Trailering a 290 1200 Miles

[Sadler]

I'm going to get a Loadmaster trailer for my 290, and a suitable truck to pull it. This is quite a step for me. I've dry stacked a 290 for nearly 8 years in Charleston, SC and had great times and spent hundreds of hours exploring the creeks and waterways. But, it's time for the next challenge--trailering the 290 to Florida for doing the crossing to the Bahamas, and exploring the Keys. Can anyone here tell me how serious SC and FL are about wide loads? The 290 has a beam of 9'8", and the on-trailer weight will be close to 14,000 lbs. I assume I'll need WL permits for both SC and FL, but what about restrictions? Can I tow on weekends? After dark? Any other issues? Any suggestions? I've towed 21' boats and a 50' motorhome, but this will be a big boat over lots of miles.

Thanks,

Sadler

 

[SearayPaul]

You should just run down the ICW to your jump off point for the Bahamas which I assume would be south Florida. This would be a great warm up for you and an excuse to buy more electronic charts to find your way.

Towing your boat will require wide load permits in SC GA and FL. DOT in Florida is very serious about anything coming across the border into Fl. They will stop you if your not permitted correctly. Wide loads can not tow after sundown or before sunup and holiday weekends. I am sure there are more rules but those are the basics. You also will need a sign.

You might look into a gooseneck or fith wheel to tow that beast. Towing that thing with a ball is a big load. The gooseneck and fith wheel change the towing dynamics and make for an easier tow with big weight.

You will have more fun going down the ICW. Better bang for the buck for a one time tow.

 

[StressAweigh]

Sadler
For what it is going to cost you for a trailer and a truck you may be better off just running the boat down the ICW Just my 2 cents

 

[Sundancer]

Sadler, towing a big boat is not that much tougher. The hardest part is figuring out all the regs! I've been trying to figure out what the deal is with night towing my 300 DA. I'm a little closer. It's not something I'd want to do, but I'd like to be prepared just in case something happened.

In Washington State there are certain times, basically rush hour where you can't have oversized loads in the Seattle area. That doesn't bother me since I live in Eastern, WA. I'm sure similar limitations apply in your area. In the West there are 7 states that grant reciprocity so if you have a permit in one, you don't have to get a similar permit in another state. Again, you may have something similar in your area.

Holidays are another story. Don't plan on towing during Memorial Day, Labor Day or the Fourth of July holiday. In Washington that means the 12 hours preceding the actual holiday and the other half of the weekend, So I can't tow on Friday of Labor Day or Memorial Day and I can't tow Sunday after noon through the Monday of the Holiday. The Fourth of July is a little tougher to figure out since it moves to different days!

In Washington I can tow at night since I'm under 12 feet wide. However, placement of the lights is still confusing! The State laws reference the Federal Reg listed below. In those regs it appears that I need an amber light somewhere near the front of the boat as high as practical and a red rear facing light near the widest part as high as possible. BUT, it also mentions the footnote listed below. So I think a trip to the WA DOT is in order so they can tell me IF I can tow and what I need to do. The only reason I found all of this out is because the guy who issued the permit asked if I'd be towing at night! I told him I didn't think I could and he said if I had proper lighting it was no problem! Talk about confusing! So, I'm thinking night towing might be away around some of the holidays too, like Monday after midnight or something! My truck has a second 7 pin receptacle in the bed for a fifthwheel and I could easily tap into that plug, run the lights up to the bow and down the side to add the night lights if I had too.

I'd definitely suggest a diesel dually for your load. Mine handles it very well and is probably very similar to your total trailer weight.

CFR 49.393.11:
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/393.11.htm

And the footnote for boats from that link:
Footnote-17 A boat trailer subject to this part whose overall width is 2032 mm (80 inches) or more need not be equipped with both front and rear clearance lamps provided an amber (front) and red (rear) clearance lamp is located at or near the midpoint on each side so as to indicate its extreme width.

 

[Sadler]

You might look into a gooseneck or fith wheel to tow that beast. Towing that thing with a ball is a big load. The gooseneck and fith wheel change the towing dynamics and make for an easier tow with big weight.

Yep, very good points Paul, a gooseneck or fifth wheel is the way to go. I've already got an (old) quote from Loadmaster for a gooseneck trailer for the 290. I'm going to get a new quote for both gooseneck and 5th wheel. Should be about the same price.

You will have more fun going down the ICW. Better bang for the buck for a one time tow.

Both StressAweigh and Paul both made this suggestion, and my first idea was to do just this. My problem is time. I'll have two or maybe three weeks for the trip, and if we do the ICW all the way, it'll eat up 12 of those days, leaving little for the time in the Bahamas. I love the ICW and want to cruise it top to bottom at trawler speed one of these days, but that'll probably have to wait until retirement. Almost all my coastal boating to date since 1999 has been ICW, mostly around Charleston, and I'm ready for something different. The Bahamas, the Keys, the Tennessee River, maybe Lake Powell--the list goes on and on--would be amazing. And, yes motoring the boat down and back would be cheaper than buying a trailer and a truck, but having the boat on a trailer will open up a new world of boating for me since I cannot get very far with my limited vacation time by water. The 290 should make a pretty cool trailer boat once I get over the fearfactor hump and learn about all the rules and permitting issues.

I have a couple of local friends who both do lots of trailering with overnight boats. They usually caravan together and I'm always getting these annoying sets of photos from them showing all the beautiful places they've been. This year it was the Great Loop. Year before the Inside Passage. Year before that Lake Powell. I've got to scratch this itch.

 

[Sadler]

Sadler, towing a big boat is not that much tougher. The hardest part is figuring out all the regs! I've been trying to figure out what the deal is with night towing my 300 DA. I'm a little closer. It's not something I'd want to do, but I'd like to be prepared just in case something happened.

Sundancer,

That is ALL great information, and almost all new to me. Thanks. And very good tip about the rig. That's what I'll start looking for--a diesel dually. I want STABILITY, and it sounds like you've figured it out. I wonder if Loadmaster would have any information on the night lighting requirements. I'll ask them.

Did you buy your truck new or used? Are used diesel duallys likely to have been abused and worn out?

Sadler

 

[dbric36]

I thought there were different regulations for under 10' wide vs over 10' wide. Also diesel trucks are made to be used hard. From what I have seen a diesel truck that was used hard , but maintained will run better than one that has been babied and not maintained well. At least mine seems to fit that description. My F-250 6.0 with 145k runs ike it is just getting broken in.

 

[midway]

Diesel dually trucks if used in construction work probably used, abused, and worn out. If used for your type of use, boat, horse, camper could very well be in good shape. You would have to go at this with carefull inspection, if you have a friend that is a mechanic, he could help, any truck you see you can take to a shop and pay to have it checked over, in other words a survey. I would try to find a Ford 7.3L or Dodge Cummins, just my personal opinion. GM also has a pretty decent setup with their current diesel/Allison automatic combination.

 

[chuck1]

Sadler,

It may be a dumb question, but unless you are going to be doing a whole lot of trailering why don't you just hire a boat transporter for this one time trip.

I thought there were different regulations for under 10' wide vs over 10' wide.

You are correct, under the 10' you still have the daylight/weekend/holiday restrictions, but don't have to worry about a separate leading/trailing flag vehicle, flasher, etc. At least that is my understanding of the GA rules. Just one more reason why I have not gone over the 8.5' width yet.

 

[Sadler]

Sadler,

It may be a dumb question, but unless you are going to be doing a whole lot of trailering why don't you just hire a boat transporter for this one time trip.



You are correct, under the 10' you still have the daylight/weekend/holiday restrictions, but don't have to worry about a separate leading/trailing flag vehicle, flasher, etc. At least that is my understanding of the GA rules. Just one more reason why I have not gone over the 8.5' width yet.

Yes, good point. Getting the boat transported would not be that hard. My marina could load it and all I'd have to find is another dry stack marina in Fl to unload it. And it's easy to get a company lined up for the transport. I found this site a month or so ago. It's like an ebay for getting your stuff transported: http://www.uship.com/ The "boats" section shows some very big boats getting some good bids for hauling.

But, all that's money wasted if ever I want to do much more. I'm going to try my hand at regular trailering. It'd be great to be able to attend some of the CSR rendezvouses (what's the plural of rendezvous?) for example. If ever I decide to stop doing it, I figure I can always sell the truck for a pretty good price, and probably even get half of what I pay for the trailer. And if after awhile the wide load restrictions become too much, I'll sell the 290 and get an 8.5' wide 270 and use the same trailer. So, to me, the risk is not that high.

I'll probably keep my place in the dry stack in Charleston for the foreseeable future, and just see how the trailering goes. What would be great is to have an in-water boat down in Charleston, and the 290 on a trailer for the non-accessible and farther destinations. I can see the Admiral's face when I propose that. :smt009

 

[chuck1]

What would be great is to have an in-water boat down in Charleston, and the 290 on a trailer for the non-accessible and farther destinations. I can see the Admiral's face when I propose that.

I had to laugh at that one. It did not go over to good when I tried that. (grin)

 

[Carpedmman]

Sadler- Don't worry. Your fears of pulling your boat will diminish greatly if you get a gooseneck trailer with a diesel dually. When I had a trailer my best friend pulled it all the time with his F-350 Dually. Never felt like the tail wagging the dog and pulled real beautifully. My trailer was a loadmaster (Ohio, not Florida company) as well! The company in Ohio builds a beautiful, quality trailer that was top notch!
http://www.loadmastertrailerco.com/index.htm

Sounds like you are well on your way to the ultimate set-up and expanding your wings to boat whereever you want! Great job!
Stuart

 

[Sadler]

I had to laugh at that one. It did not go over to good when I tried that. (grin)

Know what you mean.

 

[Sadler]

Sadler- Don't worry. Your fears of pulling your boat will diminish greatly if you get a gooseneck trailer with a diesel dually.

Thanks Stuart. I appreciate the good experiences you describe. I did not know that there were two Loadmasters. I just checked and the one I've one I've contacted for an updated quote is the Ohio company. Their trailers look well built. And they'll paint to the color you specify. Looks like the Florida Loadmaster is mostly a utility and hauling trailer company.

Has anyone researched or know when a gooseneck is preferred and when a 5th wheel is preferred? Is the 5th wheel always better?

 

[Sundancer]

Sundancer,

That is ALL great information, and almost all new to me. Thanks. And very good tip about the rig. That's what I'll start looking for--a diesel dually. I want STABILITY, and it sounds like you've figured it out. I wonder if Loadmaster would have any information on the night lighting requirements. I'll ask them.

Did you buy your truck new or used? Are used diesel duallys likely to have been abused and worn out?

Sadler

It's like buying a boat. Some diesels are used recreationally and have low miles. We were towing a travel trailer back from the Grand Canyon in July of 2006. I heard a very familiar clank and boom! I knew the engine was toast! We were towed to the nearest town, La Grande, Oregon and bought our truck. We had the title to the 3/4 burb with us and had intended to buy a new tow vehicle but didn't see anything along the way worth buying. The ONLY decent tow vehicle they had was a 2004 crew cab dually long bed with the Duramax/Allison combination. After looking at the Dodge Megacab a month earlier, the F350's and the Chevy 2500 we were pretty familiar with new and used prices for each model. The sticker on the window was $33,999 and we asked the dealer what he could do. While he was away, my wife and I decided if it was under $31,000 we'd buy it. The dealer said the best he could do was 29,999 and my wife said we'll take it. I didn't even get a chance!

It did have a brand new motor at 50,055 miles and had about 50,075 when we bought it. It was in great shape and we were anxious to get home. We left the burb so they could put a new motor in it, put the trailer on the back and came home to Spokane that night. It's been a great vehicle ever since and has about 63,000 mile on it a year and a half later. I think there are a lot of folks out there that are very proud of their diesel trucks. Just be picky and you'll find one. Make a low offer!

It's a very capable tow rig. We've towed the 300 DA a few times and it handles the load very well. I'm sure a SRW truck would work, but for a load this big the DRW setup is very capable. If we want to add a camper, the dually will make that very easy too. We'll be towing a lot next year and we have to replace some tires and hubs on the trailer. I'd like to alter the trailer to make it a gooseneck, but that may be cost prohibitive. I do have a WDH that we'll add in the spring. The trailer has electric brakes so it's not a problem.

Of the three trucks, we liked the Megacab the best, but I didn't want to buy a first production year vehicle and 07 was the first year for the Megacab. The F-350 was the next best with all the space in the cab, but there have been some problems and recalls with the recent Ford diesels. Nothing major, but they changed the engine in 07 or 08 to eliminate the problem. Again, I don't want a first year vehicle to be a guinea pig. The Chevy is a little small in the rear seat compared to the others, but the Duramax/Allison combination has been around with small tweaks. The Cummins and the Allison are the best of the best. I'd put the Ford Transmission ahead of the Dodge, but the Ford engine is probably the last one I'd want. If I could, I'd own either the Megacab or Ford body, Allison transmission and a Cummins engine! I'm sure someone could build that for me???

 

[Sundancer]

Thanks Stuart. I appreciate the good experiences you describe. I did not know that there were two Loadmasters. I just checked and the one I've one I've contacted for an updated quote is the Ohio company. Their trailers look well built. And they'll paint to the color you specify. Looks like the Florida Loadmaster is mostly a utility and hauling trailer company.

Has anyone researched or know when a gooseneck is preferred and when a 5th wheel is preferred? Is the 5th wheel always better?

I'd definitely go with a galvanized trailer if I had a choice!! I'd also get electric brakes or electric over hydraulic if you are dunking in saltwater.

Usually around 12- 15,000 lbs you start to see 5th wheel or Gooseneck hitches. In between is a gray area depending on the hitch, TV and weight distribution of the trailer.

I love the freedom the trailer gives us. We're not locked into the same lake, same marina, same favorite spot and same dockmates. We have so many great lakes around here that it's difficult to choose. We don't make the decision until we hit the stop sign at the end of the street! Then we can decide if we want to go to Priest Lake, Lake Pend Oreille, Couer d'Alene, Lake Roosevelt, Chelan, Flathead in Montana or head to Seattle!! I've been pushing for a Lake Powell trip and I'm hoping the family will give in next Summer!

 

[Alex F]

Sadler,

Besides some great advice you're getting from other members I just want to mention that it's very important to have a long term plan for your traveling needs. It's very possible that you'll spend lots time and money to get the right rig. Then, initially you'll be making number of trips and eventually end up making only couple of trips per year. At that point, you may realize that all the money and effort that was spent was not really worth it. I had similar situation when we've upgraded from 175BR to 240DA. After making few initial trips the first and second season we had a new burn and our travelling had slowed down big time. Then, when staying in slip for a season, we've realize that having the towing rig for couple trip in the season was not worth it. We have no needs for such a large vehicle except for towing 240. So, driving full size SUV and tow the boat few times a year didn't make sence anylonger. This is when we made the decission to move up.
I don't know your situation and travelling plans, but I just wanted to mantion that sometimes it's worth of paying more for travelling by water (not to mention the enjoyment of that trip getting from point A to point B, as a jorney of it's own), then invest in expensive rig, which will require maintenance.

Good luck in whatever you decide,
Alex.

 

[Sadler]

I'd definitely go with a galvanized trailer if I had a choice!! I'd also get electric brakes or electric over hydraulic if you are dunking in saltwater.

It looks like you've got some great places to boat. That photo in your sig is awesome. I hope to get out to your neck of the woods one day once I get a little experience closer to home.

I just got the quote from Loadmaster and in it they pretty much recommend everything you list for a saltwater trailer. Price is about what I expected, and they sent some photos of Sea Rays about same size on their trailers. I've put the quote with the photos here if anyone's interested: http://picasaweb.google.com/Sadlerlv/TrailerQuote?authkey=TGmobmOXiGo

After reading your comments, I checked into the Mega Cab. That's pretty sweet. I found a used one within 12 miles of where I live, diesel 350 4wd. But it isn't a dually. Is not being a dually a killer?

 

[Sadler]

I found a website that in one place has all the states' wide load towing restrictions. It's a map and you click on the state and up pops all the info: http://www.wideloadshipping.com/html/wideload_shipping_com_state_re.html

 

[TIME WELL WASTED]

Sadler
Here's a picture of my Loadmaster Trailer that I bought last summer for my 1995 - 290. It came from the manufacturer in Florida. I bought it from a local dealer. I prefer the aluminum trailers. I had one under my last cruiser too. I also got a quote from the other Loadmaster brand. It sounds like they build a nice trailer. I pull mine with a 3/4 ton Suburban but wouldn't want to do it for 1200 miles. I would definitely want something bigger.