Towing from New Jersey to Florida Keys

[Bosn Mate]

Good Afternoon:

Starting to plan for our Feb 2020 trip which will include towing our R29 from South Jersey to Key West, Florida. The vast majority of the trip will be via I95.

I would appreciate any advice from those of you that have made this trip, especially places to stop along the way. I know that the oversize load permits are going to limit travel to 1/2 hour before sunrise and 1/2 hour after sunset so will need at least three stops that are easy access off I95 with space to park the truck and trailer.

Thanks much!

Mike

 

[ALICE J]

If you can go around DC, I tow 27 RT regularly on 95. Worst spot is southern S.C., very bumpy. I use the rest areas for sleeping. Park as soon as possible as you enter the rest area to avoid being trapped between two noisy trucks that run their engines all night. Volvo trucks are the worst! If you are bold enough pull into the cars only area for a more quiet sleep. I have found the rest areas secure, sleeping on the boat as my RV, just pull up my ladder at night :shock: Rest area signs give you plenty of warning and how far to next rest area. If using a motel, park so you don’t have to back up. You may have to park across several parking positions, be brave and allow for pulling out in the AM and not get blocked by pulling right close to the next parking position, there will be a car there in the AM, and you will be blocked, 😳 I travel at 55 mph, and enjoy the scenery.. check your tires and bearings and tie downs regularly. I use a Tire Minder system that measures the pressure and temperatures in each tire on the trailer with a monitor in the cab. And don’t stop at Pedro’s South of the Border!

 

[Brian B]

I’ve made the trip a few times from RI to Fl. RT 301 around Baltimore and Washington is an easier route, bit longer but less stress. Plan your fuel stops, using the truck stops is easier if you have a diesel truck. Trucker Path app shows all the truck stops and some hotels. We use hotels, when you make a reservation ask if they have room to park a tractor trailer truck, most do. Have a safe trip!!

 

[Jfrano]

I did the reverse trip, spring of 2019. Bought our RT29CB down in Fort Lauderdale and towed back to NJ.
We rented a 3/4 ton Ram Diesel in NJ drove it down to dealer. Boat was waiting on trailer. Wife and I were stunned at how much larger boat is out of the water on the trailer.
That being said the RAM did a great job pulling the boat and trailer.
I did get permits from all the states. Can do online, think Georgia and South Carolina were not friendly web sites. All my cop friends said they’ve never pulled anyone over for wide load and I had no problems. Even though you get the permits for the 10ft width, if you have the CB model, I was much much more concerned about the 13’ 4” height than my width!
Get Trucker app to ensure you don’t get on roads with low bridges etc. Also app helps on hotels. We decided hotels as we went along, as we weren’t sure exactly where we’d be. Good idea to call ahead that they have parking for truck and trailer. Sometimes we’d get out were we knew there were a bunch of hotels and eyed up the parking lot before pulling in.
Stay in right hand lane , toll lanes are wider on the right. Avoid 95 about 1/2 way down Florida, was a free for all, really stress full, take the Turnpike the rest of the way. Also only suppose to be on road during daylight hours. Was an adventure and loved the challenge!
Don’t pull off on side roads etc. we broke the CB fairing screen on a tree branch .

 

[Journey]

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum and also a new owner of a C 302 coupe. I live in the central Florida area. I just returned 2 weeks ago from my 2 day delivery experience at Kent WA. Due to the circumstance I decided to drive to WA and tow the boat home after the delivery to Florida. Interesting trip to say the least. It was kind of a bucket list thing. Because of Thanksgiving coming and trying to beat the SNOW along with the necessity of title and taxes to be paid in Florida I left with a 3 day tag permit from WA and only for WA. I did not know the exact route I would be taking because of the weather change on the way back. Running out of time my wife said just go (easy for her to say she is at home). So I rolled the dice and left. Long story short 3100 miles no tag ,no permit , no wide load sign. Several police and many weight stations I went by no one seemed to care. Yes I know before all you chime in (it is not my first trip to the store) I was LUCKY. I also have a 28' Pursuit off shore with a 9'6" beam and have towed it from Florida to Tenn. many many times right through Atlanta in the diamond lane, yes there are 2 people in the truck and around Florida for the last 13 years. Maybe I should play the lottery LOL, probably not that lucky. Just for the record I believe you should get permits and be legal. You ask for my experience just thought I would share it right or wrong. Looking forward to meeting up with some of you. Seems like a great group of boaters and people.
Journey Posts: 1Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2019 12:27 pmCity: ClermontState/Province: FLRanger/Cutwater Model: C-302 CVessel Name: Journey




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[Irish Mist]

Hi Mike
I would like to add to enjoy the trip and if possible don't be in a hurry. We average 6-8 hours a day, we stop early to make sure we get a good over night spot in what ever truck stop or? we are spending the night.. Google earth your intended stop ahead of time so you have a good idea of the spot before you get there. We travel 75 so not any help with your route. A lot of truck stops are adding RV parking which tend to be quieter. Check you are legal in your state to pull the weight of your boat and trailer. I had to increase my drivers license to a higher class to be legal. I also had to increase my truck registration for the extra weight. I was more worried about being legal in the eyes of my insurer then anything else incase of an accident.
Good luck you will love the keys.. Just a note the keys before Key West are similar weather but tend to be less expensive to stay..But friends who have stated in both do say they enjoy the excitement of Key West.. Anywhere warm is nice.

 

[CaspersCruiser]

.....If using a motel, park so you don’t have to back up. You may have to park across several parking positions, be brave and allow for pulling out in the AM and not get blocked by pulling right close to the next parking position, there will be a car there in the AM, and you will be blocked.......

Boy, I learned that the hard way. I pulled across several parking spots, and as a courtesy to the other guests, it was in an area as far away from the entry door as possible. The next morning, I was rewarded by a Chevy Suburban parked right behind my rig, blocking me in.

Watch out for motels near truck stops. I picked a chain motel just off I-90 in Ashtabula, OH based on its parking lot and access to it as viewed from Google Maps. It was across from a Flying J Travel Center. I discovered that some “professional” ladies used that motel for their trucker clients. Creepy!

 

[Boatdreamer]

I would also suggest using a good tire pressure monitoring system. We use a color TST system with cap sensors on our Airstream. When we are going to tow our R27 any distance I just swap the cap sensors from that to the boat trailer but remove them before we launch because they’re not totally water proof. Also if you plan on staying on the boat at night we have found Walmart and Cracker Barrel are also a good place to stop. Have your paperwork in order because in the Keys the FHP and DOT are on the lookout for wide loads because of all the bridges you’ll be crossing. Enjoy your trip, the Keys are beautiful that time of year.

Tim and Donna
Gratitude

 

[Boatdreamer]

Welcome Journey and congratulations on a beautiful new Cutwater. Not sure if you know but there’s a Ranger Tug/Cutwater rendezvous on the southwest coast of Florida the second weekend of February this year. I know some people drive over and others come by boat but dock space is limited.

Tim and Donna
Gratitude

 

[knotflying]

As Brian B stated, I jump on 301 right after the Delaware Memorial Bridge and take it all the way to 295 and jump on 95 south of Richmond. The routing says it will,take about one hour longer this way, but I say it is a wash since you miss all the I-95 traffic. As far as stops go you need to decide on what distance you want to do each day. And plan your stops before starting your trip. Before I book a hotel I look on google maps to see access and maneuverability in the parking lot. I call the hotel in advance and tell them I have a truck and trailer to make sure they will accept it. I park crossing the spaces and make sure I take up a half space at each end if possible so some jerk does not block me in. I position my front wheels and the truck so it is turned toward pulling out just in case someone does park too close. I stop early enough so that the parking lots are fairly empty and I have my choice of location to park. There are plenty of places to stop on 301 for diesel. Usually Raceway and similar stations can accommodate the rig. When on 95 I will use truck stops for fuel. I will usually start looking for a good fuel stop at a half tank this gives us plenty of time to use one of the gas type buddy apps or just look at the situation as you get close to a station. Each time I stop I check all tow connections, feel the hubs for excessive heat ( I use a laser thermometer) and inspect the tires. As mentioned earlier, a great add on is a tire monitor. Also check tire pressure in the morning and be sure they are within a couple of pounds of proper pressure. I never go over 65 mph unless passing for a short distance. Keep your turns wide and avoid hitting curbs at all expense. These two measures will save your tires. Enjoy the journey!

 

[Journey]

Thanks Tim and Donna for the welcome, I will look into the upcoming rendezvous sounds like fun.

 

[Bosn Mate]

Thanks to all for the very useful info!

Mike

 

[Bobby P.]

We plan to do this same trip next winter, in December, heading from Baltimore. Are you considering the Bahamas as well?

In anticipation of towing the boat down, I've made a few trips down to key west on the pretext of "gathering information".

Here is what I've got on Key West.

There is a city marina in Key West. It is in Garrison Bite.

Here are the rates:
$12.96 plus tax per foot/month & Utilities - Pleasure Lease
- $2.20 plus tax per foot/day & Utilities - Transient
- $28.00 plus tax per foot/month & Utilities - Transient
- $13.75 plus tax per foot/week & utilities - Transient
- $10.00 per day Trailer Storage
- $10.00 per day Ramp (in/out same day)
- $10.00 one day Vehicle/Trailer Storage

I've dragged a 17' boat down two years ago and kept it there for a week. Great place!

There is a local ordinance in Key West concerning boats and trailers that you need to be aware of. It is illegal to have a boat/boat trailer parked on any public street, even attached to your vehicle. So if you don't plan correctly, you might be in a pickle.

There is a public moring field in Key West. I think it is $350 per month. Not sure about daily rate. We have not researched private marina's yet in KW.

We did look at a private marinas on Stock Island (right next to Key West). There are some newer marinas (expensive), but we found Safe Harbor Marina to not only have the bohemian appeal that we like about the Keys, but also much more affordable (about $300 or so a month). It is right next to a favorite restaurant/bar we like, the Hogfish grill.

You might consider somewhere middle to southern Keys. Islamorada, Bahia Honda, Marathon, etc., to dump the boat in and then explore from there.

We are thinking about launch in Dania Beach (near Fort Lauderdale), hit the Bahamas, then make our way down to the Keys. I understand that the Dry Tortugas is also a great place to check out (about 70 miles from Key West.

Let us know what you find out before, during and after your trip. Many of us are exploring the same idea and I'm sure would like to hear from you!

Best,
Bobby

 

[knotflying]

Garrison Bite is nice, but bathroom facilities are not the greatest. We like Stcok Island. Very nice facility and they have a shuttle that runs regularly to Key West.