Trailering express cruiser... what size?

[Kivalo]

I always thought the Seawards were beautiful boats.

Originally Posted by mjgill1

We bought a Seaward 32RK. It has a claimed towing weight of 10,000 pounds. I think it's more like 12,000 though. I towed it from Rock Hall, MD to Iowa, then two summers ago I towed to from IA to FL and back. We have towed it to and from our lake multiple times. I have a 2500 truck with a 5.9 diesel. LOA on the boat is 34'-11" I think with a LWL of 30' or so. Beam is 10'-6" so a permit is needed. With truck and trailer, we are ~54' in length so a bit short of a semi with trailer. We use Mercury Permit service as they give a discount for Boat US members. We plan on taking it to FL Keys this season and Bahamas after that. Thanks to the variable draft. it sits on a triple axle trailer and rides well. Height is ~ 13'-4". Here is the sailboat data page for it. https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/seaward-32rk

[mjgill1]

Originally Posted by Kivalo

I always thought the Seawards were beautiful boats.

The first time I saw one was in Dubuque, IA. It was on the Mississippi River. I was struck with it. It was Awl Grip green with red sheets and tan canvas. Wow was it sharp. One thing to pay very close attention to if buying one is the keel system. It is a great asset, but can also become an Achilles heel.

Back on subject. The trailer-ability is a wonderful thing. To take it down south and spend winters in the Bahamas or wherever, then take it back north for hurricane season is the best of both worlds.

[Captain Bucknut]

Originally Posted by Hardhead

If I can ask, what sort of problems arise from using cruise control when towing?

Cruise Control and Towing......


Unless you are towing over very flat roads, I would not recommend using cruise while towing. Typically the transmission won't downshift until you've dropped about 10 MPH from overdrive. This tends to put quite a sudden strain on the transmission and the engine if it is constantly downshifting and then racing to regain speed. As well, all this strain adds heat to the transmission and engine which can significantly reduce the life of both.


That's why you will typically have a towing button that will lock the transmission out of overdrive. After a few summers of pulling a camper through the Appalachians and doldrums of the Finger lakes region, I finally lost my tranny in my Tahoe. I'll admit that my driving habits while towing were not always the best and I would cheat my own rule and use cruise in mild hilly conditions. $3600 later and I now adhere to the rule.

[Captain Bucknut]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Your trailer and hitch are the important parts. Equalizer and sway bars would be a recommendation along with good brakes on the trailer. Trailer brakes first. The ability to launch and retrieve on a ramp unless you wish to pay for a lift. A trailer made for your hull not a jury rig. Watching people at a ramp is good entertainment. Your truck sounds adequate.
A transmission cooler on your truck if it doesn't have one.

One other item of note..... I have a tongue extension on my trailer. It allows me an extra 8' of room to back the trailer in further at the ramp. This is especially good in times of low water and gives a bit more leaway in making adjustments while pulling out to properly center her on the trailer.

[friz]

We tow a 28' vintage Cargile Cutter weighing around 5500 lbs with an F-250 diesel. Furthest trip we have taken was 450 miles each way (on the road to get to water). We also strap our boat to the trailer - trucker ratcheting straps. The freedom to sail different waters is great - lakes, rivers, ICW, ocean, gulf are all within reach.

[mjgill1]

Originally Posted by Captain Bucknut

One other item of note..... I have a tongue extension on my trailer. It allows me an extra 8' of room to back the trailer in further at the ramp. This is especially good in times of low water and gives a bit more leaway in making adjustments while pulling out to properly center her on the trailer.

Totally agree with your assessment on using cruise control! Nice thing about the Seaward 32RK is that the draft is so shallow when the keel is retracted that the boat essentially sits on a power boat trailer. No tongue extension required.

[Hunky Dory]

I trailer a Bayliner 3258 command bridge, The width is not a concern for me, the height is a small problem, I check first with a permit company for bridge clearances. The boat sits on a triaxle trailer and is balanced proper so the trailer carries the weight not the trailer tongue. Another small problem is the trailer frame scrapes on launchs if the angle is to steep. Years ago I met a gentleman who trailered a 28 ft Bayliner sailboat over the mountains, I ask him what he towed the boat with. He said a 6 cylinder 4 wheel dodge 1/2 ton. I said doesn't this drag the truck down. His answer was I know I cant do the speed limit going up mountains so I drive accordingly, watch the gauges and let people pass.Dont worry be happy!

[alansmith]

Heh AG, you got enough muscle in that diesel to haul part of the Rocky Mountains with ya....smile.

Very good advice already given. My boat is a 30 foot Condor sitting on a trailer in San Carlos Mexico. She is legal width. But a bit of bee-otch to put together once in awhile. Corsair 31 would be in the water in an hour or so. It takes me all day. But I paid less than 23k and I couldn't find a decent F31 under 75K that hadn't been raced to death. So, me swallows me pride and keeps me head down.

Tongue extensions for the hitch are good advice. I don't want my dully wheels in the brine. You might also want to think about chipping your diesel computer and unlock some of that power. I'm just getting ready to do mine. It really helps with gas mileage and most importantly with long hard climbs where you need that extra power.

Yes, you will need to get permits if over legal limits but it ain't that hard. My boat travelled on trailer from Maryland to Texas and then to San Carlos. It ain't a big deal with diesel power.

[a64pilot]

I’ve done a lot of trailering in my life, I prefer a dually but as you already have the truck that’s mute.
Other things have been covered, but I’ll add you can’t have too high a rating tires, E are not very high rated actually, and service the trailer well, and of course have good brakes.
These guy make the best controllers https://www.tekonsha.com/products/br...kw1NyIhIlvsxqv

Then once you get there, always pay for a lift it’s available, don’t submerge your axles unless you have to. If a lift isn’t available park the truck and trailer and go eat lunch if possible letting things cool down as much as possible, reason is if you submerge warm components they cool off of course and this forms a vacuum and that pull salt water into the bearings etc. bearing buddies help, but always pull and repack each year and maybe you’ll never have a problem.

[Group9]

I still remember going down I-75 near Tampa one day, doing about 80, and watching a Dodge Ram diesel dually, pulling a 27 foot Sea Ray Amberjack, blow me off the road like I was sitting still.

I didn't think it was particularly safe, but I have to admit, I admired the horsepower necessary to pull that off.

[Al B]

We had the same thoughts , trailering our 31 ft , 9/6 beam cruiser
We live in Fla,
wanted too trailer too different areas ,
Boat weights 9 thousand lbs plus fluids ,
Trailer is a 3 axle ,disk brake trailer , towing max 15200 lbs
I am no beginner too trailering a boat ,
After a number of tows within Fl , not fun ,
Boat too swim platform is 31 ft .. Truck is along bed -
51 ft down the road .
Parking , launching , bad drivers , finding parking for truck/ trailer
while boat in water ,
Every witch way you turn , a royal pain ,
Boat too big too leave home , then would use seldom if I had too go
thru the launching /retrieving process
I have a wide blanket for fla permit , Flat fee , if memory is correct
cost was $ 25.00 bucks a year ,
If you go over 9.6 fees and different permits & restrictions apply gets
costly

Don't want too deal with the legalities ,
I leave boat at a marina .
Since I am a dry rack stored customer marina is already putting
boat on high/low . For 50 bucks they will put boat on my trailer using
strap Don't have too deal with ramp
Here in Fl you have too concern yourself with steep ramps
I don't have 4/4 and at steep & algae coated ramps you have too be concerned Your not getting out.
When I do take boat out of water I have a favorite low incline
boat ramp I use , Very steep ramps my old truck cant get over hump

Good luck with your journey




















I leave at a marina ,
I have a older F 350 .
5.8 Windsor gas engine ,
Rear wheel drive ,

[Cadence]

Did I miss it? Beam and weight I read. Don't forget air draft. Those highway bridges don't give.

[Hardhead]

Originally Posted by NewMoon

In addition to spare tires and lug nuts for truck and boat, I carried all I needed to work on trailer brakes and bearings. Bottle jacks and pieces of wood to place the jack on. Big pieces of cardboard to work on. Brake pads and other small brake parts. Spares of each kind of bearing (you don't want to have to figure out which bearings you need while on the side of the road). Highest quality bearing grease, a jar of mineral spirits for cleaning bearing parts, a spray can of Brakleen (strong solvent). All necessary tools, including big socket wrench, torque wrench, and soft iron bar and 2-3lb hammer to be able to knock out and re-install bearing cups. Cotter pins for the castle nuts, and a big set of nippers.

Over the years I got very familiar with all that stuff (mostly at home, thankfully). I would suggest taking apart and re-assembling brakes and bearings on at least one wheel at home before setting off on a long trip. Do it while they're still fairly clean - they get pretty nasty dirty after a lot of miles. Oh, don't forget plenty of paper towels and some Fast Orange hand cleaner.

I heartily agree. I started once my trailer was left high and dry with a blown bearing 700 miles from home. (2 days after a "professional" trailer shop bearing replacement & tune-up, at the cost of 1k, for a 2 year old trailer)

If you take a weekend to learn to do it yourself - you'll save a ton of money, and sleep better. Carry what you need to fix any typical trailer problem, and you'll live a life of less stress and great happiness.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by JoeRobertJr

One argument I've heard against cruise control while towing is risk of sway. If the rig starts swaying, it can get out of control quickly. The recommended first action is to take foot off gas without using brake. Using cruise control might delay response to sway by having driver a little more detached from the throttle action. On certain grades, I notice my cruise control overreacts, putting on a little more throttle to maintain speed than I would manually, and I understand that can also contribute to sway issues. Of course, there are other sway prevention measures, especially proper hitch weight, and perhaps a sway control bar.

Cruise control doesn't mean you don't have to pay attention. On relatively level freeways, cruise works fine. If you get into hilly or mountainous, I prefer to control...let the rig pick up speed on the down hill and bleed it off on the uphill. That minimizes strain on the drivetrain (particularly hard downshifts) and gets better MPG.

At the size we are talking about, should have electric brakes on the trailer. If you get some sway, use the manual control to apply a little trailer braking independent of the truck. If it happens often, go to the truck scale and figure out what's off as sway shouldn't happen in most conditions.

[austinsailor]

I can’t recommend this, but a few years back a couple followed us into a campground in Iowa for the night. With a Ford F-250, he was towing a 40’ sailboat, about 11’ beam. Went to talk to him, he was reluctant to talk until he was assured I was just another curious boater.

Turns out he goes from a Colorado mountain lake once a year to join a regatta in the Atlantic. Hauls it himself, done it for years. Has flashing lights, oversized banners, his wife is the chase car with the appropriate signs/lights. Stops before dark. All sounds appropriate. What didn't he have? Permits. Said he’d never gotten one, has never been hassled. Seems like he said he got stopped once, but cop was satisfied he was safe, let him continue.

I’m sure he had to pass an occasional weigh station. If I asked how he handled that I’ve forgotten the answer.

Only a 22.3’ Starwind, but this is how I’ve towed.