[Matt1121]

RC-

I have a 1991 Mako 231 and tow it around New England with a 1996 Ford Bronco with the 5.8L and tow package. My Mako 231 (2880lbs) with a full tank of gas (1170lbs), engine (450lbs) gear (200lbs) and trailer weight (1300lbs) weighs in the neighborhood of 6,000lbs, which is close to the limit of my Bronco. Granted, most of us usually dont tow with a full tank of gas, so you can probably shave about 500-600lbs off the equation. The problem with most towing set-up's is not so much the ability of the truck to pull the boat and trailer, but more importantly the ability to stop the whole she-bang, especially during an emergency.

I have made two cross country trips with a 17' UHAUL as my towing vehicle.....one from Corpus Christi to Boston and the other from Palm Beach to Boston and have experienced just about everything that could go wrong while towing a boat (blown tires, fried bearings & seals, flying road debris) so my advice to you is to always err on the side of caution when towing and try to upgrade to a heavier duty tow vehicle whenever possible, especially during long trips. On both occassions when I rented the UHAUL it only cost between $375 -$400...well worth the cost, plus I saved my vehicle from all of the wear and tear of towing a boat such great distances. I know certain UHAUL locations rent pickups for the day, so you might want to look at that if you need a heavier tow vehicle in a pinch.(Just dont tell UHAUL you're towing a boat and make sure you're BOAT US towing/breakdown insurance is up to snuff)