T&T: Trailer trawlers

[Roger Bingham]

I asked

> LOA 28ft
> Beam 8' 6"
> Dry weight 7000lbs
>
> What vehicle would be necessary to tow this rig?
> What special authorisation/permission (if any) would be required?
> Would there be different requirements in different states?



Thank you to everyone who answered my questions and added tips and
suggestions based on their own experiences of towing large boats.

To summarise

The weight of the 7000lb dry boat will increase with fuel, water, supplies
and kit on board and with the weight of the trailer a safe estimate of
towing weight would be 12000lbs
A > ton should do the job but a one tonner may do it better.
A van can do the job as well as a pickup
4WD is not vital if you have a locking diff.
The right trailer for the job is vital and a tri-axle is better than two.
The ability to stop is just as important as the ability to go.
It is probable that a 102 inch wide rig will go unmolested (by law
enforcement) on most roads throughout the US

I have looked at pickups and short listed these as suitable (unless you know
otherwise)
Ford F-350 Lariat Crew cab 4x4 Single rear wheels
Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD Crew cab 4x4 Dual rear wheels
GMC Sierra 3500HD Crew cab 4x4 Dual rear wheels
Dodge Ram 3500 Laramie Quad cab 4x4 Dual rear wheels
These all seem to come in around $54,000 before any deals and haggling - I
specified just about every option possible and all are diesels  I love toys
and these trucks are awesome!

Now, does anyone want to buy a lovely group of buildings and 24 acres in SW
France?

Best regards and many thanks

Roger Bingham
France