'83 23CC SeaCraft - Restored Weight

[jtharmo]

Anybody have a good estimate of what a restored 23cc would weigh, if it has been restored with 2 engines. Do you think a 6.0L V8 tahoe could carry with ease?

[Blue197320]

i think you would have enough pulling power. you should also have enough stopping with a tahoe also. my 4.8 gmc truck tows my 87 23cc

[Fr. Frank]

You need to be able to pull and stop 6000 lbs.

For a few months I used to pull a 23' Tsunami with a 2002 Ford Taurus 3.0 liter. No kidding. With the factory tow package the Taurus was rated to pull 3500 lbs, and only 2000 lbs without it. My Tsunami was on a single-axle 5000 lb capacity trailer, and weighed about 4500 lbs, boat, motor, trailer, fuel and gear.

But with the Taurus, I usually pulled it locally only, max distance of about 9 miles one way, with stainless hydraulic disk brakes on the trailer. (I did that because my Jeep Grand Cherokee was in the shop after an accident). Oh, the first pull of the 23' with the Taurus was 175 miles, mostly freeway. No problems.

P.S. I now use a Ford F250 diesel, and no longer have the 23', just the 20'.

[77SceptreOB]

Do you think a 6.0L V8 tahoe could carry with ease?

Yep, It will do just fine. I towed my 23 w/ a Tahoe w/ a 5.3 and it did great. No problem stopping either.

[77SceptreOB]

..... I used to pull a 23' Tsunami with a 2002 Ford Taurus 3.0 liter. No kidding.

What the.........!!! That I would have loved to see, just not be in the car though. I'v honestly NEVER heard of such. I've also never heard of a Taurus w/ a "trailer package". I thought the only trailering option on a Taurus was Class I (2000#) I've had plenty of Tauruss as my company cars and would never dare tow a 23' anything, especially a SeaCraft.

How many blocks....I mean miles did it take to a dead stop from 60 mph???

Front tires smokin' at the launch pad?? I'd pay good money to see that retrival!! LOL!!

[Fr. Frank]

What the.........!!! That I would have loved to see, just not be in the car though. I'v honestly NEVER heard of such. I've also never heard of a Taurus w/ a "trailer package". I thought the only trailering option on a Taurus was Class I (2000#) I've had plenty of Tauruss as my company cars and would never dare tow a 23' anything, especially a SeaCraft.

How many blocks....I mean miles did it take to a dead stop from 60 mph???

Front tires smokin' at the launch pad?? I'd pay good money to see that retrival!! LOL!!

I actually got more braking action from the trailer that from the car, it seems. The car had a large combo engine-oil cooler and trans-oil cooler in front of the AC condenser, a 2" receiver, and adjustable air bags inside the rear coil springs controlled from the dashboard. The reason I called it a factory tow package is the car was a law-enforcement vehicle before I got it, and the rear bumper cover was molded around the receiver, instead of having the receiver below the bumper. Either factory tow pkg or aftermarket bumper cover.

The only ramp I ever launched the boat from with the Taurus was at US 19 and the Withlacoochee barge canal, with 3 or 4 successful launches and retrievals. No problems pulling up the ramp, even when the ramp was wet. It's a pretty good ramp.

[77SceptreOB]

Wow. Impressive. I can see a police edition having some extra equipment such as a larger radiator, trans cooler, larger brakes, etc. I was surprised to learn of the rear air bags & 2" reciever hitch though. Maybe they expected to have some BIG fat criminals stuffed in the back of the Taurus and a few more in the patty wagon trailer being towed behind!! LOL.

Police Taurus.....official tow vehicles of CSC!

The Classic Mako guys will NEVER let us live that down.

[Rainmaker]

I used to have a 1972 25' Fiber Form with a full cabin and enclosure. It had a V6 IO and weighed a pile. I pulled this with a Taurus (I think is was a 1988) with no trouble at the ramp and some trouble stopping if I didn't plan ahead. The poor car was pointing at the sky when I was towing the boat and of course I was always hoping that no one pulled in front of me. Around Port Everglades and Hillsboro inlet in SEFL the traffic and the other folks on the road are not very sane so I had to stay awake. I also tryed to tow the boat at night and avoided the traffic times. It was sort of an adventure getting to the ramp and back after a long day.

I added the hitch to the car and wired up the lights. I had no brakes on the trailer.

The ramps were not terrible but the front wheel drive kept the car from spinning and it actually tugged the boat out of the water with no issue.

The problem was that since this poor car could not really do well with the load it began to fall apart around 50k miles and by 80k was junk. I replaced the transmission at 50k and things just went down hill from there.

I looked pretty funny heading to the water with this rig, but I love to fish and at the time this was the best I could do. I would never do this again, and would buy a cheap beat up truck if needed.

For what it is worth I pull my 23 seacraft with a 09' Toyota Tundra that could pull my house if I needed to.

[77SceptreOB]

For what it is worth I pull my 23 seacraft with a 09' Toyota Tundra that could pull my house if I needed to.

Now thats more like it. I always obey the 1:1 rule.... The Tow vehicle should always outweigh the boat & trailer. Trailer brakes above 3000# is a must.

[lost2a6]

The problem was that since this poor car could not really do well with the load it began to fall apart around 50k miles and by 80k was junk. I replaced the transmission at 50k and things just went down hill from there.

Nah, that’s not why it was junk at 80k, I think that had something to do with it having the word FORD on the front. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.