I tow mine with a 4 cylinder jeep wrangler. I barely make it up hills and the sloppy steering make it difficult on narrow roads. I've been shopping for a small sedan to use as my daily commuter and tow vehicle, suggestions welcome.
Hey, I started that thread last year around this time, I think it was a little bit later than this because I had put my boat away.
That is one of our longer threads ever.
besides, maybe, that
test
one....
Long live
the test
!
Used to
tow
with the Surf City van...Had trouble.
![[Linked Image]](http://surfcitycatamarans.com/sitebuilder/images/DVC00006-349x254.jpg)
Then for small jobs like A-class and such...
![[Linked Image]](http://surfcitycatamarans.com/sitebuilder/images/P4130184-444x329.jpg)
But, sometimes you just need more power...![[Linked Image]](http://surfcitycatamarans.com/sitebuilder/images/bighaul-600x401.jpg)
Banks power-pack running on Biodiesel= 25mpg!!
<img src=
alt=
/>
i tow with my 01 kia sportage.... 4 banger 120,000 miles i've never had a problem... towed a prindle 19 and a supercat 17 double stacked from New Oleans to Va at 75- 80 miles and hour..... with the AC kicking... the mice were in overdrive turning those wheels.... lol this is a pic of my SC 19 and 17 getting ready for a 7 hour road trip...
I tow with a 2005 Toyota Corolla that has a 1.8 Liter, 4 cylinder engine with variable valve timing. It does better than the Subaru 2.2 Liter AWD that I used to use and it gets great gas mileage.
I have no trouble going up and down grades, at near Sea Level.
Antything more is a waste, as far as I am concerned.
Note: I don't do much trailering and if I did, I'd want more power. More weight would not be necessary; more power would be a luxury.
GARY
Mystere 6.0
Steel Trailer
Glass sail box
Cat Trax
Are you reporting that you get 25 mpg while towing that trailer and loaded with all that gear as shown in the picture?
GARY
A Smart ForTwo. Very handy car to park between the hulls
1.6l Mini Cooper S w. Supercharger does a great job! <img src=
alt=
/>
GARY
Not loaded like that. I only got 18 miles on that particular trip due to the headwind on the Grapevine. From my front door to Hobie and back it's almost exactly 1000 miles. I fill up with Biodiesel in Santa Cruz, then top off in Santa Barbara, make it to Hobie, load up, then make it to Santa Barbara to top off for the trip home. I usually get 700 to 800 miles out of a tank depending on conditions and load. A double stack cat trailer or even that car hauler on the back and nothing much changes. Windage from loading the lumber rack and quality of the Biodiesel are what kills mileage on this beast, though I hardly ever get less than 17mpg. And, there is never any shortage of power. 280HP 790ftlbs of torque.
hmmm. worst case scenario, 17 mpg / 1000 miles = 58.8 gallons
59 gallons x $3.00 gal (
straight
diesel) = $177
How many terrorists could you put through training camp for $177 per trip?
I know it costs
only pennies per day
to feed them.... I guess the rest goes to bullets.
Fossil fuel - a necessary evil (today), but do we have to go that far overboard? Do you HAVE to haul at 70mph? slowing down to 60 mph could easily reduce fuel consumption by 10-12% (depends on vehicle aerodynamics)
I know most of our egos wouldn't fit in small cars, so we have to buy Hum-vee trucks and such.
My state is so flat, once you get your trailer moving, you could probably pull it with a moped.
The Grapevine is on US 99/I-5. Santa Barbara is on US 101. How do you use both?
You missed Jeremy's statement about filling it up with [color:
green
] Biodiesel. So, he's only feeding the farmers in the midwest! <img src=
alt=
/>
59 gallons x $3.00 gal (
straight
diesel) = $177
How many terrorists could you put through training camp for $177 per trip?
Waterbug,
I appreciate your political view, and math skills, but I'm not sure if you read my post thoroughly. First, did you see what I was towing? There are 8 Catamarans on there, 2 boxes, 5 trailers and 7 kayaks (+or-). I definitely wasn't doing
70
. So, with this load I think 18 mpg to me is pretty good.
My truck hasn't seen straight petroleum diesel in 150,000 miles. So unless you classify the midwest soybean and corn growers
terrorists
you made a slight error. Around town, in the summer I blend straight veggie oil with biodiesel. The straight oil costs $.45 per gallon. With Biodiesel there is an 85% reduction in hydrocarbon emissions, and no terrorist funding. From the pump Bio costs the same as petroleum diesel.
Actually for you locally in Naples, there is a great veg-oil co-op, check them out for more info on running your diesel vehicle for $.05per gallon. http://www.naplesbiofuel.com/
By the way, what do you tow your boat with?
Jeremy
hmmm. worst case scenario, 17 mpg / 1000 miles = 58.8 gallons
59 gallons x $3.00 gal (
straight
diesel) = $177
How many terrorists could you put through training camp for $177 per trip?
I know it costs
only pennies per day
to feed them.... I guess the rest goes to bullets.
Fossil fuel - a necessary evil (today), but do we have to go that far overboard? Do you HAVE to haul at 70mph? slowing down to 60 mph could easily reduce fuel consumption by 10-12% (depends on vehicle aerodynamics)
I know most of our egos wouldn't fit in small cars, so we have to buy Hum-vee trucks and such.
My state is so flat, once you get your trailer moving, you could probably pull it with a moped.
Sounds like you've been hugging too many trees lately - I think the sap is getting to you! <img src=
alt=
/>
If I get around to putting a tow bar on, I will tow with this:
![[Linked Image]](http://www.tyresmoke.net/attachments/1194981-sub3.jpg)
But as it does not have one, I use the Wife's V70.
And we should ask him what he cools his house with? Maybe he has his air conditioner hooked up on solar?
He lives near a magic jelly bean field. No need for AC. <img src=
alt=
/>
My '96 Hyundai Elantra Wagon can tow a 650 lb Interlake on a trailer or carry a Wave on the roof rack with no problems at highway speeds. Here's a photo of my Wave in its boxes after I picked it up from the dealer, 150 miles away. I have also pulled loaded U-Haul trailers and hauled two MG engines in the back.
Mike,
Have you measured you MPG while towing?
GARY
Well, I guess I will say again.
I tow my Nacra 5.2 with a 98 Ford Explorer. It tows on the highway getting about 22mpg, so it isn't to bad.
Simon,
Nice big brake disks!
Have you ever heard of hobiegary's cure to hesitation?
GARY
I tow with a 2004 expedition. It gets 12.5 mpg with nothing behind it and a tailwind. I'm not looking at what I get with a boat behind it. I haven't checked but I would be willing to bet that when I tow with my RV (a '92 safari diesel pusher) the RV gets better mileage than the ford.
2003 Mustang GT Convertable
4 cyc 2001 Subaru Forrester or 2001 Audi A4 or the new truck- 2007 Toyota 4runner V8 limited (much larger boat in the future? I think so:) I haven't put a hitch on the 2004 BMW Z4 although I think it could pull the blade easily <img src=
alt=
/>
18MPG on the toyota, don't know about the towing yet. Yes, I have become the problem also.
'02 Honda Element or '97 Toyota Tacoma. Each gets about 17 mpg when towing. Often the Tacoma will not do 70 mph towing the Blade. I'm seriously considering a sedan, like a Toyota Camry for towing.
Nice big brake disks!
Have you ever heard of hobiegary's cure to hesitation?
GARY
It needs them ! - 0-60 in 4.25; 0-100 in 10.6 ! standing quarter in 11.7. Top speed limited to 160 (electronically); it's heared to about 200 but i'me sure the drag will overcome the power/torque before that point.
What is the cure to hesitation....
Well, since I sold my boat when I moved to Utah, I don't quite tow one... but I did tow with my 2000 Chevy 3/4 ton 4wd crew cab. Since we're about to move back to Alabama, I see a 2007 d-max LTZ in my future <img src=
alt=
/>
Even with the gas burner, the boat was an afterthought towing. I get ~12 unloaded at 70mph and it didn't change with the boat. When towing the 3 horse gooseneck trailer, it drops to ~9. Can't wait to haul 2,000 miles in three weeks... ouch the fuel cost!!