Truck camper towing a boat

[WrinkledPenny]

Last kid graduates HS in 15 months and we’re planning on joining the road travel world. Have only tent camped up to this point and not sure where to start in the RV world. I’m really hoping to be able to tow a boat, but don’t know if that’s realistic? Seems like a truck camper would be a better option than a motorcoach for towing/launching. Fairly certain a diesel 350 will be needed, but don’t know if a dually is mandatory unless the camper is on the heavier side. Ultimate dream is to cruise the West Coast from BC to B.C. With a boat I can fish the saltwater with (24 - 28ft). Is that a pipe dream? We also have 2 small dogs who will be with us, so any advice/opinion on pets in truck campers would be greatly appreciated!

[Grit_dog]

Newer diesel, truck camper and most any boat that is trailer able is doable and reasonable. 
Although 24-28’ and ocean worthy sounds pretty big for a tow it everywhere kinda arrangement. 

[stevenal]

I use a diesel F350 super cab to haul my camper and 20' boat. I kept the camper smaller to make it work. The boat with gear plus trailer weight adds up to close to 6k. To keep it from swaying, you need ~10% (600 in my case) on the hitch where it becomes part of load going against your GWR and real axle rating. Since your boat will be bigger, you may need an F450 or F550.

[WrinkledPenny]

Thank you - it’s knowledge like this that is a bit sobering, but much appreciated!

[valhalla360]

Keep in mind the hitch rating assumes the ball is somewhere on the order of 6-12inches behind the end of the receiver tube. If you put 600# 36inches behind, It substantially increases the torque on the hitch components and increases the weight that goes onto the rear axle. 

Not saying it can't be done but don't just assume since the hitch is rated for Xlbs, that it's good if you have a long overhang that requires a substantial extension.

[MNtundraRet]

You may be better off looking at a Class C motorhome with either a F450 chassis and a Ford V10 engine to tow a boat or car, or a diesel engine. It would work fine, but you will never recover the cost of the engine. 

[Bedlam]

E450 Class C's typically max out at 7500 lbs towing. I have not seen F450 motorhomes, but F550 chassis usually have a 10k lb rating and are diesel.

I suggest dual rear wheel truck if you plan to tow a boat behind a truck camper. BC is more strict about adherence to vehicle ratings, so staying under axle and payload rates will drive your choices.

[joerg68 · Accepted solution]

Hi and welcome! Sounds like you have a plan 😉

Is it doable? I think so. From a technical point of view, you need a truck that can carry a camper and pull a trailer at the same time. More about that later.

You say you have only tent-camped so far. The things you plan on doing are all great and a lot of fun, but they come with their own challenges and baggage. You need to find out whether you will like that, or if the negatives outweigh the positives for you.

I can not comment much on the boating and fishing and trailering part. Never done any of that myself.

The TC part, I think I can give some input. TCs are expensive. They are comparatively small. They come with a pretty steep learning curve of a zillion things you need to keep in mind. Like any RV, you have a complete mini-home on wheels, with a smaller version of (almost) everything you have in your full size home. Which means you have to keep everything neat and tidy and clean and up and running and things frequently break. Usually not at a good time or place. It helps if you are handy and have some basic technical skills so you can solve most issues without assistance. 

Again, that is true for any RV, but in my experience, a TC combo can be a bit more challenging since, in addition to everything else,  you are the one responsible for integrating both with each other.

The first thing I would do is rent a TC for maybe two weeks and get familiar with the whole idea. There is at least one rental company in B.C. that has them; starts with "Fr" and ends in "way".

You don't need the best weather for your learning experience. A bit chilly and rainy actually lets you experience more of the downsides.

Don't get me wrong: We have been TCing for 15 years now and wouldn't want it another way. When the weather is right and the views are great and everything works as it should, it still ticks all the right boxes for us. But it is a different experience for each of us, and you are aboutvto spend a lot of money, so maybe start slow, get some experience, and then decide what you like (or don't like) about it.

Now back to the original question: Do you need a diesel dually?

Yes.

Four tires carry more weight than two. Simplified explanation: Most if not all of the weight of the camper will go on the rear axle. The tongue weight of the trailer will also go on the rear axle.

The carrying capacity of a SRW truck is usually pretty much used up with a TC alone, and there is no extra capacity for a trailer.

If you consider a camper with a slideout or two, they are heavy. They usually exceed the SRW capacity alone.

Make yourself familiar with the data on the truck's door sticker: axle ratings, GVWR and such. Try not to exceed any of these numbers on your planned rig.

Pulling a trailer behind a TC comes with some extra challenges:

If the TC extends over the back of the truck, you usually somehow need to extend the hitch.

If the TC door is at the back, the trailer can make getting in and out difficult.

If the TC door is at the rear right, the TC has a significant overhang. Which means you need to significally extend the hitch.

None of this is good for the weight that goes on the rear axle. There are solutions for all of it, plenty of people do it successfully, and maybe some of them can give additional opinions here.

Happy travels! -J

[WrinkledPenny]

Thank you!