Trailer question

[Bob B.]

As my wife and I try to navigate which used Ranger Tug fits our cruising style the best, I have seen inboard R27 boats on both tandem and triple axle trailers.

I thought the triple axle was designed for towing heavy aft weighted tugs with outboards? Is a triple serious over kill for a loaded 27 with a Generator, A/C, heat and Volvo D3 200? Would a well set up tandem be better as the boat is under 9000 pounds loaded or am I making too much of this?

Lastly, we do trailer long distances, a week ago we returned from a 3000 mile round trip to Punta Gorda and back spending 2 1/2 weeks aboard our boat Honu, a 25 foot Atlas Acadia. We are looking to upgrade our living accommodations and a Ranger looks like the best fit.

Bob.

 

[pleeson]

Tandem axle trailers are just fine IF the axles ratings and suspension are sufficient for the aggregate weight of the trailer and what you put on it. Bear in mind these boats, once ready for cruising, are a damned site heavier than the factory numbers. Check the data plate on any trailer and dont under estimate the weight of YOUR boat as equipped. We don't even have a generator on our C28 and all up trailer plus boat weight in cruise ready configuration (we don't unload it for towing) is close to 12,000 lbs on a triple axle aluminum trailer.

 

[S. Todd]

We just towed our new R29 home from the dealership 265 miles on its triple axle trailer. After towing various boats for 3.5 decades on tandem axes trailers I would highly recommend for the triple. The R29 weighs a good bit more than anything we ever towed before but the ride was much smoother. The poor road conditions we often experience were smoothed out by the triple and the boat bounced less and the truck bounced less. The only downsides to the triple are initial cost, tire replacement cost, and tight turns put lots of sideway pressure on the tires. If you are going to tow lots of miles, like your inquiry suggests, and you can get a triple in the weight capacity, do it and every mile on less than perfectly smooth roads you will thank yourself for making the right decision.

 

[snydzy]

More axles is better for frequent distance towing. Less axles is better for frequent short trips to the ramp with a lot of turning compared to total miles driven. You need to get a trailer with the appropriate weight rating. Also will depend on tow vehicle. If tow vehicle has a capacity rating comfortably above tow weight, the lower “smoothness” factor of a tandem is less of a concern.I’ve found a lot of ramps on Lake Michigan that don’t allow triple axle trailers.

 

[scross]

My personal opinion is that the R27 Classic is about the heaviest you would consider towing with a tandem axle trailer.
My R25 Classic has a factory dry weight of 5,700 pounds. The reality is that the boat weights 2,000 pounds more than that in cruising configuration with fuel, fresh water and black water tanks mostly empty. My trailer is heavier than most, coming in at 2,000 pounds. So, I am towing 9,700 pounds including the trailer.
The Tuff trailer I have has tandem 6,000 lb. galvanized steel axles with torsion suspension. Axles rated at 6,000 pounds are about as strong as they normally get. So my trailer axles are rated for a load of 12,000 pounds. That 12,000 pounds max minus the weight of the trailer itself gives me 10,000 pounds that the axles can support. The trailer maker states that the maximum boat weight for my trailer is 8,500 pounds so there may be a limiting factor other than just the rated capacity of the axles.
The R27 Classic has a published dry weight (6,950 lbs) that is 1,250 pounds heavier than my R25 Classic. Assuming same 2,000 pounds of optional equipment, gear and fluids you are looking at a boat weight in cruising configuration of about 9,000 pounds with not much in the fuel or fresh water tanks. That is right at or just over the range limits of using two 6,000 pound rated axles on a tandem trailer assuming a 2,000 pound trailer weight.
If I were towing a R27 Classic, I would prefer a triple axle but would be ok with a tandem axle trailer towing the R27 where the manufacturer stated it would take a 9,000 pound load. I would just never tow a R27 Classic with full tanks on that tandem trailer. Anything bigger or heavier than the R27 would definitely need a triple axle trailer. Again, all this is my opinion.