Boat vs TT towing...

[Smokyroo]

I have been trailering something or another now for more than 10 years. I am 43 and we bought our first camper when I was 30 and a cool kayak trailer about that time too. I got my first boat with a motor when I was 32.

I have noticed that pound for pound towing a boat is much easier than towing a TT even the pop up. With the boat I have no WDH, no sway control and so far all on 2" balls. My current boat loaded wet with fuel, freshwater, gear and trailer weight is pushing 7,000 pounds. It tows fantastic and with ease on my Tundra. Now it does push the 4 Runner around going down hill in the mountains..I have towed it short distances with it and the 4 Runner has a V8 with tow package, transmission cooler and so forth.

I have wondered why TT (rvs, campers) tow so "crappily", if that is even a word , without all this extra gear of sway control, WDH and so forth? I suspect it is their shoe box shape that sets them up for sway and the other issues. Boats on the other hand are more aerodynamic on the trailers compared to RVs. Maybe it is the mass of the boat itself? But, then again mass is mass when it comes to objects in motion, stopping and so forth. My current boat though is taller on the trailer than my soon to arrive Roo. This is just a random thought...before I head off to work.

[Herk7769]

Yes.

[KyDan]

Most trailer-able boats have pointy front ends as you
mention, they are more aerodynamic but IMO the
much lower center of gravity has a lot to do with it.
Boat engines are low in the boat and most don't have
a huge roof AC or two to make them tip er top heavy!
Boats often have no top or a rag top so even the hull
weight is way down low on the trailer.

[wfmdfm]

I would muck rather pull mu TT than my boat. The boat seems much heaver and bouncy to tow. I think its the weight of the inboard engine and outdrive but I hate towing it. I tow it to the ocean in the spring and take it out in the fall and that is 2 times more than I would like to tow it.
Wally

[jcts43]

I agree with Dan, he hit dead on the button.

[EdJunior]

Yup. With a trailer, you have a huge wall behind you that you are fighting wind resistance. That resistance is greatly reduced with the aerodynamics and the lower profile of a boat.

[Smokyroo]

My boat is a walk around style coastal fishing boat with a hardtop and from the top of the boat's top to the pavement is about 10.5 feet. The boat has a single Yammaha F250 outboard mounted on a stern bracket which comes off the stern about 33 inches. The total length from trailer tongue to bumper or tongue to prop is 31 feet.

My boat trailer does have dual torsion suspension axles which is very nice compared to leaf spring bouncy trailers. We just never get a lick of sway from it, ever. Anway..thanks for the comments.