Towing Seadoo behind boat trailer

[haulnazz15]

Re: Towing Seadoo behind boat trailer

Only works if you have a relatively steep ramp. On most of the shallow incline ramps I'm on, the front tires would be 3/4 to nearly fully covered and you would have water in the cab, by the time you got the tailgate wet.

True, but I happen to know the region/particular lake the OP is visiting very well. There are probably 50+ ramps around the lake, many of which would suffice for his needs. He hasn't replied back to this thread since his little tantrum, but it's an option for him if he desires.

You don't have to tell me about water in the cab. Had a family member back the truck in during one of the jet ski exercises and decided to open the door, lol. Truck cab smelled like lake water for a month! Water was just at the back corner of the door, but it made a mess quickly.

 

[frantically relaxing]

Re: Towing Seadoo behind boat trailer

When my friends owned our Searay, they towed a pair of PWC's behind it, sometimes his Goldwing when going on vacation. Here's the setup he made for towing--

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--he was a truck driver for years, and he'd back up both trailers to launch the PWC's...

And here's me backing our 50' trailer under the SkipperLiner using my con-gear in between. It's no picnic backing up two trailers, but it can be done!

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[Brian 26]

Re: Towing Seadoo behind boat trailer

When my friends owned our Searay, they towed a pair of PWC's behind it, sometimes his Goldwing when going on vacation. Here's the setup he made for towing--

--

--he was a truck driver for years, and he'd back up both trailers to launch the PWC's...

Impressive on all accounts, engineering, construction and reversing skills!

I sometimes refer to myself as the worlds best trailer backer upper, I will now say the worlds 2nd best........

 

[triscadek209]

Re: Towing Seadoo behind boat trailer

I just want to comment on the whole trailer brakes discussion on this thread. I really think it depends on how careful the driver is as to whether or not brakes would be needed for this size boat. I've seen people tow their boats as if there were no boat attached to their vehicle -- they fly down the road, speed, tailgate, etc. I swear I can tow a 26' boat with no trailer brakes safer that I see half the people towing a 20' boat with trailer brakes. It is all in the way you drive.

I've seen people drive their boats the same way. Some people's cruising speed is 30 mph, and some, such as mine, is 22 mph. It is all in how careful the driver is. The state laws are put in place to protect the general public against idiots.

If the starter of this thread is not an idiot, and he has tried to express that to us by telling us that he is used to being careful on the roads since he maintains a CDL, then I wouldn't doubt that he would be just fine without brakes on his trailer. The main thing is to just let him know that since his boat is borderline needing trailer brakes, then to just be real careful and know that he needs to go slow and keep safe following distances. And, if he was towing both the boat and jet ski, then I'm sure he would. And if you're driving along and someone suddenly slams on their brakes and you rear end them... You are following too close.

Many of us come to these message boards as a means to save money by doing things ourselves instead of hiring someone to do them for us, yet the advise that we typically receive is to "spend more money".

Just my .02.

Thank you sir, you hit the nail on the head. I wasn't trying to come off rude to anybody by any means but as I stated before I AM careful in my driving when I need to be. General always while I'm in a truck/car/semi. Granted when it comes to riding the motorcycle me and my buddies tend to have some fun but when I'm towing I know at all times to constantly scan ahead and keep a safe following distance. Too many people these days drive off the end of their hood and not watching 1/8-1/4 mile ahead at all times. I have been driving semis since I was 19 years old and it had taught me a lot. I'm not by any means saying I'm wreck less by towing two semi trailers loaded with only one trailer having brakes, I know the conditions and the flow (which is none in rural OK) at 3am on my particular route I drive night after night. I don't make a habit of running without proper brakes on my big truck but when the time comes down to it, it's my call on whether I feel I can safely navigate back to our yard. If I don't feel safe I won't do it and I have made that call in the past. It's all about driver descretion and being safe about following distances. Also, jake brakes tend to help on big trucks leaving the pedal for low speed stops.

 

[triscadek209]

Re: Towing Seadoo behind boat trailer

Backing two trailers up isn't the easiest but isn't the hardest either given that there is only two pivot points. Semi trailers are a big different given that you have THREE pivot points since the second trailer is pulled by a dolly that connects to the rear of the first trailer. I've had to back mine up several times at fuel stops when certain inconsiderate people decide to leave their trucks at the fuel island and go take a shower. It's not the easiest but you figure it out and it can be done with patience. I'd much rather back two watercraft trailers up that my semi trailers any day BUT I would end up just dropping the seadoo trailer. Wouldn't want to take any chance of the lower unit catching the jet ski trailer nor dropping the seadoo trailer off the ramp once it disappears. The poster that knows my area: we usually put in at hammer head but have recently obtained a slip across from ugly johns and use their ramp.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Towing Seadoo behind boat trailer

The poster that knows my area: we usually put in at hammer head but have recently obtained a slip across from ugly johns and use their ramp.

Those will be fine. You're down by the Duck Creek/Cherokee Yacht Clubs, so their ramps are more than adequate for whatever you want to put in. Lots of 40'+ boats on that section of the lake.

 

[triscadek209]

Re: Towing Seadoo behind boat trailer

Yep! We keep an RV at Bakers RV ranch and rent a slip for the parents 30' bayliner at Harbors View. (Forgot the name of the marina)
I've seen many of offshore boats 45'+ From Florida get launched at Bakers on holiday weekends, why they use their janky ramp is beside me... It's crazy to watch the boats literally drag their dually with all 6 locked up into the water until the boat is buoyant enough or they fire the engines and throw the boat in forward gear.

 

[pullin]

Re: Towing Seadoo behind boat trailer

I did something similar to this, although the last trailer wasn't a PWC.

I had an I-beam cut and lugs welded to it (along with the trailer ball) for the setup below. This was attached to padeyes welded to the end of the trailer C-channel. I couldn't reverse it due to the short length of the popup trailer (at least not very well). But I just pulled up to the campsite, and unhooked the popup, then either moved it by hand if level, or unhitched the boat and used the truck to position it if a hill was involved. I had to unbolt the I-beam and drop it at the campsite before launching the boat.

I didn't have trailer brakes, but the total weight (of both trailers) was below the 5K limit in the truck's manual (advised trailer brakes if over 5K pounds). I did end up adding sway controller between the boat and popup so they'd act as a single long trailer. The biggest problem was convincing the hitch shop to add the small sway-control ball to the popup. They kept looking at the diesel F250, then at the little 1000lb popup and saying: "You're kidding, right?".

 

[pullin]

Re: Towing Seadoo behind boat trailer

duplicate post. My apologies.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Towing Seadoo behind boat trailer

Yep! We keep an RV at Bakers RV ranch and rent a slip for the parents 30' bayliner at Harbors View. (Forgot the name of the marina)
I've seen many of offshore boats 45'+ From Florida get launched at Bakers on holiday weekends, why they use their janky ramp is beside me... It's crazy to watch the boats literally drag their dually with all 6 locked up into the water until the boat is buoyant enough or they fire the engines and throw the boat in forward gear.

Yeah, we normally put in up around Indian Hills (Bernice bridge) so that we can remain in the Horse Creek area where the cruisers can't get to because of the low bridge clearance . . . or we run further North towards Patricia Island or Sailboat bridge. Those guys with the offshore boats and 40'+ cruisers don't like burning tons of gas that far North because there are fewer people to "impress", lol.

 

[utfisherman]

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you can try anything. this happened in the town I live in and work as a deputy sheriff needless to say it was towed.

 

[utfisherman]

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opps if this doesn't work google S10 Blazer pulling a fifth wheel trailer

 

[utfisherman]

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[utfisherman]

I hope this works this time

 

[White90GT]

I made my own hitch mount and pulled dual jet ski trailers once, but have never really thought about making a mount to pull the jet ski behind the boat, mainly due to the stern drive sticking out. Whatever you built would have to be removable so you can launch the boat without hitting it and would have to handle the tongue weight of the jet ski, and be supported enough that if the jet ski starts to sway it isn't going to break the mount. Almost thinking it would need a couple of support straps attached to the stern U-bolts (the tie down points for the boat) to help support the weight being that far back. Then like said, if it is truly 70 lbs of tongue weight you will have to offset that by adding weight to the front of the boat trailer (spare tire, ice chest, dumbbells, etc...).