Can I tow a 25

N

nanders01

New member
Hi all! I'm trying to figure out if my f-150 will tow a 25. Different sources keep giving me different information on the actual weight. I can tow up to 8200

thanks
 
nanders01":3amznw5r said:
Hi all! I'm trying to figure out if my f-150 will tow a 25. Different sources keep giving me different information on the actual weight. I can tow up to 8200

thanks
Click to expand...
Probably, but you will be near the limit if the boat is fully loaded.

Now mind you if you had a Chevy Silverado 1500 you could tow up to 10000 and would have no problems. Maybe buy the 25 and get a new Chevy :lol:
 
I have specifically read scale weights for a cruise-ready 25 on the trailer of around 8,700#. That makes me think that you might be able to squeak by if you kept things very light. But have you checked the various specific ratings on your tow rig (more than just the overall "towing weight")? I find that oftentimes the rear axle weight is the first to go over (especially since tongue weight is magnified by the lever arm distance), and that in reality I could never really tow the rated "towing weight." So even the "up to" 8,200# may not be realistic (especially if your truck is not empty). Maybe it is, but don't just assume is all I'm saying. My van was rated to tow "up to" 7,500#, but when towing 4,500# with gear and a passenger, I was pretty close to the various limits in real life (scale weight). The "up to" might have been achievable if I had removed the van's interior, all gear, and my passenger.

Of course if you are in the "squeaking by" range, then you have to decide if you are comfortable with that. I could potentially go either way depending on my use case scenario (six blocks in flat Florida to the ramp and back once per year vs. two-plus-full-gear going cross country being opposite scenarios, for example).

One reason I went with a 22 (amongst others) is that I could comfortably tow it with my 3/4 ton van (then) and small RV (now). At around 4,400# all up it's about half the weight of a 25. OTOH, if I had definitely wanted a 25 then I would have sold the van and bought a tow vehicle to match that load.
 
nanders01,

I do have a CD25 also with two 90HP Honda motors. The weight of my boat, two motors, trailer, three batteries and 20 gallons of water and typical equipment for a weekend trip comes up to 7400 pounds. However, with a full tank of gas it weighs about 8150 pounds. Perhaps you might be able to tow your CD25. The problem you may encounter though would be the tong weight limitation of your vehicle. I recommend that you go to a scale and weigh the boat/trailer combination with a full tank of gas and in addition weigh the tong by itself. You might be able to do that at the local dump or on a freeway truck scale when closed for regular truck weigh-ins.

Heinz
 
Keep a few grand in an account for replacing your transmission in a few thousand miles...or a few hundred. Half ton hauling of 8000 lbs regardless of towing specs of the vehicle will dramatically reduce transmission life expectancy. Now, if you are a flat lander going a few miles to the launch, then no problem. At the very least, make sure you truck is tow certified with xmission cooler and other heavy duty stuff. Even then, 8000 lbs??
 
Had a similar problem. I decided to get a cheapo tow vehicle. I went with a 1989 chevy 3500 c/k. Though if you plan on doing lots of long hauls that may not be the best solution. [/img]
 
We towed a 25 many thousands of miles, using a 30 foot RV, with the V 10 and a beefed up Ford Transmission, and with a Ford Excursion (2001 7.3 L diesel).

I think that some are being a bit over cautious. You give a "home port" of St Louis, and in that part of the country, on down to Florida, you should have no issues. Weigh the boat, on the trailer and see what your boat is! Don't take some one else's word, who has never owned or towed a 25!

We did find that our 25 towed better with a weight equalizing hitch on the Excursion. Many of the trucks will have a label saying if the weight is more the 5,000 lbs, you should use a weight equalizing hitch.

Electric over hydraulic brakes will also serve you better in the stopping department.
 
Captains Cat":1qtke37x said:
Short answer is probably not for long. What they said! :roll:
Click to expand...

Still, I don't think it was a dumb question. Actually, the person was smart to check for "real life" experiences. I think it was just a week or so ago that someone who had ordered a new 25 was told by the builder that it would be something like 6900# all up. Unless they have changed construction methods, I don't see how that could be, but perhaps this person has received similar info.
 
Thanks for the help people. Looks like I need to take another look at the 22. I was told I would be fine by a dealer but I was skeptical. Glad this forum exists
 
I have a F150 4x4 off Road Package, with a 5.4 gas engine. We Tow a 22' C-Dory for Cruising Or Fishing. It is loaded fairly heavy. In my years of towing with a lot of different trucks from Boats to RVs. I would not try to tow a 25' with my Truck. We do live in NC. & travel to Va. Tenn. & SC. for Fishing or Cruising. I do have HD 17" Tires on it. A F150 can only do so much that is my own Thoughts.
 
I know I was a little flippant with my reply however, I do own a Chevy Silverado 2013 1500 with a 325 ci engine and tow package.

All I can say is I tow my 22 cruiser on 25 foot King trailer and I would not want to tackle any long mountain hauls unless I took out a new mortgage for the fuel.

I have no problems towing my unit but I would not want to tow a 25 fully loaded in the mountains and hills of BC. Bunch of flat land maybe.
 
I towed my 25 with a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee for short local trips, no problem. Jeep was rated 7200 and the boat on the trailer is right around 7500. I also towed the same boat up to Cornet Bay with an earlier model Jeep GC and had no problems. As others say, though, long hauls will eat up the transmission. But if all you are doing is local launch/retrieve, then get the boat you want now and upgrade the tow rig later.

By the way, a couple weeks ago I traded the Jeep off for a Chevy, and that wimpy thing couldn't tow the boat even if I could put a trailer hitch on it. I had to get an old Ford F250 so I could pull the boat out of the water next December.
 
nanders01,

In addition, no matter what truck you end up with I personally would recommend that you get a 4X4 especially towing a close to 8200 pound CD25. Many boat ramps are rather steep and wet. You will need all the grip you can get to safely launch or retrieve your boat...

Heinz :wink
 
I tow my 22 with an 07 F150. I'll tow the 22 anywhere I want to go and have done so. I think it would tow the 25 also "most" places. I would be concerned with stopping it more than towing it as it outweighs the truck by a lot. Good luck. George
 
You can certainly tow a 25' C Dory with a F 150, but you will literally find out what the "tail wagging the dog" means. Suggest a 3/4 ton or better & diesel and you'll be happy in the long run. best wishes, Ken from Bend
If you buy a Chev., GMC or Ford make sure the vehicle has a heated tail gate in case you have to push it during the winter....you won't freeze your hands. Good luck, Ken from Bend
 
I don't own a 25' C-Dory but I did stay at Holiday Inn Express last night. Most folks would use at least a 3/4 pickup. Four wheel drive is nice as they hold resale better than a 2 wheel drive unit although it uses more fuel. Wild Blue tows a 25' or used to tow all over the country and has spoken highly of the 3/4 ton GMC with the Duramax diesel /Allison transmission combination. If you are just towing locally something less might do. If you plan on going through the hills and leaving the flat land electric over hydraulic brakes are a good investment. The diesels offer better compression braking and that's a nice feeling when your rolling down from a 8000' pass. They pull effortlessly and do better on fuel although diesel is usually more expensive. It's nice to have a little bit of overkill in a tow vehicle not just in the engine but the suspension and the transmission that usually includes bigger brakes as cross winds and trucks blowing by you can disrupt a happy times in a marginal tow vehicle. Once again if you are staying close to the front porch you can get by with less. The newer transmissions are not cheap to rebuild and don't add much to resale value. Safe travels.
 
Since you are in St. Louis, Why not join us at the Mississippi River Brat Gathering the weekend after Labor day at the Alton Marina? Talk with a bunch of friendly C-Brats about real world towing and cruising experiences. There will be a bunch of 22's and 25's there.
 
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