Towing Double?

[08trdoffroad]

Hey all,

I just purchased a 13' Aluminum boat and was curious if it would be possible to tow it double behind my 2010 Starcraft 176RB? The boat, trailer, and motor probably weigh less than 500 lbs, with maybe 40-50 lbs of tongue weight.

I have a few questions related to trying to do this.

As you can see in the picture below. The bumper is not very substantial.



Is is possible to swap out to a standard 4" bumper to allow the addition of a rear hitch bracket?

Or am I out in the night with the idea of trying to tow double with this trailer?

[Francesca_Knowl]

PAThwacker wrote:


Warning: big box store inflatable rafts are death sentences on the Delaware river. One snag on a river, flip a canoe/kayak. Snag a raft, $hit hits the fan, 13ft deep running water.....Goodbye;)
13 non-paddler deaths since June in the Delaware River National Recreation Area.
(non paddlers: swimmers, tubers, inflatable rafts W/PLASTIC PADDLES, AND NO life jackets). Not one death in 30 years involving anyone with a life jacket properly fitted and worn.

Most drownings are attributable to that last.
"Big box store inflatables" are no more likely to lead to death than any other watercraft.

[PAThwacker]

3LittleDucks wrote:
Interesting info, thanks for sharing the replies. We have done the canoe thing, and now use an inflatable raft (keep an air compressor in the HTT), probably not the type of experience you're looking for though!! lol

Warning: big box store inflatable rafts are death sentences on the Delaware river. One snag on a river, flip a canoe/kayak. Snag a raft, $hit hits the fan, 13ft deep running water.....Goodbye;)
13 non-paddler deaths since June in the Delaware River National Recreation Area.
(non paddlers: swimmers, tubers, inflatable rafts W/PLASTIC PADDLES, AND NO life jackets). Not one death in 30 years involving anyone with a life jacket properly fitted and worn.

[bikendan]

the Starcraft's frame manufacturer would have been the one to ask, not Starcraft.
Starcraft doesn't warranty the frame, the frame manufacturer does.

that said, most ultra-light frame manufacturers will void the frame's warranty if an owner does any mod like what you're suggesting, including a bike rack on the rear.

many 5th wheels and motorhomes can do this because their frames are NOT ultra-light frames.

[3LittleDucks]

Sorry, I was joking. The rack looks good!

[08trdoffroad]

I am really not interested in purchasing a canoe or inflatable raft. I'd like to figure out a way to haul the boat I currently own. But thanks for the suggestions.

I am working with someone on another forum I am a member of for my truck to fabricate a rack to haul the boat that should be less expensive than buying a commercial alternative. And by custom fabricating it, I can make it exactly the way I want it to be. I'll update if the plan materializes. It will look something like this.



Edited to reduce picture size

[3LittleDucks]

Interesting info, thanks for sharing the replies. We have done the canoe thing, and now use an inflatable raft (keep an air compressor in the HTT), probably not the type of experience you're looking for though!! lol

[PAThwacker]

I use the canoe every weekend for bass fishing, and take the family around looking for turtles, northern water snakes, and lilly pod flowers. Two adults, and two daughters aged 17M and 5 in short 14.7ft flat bottom (38" wide) canoe. I solo paddle it with a drop in center seat and slam 4lb bass every week.

[08trdoffroad]

I heard back from Starcraft this morning, as well as from the Department of Public Safety. I have pretty much decided against trying to tow double with this trailer, and am looking more into to hauling the boat truck top. But, I thought I would put the information out for others in the future who might have the same question.

Starcraft Customer Service wrote:
Dear Mr. *****,


Thank you for taking the time to email Starcraft Customer Service. Your comments and questions are important to us and I would like to help. Starcraft RV does not recommend the installation of a hitch to the frame or bumper. Starcraft RV has not completed any testing for this type of installation and could not advise on it’s performance. Starcraft RV does not sell any type of product to raise the height of the RV. Aftermarket products, such as the one you inquire, are sold and installed at the dealership level. I suggest contacting your local Starcraft dealership with your request.

Thanks again, for the opportunity to be of assistance.

Thank you,
Craig Newcomer

Lead Representative
Customer Service
Jayco Inc./StarCraft RV

DPS-UHP wrote:
Mr. *****,

Thank you for your correspondence with the Utah Highway Patrol. We appreciate it when members of the public contact us with their questions or concerns.

It is not against the law to pull two trailers as long as the overall length of the load does not exceed 65 feet. Utah Code 72-7-402 outlines the restrictions placed on vehicle and load sizes. I have included a link to a website where the code is listed. Please let me know if you have any questions.

http://le.utah.gov/code/TITLE72/htm/72_07_040200.htm

Respectfully,
Sgt. Brian Spillman

Having read the code he provided, Utah does not specify what type of trailer either trailer must be while towing double, just that it can't exceed 65 ft.

[PAThwacker]

Buy a canoe.



catch fish, tour lakes, hunt, take photos, and easily portaged on all of our vehicles.


Take it everywhere secured by Thule racks.

[timjcarter9]

Go the truck top method. It would cost the same (about) for the hitch and reinforcement (if it is even possible) anyway. Just my take on it.

Plus then you are legal anywhere. Many states and provinces require a fifth wheel be the first towed vehicle.

[Searching_Ut]

Sticking to the original post, you can indeed tow double trailers on ball hitches in Utah provided you don't exceed the max length limit. You can even tow them at 80mph and be legal provided you're on one of the sections of freeway where that is the posted limit. That said, 80mph with the little tires of those trailers, and of course doubles being somewhat more prone to sway might lead to a little excitement. Since you live in Utah, I'm sure you have seen a lot of doubles being towed, in fact, about a third of the folks we regularly camp with do it, and couple using 5ers, the rest bumper pulls.

I towed a very similar setup for many years without any issues. Tow vehicle was a 87 2 door S-10 blazer, 3 inch lift, hopped up 3.2 crate engine. Trailer was a coleman tent trailer, lifted on a custom suspension with a heavily beefed up frame I customized for off roading. I had a little 16 foot aluminum boat on a trailer that I'd carry the 9.9 hp motor and 5 gallon fuel tank in when traveling. It towed really well, and I could even back the combo up to launch the boat with the trailer still attached more often than not. Without the boat I could take that truck/trailer combo almost anywhere. I even did the Shaffer trail with it when I was camping on the white rim trail in Canyonlands.

If you're in northern Utah, there are several trailer manufacturing shops that can look over your trailer and custom build you a receiver setup if frame is solid enough make it feasible.

Good luck

[08trdoffroad]

The two trip shuffle wouldn't be so bad, but my favorite spot is about three and a half hours away.

[3LittleDucks]

I know a few people who bought older truck campers to use when hauling a boat or horse trailer. Might be an option for you? Others do the '2 trip shuffle', not bad if you're destination isn't too far. Drop off the boat, then come back for the TT.

[08trdoffroad]

Campfire Time wrote:
Thank you!

Something I just thought if. Can the boat be carried on top of your tow vehicle? I know a lot of people who do that. Or might that be too hard to put up and down?

I have considered that. The boat only weighs about 190 lbs and I could easily stow the motor in the bed of the truck. The manufacture of the boat actually calls it their "car topper" model. Thule makes a ladder carrier rack that I had looked at. But now actually seeing the boat next the truck, I don't know if or how it would even fit, It would be kind of expensive to spend the $500 to purchase the rack to just to try to see if it works.

I even considered somehow putting it on top of the trailer, but don't know how I would ever be able to lift that much weigh so far over my head. Although I could probably fabricate something at the house to accomplish it, but I wouldn't be able to get it off the top once I got to the destination.