Saltwater boat towing

Kids are grown. Second marriage for both of us. Time to enjoy life.
Fell in love with 2021 1794 tundra . Considering buying it.
Looking for anyone who tows a boat between 25 ft and 30 ft.
We d like to here some experiences and how the truck handles boat ramps, espically the really steep ones. Thanks.

 

Enjoy that life, waiting to get there myself!

 

Don't rush it. Savor every minute of it.

 

I don't know a lot about boats, but generally any 25+ foot trailer is going to be a lot for a half ton truck. Look into the payload rating on the Tundra and check what your trailer is going to have for a tongue weight. Maybe boats are lighter than travel trailers, but idk.

 

@COMiamiFan

 

Depends on the exact type of boat but they tend to have lower tongue weights due to having all their weight in the back.

 

I'm going single outboard. New ones are so reliable having twins isn't worth it. Most of weight for boats is on the rear, so tounge weight should be fine. I won't tow loaded with fuel on the boat so that's 75 gallons not worried about , same with 25 lbs of ice. Figuring I'll be in the 7k range. Only two of us in the truck and together we are 300lbs.

 

What kind of boat do you have? I think if you have a aluminum boat it shouldnt be that bad, but if you have a fiberglass boat I think that might be too heavy

 

Well that sounds perfectly doable. 7k is still gonna be something you feel, but you should be able to haul it wherever you need to.

 

One good thing is florida is pretty flat, so no long hill climbs.

 

Yeah, aluminum , saltwater and florida lightning, there's a death wish. I maybe crazy trying to pull a boat but I don't have a death wish.

 

I'd think you'll be fine. My boat, loaded, is about 5k and nothing to it. . Plenty of people pull campers heavier than 7. . .

 

Which parker is that? What state are you in? Lots of hills?

 

Looks like I'm screwed 25 ft parker is what we are looking at. Wish Toyota would build a damn 2500 size truck. 3 American brands are crap. Every single one of my friends who have one spend thousands on them every year.

 

I have a 20' at around 5,000 lbs that I pulled through Vermont and the Adirondack mountains in NY back to Ohio and the truck did a great job. I also live in very hilly country and my boat ramp is also very steep no problem. I know I'm a little bit lighter than what you're asking for and a little bit shorter but for my situation it works great.

 

I believe the Faraday cage effect of an aluminum boat makes them relatively safe.

 

I recently towed my friend’s boat a little over 30miles to a shop. He has a 24ft fiberglass walk around, and my 14 Platinum didn’t do well at all.

 

Well it looks like my dream truck is out. Now it's on to find the best of the worst in HD diesel from the big three. So wish Toyota would just put them out of business with a HD diesel for 65 k.

 

Just remember;

"There's nothing that salt water and a sailor can't screw up."

 

Yeah well I work 4 days a week less than a mile from my house. Have an old Ford escape for rainy days. Scooter and bike for work, gym and groceries all within 1 mile in each direction.
I have 3 days off each week and 5 weeks of paid time off sick leave combo.
Being in Florida we have Atlantic, gulf and the keys. I intend to go where the bite is . Looking at 27 ft for the boat to feel comfortable 25 to 30 miles offshore. If I only wanted to stay local I'd push the weight as I'm 3 miles to boat ramp and only two red-lights. Being 9 yrs to retirement I'll even be going more in future. I like toyota because when we go to central America to fish we see 25 yr old trucks still pushing it in the jungles there.
When I was in NY I had an e 350 with a 7.3l work truck. Frame finally rotted out at 650k miles. The motor is still running an irrigation pump 12 yrs later up there on a farm. I just don't think today's diesels will ever do that.

 

Where in Florida are you ? In New York and can’t wait to get out, lol

 

10 mins south of Daytona. Came from long island. Do your research first before coming. Jobs suck here and 11 bucks an hour is common. Skilled tradesmen with 5 yrs experience don't break 20 an hour. However if you have a cdl you can make 25 an hour easy. No one in fla can pass drug tests it appears. When I do percentage of paycheck needed to live, florida is at 60 percent for me. In NY it was 45 percent. If it wasn't for my girlfriend soon to be wife I couldn't afford these toys.

 

It amazes me what other countries will use. Central America and the Caribbean you will see late 1960s Bertram brand boats running charter fishing trips daily. You can't even find one of those boats here anymore they were all bought up by guys from down there. I hope you are right and toyota gets off their ass and makes a 2500 size diesel truck. Even my 7.3 l had tyranny issues and two complete rebuilds.

 

You gonna laugh. It's an old Puch moped from late 70s. Picked up at garage sale for 100 bucks after they started it and I took it around block.

 

Makes up for working in a sewer plant. I'm a very lucky man. Have a sweet , hot lady who likes to fish and hunt.

 

I’ve spent my entire life and career in the boating industry. Consistently running offshore is not something to take lightly and mother nature can turn on you in a dime as well as the treacherous inlets. It’s important that the boat you pick is well suited for the conditions. I’ve been in some really scary situations where you thank God for the off shore boat was equipped to handle it. Depending on your budget, one consideration is to keep the boat in the water at a marina. I keep my off shore boat at a dock and tow my 20’ day boat with the tundra.

 

Yeah except the father south you go in fla the closer the Gulfstream comes to land. Up here by daytona it's 60 mile run. Off Miami it's less than half that distance. Currently have a motorized kayak which we use with a paddle board for the intercoastal. My soon to be wife and her ex ran a charter business in the keys. So we have the GPS numbers for all offshore down there plus the gulf . I've spent my whole life on the water. I have great respect for it. Espically down Herr with daily afternoon squalls. I'm in no hurry now. I'm not going to make an impulse buy. Boat and truck will be well balanced. Just being in someone's toyota tundra 1794 felt really good. Best seats for my old back.

 

Tow all the time - live Mt Pleasant. All salt and brackish water. Have a 25' single engine boat, Tundra does great with it. Before I had a 27" with twins mainly for running offshore - had an F150 with the 2.7 ecoboost that did fine with it.

Biggest thing for me is finding a ramp where I can get my boat off the trailer without getting any of my truck in the water.

Towed my 25' boat 300 miles inland for a lake vacation and the Tundra did fine with it. No need for a diesel IMO until you get to 30' and up. Biggest issue with mine is the drag from the T top.