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Author Topic:   towing 15ft whaler

wd posted 06-30-2003 05:48 AM ET (US)
i have a 1985 15ft whaler with a 50hp merc 4 stroke
i am thinking of buying a 1997 nisan pickup 2wd with 4cyl. motor does anyone have this same setup does the truck pull the boat ok
Kingsteven18 posted 06-30-2003 06:56 AM ET (US)
I've had 4 cyl. 2wd Isuzu Rodeos for years. I've towed up to 17' Whalers to Fl. and back from NE Pa. It only huffs and puffs on the mountains, which is not an issue down there in Fl. My gas mileage goes down dramatically though when towing. I have to be careful with the 2wd on real slimy ramps. Also, I have 140K on one and it still has the orig. clutch.
skred posted 06-30-2003 08:55 AM ET (US)
I've towed my previous Montauk with a Neon, and it does work. Not the best idea, however. Going up any moderate grade really taxes a small engine. My concern would be the head gasket... Short hauls would probably be okay, but over the road.... iffy...
Buddy posted 06-30-2003 09:47 AM ET (US)
I pulled my 1988 15' Super Sport for 13 years with a Plymouth Voyager with a 2.6 liter Mitsubishi four- along with a wife, two kids and all the gear- for countless trips. 284,000 miles on the original engine, but the automatic transmission was replaced at 140000 miles. Couldn't complain, onlt some express way hills you had to top at just over 50 mph. Otherwise 60-65 was easy to hold. Same number of cylinders as you are talking about but I think more CC. This engine had a lot of torque for its 130 horsepower, sorta like a bus.
where2 posted 06-30-2003 01:18 PM ET (US)
1990 Volkswagen Corrado_G60. 4cyl, 158hp supercharged, 166lb-ft of torque, 5-speed manual tranny. In tow, 1985 15' Sport with 70 Hp Johnson on galvanized trailer.
Comments: 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS on the car helps slow the combo back down... The brakes were intended to stop a German autobahn vehicle capable of 140mph...
Keep in mind that getting the combo up to highway speeds is only 1/2 the equation, you still need to be able to stop! In general, the VW has performed well in around town launchings. If I was to drag the boat out of state, I'd want a more substantial vehicle similar to my wife's 1998 4Runner V6. Honestly, the VW was not intended to tow a boat such as mine does. In the real world, the whaler tows better than the 4'x8' flat bed trailer that I borrowed from work that has a 4'x5' steel mesh ramp on it. The ramp acted as a giant wind brake, while the boat is very streamlined going through the wind...
If you're looking for something to get you to the ramp and around central Florida, the 4cyl will do. Once you get up north of Orlando where the hills start rolling, you'll wish you had a V6...
Techmage posted 07-02-2003 01:53 PM ET (US)
I tow my 150 Sport which I understand is heavier than the older 15's. I have a Subaru Forester. engine 4 cyl. HP is 165 2.5 liter, not sure about the torque. I have no problems towing a boat this size, although the AWD does help with the ramps especialy if they are unpaved. Also I understand that Automatic's on small truck/cars tend to have better low end torge than on standerds.
Tom2697 posted 07-02-2003 02:32 PM ET (US)
I used an '82 Datsun (Nissan) pick-up to tow around a 1962 13' Whaler and to occasionally pull my friend's 18' v-hull I/O. The truck worked fine unless the grade of the ramp or the highway was really steep. I had a 4x4 which had the low range transfer case to help on the ramps. On the highway, the motor was taxed with the larger boat. Depending upon how much you load the boat/vehicle with gear, you should be alright.
Duckin Whalers posted 07-02-2003 11:19 PM ET (US)
I used to tow my 13' with my Dads baby blue 1972 Ford F-100 with "3 on the tree". What a great combo. The BW and stock Ford baby blue of that year matched perfect. I sold the 72' (Ford)when I was in high school because it wasn't cool and bought a 1985 toyota 4x4. I didn't win any races up hills but, it was ok. I pulled the BW around with it for 4 years.
I look back now and wish I still had the baby blue 1972 F-100 to match the 1972 13' BW. Lots of great memories with the BW behind that old Ford. I still have the BW and wish I had that old Ford. (the BW is duck boat green now)
Someday, I will buy an old Ford like it and restore a old BW and haul them around together. Most importantly, I will paint the old ford that stock 1972 baby blue. The memory of the two togather can almost bring a tear to my eye.
Ohh yeah, I forgot, Toyotas and Nissans will pull a 13' BW just fine.

Bigshot posted 07-03-2003 11:04 AM ET (US)
i towed a 6000lb Baja with a 4cyl Toyota 4wd pickup and 5spd. Not a great idea being it was rated for 3500lbs and had a bumper hitch but it towed it for my 2 year lease:) Point of story is you will be fine.

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Author	Topic: towing 15ft whaler
wd	posted 06-30-2003 05:48 AM ET (US) i have a 1985 15ft whaler with a 50hp merc 4 stroke i am thinking of buying a 1997 nisan pickup 2wd with 4cyl. motor does anyone have this same setup does the truck pull the boat ok
Kingsteven18	posted 06-30-2003 06:56 AM ET (US) I've had 4 cyl. 2wd Isuzu Rodeos for years. I've towed up to 17' Whalers to Fl. and back from NE Pa. It only huffs and puffs on the mountains, which is not an issue down there in Fl. My gas mileage goes down dramatically though when towing. I have to be careful with the 2wd on real slimy ramps. Also, I have 140K on one and it still has the orig. clutch.
skred	posted 06-30-2003 08:55 AM ET (US) I've towed my previous Montauk with a Neon, and it does work. Not the best idea, however. Going up any moderate grade really taxes a small engine. My concern would be the head gasket... Short hauls would probably be okay, but over the road.... iffy...
Buddy	posted 06-30-2003 09:47 AM ET (US) I pulled my 1988 15' Super Sport for 13 years with a Plymouth Voyager with a 2.6 liter Mitsubishi four- along with a wife, two kids and all the gear- for countless trips. 284,000 miles on the original engine, but the automatic transmission was replaced at 140000 miles. Couldn't complain, onlt some express way hills you had to top at just over 50 mph. Otherwise 60-65 was easy to hold. Same number of cylinders as you are talking about but I think more CC. This engine had a lot of torque for its 130 horsepower, sorta like a bus.
where2	posted 06-30-2003 01:18 PM ET (US) 1990 Volkswagen Corrado_G60. 4cyl, 158hp supercharged, 166lb-ft of torque, 5-speed manual tranny. In tow, 1985 15' Sport with 70 Hp Johnson on galvanized trailer. Comments: 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS on the car helps slow the combo back down... The brakes were intended to stop a German autobahn vehicle capable of 140mph... Keep in mind that getting the combo up to highway speeds is only 1/2 the equation, you still need to be able to stop! In general, the VW has performed well in around town launchings. If I was to drag the boat out of state, I'd want a more substantial vehicle similar to my wife's 1998 4Runner V6. Honestly, the VW was not intended to tow a boat such as mine does. In the real world, the whaler tows better than the 4'x8' flat bed trailer that I borrowed from work that has a 4'x5' steel mesh ramp on it. The ramp acted as a giant wind brake, while the boat is very streamlined going through the wind... If you're looking for something to get you to the ramp and around central Florida, the 4cyl will do. Once you get up north of Orlando where the hills start rolling, you'll wish you had a V6...
Techmage	posted 07-02-2003 01:53 PM ET (US) I tow my 150 Sport which I understand is heavier than the older 15's. I have a Subaru Forester. engine 4 cyl. HP is 165 2.5 liter, not sure about the torque. I have no problems towing a boat this size, although the AWD does help with the ramps especialy if they are unpaved. Also I understand that Automatic's on small truck/cars tend to have better low end torge than on standerds.
Tom2697	posted 07-02-2003 02:32 PM ET (US) I used an '82 Datsun (Nissan) pick-up to tow around a 1962 13' Whaler and to occasionally pull my friend's 18' v-hull I/O. The truck worked fine unless the grade of the ramp or the highway was really steep. I had a 4x4 which had the low range transfer case to help on the ramps. On the highway, the motor was taxed with the larger boat. Depending upon how much you load the boat/vehicle with gear, you should be alright.
Duckin Whalers	posted 07-02-2003 11:19 PM ET (US) I used to tow my 13' with my Dads baby blue 1972 Ford F-100 with "3 on the tree". What a great combo. The BW and stock Ford baby blue of that year matched perfect. I sold the 72' (Ford)when I was in high school because it wasn't cool and bought a 1985 toyota 4x4. I didn't win any races up hills but, it was ok. I pulled the BW around with it for 4 years. I look back now and wish I still had the baby blue 1972 F-100 to match the 1972 13' BW. Lots of great memories with the BW behind that old Ford. I still have the BW and wish I had that old Ford. (the BW is duck boat green now) Someday, I will buy an old Ford like it and restore a old BW and haul them around together. Most importantly, I will paint the old ford that stock 1972 baby blue. The memory of the two togather can almost bring a tear to my eye. Ohh yeah, I forgot, Toyotas and Nissans will pull a 13' BW just fine.
Bigshot	posted 07-03-2003 11:04 AM ET (US) i towed a 6000lb Baja with a 4cyl Toyota 4wd pickup and 5spd. Not a great idea being it was rated for 3500lbs and had a bumper hitch but it towed it for my 2 year lease:) Point of story is you will be fine.