move 228 grady from houston to seattle

wavetamer

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Has any one have any experience moving a vessel from houston to seattle, any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated
 

magicalbill

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Hi;

It's a long trip, but towing a 228 is not that big a deal.

Things to think about.

1.) Your tow vehicle. It needs to be a good 1/2 ton truck at the least. Gas power is fine, a 3/4 ton diesel will do the job better and get better mileage, but it isn't necessary.
2.) Speaking of mileage, you'll spend a bit in fuel. Expect to net around 10-12 mpg at 60-65 mph. Push past 70 and it'll get worse.
3/)The towed weight of a Seafarer 228 is roughly 5000-5500 lbs. depending on your trailer weight.
4.) Let's talk about the trailer. This is KEY!! Make 110% sure it's heavy-duty enough and up to the task of a long trip. Many trailer combo's paired with boats are undersized and not adequate for a trip your undertaking. Minimum twin 3500 LB axles, my opinion.
Have a pro check and replace bearings, races, hubs, brakes, tires, anything it needs.
I assume it will have a tandem under the boat, but a single-axle trailer will not cut it.
5.) Are you pulling it yourself? If you have towing experience, as I mentioned, it isn't a problem to tow, set up properly. If you are new to pulling trailers, think carefully before attempting it. It's really far and there are too many variables and potential situations you could get yourself into on that long a trip that could spell trouble, delays or worse. I'm not saying you couldn't do it, but if you are new to towing, a few short trips to get to know the rig and it's handling characteristics would be a big help.
6.) A Seafarer is not an overwide boat to pull. You'll need no special permits. Just make sure you plates and registration are current for the trailer.
7.) If the boat has a hardtop, it'll run 8 1/2, maybe a little over 9 feet in height. Is there radar, GPS antennas or other items attached to the hardtop that would increase the height? In any case, measure the total height so you'll know your clearance tolerances. Watch for low hanging tree limbs and other obstructions if you get off the interstates.
8.)Make sure your tow vehicle is also up to the task. Most 1/2 tonners have built-in tow packages, trans cooler,etc. Make sure your oil is changed, transmission serviced (fluid/filter) Remember, your towing 5000+ pounds thru mountains, and dealing with the heat of Southern Texas. This is not an everyday trip. treat it as such.

Got a bit long here...Be safe and good luck.

Bill.
 

magicalbill

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One more idea..

There are towing/transport services you can engage if you don't want to mess with it yourself. I have no clue what they'd charge. There are guys on this board that have used them, I think.
 

Diesel Demon

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Trailered my '88 Seafarer on a '87 tandem axle Cox trailer from NJ to Louisiana (2200 miles) with a 5.9L 1/2 ton Dodge. Only casualty I had was a busted brake line near the actuator. Here's what I did to make the trip pretty much uneventful.
1) The tires were 14" Carsile's which aren't the greatest. Didn't have the $ so I replaced 2 which had the worst "checking" in the sidwalls.
2) Replaced all the wheel bearings and seals. The trailer has drum brakes so they looked ok.
3) Bought two sets of bearings and a spare hub.
4) Bought a brake bleeder kit and a length of brake line at Autozone. This came in handy when the one near the hitch snapped. I was able to change it out and bleed the brakes at a rest stop. If you buy a spare line make sure you buy the right thread style. My trailer was 3/8" domestic threads.
5) I also had a temp gauge to monitor the bearing temps but you will quickly know which one is running hot after feeling them during the first couple stops. Take a short 10-20 mile trip before the long haul. Roll down the windows and listen to the trailer.

The most important thing I did was I never went above 50 mph and kept the pressures in the tires near the max. It took alot of discipline but the main reason tires blow out is from exceeding the rated tire speed and tires being underinflated.

After the trip I bought an air lift kit to help prevent the truck from squatting. I'm not sure what the tongue weight is but the air bags definately helped the ride. The truck also made and average of 10mpg coming down.

Good Luck,
Mark