Can a Honda pilot tow a 240 for long distances ?

[Ramblin Wreck]

Here's my thoughts @Betik . Buy a cheap ticket to Atlanta (you can find really cheap airfare from Dallas to ATL) and make @ACrews trailer up from South GA and meet you around the airport to buy his boat. Then you can rent a truck from Enterprise and tow it back to Frisco. You'll have over 6 months to figure out how to tow it back to Fort Lauderdale. In the meantime, you'll have plenty of local boating opportunities prior to Bimini 2017 to play and get comfortable with the boat.

If you want a water test, I along with several other locals would be happy to assist either of you.

IMO if you're interested in his boat, that's a good deal and he's good people.

 

[Betik]

I have tremendous respect for Alan whom I spoke on the phone and he even offered to help with the trasportation.
At the end of the day I could always drive at 45MPH and sleep in the car for my 5 day return trip. LOL.

I cannot pull the trigger on it.

 

[Betik]

Oops forgot to mention.

Thank you for offering to help me test drive the boat, but that is not a problem at all.
1st I dont know anything about how to evaluate a boat
2nd If I did not have faith on yall's word, i would not even bother considering a used boat.

 

[blacksapphirez]

I'll tell you what..I'll save you 6 hrs round trip and few thousand dollars if you buy mine and I'll go get his boat lol

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

I have tremendous respect for Alan whom I spoke on the phone and he even offered to help with the trasportation.
At the end of the day I could always drive at 45MPH and sleep in the car for my 5 day return trip. LOL.

I cannot pull the trigger on it.

I may not completely understand what you're looking for or what you want to spend on a boat. I guess my thinking was I personally wouldn't let manageable distance or my personal vehicle limit which type of Yamaha to buy if all were within my budget. I purchased a ski earlier this year and drove 900 miles round trip in the same day to pick it up. Pretty easy to drive that distance when you're excited about what's behind you. Also, if 24ft is what you want I wouldn't let a Honda Pilot stop you. While I personally think it would be fine locally (these boats are not that heavy), it might not be as fun on long hauls. I'd probably pick up a 10 year F150 or equivalent for next to nothing and use it for towing if I felt uncomfortable in the Pilot. I'm not sure a $50k or $60k truck is needed if all your pulling is a jet boat on the weekends. That wouldn't make much sense to me. What I like about @ACrews boat is its off the shelf ready for Bimini. It needs nothing, but someone to drive it. That and the fact that it's warranted for 3 years while being priced right.

Anyhow, I'm sure you'll find something that works well for your family and definitely hope you make it to Bimini. It's really worth it and man do I love seeing facial expressions and stories of folk's first time crossing. No matter how much you think you know what to expect, it still somehow surprises you. Warning, if you have addictive character traits, Bimini will end up costing you a lot of time and money.

 

[Bruce]

I have seen a few suggestions of renting trucks to tow the boat. Generally rental companies do not allow towing with rented trucks. For example Enterprise's FAQ states "Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations do not allow a hitch or towing of any kind with the rental vehicle. However, towing is available on select pickup trucks at our Enterprise Truck Rental locations." The Truck Rental website offers towing with 3/4 ton trucks but not on 1/2 ton. The rental on a 3/4 ton truck is $70 a day or $350 per week which includes 100 miles per day with a $0.29 per mile charge over that. Enterprise Truck Rental requires the truck to be returned to the original location. This gets quite expensive for example a four day 1,600 mile rental to pickup a boat in Atlanta from Dallas would cost $280 in rental plus $348 for a total of $628 before taxes. Assuming 10% taxes and fees you are hitting $700 before fuel, food and hotels are considered. In comparison when I bought my LX210 from a previous owner in Georgia I payed $700 to have he delivered by a UShip driver to my home in Arkansas. My math at the time was that I would spend almost as much to make the round trip to pick her up using my own truck and considering time off work it was far cheaper to have her shipped.

U-Haul allows towing with their box moving trucks but not the pickups in their fleet. With mileage fees using their trucks also becomes very expensive.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

I have seen a few suggestions of renting trucks to tow the boat. Generally rental companies do not allow towing with rented trucks. For example Enterprise's FAQ states "Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations do not allow a hitch or towing of any kind with the rental vehicle. However, towing is available on select pickup trucks at our Enterprise Truck Rental locations." The Truck Rental website offers towing with 3/4 ton trucks but not on 1/2 ton. The rental on a 3/4 ton truck is $70 a day or $350 per week which includes 100 miles per day with a $0.29 per mile charge over that. Enterprise Truck Rental requires the truck to be returned to the original location. This gets quite expensive for example a four day 1,600 mile rental to pickup a boat in Atlanta from Dallas would cost $280 in rental plus $348 for a total of $628 before taxes. Assuming 10% taxes and fees you are hitting $700 before fuel, food and hotels are considered. In comparison when I bought my LX210 from a previous owner in Georgia I payed $700 to have he delivered by a UShip driver to my home in Arkansas. My math at the time was that I would spend almost as much to make the round trip to pick her up using my own truck and considering time off work it was far cheaper to have her shipped.

U-Haul allows towing with their box moving trucks but not the pickups in their fleet. With mileage fees using their trucks also becomes very expensive.

I knew the normal rental policies but didn't know/check the returning of a commercial truck. That's a good point. If I was going to round trip it and wanted to see a boat first hand prior to purchase, I would ask the seller to eat my travel expenses.

UShip or similar would be a good ideal for multi state crossing.

 

[Andy S]

@Betik this is no joke, if you bought a boat within 4-6 hours of South Carolina (it could be more time from SC if the boat is closer to you), I would be more than happy to get it and tow it to you with my truck (2011 F250 diesel). My niece just moved to Shallowater, TX (outside of Lubbock) and towing a boat to you would be a great excuse for me to drive over and see her.

 

[ACrews]

I don't know that I am prepared to pay so many referral fees! @Bruce hasn't shown that math in his spread sheet, but by my math, its adding up faster than the truck rental math! Haha. @Andy S @blacksapphirez @Ramblin Wreck

 

[Betik]

I will endeavor to explain.

First and foremost my high school buddies are starting in Greece and I am trying to buy a boat. I do have moral vacuum, so I can leave with that, but then Claire and I are endolging on our grid before we even secure our kids college funds. If i was advising a friend, I would say 'get a used 190 and shut up". Because all I need is a 190 to tube the kids and Claire to pictures on the boat and makes her high school friend jealous.

Since I found this forum last week and seen y'all Bimini videos I cannot help to want to go here this year. Seeing that the majority use 240, I wanted to be a copycat and my wife approved the purchase of 40K.
So where is the problem then You say.....

I build statistical risk models for a living, so decisions have to be based on logic not just excitement and desire. What factors restrain me from pulling the trigger?

1. What happens if I poop my pants open the way to Bimini? What to I do with 40K boat ? How do I look my self in the mirror without shooting myself? Although truth to be told in July 2017 guns will be illegal in the US, so it impossible for me to kill myself.
2. I was naive to believe that the pilot will do the job. And I could put my wife and kids on the prius and tow the boat alone, but where the fun on that or more importantly how to i put others at risk on the highway? Buy a truck. Yes but then we are looking at another 10K. Being irrantial to accomodate another irrantionality, it just never good. 2 negative dont make positive, but a HUGE negative.
3. The 190 will fit in our garage, done. The 240 if I want her to stay with us (which I very much do), I will need to re modify our patio/cover area to fit 9 feet beam. That is another 3K on the bucket.
4. I have most the money and I get a loan for the rest not a problem, but because I can spend the extra, it does mean that I have to spend it, if i can achieve 99% of what I need on a smaller budget.

So "God" tells me to stick with 190 and I WANT a 240, but unless I can find rational justification, I cannot pull the trigger.
This really old dude once told me, " what distinguish us humans from animal, is that the foundation of their action is enstict and desire, wheareas human's foundation is logic and rational". So unless I find a way to rationalize 240 over a 190, i cannot pull that trigger in good conscience while prioritizing what is best for my family's.
Trust me in statistics we find ways to rationalize everything and I am trying to very hard. And y'all are helping a lot, but the damn catalyst is missing.

 

[Chillypilot]

24-19 = 5 That's 5 more feet over 25% larger. How much more " logic and rational" does a guy need.

 

[Andy S]

I will endeavor to explain.

First and foremost my high school buddies are starting in Greece and I am trying to buy a boat. I do have moral vacuum, so I can leave with that, but then Claire and I are endolging on our grid before we even secure our kids college funds. If i was advising a friend, I would say 'get a used 190 and shut up". Because all I need is a 190 to tube the kids and Claire to pictures on the boat and makes her high school friend jealous.

Since I found this forum last week and seen y'all Bimini videos I cannot help to want to go here this year. Seeing that the majority use 240, I wanted to be a copycat and my wife approved the purchase of 40K.
So where is the problem then You say.....

I build statistical risk models for a living, so decisions have to be based on logic not just excitement and desire. What factors restrain me from pulling the trigger?

1. What happens if I poop my pants open the way to Bimini? What to I do with 40K boat ? How do I look my self in the mirror without shooting myself? Although truth to be told in July 2017 guns will be illegal in the US, so it impossible for me to kill myself.
2. I was naive to believe that the pilot will do the job. And I could put my wife and kids on the prius and tow the boat alone, but where the fun on that or more importantly how to i put others at risk on the highway? Buy a truck. Yes but then we are looking at another 10K. Being irrantial to accomodate another irrantionality, it just never good. 2 negative dont make positive, but a HUGE negative.
3. The 190 will fit in our garage, done. The 240 if I want her to stay with us (which I very much do), I will need to re modify our patio/cover area to fit 9 feet beam. That is another 3K on the bucket.
4. I have most the money and I get a loan for the rest not a problem, but because I can spend the extra, it does mean that I have to spend it, if i can achieve 99% of what I need on a smaller budget.

So "God" tells me to stick with 190 and I WANT a 240, but unless I can find rational justification, I cannot pull the trigger.
This really old dude once told me, " what distinguish us humans from animal, is that the foundation of their action is enstict and desire, wheareas human's foundation is logic and rational". So unless I find a way to rationalize 240 over a 190, i cannot pull that trigger in good conscience while prioritizing what is best for my family's.
Trust me in statistics we find ways to rationalize everything and I am trying to very hard. And y'all are helping a lot, but the damn catalyst is missing.

My offer is still good with pulling a 240 or a 190 from the East Coast your way. It won't be embarrassed to use my F250 to pull a 190, heck it might not even impact my fuel mileage.

 

[Ancient canoe]

I have seen a few suggestions of renting trucks to tow the boat. Generally rental companies do not allow towing with rented trucks. For example Enterprise's FAQ states "Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations do not allow a hitch or towing of any kind with the rental vehicle. However, towing is available on select pickup trucks at our Enterprise Truck Rental locations." The Truck Rental website offers towing with 3/4 ton trucks but not on 1/2 ton. The rental on a 3/4 ton truck is $70 a day or $350 per week which includes 100 miles per day with a $0.29 per mile charge over that. Enterprise Truck Rental requires the truck to be returned to the original location. This gets quite expensive for example a four day 1,600 mile rental to pickup a boat in Atlanta from Dallas would cost $280 in rental plus $348 for a total of $628 before taxes. Assuming 10% taxes and fees you are hitting $700 before fuel, food and hotels are considered. In comparison when I bought my LX210 from a previous owner in Georgia I payed $700 to have he delivered by a UShip driver to my home in Arkansas. My math at the time was that I would spend almost as much to make the round trip to pick her up using my own truck and considering time off work it was far cheaper to have her shipped.

U-Haul allows towing with their box moving trucks but not the pickups in their fleet. With mileage fees using their trucks also becomes very expensive.

Are you sure that's the case with U-Haul? I just clicked on their pickup truck rental and it listed they can be used to tow a boat. Still may be unfeasible when you factor in mileage and extended time though.

U-Haul is home of the $19.95 pickup truck rental! (Extended miles, week long and month long rental rates also available) Rent a pickup truck for any of your personal or business needs, our pickup trucks are also great for local deliveries. Pickup truck rentals are commonly used for home improvement projects, self-deliveries and other small loads. Rent a U-Haul pickup truck starting at just 19.95! (Extended miles, week and month long rates also available)

U-Haul pickup truck rentals are perfect for:

• Home improvement
• Deliveries
• Small loads
• Tow your boat

 

[Betik]

Ooo WOW. A lot of feedback while typing my long email.

Andy thank you very much.

You guys are making it very difficult for me not to pull the trigger.

Alan dont worry about the fees that will be my cross to carry.

I really cannot properly articulate how touched I feel. I know I am sounding like a chick, but it is indeed touching to get such soupport from people whom I have never met or have to dog in the race.

Boat or no boat, i am very happy to found the forum.

 

[Betik]

Andy, I might have to take you that offer as I am considering as an alternative to get Appollo sx190, so apparently is next door to Alan.

 

[blacksapphirez]

190 is fine for family of 4... but any more than that, it will struggle.

and 190 sits much closer to the water.... I feel more confident/safer with the 240.

 

[Andy S]

Andy, I might have to take you that offer as I am considering as an alternative to get Appollo sx190, so apparently is next door to Alan.

I work shift work with long stretches of time off, so I'm pretty darn flexible to help out and would be more than happy to do so.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

I work shift work with long stretches of time off, so I'm pretty darn flexible to help out and would be more than happy to do so.

Yes sir you are! Couldn't have made it to the Exumas without you Andy!

 

[ACrews]

Andy, I might have to take you that offer as I am considering as an alternative to get Appollo sx190, so apparently is next door to Alan.

@Betik, of course everyone gonna give ya a hard time(all in fun), but in reality, I don't blame ya. From experience of having a smaller boat to begin with, I won't ever go smaller than a 21 ft now. That being said, there is no way I'd advise you to get so much boat for your first. As you know from your position, it's a lot easier to go up in size than to go down due to the 19s fitting in almost everyone budget restraints as well as being able to be towed by even some cars. @Appollo boat has been taken very good care of & would make a great 1st boat. The 24s are alot of boat to handle but can be done fairly easy they're jus more to manage & more to maintain.

 

[Bruce]

Are you sure that's the case with U-Haul? I just clicked on their pickup truck rental and it listed they can be used to tow a boat.

I agree with your findings. Perhaps it was different in the past. I believe the U-Haul pickups have to be returned to the location where they were picked.

Regardless @Andy S is by far the most cost effective shipping option. Andy you always have a place to stay with family in Arkansas.