Boat owners, need help

[super10lbz]

Hey guys,
Ive searched all over for this, but cant find anythng. So i know the towing capacity ratings of these things, towing city ang highway isnt a issue. But i havent run into my main concern yet. Here it is.
I have 05 XL denali 5.3 2wd, will i be able to pull my 25ft boat out of the water? I am guessing since its a open bow boat with trailer and about half tank of gas i am around 6k lbs or so. I'm a little worried that i will get stuck pulling her out..the previous owner had a 2wd 1500 silverado and said he rarely had issues...i am not all that sure though, i need to find a nice ramp to use...Looking for advice....thanks

[MajesticLT03]

if 300 ft-lbs of torque cant get a boat out of water.. you have too big of a boat lol

[tblazed]

Does it have the G80 locking differential?

[super10lbz]

g80 it has..

[Mackskibum]

I think he's more worried about wheel spin. If you have a load distributing hitch, disconnect the torsion bars to get more weight on the rear axle to pull out of the water. I don't think you will have a problem, though.

[super10lbz]

power isnt the issue, spinning like Mackskibum said.

[liquidtherapy]

Thats why I love 4wd with the auto selection. I have yet to need it at a ramp with my 20' boat, but it's good to know it's there. The major factor will be the ramp conditions. If you're carefull than it shouldn't be a problem.

[MichEnvoyBoy]

Well my 2002 Envoy has the 4.10 gears and G80 rear axle... my 26' Four Winns with gear, fuel and assuming the water and waste tank are 1/2 full and with trailer weigh over 7,000lbs. I have taken it home from the marina 2x this year (not including launch and haul out) and if my SWB Envoy with the I6 can pull it up the ramp, im sure yours can! I realize you only have 2wd - I always lock mine into A4WD "just in case" it slips, but it never has. Hope this helps!

[tblazed]

power isnt the issue, spinning like Mackskibum said.

That's why I asked if it's got the G80. You should be in good shape.

[super10lbz]

Thanks for all the quick replys, will see how she does:D

[rcam81]

We have a lousy ramp at the lake where my boat is. Mine weighs around 4000 lbs and I get it out with 2wd with no problems.

[MichEnvoyBoy]

We have a lousy ramp at the lake where my boat is. Mine weighs around 4000 lbs and I get it out with 2wd with no problems.


Where do you boat at, Rcam?

[Dave]

I deleted the duplicate thread on the SS forums.

6000 is pretty close to the max for a Denali 2WD. 6100 if you have 3.42 gears, 6600 if you have 3.73. The condition of the ramp may also be a factor.

[Rob]

You shouldn't have a problem unless the ramp is a wreck. I used to tow my 5K pound boat with a GMC Safari with the 4.3L. Only time I ever had a problem was on an a real trainwreck of a ramp in SC. I once watched a guy try to pull what had to be a 24' cruiser up a ramp with a Ranger pickup. The tires just spun wildly, even with several guys in the bed. An Explorer finally pulled him up the ramp with a tow strap. You see some wild stuff when you own a boat.

[MichEnvoyBoy]

You shouldn't have a problem unless the ramp is a wreck. I used to tow my 5K pound boat with a GMC Safari with the 4.3L. Only time I ever had a problem was on an a real trainwreck of a ramp in SC. I once watched a guy try to pull what had to be a 24' cruiser up a ramp with a Ranger pickup. The tires just spun wildly, even with several guys in the bed. An Explorer finally pulled him up the ramp with a tow strap. You see some wild stuff when you own a boat.

Like the one time I was launching my old 20' Cuddy(sold last year) at the public ramp. An older station wagon land yacht of the late 80's pulls up and backs up to launch their 24' old dilapidated boat. Well I heard a really loud bang, followed by a splash. I turned around and the boat trailers axle fell off and rolled back into the water!!! :eek: :rotfl: It appeared the U brackets had rotted or just broke under stress, the ones that held the axle to the frame. If I only had my camera!!!!

[Rob]

I was putting my boat back in the water one time when the tide was particularly low. The tires of the trailer were at the end of the ramp, and there still wasn't much water under the boat. While my friend sat in the truck, I rocked the boat on the rollers until the weight aft of the rear set of rollers was greater than that in front of the rollers (big 'ol cast iron V8 IO). The stern went down and the bow went up with me clinging to the bow railing. I had to flip myself onto the bow and jump over the windshield to run to the stern and stop the boat from crashing into the yachts moored in slips about 20 yards behind the ramp. My friend said it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen.

The ramp in SC was at Hunting Island State Park. A very nice park, but the ramp was down the end of a dirt road along the inlet. The end of the dirt road widened a bit at the end and there was a lone ramp off the corner. No parking lot, nothing. Now one of my pet peeves is boaters (or anybody) who are completely oblivious to how they are impacting others. At this ramp, nearly all the other boaters would drop their boat and park directly across from the ramp, effectively almost eliminating any room to maneuver. Even though there is plenty of room to park parallel along the road. However, on this day there was one small area across from the ramp where there was just enough room to pull up so you could back down the ramp. I always make sure I'm out of the way while I get my boat ready to launch, and I was off to the side doing just that. As I'm getting ready, some knucklehead pulls in and backs up to the ramp and then starts to get ready to launch. It must have taken him 20 minutes, because his "tie down" was yellow poly rope that ran back and forth across the boat umpteen times and was tied to the trailer. We're standing around waiting until he finally puts his boat in the water. He then proceeds to pull directly forward and into the last space in which to maneuver. Only when we yelled “how are we supposed to back in” did he move. What a moron.

[itchyfishnv]

if its a wide enough ramp you can decrease the incline by turning to the side and driving up the ramp on more of angle to decrease your chance of spinning the wheels