Triple towing

[Mickey_G]

I have heard about people towing a small fishing boat behind their 5th wheel.
Has anyone or does anyone see a problem towing a pontoon boat behind their 5th wheel?

[NEnative]

Thank you Colliehauler and JIMNLIN for correcting me. Shows that we are never to old to learn something new.

[laknox]

FWIW, my dad had a friend down in Yuma who was a cotton farmer, as we were. Back in the days when we all used trailers to haul cotton from the fields to the gin, he was famous for towing up to 4 trailer at a time, loaded, down I-8 at up to 45-50 mph. That's about 8-10k PER TRAILER, with NO BRAKES! On the way back, he'd hook up 8 trailers and head down the road at 60! I worried about towing ONE. :B

Lyle

[laknox]

azdryheat wrote:
I go straight to the source, the towing laws for the state in question. I'm in AZ and the law is under ARS 28-1095, which covers multiple trailers. In short, towing two trailers in AZ is legal so long as the first trailer is a fifth wheel.

To clarify, in AZ, the first trailer must use a FW =hitch=; doesn't have to be an RV FW. 🙂 Second hitch can be ball or pintle. If I read our statues correctly, total length in AZ is 65' from front bumper to rear axle and you can have up to 10' of "overhang" behind the rear axle, for a total OAL length of 75'.

Lyle

[JIMNLIN]

The beauty of a trailer behind the another trailer is the tail swing of the first trailer actually swings the second trailer out to where its following the same tracks around most corners. And in some cases I've cranked the wheel at the right time making a sharp corner and had my second trailer track outside the first trailer.

[colliehauler]

NEnative wrote:
OP, one thing that has not been talked about so far is the width of a pontoon boat. I am not a "boat guy" so I am probably wrong here but every pontoon boat that I have seen (they are very popular in Delaware around the Indian Inlet) was so wide that I would not want to tow it behind a 5ver and try to allow room for the swing of it behind the fifth wheel.

The OP only is talking about a 16 foot pontoon, most are only 8' wide and some are 7' wide. They use bunk or scissor trailers that do not extend beyond the pontoons.

[NEnative]

OP, one thing that has not been talked about so far is the width of a pontoon boat. I am not a "boat guy" so I am probably wrong here but every pontoon boat that I have seen (they are very popular in Delaware around the Indian Inlet) was so wide that I would not want to tow it behind a 5ver and try to allow room for the swing of it behind the fifth wheel.

[Wadcutter]

packnrat wrote:
get a non commercial class A with doubles/tripples endorsement.
this way you can legally tow your fifthwheel and one trailer down the hwys.
there are fed and states laws dealing with width. length, and weights..
but with a class A as stated a ove you are good to go in ALL 50 states..

Who told you that? Whoever told you that is totally wrong.
This is the danger when someone answers questions and they do not have a clue what they're talking about. If you believe them you're going to get jammed up violating the law which is a good way to ruin a vacation.
I spent my career enforcing truck laws. I was one of the first FMCSA inspectors in the state. I was recognized in state and federal courts as an expert. And I taught truck and towing laws for many years.

As others mentioned if the OP is talking towing 2 trailers then the correct term is double tow, not triple tow. If/when you call the state police asking if it's OK to tow 2 trailers and you call it triple tow they're going to assume you're asking about towing 3 trailers. Why would they assume that? Because that's what the statutes define as triple tow.
You may be legal to double tow in your home state but that does not mean you will be legal in all other states. You must obey the towing restrictions for the state in which you are currently traveling. Doesn't matter what your home state allows.
Length restrictions are set by the individual states. Some are as short as 60 ft, others 75 ft or more. Again, you have to be legal in the state you are currently towing. Doesn't matter what your home state permits once you leave your home state.

[F-TROUP]

A non-commercial will not be issued for double tow, only for a 5er that can exceed 15,001 pounds or a MH over 40'. A CDL with a doubles endoresment which requires a DOT physical every 2 years here in Ca. You do not count the pickup just the number of trailers. Calif doesn't allow commerical tripple towing.

[packnrat]

get a non commercial class A with doubles/tripples endorsement.

this way you can legally tow your fifthwheel and one trailer down the hwys.

there are fed and states laws dealing with width. length, and weights..

but with a class A as stated a ove you are good to go in ALL 50 states.
---pending local--- hazard restrictions.

but your pu MUST have the capibalty of pulling the total weight. and have the breaking ability. other than this it is up to axle length limits. and total bumper to bumper length.

this is in a nut shell.

BUT under NO reason can you do tripples with a pu or rv set up.


.

[colliehauler]

Mickey G wrote:
I should have been more clearer.
I have an F350 Dually with a 30'"5th wheel and I want to tow a 16' pontoon behind the 5th wheel.
Michigan allows Recreation Doubles with a special license.
Would this be a problem as long as the weights are good?

Don't forget about maximum length which varies from state to state.

[JIMNLIN]

azdryheat wrote:
I go straight to the source, the towing laws for the state in question. I'm in AZ and the law is under ARS 28-1095, which covers multiple trailers. In short, towing two trailers in AZ is legal so long as the first trailer is a fifth wheel.

Not all state regs are clear is the reason I would go to the source and ask how the state will enforce the reg.
Example my state chapter 14 says; (snip)...
* b. vans, suburbans, blazers or other similar types of vehicles and self-propelled recreational vehicles with a three-quarter (3/4) ton or more rated capacity, may tow a semitrailer and one complete trailer or semitrailer for recreational purposes only, provided the overall length, inclusive of the front and rear bumpers, does not exceed sixty-five (65) feet.*
The last I checked with my area troop hdq they say at this time the state isn't enforcing this part of the code because of the wording 3/4 ton rated capacity hasn't been determined by the state.
I would check with enforcement for any size and weight questions.

[DutchmenSport]

Double tow is legal in Indiana with the first tow trailer being a 5er OR a TT. I've seen all kinds of combinations in my state. Usually the 2nd towed trailer is a much smaller trailer, mostly to carry ATV's or motorcycles. I have seen some folks towing a smaller travel trailer with a John Boat, sometimes with a motor, behind the trailer. Indiana does have 1 rule, the entire length cannot exceed 60 feet of any combination of tow vehicle and trailer.

Here's a good informative web site: Click here.

Yes, you can do it if your state permits it. Your trailer will most likely need to have some reinforcement done to the trailer frame for an adequate hitch so the extra weight dragging behind the camper will not rip it to pieces.

One risk though... if your camper is still under warrant, your warranty may be voided if you start welding additional framing to your existing framing. It all depends upon your specific camper if you can actually do it or not. Some campers are so lightweight, it would be death to the camper to attempt it.

But yes, people do it all the time.

[Roger10378]

The thing you have to ask yourself is if you can move the boat by hand if you get into a situation you can not back both trailers. Most of us can move a small boat by had so that we can get out of the unexpected situation. With a pontoon boat???

[time2roll]

Mickey G wrote:
I should have been more clearer.
I have an F350 Dually with a 30'"5th wheel and I want to tow a 16' pontoon behind the 5th wheel.
Michigan allows Recreation Doubles with a special license.
Would this be a problem as long as the weights are good?

If it is legal in your state then get the proper endorsement and go for it.
Do check what is OK on the fifth wheel frame for towing.