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Tow Rating Guide

  • Understanding your vehicle’s tow rating capacity is critical to choosing the right Boat for you and your family.

  • Towing your next Boat safely down the road will depend on having the right tow vehicle and boat combination.



Find My Vehicle's Towing Capacity
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Attention: Your vehicle's max towing capacity includes passenger weight, added accessories, any current liquids in tanks, and any cargo you've added such as food, clothes, chairs, grills, games, tools, etc.. For purposes of Find a Boat I can Tow, we've allowed 1000 lbs for boats over 8000 lbs, 750 lbs for boats under 8000 lbs, and 500 lbs for boats under 5000 lbs for average Cargo Weight. Always confirm your specific tow vehicles towing capacity directly from your vehicle's manufacturer before purchasing or towing a boat. You are responsible for the decision to operate your vehicle and any boat you may tow. If your specific vehicle is not listed, please contact us for assistance.

Terms & Definitions

  • Dry Weight/Shipped Weight - The weight of the boat as shipped from the manufacturer without any passengers, cargo, liquids, or additional accessories or dealer installed options.
  • Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) - The current combined weight of the boat (dry weight) plus passengers, cargo, and liquids.
  • Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) - The maximum allowed weight of an Vehicle/Boat, including passengers, cargo, fluids, etc..
  • Cargo Weight - The total weight of all passengers, food, clothing, liquids, accessories, etc.. that you might put into your boat.
  • Tongue/Hitch Weight - The weight/pressure applied from the trailer tongue/coupler to the conventional/bumper hitch on your vehicle.
  • Payload Capacity - For Trucks the amount of weight you can safely add to the bed of the truck. Your boat's Hitch Weight plus the actual weight of hitch plus any other accessories you have in the bed of the truck must not exceed the Payload Capacity amount. Confirm Payload Capacity with your vehicle’s manufacturer.
  • Max Towing Capacity - The maximum weight limit that can safely be towed by your specific vehicle. This weight is calculated by adding the boat’s GVW with weight of all passengers, cargo, and liquids in your tow vehicle.