Longest Round Trip Tow

[smokeonthewater]

I have never even flinched at 2000 mile round trip tows.... I regularly travel between Indiana and Texas for work and the only reason I don't tow a boat every trip is I don't think I could get away with it... I am already towing a 38' tri axle fifth wheel and a jeep wrangler... 30,600 lbs with room for 70 more gallons of fuel and 78' long (over legal length in every state)... pretty sure if I added another 24' for a boat behind the jeep I'd get popped pretty quick.......

[phatdaddy]

i've towed my V to the keys 4 or 5 times, 1500 miles ,round trip. i have also met friends down there who rented boats. i think i'd rather have my own boat. i like my boat and i like boating in my boat, so if i'm more comfortable in my boat, that's what i want to be in. just do your prep work and it shouldn't be a problem.

as far as tandem vs single, i have a tandem and love it. i tow with a tahoe w 5.3 and get bout 10 mpg and i know it's back there.
i take spare hubs, 2 of them, already packed with grease. just take off the castle nut, slide the old one off and new one on. take 2 spare tires, because if you need one, then you feel naked without one for the rest of the trip.
if you have a good gps, running aground can be avoided, blue is good, white go slow, brown, turn around.

is it worth it, up to you. i'd rather spend the money on my boat and rig. plus it's kinda cool to take the old girl to some new places every now and then

[the daydreamer]

We have towed the v 4 or 5 times down to key west. 2100 miles round trip. If hubs and bearings have been done go for it. Its not that bad. Or even carry a spare hub so if you have a problem just stick new assy on and keep trucking. We tow with a 95 burb. Mph 9 to 10 any way you do it. I have thought about renting a boat also but just cant get over the cost. Have not put a pen to it (cost of towing less mpg) but i like having my own boat there!!!!!!

[inaforty]

Interesting comments.
Our plans are to spend two weeks in the Port Charlotte area.
Doesn't make sense to try to rent a boat for that length of time.

[captpete13]

I say go for it Rob. There's nothing like having the bragging rights about taking your boat that far. The only cooler thing would be if you actually drove the boat by water to Florida. Just do your bearings before you go. Bring a spare tire. When I trailer that far I check my bearings every time I get gas. Just give the trailer a little wiggle to check for sloppiness and put your hand on each hub to see how hot they are.

[phatdaddy]

capt pete, i have one of those lasar temp guns. every stop i go back and shoot the hubs checking temp.

also use it to know when the grease is ready when we fry fish down there

[bradford]

Y'all are changing my mind, lol. I say go for it.

The only thing that concerns me really is the single axle. Is the trailer set up right with the proper tongue weight etc., makes a huge difference when towing, especially that far. Too much tongue weight is bad, and not enough is a whole lot worse. Got good heavy duty tires and springs? Loosing one on a single is a whole lot worse than on a tandem. Could you justify trading up to a tandem? Then again a tandem has more weight, more rolling resistance, twice the maintainence. I would rather have a good heavy duty, properly set up, single axle than a cheap flimsy tandem. Just thinking off the top of my head.

If you like to read check out some Randy Wayne White novels from the library, especially the Doc Ford series, all take place in that area. John D. MacDonald and James W. Hall novels are excellent as well.

[steplift20]

From parsippany nj to Atlantic highlands nj with my 94 pick up it would be ok but them friggin tolls nj is robbing the working man can't afford to tow it longer, can't afford the nj tolls