CONTINUOUSWAVE

Hey all, I'm seriously looking at buying a 1999 Ventura 180 with a low-hour 2011 Yamaha F150. It's on a single-axle aluminum trailer. I've got a couple questions I thought you good people might be able to help me with.

What will be the total towing weight on this rig?

Hull weight is listed at 1,800-lbs, the engine is 487-lbs, but I've got no idea on the trailer. It's a standard I-beam type, no brakes. I'm guessing total dry weight [for boat and trailer] is 3,000-lbs or just over.

As part of that question, how big is the fuel tank? I'm guessing wet weight with assorted gear puts it at about 4,000-lbs actual towed weight.

Lastly, what the heck is the black plastic door on the transom? It opens at the bottom but doesn't open very far.

Thanks

[The trailer I have is] the same trailer as this boat has, but not the same boat.

https://images0.boattrader.com/resize/1 ... ?t=1267991

You can visit the E-Z-LOADER website to get trailer weights. See http://www.ezloader.com/adjustable/trailers/page/36/bunk

If the boat hull, engine, and gear are 1,800 / 500 / 500, then you'd need at least a 2,800-lbs load-rated trailer. If you have an E-Z-LOADER model EZ 15-18' 2800, the trailer weighs 622-lbs. Figure about 75-lbs more for a spare tire, brakes, and a surge coupler, so call it 700-lbs. This gives a rough estimate of the total towed weight to be 2,800 + 700 = 3,500-lbs. It's always more than you think it will be.

If you are concerned about the total towed weight because of the tow vehicle rating, keep in mind that in the USA a vehicle's tow rating is for the vehicle, completely empty, and one person, the driver, in the vehicle. Any weight added to the vehicle in the form of more people or more gear in the vehicle, reduces the tow weight rating. If you are going to tow with another person or two or three, and carry gear in the tow vehicle, you could easily add 500 to 1,000-lbs to the tow vehicle. For that reason, I suggest you look for a tow vehicle with a tow rating of at least 4,000-lbs and perhaps 5,000-lbs. These days, that will mean something more than a 4-cylinder compact SUV.