double towing 5th wheel jet ski

[benbovac]

I am KY based where double towing is legal. I'm seeking to tow my 5th wheel along with jet ski to Key West Fl area this summer. I understand that double towing is illegal in FL, however I have personally seen it done many times and have spoke to several people that haven't had any issues within Florida.

Is anyone aware of a "swivel type" mount trailer that can be used for such a tow that can still be used to put the craft into water attached to the truck and be legal in such states as Florida?

Thank you.

[DutchmenSport]

Thanks Wadcutter for your post. I share the same sentiment as you. Far too many have the attitude that others got away with it, I can too, and the "rules" don't apply to me, "because."

That's why in my post above I advised checking with the DMV or Law Enforcement first in the state being visited.

[Wadcutter]

C.B. wrote:
I wouldn't want to be the one to argue the point in court.
BUT
If I remember right Wisconsin outlawed studded snow tires. Minnesota did not. Minnesota people were driving on studded tires in Wisconsin.
They were allowed to because the state they were from allowed them and they were transient in Wisconsin.
If this is right you should be able to double tow in any state if your state of registration allows recreational double towing. .

Sorry, but your interpretation of the law isn't at all accurate. You can try arguing it in court but first you better read up on the law and understand what you're arguing. In your examples your point is counter to the law. It was always fun to go to court and listen to some guy argue what he thought the law said and it was obvious he'd never read the statute. Great entertainment.
Using your thought process what's the speed limit in WI? If I come from another state with a higher speed limit can I drive the higher speed when in WI? Nope.
To carry your thought process even further, if I'm from MO I am required to wear a motorcycle helmet. So when I ride in WI do I obey WI law or MO law? I hope you can now see why your interpretation of state laws doesn't hold water.

I'm thinking the states that have a laws not allowing double towing are aimed at commercial trucking..

Don't try thinking about it because you're incorrect. Read the law. You'll find it's all explained in your state statutes. Most likely if you do your research correctly you'll find a state statutes addressing both commercial vehicles and RVs.

Years ago I got pulled over by Illinois State Patrol.
The Officer pulled me over for displaying red lights on top of my tow truck.
I told him I had to have red lights on my truck because the State of Wisconsin by law says I must have them.
His answer was your vehicle is not private registered your vehicle is registered as a commercial vehicle therefore you have to obey Illinois law which says only amber lights on tow trucks.
He made me cover my red lights with a tarp before proceeding any further.
Thankfully he didn't cite me.
C.B.

You just provided a good example of how you obey the laws of the state you're driving in. Doesn't matter what WI law says. Once you cross the state line then you obey the laws of that state. You could have been cited. You got a break.
I can't begin to count the number of times I stopped someone from out of state and they were quick to argue that whatever they were doing was legal in their home state therefore it was legal in IL. Remember the line from the Wizard of Oz. "We aren't in Kansas anymore Toto."

[fj12ryder]

That poster doesn't know if the trailers in question were stopped due to double towing. He was inferring it due to the fact that they were stopped, and they were double towing. And they were gone when he went past again, so who knows. Perhaps he was checking overall length, and they were okay so off they went. Anybody's guess.

[ford_truck_guy]

There was just a post made today with the subject line -

> Double Towing (Tailer behind Fifth Wheel) In Central FL

perhaps you may want to look at it ...

[Fulltimer50]

benbovac wrote:
"Dutchman" yes that is somewhat what I am thinking, however I will need to hook it to the truck only to put the ski in the water. I don't see that working.

Based upon the "book", it is not allowed in FL. However I see it done many times there and have discussed it with many people that haven't had issues within Florida.

Thank you!

I wonder how many have gotten tickets or fines while you were not looking.

[C_B_]

I wouldn't want to be the one to argue the point in court.
BUT

If I remember right Wisconsin outlawed studded snow tires. Minnesota did not. Minnesota people were driving on studded tires in Wisconsin.
They were allowed to because the state they were from allowed them and they were transient in Wisconsin.

If this is right you should be able to double tow in any state if your state of registration allows recreational double towing.

I'm thinking the states that have a laws not allowing double towing are aimed at commercial trucking.

Years ago I got pulled over by Illinois State Patrol.

The Officer pulled me over for displaying red lights on top of my tow truck.

I told him I had to have red lights on my truck because the State of Wisconsin by law says I must have them.

His answer was your vehicle is not private registered your vehicle is registered as a commercial vehicle therefore you have to obey Illinois law which says only amber lights on tow trucks.


He made me cover my red lights with a tarp before proceeding any further.

Thankfully he didn't cite me.


C.B.

[filthy_beast]

Wadcutter wrote:
If it's illegal in FL you may or may not be stopped. Just because others have gotten away with it doesn't matter one iota if you're stopped. You have to ask yourself that if you're stopped then what are you going to do with your jet ski? People think, and I've had several tell me when I was a LEO, that they'll just pay the fine. Well, yeah, they'll pay the ticket but there's more to it. If it's illegal then you can't proceed. A ticket is not a permit to move. You have to be legal before you move. Unload your jet ski. If you don't have a way to move it then the police will. It will be held in an impound lot until you pay the tow and storage fees and have a legal way of moving it. Is that the kind of headache you want to spend your vacation?

X2, just because others do it doesn't make it right or legal.

[Wadcutter]

If it's illegal in FL you may or may not be stopped. Just because others have gotten away with it doesn't matter one iota if you're stopped. You have to ask yourself that if you're stopped then what are you going to do with your jet ski? People think, and I've had several tell me when I was a LEO, that they'll just pay the fine. Well, yeah, they'll pay the ticket but there's more to it. If it's illegal then you can't proceed. A ticket is not a permit to move. You have to be legal before you move. Unload your jet ski. If you don't have a way to move it then the police will. It will be held in an impound lot until you pay the tow and storage fees and have a legal way of moving it. Is that the kind of headache you want to spend your vacation?

[transamz9]

benbovac wrote:
Thank you for the replies.

safest thing to do is call the states you want to go to and ask them. The laws change so much I just call before I head out.

BTW, where you from? Lexington ? I'm in Lawrenceburg.

[benbovac]

Thank you for the replies.

[GrumpyandGrandm]

Tons of people from out of state double tow in FL. I even know several residents that have with no problem, even passed the FHP and were never stopped.

[fj12ryder]

I pulled a Smart Trailer behind our 5th wheel for a few years and it uses a single receiver to attach a double ball hitch. So you could use it behind the truck too, provided you had a receiver.

However, most states still consider it a trailer and you could still be pulled over for towing doubles in a state where they aren't allowed, e.g., Florida. OTOH I traveled through, and stayed in, several states that don't allow doubles and was never stopped, or asked about it. I've stayed in Virginia, North Carolina, and West Virginia, and traveled through several others. Never Florida though.

I guess it's like Dirty Harry says: "Do you feel lucky?". 🙂

[Oaklevel]

I have heard both that Florida is strict and not so it is a risk. GA not sure have heard both. I do know that it is not legal in VA NC and SC but have seen it done but that does not mean that that had not received a fine.......

[benbovac]

"Dutchman" yes that is somewhat what I am thinking, however I will need to hook it to the truck only to put the ski in the water. I don't see that working.

Based upon the "book", it is not allowed in FL. However I see it done many times there and have discussed it with many people that haven't had issues within Florida.

Thank you!