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How much boat can I pull with a Chevy S10?

41K views 53 replies 42 participants last post by  german dude 
#1 ·
Hi guys and gals

I am an avid bank fisherman but everytime a boat passes by my heart starts pounding. I would like to own a boat, big enough to cruise arround Hagg Lake or take it out on the Willamette. I'm not even thinking about taking it out on the Big C or any big rivers. I've never owned a boat before so big rivers or the Ocean scare the daylights out of me. So what do you think? How much boat can I pull with my 97 Chevy S10 two wheel drive? I would like to have a boat with a canopee to be protected from the elements. Watching guys going up and down the river in an open sled doesn't look like alot of fun. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.Thanks!!!

--- Vinnie
 
#5 ·
For years I drove Kia Sorento. Pretty light car. Pretty steep ramps with no problems. My boat was 15 ft smokercraft, top,winshield, side curtains,25hp Yamaha 4 stroke.But I had 4 wheel drive.I would think you would be OK with something like that. Just be careful on slick ramps.your s-10 should be OK:twocents::twocents::twocents:
 
#9 ·
A stock Toyota tundra pulled the space shuttle, how much does your boat weigh?

Sorry, I hate that stupid commercial. A drift boat or Alaskan style boat should be no problem. Make sure your brakes and cooling system are in top working order as they will be your weak points (clutch/tranny also should be in good order.)
 
#10 ·
I pulled an 18' flattie for a short time with my S-10 4 cyl. Blazer I didn't go anywhere in a hurry and stopping it was an "adventure". A 15' Klamath, Lowe, Gregor or other great boat would be a breeze!
 
#11 ·
You S-10 should pull a small boat just fine. Brakes, tires and cooling system should all be in good shape . Hold it a 1/2 ton or less and you should be fine . If it is a bumper mounted hitch make sure the bumper is tight and in good condition. It will stop a lot slower on downgrades unless the trailer has brakes so drive with a bit of caution till you get use to it. I use to tow a 16 ft aluminum bass boat all over the state with a 4cyl Nissan and never had a problem. 3rd gear over every pass but always got there.
 
#13 ·
doesnt it have tow ratings on the plate inside the driver side door seal? i would guestimate around 1500-2000lbs. you might have issues with 20%+ gradiants.

yup just googled it, max tow capacity is 2000 lbs. she sure will be squatting with that much, thats for sure. im sure any 20ft or less aluminum or drift boat will be just fine.

i tow a 15ft aristocrat with my ford ranger 4.0 with no issues, except coming up cow canyon on 97 and coming out of maupin, kinda slow.
 
#14 ·
Get a 14-15 foot smokercraft Alaskan with a 15 or 25 horse outboard and you will be set for lake fishing, Willy/big C, tributaries, bay fishing/crabbing, tidewater boat, etc etc.

Very versatile and won't break the bank to buy or gas up.
Plus your truck would have no problems towing it unless you find a steep ramp or ice covered one.

Good luck on the boat ownership.
It can be very fun and $ efficient to run a small boat
 
#17 ·
It's one thing pulling it there but pulling it out of the water on the ramp hole different thing.Theres just not enough horse power or truck weight to get back up most ramps.Wouldn't take long before burning a clutch out and before breaks wear out and e break gives.I know this because friend of mind did this same thing with just light weight 14 alum lake boat.

Had put new breaks and e brake after few monlths and less than six I think the clutch burnt up .I know this post was just for fun but we have all seen trucks and cars that should never be towing boats.I seen a late model Cadillac converible pulling 20 ft ski boat had take pic.
 
#19 ·
Hills would be a pain with a 4 cyl but none the less it should be fine if you get a light boat. I would recommend a 14-16ft aluminum boat since they are light. I have a 16' alumacraft Jon boat with a 25hp I fish everywhere with. It's easier to handle then my Alumaweld when I fish alone a lot. If you pick your weather you can boat almost anywhere in it. So far this year it's been shrimping and ling cod fishing in the sound, salmon and sturgeon fishing on the big C. I've had days where I see the weather and decide I better do some projects. I check the weather religiously when I plan on going out.
 
#20 ·
If your tow rating really is #2000 (check on that) you will be fine with a 15' smokercraft type boat with a small 2 stroke on the back. I towed mine with an old Honda Odyssey minivan (not 4wd) for years and never had any problem. Might want to throw a transmission cooler on for good measure. Go slower than normal, give yourself plenty of stopping room and you'll be totally fine.
 
#25 · (Edited)
For an affordable first boat that your rig can handle towing, I'd look for a 15' or so Smokercraft, Gregor, Klamath, etc... aluminum boat w/ a tiller outboard, or a 14' Livingston fiberglass boat. On the trailer, they should all weigh well under 2000 pounds.

The windshield boats with a canopy are prob heavier than you want to tow with your rig.
 
#26 ·
Yes. These boats kill lots of fish inexpensively around the mouths of every tributary where it empties into the Columbia River. Safely too if you pay attention.

Or go heavier and damage your truck sooner or worse, someone else's.

Or, sell your truck while it runs and upgrade to a V-8 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton and have more boating options. You won't catch more fish but you can carry and fish three or four safely. CW
 
#27 ·
right, a lot of ramps get fairly slippery, i have never felt safe loading/unloading a boat with a 2wd vehicle, what happens when you back in and you you lose traction? it's nice to have those 2 dry tires in the front with traction.
 
#28 ·
I have a 99 s 10 2wd that i use as my commuter. I just read the bumper today and it says 350lb tongue weight trailer weight 3500lb max. It tows a driftboat with ease. A bigger boat will slow you down uphill and create problems launching. If you have a good launch, flat ground, and a level towing setup, keep it under 3500 and use common sense...
 
#29 ·
Keep in mind that the rating on the hitch itself is just for the hitch. It has nothing to do with what the vehicle is capable of. A vehicle's tow rating is based on a number of factors including many of the things already mentioned such as the engine's torque output, hp, gear ratios, cooling ability; in addition to the vehicles braking, chassis, whether the hitch is factory installed vs home job, and so on.
If attempting to tow with a vehicle not truly designed or rated for towing a boat, it might be wise to consider installing a brake system on the trailer for safety. Without looking at specs, I would think a chevy blazer is capable of towing a small-medium sized lake boat or drift boat fairly well.
I towed my 16 ft drift boat and 14 ft gregor lake boat all over the state in my old toyota camry for years as a student. It was a manual tranny, so downshifting was easy. I did have to replace 1 clutch in 175K miles, but never the tranny. Got to love Toyota durability. This was a 4-cyl camry!
 
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