My only boat trailing accident occurred at the entrance merge to the Holland Tunnel. My Honda Odyssey was towing a 25' Whitehall for Floating the Apple, coming home from an event in NJ.
At the time, the tunnel had two four lane merges, each going into one of the two lanes of the tunnel. We were down to the first merge when a Mercedes tried to squeeze ahead of me from behind. When I did not give way, she tried to cut in immediately behind the van, without paying attention to the trailer we were towing. I stopped as soon as we heard the screech of metal. One of the Port Authority Police got her disentangled. She was very vocal and blamed us for the accident. He did not let her exchange information with us, informing her that she was clearly in the wrong and should work it out with her insurance agent. He also advised her to be thankful that she was not getting a ticket for careless driving. Other than a little Mercedes paint on the trailer, we had no visible damage. The same could not be said for the Mercedes.
A warm welcome on your relocation to the Chesapeake, Jonathan! I hope to see you and the Tern out on the Bay someday soon (and maybe in St. Michaels next October...hint, hint).
I have four trailer sailboats. The two smallest (and 18' open camp cruiser @1,500 lbs and the Snipe @ 600 lbs) get towed wonderfully by my third Subaru Outback. AWD is essential for gravel or seaweed coated boat ramps in the PNW. The 23' Aquarius at 4,000 lbs got towed by my 2005 4Runner - but poorly. The V8 had lots of HP but it seemed the short wheelbase made the ride quite jerky and uncomfortable. Felt like you were going through waves. Again AWD made bad ramps easy. The replacement diesel VW Touareg did much better but commuting traffic and the purchase of a larger boat did in the Touareg much to my dismay. The current Presto 30 at 7,000 lbs 8.5' wide and 38' long on the trailer is a nerve wracking tow anywhere except the freeway. City streets just are not fun. The 2011 V8 Suburban tows it easily with 4WD when needed but the gas mileage is atrocious at about 10mpg. Small craft it is not & I will return to my 18'er after this experiment.
I use either our 2018 Kia Sorento or 2022 Hyundai Palisade to tow our boats 19ft Carolina Skiff and Mariner 19ft sailboat. Both vehicles have the same V6 engine and both have AWD. Both do just fine, although the Palisade has more room in the back, and a slightly higher hitch that better matches the trailers. After my experiences with an ODay 25, I do not like to launch/retrieve boats without 4WD/AWD. It's an invitation to getting stuck on the ramp sooner or later. DW refuses to let me even if I wanted to after watching me launch both boats with a minivan. We sold the minivan with prices at their peak in 2022, and replaced it with the Palisade. Palisade is not as comfortable a highway vehicle as the minivan was, but sacrifices must be made for boats! I'm still convinced minivans are the ultimate touring vehicle, and with a utility trailer are a respectable substitute for a pick up truck in the suburbs. The backup cameras are wonderful for hitching up trailers - I can do it single-handed with the camera.
As noted previously, I tow the Townsend Tern (3700 lbs) with a 2020 Honda Ridgeline Black Edition. It has a built in tow package that includes a separate radiator for the transmission. With all of its bells and whistles, the boat doesn’t seem to be too much of a burden. The “truck” is extremely comfortable and after approximately 18,000 miles of towing, I really can’t think of any issues with the all wheel drive Honda pickup. It has been up to the task of crossing the Rockies and Sierras with just a six cylinder engine. There have been a few recalls but that seems to be par for the course these days. A pain,but nothing serious. The ability to use the back up camera to look directly down at the trailer hitch when hooking up makes the process a breeze.
Horrifying to hear that the Townsend Tern came so close to getting wrecked. As a fan of Cat Ketch's I really admire that boat. Very glad it made the haul across the country. At the time of my first trailer flat tire (with a dual axle horse trailer) AA offered to let me retroactively upgrade to RV endorsement and ordered a tow truck to haul the trailer to the local tire place for replacement. All it took was 90 minutes total. I have kept the RV coverage ever since - just in case. It isn't that expensive.
I just got off the phone with AAA. Two representatives have told me that there is a 7 day waiting period for the upgrade to take effect and I would not have coverage in the interim. My “RV” was not covered under my Premier Membership. I don’t doubt what you have recounted and another comment reflects a similar positive result but evidently AAA of Southern California is more interested in selling cruise vacations than assisting motorists in need. I’m canceling my membership after 20 years.
Maybe not "annus horribilis", but definitely "annus rabidus"!
My two are lightweight--a Sea Pearl 21 and Core Sound 20 (open, not cabin). Both tow just fine behind my AWD Toyota Sienna minivan. It's a 4 cylinder hybrid, so we get good gas mileage. The only issue I've had is the hitch is very low, so you need a tongue that rises up or the front of the trailer and boat is low. And I paid more for a hitch that tucks up underneath a bit more.
I aways have a 4 wheel drive vehicle for launching boats. On a wet slick steep ramp you can burn up back tires spinning and going nowhere. 4 wheel drive will get you out
I tow my Montgomery 17 (and GP14) with my ancient Landrover. It's slow going, but you do not want to be fast on the highway while towing anyway. I generally try to stay off of the faster roads and stick to the backroads.
Welcome to the area! I am in the pointy southern part of NJ, but do make it down to the chesapeake at least once or twice a year when I get time. I also need to thank you about alerting us to the fact that AAA classifies boat trailers as "RVs". I will have to up my coverage.
We too were able to upgrade AAA coverage to include "RV" (Montgomery 15) when I failed to recognize I was burning up my bearings. Fortunately freeway traffic had just slowed to about 10 mph and thought "hmm, did I just blow a trailer tire? Sounds funny". Pulled off and saw smoke coming off the axle. I've watched a bunch of YouTube's now on how to use my Bearing Buddies properly!
I have a 2014 Subaru Forester 4WD (like all Foresters). My boat and trailer are very light. My Phoenix III ways under 220 lbs with no gear and I tow it with a Trailex Single Light Duty Carrier(SUT-220-S) that has a GVWR of 330 lbs. The Forester has an automatic constant velocity transmission, so the trailer capacity is a low 1500 lbs. The boat and trailer are just under the limit of 330 lbs. The transmission has a low setting, which I use when pulling the boat and trailer out of the water at a boat ramp. I towed the boat 900 miles after purchasing her, and have used the boat all summer with no tow or trailer issues.
I waited two years for Honda to get the bugs, if any, out of their new Ridgeline then bought a 2007 model. I used and certainly abused that little truck for 14 years until the transmission started shifting funny. With one dead Honda in my yard on permanent storage duty already, a 2001 Odyssey van, I decided it was trade-in time. My new Ford Ranger has none of the Ridgeline’s innovative design features but is a true four wheel drive, not just rear wheel assist. Will it be better? Only time will tell. Neither one is technically overloaded pulling my MacGregor 26X but handling over 90 kmh is a problem. Things get hinky!
Your MacGregor 26X should tow well at highway speeds. Squirrelly towing at speed is often the result of inadequate tongue weight. Head over to truck scales to measure axle weights and determine tongue weight. Moving the axle attachment to trailer frame can be a good way to change tongue weight. Hope this helps.
Hi Joe, thanks for that. The tongue weight is likely enough but the Ford is overrated for towing at 7500#. With its short wheelbase and long rear overhang the trailer has too much effect on it. When I tow the Big Mac with the Dodge dually it’s fine even over 110kmh. Moving the axle back would help but lotsa work on a Mac trailer, everything’s welded. I’ve thought about adding a tandem axle. That would fix it and give me another set of brakes on these BC mountain roads.
I tow a SCAMP with a 1999 Wrangler. It works but is far from ideal. The Wrangler just isn't a great tow vehicle. It has plenty of power but poor stability due to its short wheel base; skittish in turns at speed *without* a trailer, never mind with. Traction on the boat ramp has never been a problem though.
But, you go sailing with the rig you have! I just drive very cautiously.
My only boat trailing accident occurred at the entrance merge to the Holland Tunnel. My Honda Odyssey was towing a 25' Whitehall for Floating the Apple, coming home from an event in NJ.
At the time, the tunnel had two four lane merges, each going into one of the two lanes of the tunnel. We were down to the first merge when a Mercedes tried to squeeze ahead of me from behind. When I did not give way, she tried to cut in immediately behind the van, without paying attention to the trailer we were towing. I stopped as soon as we heard the screech of metal. One of the Port Authority Police got her disentangled. She was very vocal and blamed us for the accident. He did not let her exchange information with us, informing her that she was clearly in the wrong and should work it out with her insurance agent. He also advised her to be thankful that she was not getting a ticket for careless driving. Other than a little Mercedes paint on the trailer, we had no visible damage. The same could not be said for the Mercedes.
A warm welcome on your relocation to the Chesapeake, Jonathan! I hope to see you and the Tern out on the Bay someday soon (and maybe in St. Michaels next October...hint, hint).
I have four trailer sailboats. The two smallest (and 18' open camp cruiser @1,500 lbs and the Snipe @ 600 lbs) get towed wonderfully by my third Subaru Outback. AWD is essential for gravel or seaweed coated boat ramps in the PNW. The 23' Aquarius at 4,000 lbs got towed by my 2005 4Runner - but poorly. The V8 had lots of HP but it seemed the short wheelbase made the ride quite jerky and uncomfortable. Felt like you were going through waves. Again AWD made bad ramps easy. The replacement diesel VW Touareg did much better but commuting traffic and the purchase of a larger boat did in the Touareg much to my dismay. The current Presto 30 at 7,000 lbs 8.5' wide and 38' long on the trailer is a nerve wracking tow anywhere except the freeway. City streets just are not fun. The 2011 V8 Suburban tows it easily with 4WD when needed but the gas mileage is atrocious at about 10mpg. Small craft it is not & I will return to my 18'er after this experiment.
I didn't even get to finish the article - you wrote "Eastern Shore" I live near Lewes Delaware. Ok Back to the article
back now after finishing. The Old Bay Club sailed St. Mary's this past year - below our trip report.
You found a special Area you did - Congrats! Nice to know there is a chance of seeing your sails some day! RobK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMLC1cpjnDY&t=133s
I use either our 2018 Kia Sorento or 2022 Hyundai Palisade to tow our boats 19ft Carolina Skiff and Mariner 19ft sailboat. Both vehicles have the same V6 engine and both have AWD. Both do just fine, although the Palisade has more room in the back, and a slightly higher hitch that better matches the trailers. After my experiences with an ODay 25, I do not like to launch/retrieve boats without 4WD/AWD. It's an invitation to getting stuck on the ramp sooner or later. DW refuses to let me even if I wanted to after watching me launch both boats with a minivan. We sold the minivan with prices at their peak in 2022, and replaced it with the Palisade. Palisade is not as comfortable a highway vehicle as the minivan was, but sacrifices must be made for boats! I'm still convinced minivans are the ultimate touring vehicle, and with a utility trailer are a respectable substitute for a pick up truck in the suburbs. The backup cameras are wonderful for hitching up trailers - I can do it single-handed with the camera.
As noted previously, I tow the Townsend Tern (3700 lbs) with a 2020 Honda Ridgeline Black Edition. It has a built in tow package that includes a separate radiator for the transmission. With all of its bells and whistles, the boat doesn’t seem to be too much of a burden. The “truck” is extremely comfortable and after approximately 18,000 miles of towing, I really can’t think of any issues with the all wheel drive Honda pickup. It has been up to the task of crossing the Rockies and Sierras with just a six cylinder engine. There have been a few recalls but that seems to be par for the course these days. A pain,but nothing serious. The ability to use the back up camera to look directly down at the trailer hitch when hooking up makes the process a breeze.
Horrifying to hear that the Townsend Tern came so close to getting wrecked. As a fan of Cat Ketch's I really admire that boat. Very glad it made the haul across the country. At the time of my first trailer flat tire (with a dual axle horse trailer) AA offered to let me retroactively upgrade to RV endorsement and ordered a tow truck to haul the trailer to the local tire place for replacement. All it took was 90 minutes total. I have kept the RV coverage ever since - just in case. It isn't that expensive.
I just got off the phone with AAA. Two representatives have told me that there is a 7 day waiting period for the upgrade to take effect and I would not have coverage in the interim. My “RV” was not covered under my Premier Membership. I don’t doubt what you have recounted and another comment reflects a similar positive result but evidently AAA of Southern California is more interested in selling cruise vacations than assisting motorists in need. I’m canceling my membership after 20 years.
Maybe not "annus horribilis", but definitely "annus rabidus"!
My two are lightweight--a Sea Pearl 21 and Core Sound 20 (open, not cabin). Both tow just fine behind my AWD Toyota Sienna minivan. It's a 4 cylinder hybrid, so we get good gas mileage. The only issue I've had is the hitch is very low, so you need a tongue that rises up or the front of the trailer and boat is low. And I paid more for a hitch that tucks up underneath a bit more.
Story of the year. Bravo!! Loved it, and congratulations on reaching your goal.
I aways have a 4 wheel drive vehicle for launching boats. On a wet slick steep ramp you can burn up back tires spinning and going nowhere. 4 wheel drive will get you out
I tow my Montgomery 17 (and GP14) with my ancient Landrover. It's slow going, but you do not want to be fast on the highway while towing anyway. I generally try to stay off of the faster roads and stick to the backroads.
Welcome to the area! I am in the pointy southern part of NJ, but do make it down to the chesapeake at least once or twice a year when I get time. I also need to thank you about alerting us to the fact that AAA classifies boat trailers as "RVs". I will have to up my coverage.
We too were able to upgrade AAA coverage to include "RV" (Montgomery 15) when I failed to recognize I was burning up my bearings. Fortunately freeway traffic had just slowed to about 10 mph and thought "hmm, did I just blow a trailer tire? Sounds funny". Pulled off and saw smoke coming off the axle. I've watched a bunch of YouTube's now on how to use my Bearing Buddies properly!
I make a couple of long tows a year. I always repack my bearings before I do so. Might seem like overkill, but I hate getting stuck on the highway.
I have a 2014 Subaru Forester 4WD (like all Foresters). My boat and trailer are very light. My Phoenix III ways under 220 lbs with no gear and I tow it with a Trailex Single Light Duty Carrier(SUT-220-S) that has a GVWR of 330 lbs. The Forester has an automatic constant velocity transmission, so the trailer capacity is a low 1500 lbs. The boat and trailer are just under the limit of 330 lbs. The transmission has a low setting, which I use when pulling the boat and trailer out of the water at a boat ramp. I towed the boat 900 miles after purchasing her, and have used the boat all summer with no tow or trailer issues.
I waited two years for Honda to get the bugs, if any, out of their new Ridgeline then bought a 2007 model. I used and certainly abused that little truck for 14 years until the transmission started shifting funny. With one dead Honda in my yard on permanent storage duty already, a 2001 Odyssey van, I decided it was trade-in time. My new Ford Ranger has none of the Ridgeline’s innovative design features but is a true four wheel drive, not just rear wheel assist. Will it be better? Only time will tell. Neither one is technically overloaded pulling my MacGregor 26X but handling over 90 kmh is a problem. Things get hinky!
Your MacGregor 26X should tow well at highway speeds. Squirrelly towing at speed is often the result of inadequate tongue weight. Head over to truck scales to measure axle weights and determine tongue weight. Moving the axle attachment to trailer frame can be a good way to change tongue weight. Hope this helps.
Hi Joe, thanks for that. The tongue weight is likely enough but the Ford is overrated for towing at 7500#. With its short wheelbase and long rear overhang the trailer has too much effect on it. When I tow the Big Mac with the Dodge dually it’s fine even over 110kmh. Moving the axle back would help but lotsa work on a Mac trailer, everything’s welded. I’ve thought about adding a tandem axle. That would fix it and give me another set of brakes on these BC mountain roads.
What an incredible story, truly the highlight of the year! Huge congratulations on achieving your goal!
I tow a SCAMP with a 1999 Wrangler. It works but is far from ideal. The Wrangler just isn't a great tow vehicle. It has plenty of power but poor stability due to its short wheel base; skittish in turns at speed *without* a trailer, never mind with. Traction on the boat ramp has never been a problem though.
But, you go sailing with the rig you have! I just drive very cautiously.