Towing vehicle for CP 19

[Ralph Erickson]

I'm currently a CP 16 owner, and throwing around the idea of moving up to a 19.  I pull my 16 with a 1999 Toyota Sienna, which does just fine.  What type of vehicle would I need to tow a 19?  I keep the boat in a marina, so presently I only tow twice a year, but I'd like to do some sailing on other waters, so I'd like something that would comfortably pull it over longer distances.  Any experience you have would be greatly appreciated!

Ralph

[crbakdesign]

I tow my Compac 19 locally with my Ford Ranger pickup.  It's not the most ideal tow vehicle, it has a hitch rating of 2000 lbs, and the 19 is a bit heavier than that fully loaded and on a trailer.

For long trips I prefer a larger vehicle.   I borrowed a fullsize GM van for a 600 mile trip to Pensacola this Spring and had to swap it at the last minute when it broke down, for my little truck.  The Ranger did fine.  There are a lot of opinions about tow vehicles, but to me the most important factor is how well you can stop and the condition of the trailer.  Pulling a + 2000 lb load with a small truck is a bit like driving a semi.  You go slow up the hills and try not to go too fast coasting down.

[mgoller]

Ralph,
I use my 1998 Mazda MPV.  It is a V6 and does not have the reccommended tow package.  The tow package includes heavy springs and shocks for the rear axle.  It does fine with the 19 on a heavy shorelander trailer.  I bet all together the weight is close to 3500 lbs.  I do 65 on the freeway, slower up hills down to 45 sometimes on passing lane highways.  I keep up with others towing just fine. 
I wish I had a V8 with a tow package, but I seldom trailer.  It trailers well enough I certainly wouldn't upgrade my vehicle just for the CP19.
Stopping requires a little more forethought.  You don't want to be jack rabbitting around.  And watch the turns in parking lots, you do have to swing wider than normal.

[Paul]

You might consider a trailer sway control type of hitch.  Simply do a google search on "trailer sway control" to learn more.  Basically, it does as the name suggests, plus it levels out the trailer and tow vehicle so all the tires receive the load, not just the rear tires.  Once, I saw someone trailering a CP-23 with a Honda minivan down the interstate.  The back of the minivan was about to drag.  The front wheels were almost in the air.  Sounds crazy, but true.  He certainly could have used one of these devices for an easier time.

I drive a 1999 Jeep Cherokee Classic 4x4 to tow our CP-16.  Handles the task easily.  Tongue weight is around 100#.

Good Luck

[mikeg]

I tow our Compac 19 (locally) with our Ford Escape mini-suv. It only has a
6 cylinder, but has on-demand or selectable 4wd. It pulls our Compac 19 out on our fairly steep ramp with no problem at all. Highway driving is more of a chore.
I keep the Escape in Overdrive-Off and only run about 62 mph max...right lane all the way. This has the tach at about 2,800. Overdrive is just too high a gear to tow in. Without the trailer, OD puts tach at 2500 at 75-80mph.

MG

[spaul]

Ralph,
This is a nice string of replies to a very simple question and lots of what if's to go a long with the miriad of answers. From having towed many different vehicles the one thing that has frightened me the most was fishtailing at high speeds.
Set up your vehicle and boat, recommendations are to have at least 10% of the total boat and trailer weight as your tongue weight. You can estimate that with the bathroom scales.
Now if the tongue weight causes your rear end (of the towing vehicle) to drop too much then I recommend a load equalizing hitch. On your 19 or 23 I think you could go with air shocks and be just fine. THe idea is to level the rig and spread the weight on all four vehicle tires.
Keep in mind the extra weight if you load "stuff" in your boat too, it adds up quickly. If the terrain is fairly level where your traveling then you won't overheat but a transmission cooler is always a good idea to keep from burning up that tranny.
I've learned about fishtailing the hard way but never lost the boat, I've had friends who have had that bad experience. On the interstate watch out for truck air wash and stay under the 60 mph limit and you should be fine. In the heat of the summer don't forget to stop once in a while and check those tires and bearings for overheating.
Hope this helps if just a little.
Steve Paul

[B.Hart]

mikeg makes a good point about the overdrive when towing. The transmission will shift in and out of od and cause it to overheat.  I learned that on my f350 towing my 5th wheel. If in doubt turn off the od, iit will burn more fuel but could save buying a new trans.

[mikeg]

B Hart definitely hit the nail on the head with the need for running in overdrive-off --- and the resultant loss in fuel economy. Our highway mileage not towing the boat is normally 22 or 23...but while towing the CP19 with OD-off it plummets to 16 or 15mpg! Still not bad, but it's a big price difference at the pump.

[Ralph Erickson]

Thanks to all for the info.  Looks like I'll be buying a different vehicle when I buy the CP 19!

Ralph

[Craig Weis]

In that Handbook of Trailer Sailing Burgess pulled his C-P with a Ford Pinto.

Come to think about it I actually saw a photo of an English model 'A', in a book, at a boat ramp launching a twin keel [I forget the mf'g. of the boat] into the water.

That car only has 22 hp. I think that boat is as heavy as a C-P 19, 2000 lb plus trailer. But I think that the road speed would be maybe 25 mph and stopping a chore! skip.

[B.Hart]

  I just purchased a 1989 wrangler 4cyl 5speed as my designated 16 toter. I havent pulled my boat with it yet,but I think it will pull the 16 ok. I am curently adding boot stripes to the jeep to match num1gin.

[davestlouis]

I bought a 92 Buick Roadmonster for $875...5.7L V8, 300LBS of torque, I pull my boats and have pulled a car dolly with a 4200 LB Mercedes on it with no issues.  I figure it's cheaper to tear that up, than to hurt one of my nicer cars. 

[mgg]

I tow with a Saturn Vue - V6 with AWD and 16 inch wheels.  Its about the max I'd want to tow with that size of vehicle.  I don't tow much as it stays at the lake but I do plan on traveling some with it.  It runs fine in overdrive on flat land without a headwind, but I do have to turn overdrive off for hilly or windy terrain.

[rdeblock]

For short distances (my house to the river), a 1991 Volvo 240 Wagon works fine for our 1984 CP19. Anything over 20 miles or so (100 miles to my brother's house for winter storage), we use a 4wd Suburban Diesel.

The Volvo pulls OK, unless we take a very hill route, and ou know its working.
The Big Sub barely feels it.

rgr
1984 CP 18 #234 "Anna"

[B.Hart]

update!                                                                                                        I towed my 16 with the jeep last weekend and had good results. The jeep puled good in 5th gear[60mph] on the flat road and 4th gear through the hills of central florida[55mph] It was nice to have 4wd just in case on the ramp.