Northwest Fishing Reports

might sound stupid, but can I tow a 12' aluminum jon boat with a 1998 Saturn SL??? My freind is selling me his 12' jon w/ trailer. I only have a saturn (great mpg) and wanted to know if it is capable of towing it if I purchase a hitch for it.. thank you

Should be fine, a 12' boat is pretty light.

As kzoo said, you should be just fine. My friend use to pull his 15ft Starcraft runabout with a 40hp on the back with his 97 Saturn!! (don't do that though). Also, I use to pull my 12' jon with a 89 Toyota corolla wagon....way to beat the fuel prices!! More than likely, your Saturn has around an 800lb towing capacity, plenty. Plus, the front wheel drive is very nice on those slippery launches. Have fun with the new boat, and post some reports!!

Thanks guys. I will feel more confident towing the boat. I can imagine launching the boat will be scary. I have heard stories where people had there boat pull the cars into the water... I guess the aluminum boat and trailer together don't weigh that much, but still will be scary. thanks again guys.

Back in college I used to pull a little metal 4x8 trailer with my motorcycle on it behind an '87 Toyota Tercel (very small 4cyl in it). It didn't break a sweat unless I was on a long steep hill. I think you should be fine on weight and the only thing you might see over the long term is a shorter clutch life, if it's not an automatic transmission.

You can get a receiver hitch for just about any car at U-Haul, or you might get lucky calling around to a few scrap yards. Over the years I've had luck with both.

Now get out there and have some fun! ;-)

Hooked,
That would be a piece of cake. I used to tow this;



with this;



Never had a problem. You can see them in action if you click on the Member link in the blue bar above and go to videos. Then click on Jump Off Joe Lake.

hooked on fishing, there should not be any problems with your saturn, i had an escort that i towed with and no problems. good luck and safe travels.

:viking:

thanks again for all the replies. Lotech Joe I watched the video. good stuff bro.

Zero worries. That car will pull the boat just fine.
That boat/trailer combo is light enough that you, alone, could jockey it around your yard.

As for the car going under when you're trying to launch....
Again, not something to worry about. This boat and trailer is going to be trouble-free when launching. Just remember to put it in park and set the brake when you hop out....there's no way it'll drag you in!

Bscman wrote:Just remember to put it in park and set the brake when you hop out....there's no way it'll drag you in!

Good point! Two others...

1) Don't leave your car running while you launch. If disaster strikes and your car does in the drink, it won't pull water down inside the engine if it's not running. Big difference in the repair bill if your motor is wet vs. drunk.

2) Probably not an issue with a boat of your size, but a wise man once reminded me to put my family in the boat as I backed in, and not belted in their car seats. SHould the whole combo go in, at least the boat floats!

I think you have a majority opinion, hope you're headed out for the long weekend. Enjoy!

good responses. Just never be in a rush to get on the water - always think what you're doing. Obvious point, but these accidents happen because of lack of attention. I've see it happen twice (once a truck on the Snoqualmie - went totally under, and once a car at West Seattle, went 50% under). It's quite a sight to see.

Believe it or not I also have a saturn and was thinking of putting a tow hitch on it. Good to hear it should be fine. I'm not sure if I'm getting a 10' or a 12' jon boat, but by the sound of it a 12' should be fine to be pulled by a little car. thanks hooked for this post.