Hi Scott: I pull mine with a stock '98 Nissan Frontier, manual trans., 4 cyl. It doesn't like going up the ramp and I feel I'm really reducing the clutch life, but it does get it out of the water. A 6-cyl automatic would be much better. If I ever do any serious distance towing, I plan on renting. Since your trans is older, you might have different results, i.e., more of a slippery clutch. What's the tow rating for your truck... is it a 6 cyl or 4 cyl? My impression is that you'd be cutting it mighty fine, but maybe having the 4x4 would make it work better, or maybe the toyota has lower gear ratios. Maybe even smaller tires would help? (for most folks around Tennessee, a 4x4 truck means huge mud tires, which would reduce your low end power a little) Hope this helps Best BG Brian Gilbert Author, Fix It And Sail, The Complete Trailer Sailer On Apr 9, 2009, at 8:52 PM, montgomery_boats-request@mailman.xmission.com wrote:
Does anybody have any experience with towing a M17 with a 1993 ish Toyota 4x4, manual transmission. Gross combined weight is 7800 lbs ( vehicle weights about 4,200 lbs ) which would probably give me an extra 500 - 600 lbs reserve capacity according to the owners manual. However I was looking for real world experience. Not interested in going fast up hill; just looking to make it.
I have a question about the towing weight: I thought an M-17 is around 1600 lbs; add about 3-400lbs for the trailer, some more for the gear and motor that brings it to 2000-2400 lbs. But you're saying your rig is closer to 3000-3200 lbs; have I got my numbers wrong? I am towing (on flat land) my M-17 with a 4cyl Subaru Outback, 4x4, manual transmission. Works, but I feel I am close to the limit really. Andrei.
Andrei, According to the scale I used, my 2004 M17 and trailer weigh 3000 lb empty with no mast or motor, so I am guessing 3200 lbs with some gear on board. Even if the Pacific trailer is 800 lbs (I have not confirmed that), it is hard to believe that a 1600 lb boat would gain 600 lbs by addition of an electrical system and a boarding ladder. Maybe newer boats have gained some weight (like most Americans), possibly in the keel or centerboard, or maybe the certified scale was wrong. Bob might be able to help us with all this. I have been doing some research on Subaru as tow vehicles, and I find that Foresters in the UK are rated to tow 2000 kg (4400 lb). As nearly as I can tell, the cars are virtually identical to the U.S. imports rated at 2400 lbs. Go figure. UK dealers also sell a diesel Forester with lots of torque that gets 49 mpg (%#@&$#). Tom Jenkins M17 Scintilla ----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrei Caldararu" <andreic@math.wisc.edu> To: "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Friday, April 10, 2009 8:16 AM Subject: Re: M_Boats: Towing a monty 17
I have a question about the towing weight: I thought an M-17 is around 1600 lbs; add about 3-400lbs for the trailer, some more for the gear and motor that brings it to 2000-2400 lbs. But you're saying your rig is closer to 3000-3200 lbs; have I got my numbers wrong?
I am towing (on flat land) my M-17 with a 4cyl Subaru Outback, 4x4, manual transmission. Works, but I feel I am close to the limit really.
Andrei.
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participants (3)
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Andrei Caldararu -
Brian Gilbert -
Tom Jenkins