Longest Round Trip Tow

[RWilson2526]

So whats the longest round trip tow you guys have made? We rented a house for first week in August in Florida (Little Gasparilla Island). Boat access only. Had pretty much made up my mind we would rent a boat for the week but as the prices and types of boats available start to become more clear its getting harder and harder to stroke that check when I have a perfectly functional boat and trailer sitting in the driveway.

With the reasonable cost of gas it is a net add of about $250 in fuel. Trailer is in great shape although it is a single axle. Truck is new (new to me, 2012 V8 Silverado) so that part is not an issue.

Did tow it once to Charleston SC which some of you guys know with a much lesser truck and didn't bother me.....

Not that I'll let any single one of you make up my mind I am curious as to how many varying opinions I will get.

[THEFERMANATOR]

I would say your estimate of only an extra $250 in fuel is pretty low. Alos keep in mind wear and tear and such on your trailer and boat need to be factored in. If you had a tandem I would say it would be a safer bet, a single axle with a V on it going across the roads between Jersey and Florida is BEGGING for trouble. I've done the trip now several times with our travel trailer in tow, and it costs us close to $500 or more extra to tow it. I know it's an apples to oranges comparison, but it gives you an idea. We spend well over $1200 in fuel and costs for just the drive with my diesel BURb getting 11-12 MPG. I know you can rent a skiff down here for a week for $1250 on craigslist, and then you don't have to worry about losing a tire on those wonderful DC roads or the likes. If your going to make the trip, I would ssay step up to a tandem axle trailer just for the safety factor towing, and having less strain on the tires getting pummelled across all of them concrete roads.

[THEFERMANATOR]

Found this one on CL, $900 a week and they are local to the area.

http://sarasota.craigslist.org/boa/5052208082.html

Or this one isn't far away either.

http://sarasota.craigslist.org/boa/5042809262.html

[Destroyer]

I used to make the trip to my aunts house in Naples, Fla every year. 1600 miles one way. Gas was about 10 mpg on my Jeep Cherokee 4.0L engine. So the cost was about $50 one way in gas. But gas is a dollar cheaper now, so knock off about a hundred from that cost. Single axle Load Rite trailer. Never really had a problem. Never really noticed the boat back there except when braking hard in traffic. Just make sure you carry an extra set of bearings, a spare tire, a tire repair kit, an air compressor and a grease gun. I know several people that have a complete hub, pre-assembled with bearings, that they carry for good measure. It's completely do-able Rob, choice is yours though.

[bradford]

Ferm has it right. Will make the trip A LOT faster and easier with A LOT less driver fatigue.

Besides, who wants to play with wheel bearings in a truck stop parking lot in south Georgia in the middle of summer when you're supposed to be on vacation.

Lots of flats down that way too. Rent a boat and tear up someone else's lower unit.

[inaforty]

subscribed.........
We plan on towing down next spring.

[mawshj]

I've towed my v20 for thousands of miles on a single axle ez load with big 10 ply tires and only had tire trouble after the tires were 14 years old. always carried spare tire and wheel bearings always serviced bearings yearly always checked wheels for heat whenever we stopped for gas etc. trailer has surge brakes , these need service yearly particular if kept outside . traveled Md to key west and would do it. I like to have my own boat, then I know what I can trust