www.iFourWinns.com

Hello all, I have a towing question for you guys.

I have a 2006 Vista 258 (26'), around 6,000 lbs dry so I figure with all the stuff we have in it around 7,000 lbs. I have an aluminum three axle trailer (surge brakes) for this boat so I figure that's probably another 1,000 lbs. According to Dodge's website my model Ram has a towing capacity of 9,700 lbs.

When I bought the boat in Houston I had a pro haul it with my trailer to my marina where it has stayed ever since so I've never towed this beast with my truck. We want to go on vacation to a lake 146 miles away and I'm asking advise on if this is a good idea with my boat and rig. Do I need a weight distributing hitch? I've heard they're not good with surge brakes.

I'm not new to towing boats, my other boat plus trailer is around 4,000 lbs, but I've never towed anything this big. Will I have issues at the ramp? Is this doable or do I need a bigger rig? The guy I bought the trailer from used to tow his Vista 278 which is at least 1,000 lbs heavier with a suburban so I guess it's doable but that doesn't mean it's safe or a good idea. Any recommendations or advise would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Is that a 3/4 ton? Is it 4 wheel drive as well? If you add weight for fuel or water you may start to push your rated capacity. The triple axle trailer will help a ton with stability, and 146 miles is not really a terribly far distance, so long as the trailer is in good working order. Would not recommend a load distributing system because that will not work well at all with the surge brakes (unless it's one of the rare systems that is designed for surge brakes). I think if you have a 3/4 ton, you should be fine, if it's a 1/2 ton, it might be a little uncomfortable/not safe.. I had a 29' Larson I pulled quite a few long distance drives with my 3/4 and was perfectly comfortable with it running 70 mph, but my half ton truck I had before, it was a white knuckle affair and prompted the need to upgrade to the 3/4.. She would have been a bit heavier than yours though. 4 wheel drive may be important for the ramp operations. Basically, in your case, what I'd do if it is a 1/2 is pull her out and drive it around locally, before your trip, and see how she feels.. With the surge brake setup, I'd make sure I gave myself plenty of stopping room.. What's the beam on that boat? Legally speaking, if it's over 8'6", you should permit for it, but the fact is, most cops just aren't going to mess with some guy just pulling his boat for recreation, unless you do something to warrant that kind of attention..

_________________


2004 Four Winns 328 Vista
1997 Larson Cabrio 290 - sold
1988 Rinker Fiesta Vee 248 - sold

I think you'll be fine with that tow capacity as long as your load is balanced and your brakes are in good shape. Is your truck a 4x4? I've tried to pull our 268 out of the water in 2wd a couple times and it usually just spins the tires.

I recommend taking the wheels off your trailer and inspecting the brakes. Make sure you don't have any frozen brake hardware form the trailer sitting. I bet that 258 will tow nice on a triple axle and honestly 146 miles is not far at all.

_________________
Our Boating Blog: http://ben-dana.blogspot.com/

2005 268 Vista "Sea Pickle II"
1979 AMF Alcort Puffer
Previous:
2003 FW190 Horizon
1973 Startcraft 18ft "Sea Pickle"

And I'll take the in-between position. I'll bet your actual loaded down-the-road weight will be getting pretty close to your truck's published limit. I would think that for a trip or two of that distance you'll be OK on the road; whether you can pull it up a wet ramp may depend on the ramp (steepness, surface type, etc.). BUT - for much more towing than that, I personally would want a 3/4 ton, the sooner the better. Strive for the 75% rule.

_________________


Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Thanks for the advise guys. I should have mentioned it's a 4x4 1/2 ton. Half of the drive would be off the interstate on county roads and highways. Sounds like I should start shopping for a 3/4 ton....

The beam is exactly 8'6" so I'm good legally but it's intimidating thinking about keeping something that wide in my lane. Thanks for your advise.

I would note that a friend of mine had a Four Winns 258 Vista that he started out towing weekly and it had a double axle trailer, and he towed it with a 1/2 ton Nissan Titan, and never complained about it, so... He ended up going to a slip for convinence and gas savings not because of issues with towing it..

_________________


2004 Four Winns 328 Vista
1997 Larson Cabrio 290 - sold
1988 Rinker Fiesta Vee 248 - sold

I tow a 255 Sundowner that weighs in at 7100 lbs with the trailer. I use to tow it with my V8 4-Runner but that was not such a good idea. I now tow it with a 3/4 ton pickup truck with 4 wheel drive. I think that going 150 miles will be easy with the truck you describe. The most important thing to do is slow down and get to know how your truck tows. The condition of tires, shocks, and stiffness of the suspension all play a part. Towing at 60 mph may not impress your friends but you will arrive at almost the same time as if you towed at 75 mph. Slower is safer. The faster you go the more likely it is that things start to happen faster than you like or can control. You will be pushed by the boat going down steep hills. So start downhill going slower than normal and do not exceed your safe speed.

I think that you will be fine if you take some time, take it easy, and learn how to react to wind gusts, semi trucks passing, and keep alert. I tow a boat the size of your about 2,000 miles a year and the only concern I have is to make sure the truck and trailer are working perfectly before I leave home.

_________________
2006 Sundowner 255, 5.7 GXi, 320 hp
"Simply Irresistible"

What lake are you going too?

_________________
http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

I have this exact same boat and while I don't have the spec sheet in front of me, I calculated it at about 8,500 lbs with water and gas. I think you could make the trip, but I wouldn't want to tow that distance with that truck on any regular basis. Definitely go with a weight distributing hitch. They're worth their weight in gold and they absolutely do work fine with surge brakes. I've been using the "Equal-i-zer" with mine and you would never want to tow a boat of that size with that truck without it. Reese makes similar weight distribution products.

_________________
2006 Vista 258
2007 Yukon Denali

My Horizon is 8'6" also, and the width does not seem to be any big deal on the interstate or on most modern roads, but there are a few roads around town with very narrow lanes where the tires can hit the reflectors on both sides of the lane at the same time!

_________________

"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

I'm going to Broken Bow lake (Beaver's Bend) in Oklahoma, one of the most beautiful lakes in this area. In fact, this lake is the reason I took the plunge and bought a pocket cruiser. Last year we spent a very creative four days on this lake on my 20' deckboat, blankets, portapotty, 12v oven, and cooler lol. Like camping on the water. My wife and I were so taken with the experience that we were in Houston within two weeks looking at boats. There is absolutely nothing like going to sleep anchored in a cove on a clear mountain lake while hearing owls hoot and waking up to deer drinking at the shore. Amazing....

I've spent too much money and a lot of blood, sweat, time, and tears getting this 258 ready for our dream vacation on this lake. Almost there! I just need to find the confidence to get it up there.

Hi SD, mine's a 2006 as well. Thanks for the tip on the Equal-i-zer, I'll look into it.

Good insight, I was hoping to get some real world responses like this. And I hear ya, 60 mph is about the max I want to do, I'll be the guy people are cursing on my brief stint on the interstate but I promise to stay in the right lane! I'm actually looking at taking a bit longer rural route to avoid annoying people on the interstate and plan to leave right before dawn on a weekday to minimize the traffic I will inconvenience.

18 months ago we went from a '95 190 Horizon behind a Chevy K1500 extended cab to an '02 268 Vista behind a K2500. We trailer about 25 miles each way every weekend. The Vista is very trailerable, but you will notice that it is significantly larger and heavier than your previous boat. Allow more room for corners and room to accelerate and stop. The old boat weighed less than your tow vehicle. The new boat weighs significantly more. The boat pushing the truck around may feel like the tail is wagging the dog. Allow time and space. Others have towed with a half ton. Check the truck manufacturer's specs for that year and model truck. Taking a test drive with the boat hooked up would tell a lot. Depending on the truck and trailer, the truck may squat when hitched up. Some others have added helper springs or air bags for this. As others have said, it may be good to look at an equilizer hitch arrangement.

_________________
Surface Interval: A scuba diving term for that time between dives to relax and prepare for life's next great adventure.

Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon