan 2007       06-10-2008, 12:04 PM Reply   
We have had three boats. Our last two never had trailers. We just paid the $50 on the water service fee. Sometimes even cheaper then that if you go with someone other then the dealer. Is this not an option for you? You would be surprised how few time you HAVE to bring the boat out of the water. We have never had to.
Old     (bmartin)      Join Date: Jan 2007       06-10-2008, 12:56 PM Reply   
Don't worry about finding a truck that has insurance to cover your boat. That should come under your boat insurance and most boat policies have towing insurance. Check with your policy and if you have that, you just need to find a truck that allows you to tow and provides coverage for their vehicle while you tow.

Man I wish I could find on water service for a $50 upcharge. That would be the way to go for sure if available.
Old     (plhorn)      Join Date: Dec 2005       06-10-2008, 1:59 PM Reply   
The cheapest tow vehicle out their is a 1970's era buick or cryslter sedan or wagon. Those things have 350 cc engines and weigh a ton. You should be able to pick one up for a couple hundred bucks with lots of dents.
Upload
Old     (plhorn)      Join Date: Dec 2005       06-10-2008, 2:05 PM Reply   
Upload
Old     (kenteck)      Join Date: Jan 2005       06-10-2008, 4:54 PM Reply   
this should do the job

Upload
Old     (boss210)      Join Date: Jun 2006       06-18-2008, 3:56 PM Reply   
I have a friend that owns one of these F650's, he tows a x45 with it. Man what a truck, he frequents the delta and lives in San Jose. Its way over kill. Even with a cat engine it gets 18 mpg.
Old     (boss210)      Join Date: Jun 2006       06-18-2008, 4:00 PM Reply   
Go with a 1/2 ton chevy, 1987 or newer fuel injected. Will last for ever and you wont look G** as you do pulling with a van converted into a truck like a rigeline. Go SOCKER DAD GO!!!!
Old     (innov8)      Join Date: May 2005       06-18-2008, 4:06 PM Reply   
Most dealers will come out to your house for basic maintenance, we do for a 50 dollar charge, call your dealer and see if they will come out to your house, that will be the cheapest way IMO.
Old     (bill_airjunky)      Join Date: Apr 2002       06-18-2008, 4:16 PM Reply   
Todd (antoddio): I've never heard that uhaul can't be used for towing your own trailer. I couldn't find it on their website either. I can't imagine your personal insurance wouldn't cover any accidents. Uhaul is the most laid back company I've dealt with, I can't see how they would really care. I've towed with them a few times and know others who have also.

I looked on their site too. They don't advertise the restrictions. Call them and ask sometime.
Better yet, tell them you want to rent one of their little trailers & they you drive a Ford Explorer. They won't rent it to you in either case. & Neither scenario is listed on the website.

Ken, that beast is INSANE!
Old     (tdiggity)      Join Date: Dec 2006       06-18-2008, 4:59 PM Reply   
uhaul /budget will not rent you a truck with a trailer hitch , home depot does though and its way cheaper than uhaul or budget its like $20 a day and gas
Old     (rbalan)      Join Date: Jun 2005       06-18-2008, 5:22 PM Reply   
Plhorn,
That got me thinking of a National Lampoon Lake Vacation, Here comes the Griswalds!
Old     (crushing76)      Join Date: Feb 2007       06-18-2008, 7:08 PM Reply   
mine is in dry storage about a mile or two from the dealership. when i need them to service it, i call the storage facility to authorize them to have access... they pick it up for free, and put it back when they are done.

plug.. ronnie at waterski boats dallas.
Old     (cla10beck)      Join Date: Dec 2007       06-19-2008, 5:59 AM Reply   
You could always rent a trailblazer for pretty cheap from any car rental place, they all have a hitch standard and are rated for at least 5000lbs.
Old     (sloshake)      Join Date: Mar 2003       06-19-2008, 8:53 AM Reply   
We get out our shop to do the towing. $80 a couple times a year. That's a whole lot cheaper than buying even a cheap car and keeping the insurance up on it.

It was even cheaper than renting a car considering the closest place to rent a vehicle was still 20 miles away.
Old     (georgeliddy)      Join Date: Jun 2008       09-22-2008, 10:03 AM Reply   
I called Rent A Wreck (http://www.rent-a-wreck.com) and was told they have the F150 and do NOT have any anti-boat-towing policy. So maybe that will be my solution for next year.

Reply
Share 

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 1:48 PM.

Home   Articles   Pics/Video   Gear   Wake 101   Events   Community   Forums   Classifieds   Contests   Shop   Search
Wake World Home

 

© 2019 eWake, Inc.    
Advertise    |    Contact    |    Terms of Use    |    Privacy Policy    |    Report Abuse    |    Conduct    |    About Us