I just bought a new tournament class ski boat (approx. 4200lbs) and I was wondering if anyone had anything to say about towing with their lightnings? Obviously the truck has plenty of power, but how does it tow? Does it have any problems getting traction on a wet boat ramp? Looking at a '01. Thanks, Chad

 

i think you would be making a mistake to try to bring a boat out of the water on a wet boat ramp. even on our front drive van we spin the tires sometimes and on my lightning it would be really bad, because the tires arent the best on the wet at the best of times anyway. i wouldnt use it on the boat ramp, but i would tow it to the ramp.

 

Umm Good Luck! I have pulled a 98 Seadoo XP and a 2000 Seadoo Speedster and spun each and every time pulling them out of the water. It didnt matter if the ramp was steep, weight in the bed, whatever. You just have to be patient and take your time and go very slow, less wheel spin that way.

Eric

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Red 2000, #1599, Born 3-27-00
NLOC #622
Pro-M 80mm MAF
Beltech 2" Rear Drop Shackles
Best Time = 13.93 @ 98.61mph 339Hp, 412lbs torque
Mister SVT's Lightning

 

holy #$)*#$

what kind of Tournament ski boat did you buy that way's 4200lbs???

I have a Tige 21V Riders Edition Wakeboard boat (huge heavy ****) that tips the scales at 3450lbs

im scared to death ripping up the slalom course behind it due to it's wake, would hate to make a hard cut behind a 4200lb boat

not flaming, just curious what boat you bought

 

I tow my 21' Carrera Elite with the Lightning, but only locally. It is tough oh get the L to pull up the ramp, unless you have a 55 gal drum of gas in the bed. We use the 4 WD Durango for pulling to the river. My boat and trailer weigh less than 3500 lbs combined, including the BB Chev in the boat. Your ski boat must be SOLID to weigh that much.

As far as pulling it across ground, the L will do a fine job.


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Red 00"
Pro-M mass air
Swanson Chip
Aluminum Driveshaft
Jay Lincoln Homemade Traction Bars
*******'s bed cover
Wet Okoles

 

My boat is 18.5' and 3600lbs with trailer and I've never had any problems pulling it out. And one of the ramps I use is pretty steep and slick.

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Mark
'00 Lightning
'79+ Corvette

 

If you use the same lake all the time slip it for the summer. Ready to go when you are. Mine sits on a Hydro-Hoist which is hard to see in the picture but the boat is out of the water. Bottom stays nice and clean. Got to keep the slip year round though. Lifes a bitch.

 

I towed my boat from the boat yard this past saturday it weighs allmost 4000 lbs with fuel in it and the Lightning barely felt it behind her. Unlike KGM mine sites in salt water all summer so I had to paint the bottom. I put it in the water in May and take it out in september.KGM your boat looks awsome bet it is fast.




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SILVER 2001 LIGHTNING
Built 02/14/01
Picked up 03/03/01
Sportmasters tonneau
Bedrug
Alpine head unit and six disk changer.
JL Audio speakers
Magnaflow muffler
JDM BigMouth Filter.
http://donf150.tripod.com/Welcome/id6.html

http://www.zing.com/album/?id=4294607313


[This message has been edited by Don C (edited 04-25-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Don C (edited 04-25-2001).]

 

Don C...Never fast enough! Should see 75mph this year unless the blower Gods want me to get it sooner. Then we should be at 85+. Do you run a SS prop? If you do get it blueprinted [labbed] and you should get back the speed you lost from the bottom paint plus some. Have fun this summer.

 

KGM nice boat, is that a 30ft Hallett? I have the 210 hallett with a blown 502/502 in it and it gets up to 95mph. One fun boat!

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Proud owner of a Silver 2001 Lightning!
Magnaflow 12468
******** X-2000
Synthetic
BaBolts Exhaust Tips

 

This truck is perfect for a single handed ramp launch:

I back the boat into the water; step out of the cab and onto the step; climb into the bed; walk back to the trailer; step out onto to the trailer tongue where I untie the boat; get onto the boat and drive it over to the dock; tie it up; and run back to retrieve the truck...

...without ever stepping in the water.


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Silver 2001.5
Snuglid
Bedrug
Nada mas

 

IF you use a wide ramp, AND you can come down at at angle and then put the boat in with the truck pointed at a 45 degree angle,, you take off across the ramp instead of straight up. Just enough to get moving and up off the slick. Of course heavy summer traffic interferes with all this.

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Red 99

 

KGM
Ya I have a Stainless Steel prop. It is funny when I bought my boat I test drove it on fresh water it only did 60 mph. In the salt water it does 63 mph, must be the extra boayancy (sp?) of the salt water that helped the speed. Plus I sand the bottom real well before putting on a fresh coat of bottom paint each year.

 

I bought a 2001 Malibu Sunsetter LXi. The boat itself weights 3000 w/ fuel, but on the trailer w/ gear & beer its 4200. The slalom wake is perfect, w/ the wedge the wakeboard wake is intense. Don't let the weight fool you, it was "towboat of the year" last year. I like the weight b/c it handles rough water extremely well. btw- A friend of mine also has a new Tige .. also a nice boat. Chad

 

ok, didnt realize you were including trailer weight and everything

Sunsetter is a nice boat...good choice.

I've been very happy with the Tige, LOTS of room (100" beam) and puts out a pretty intense wake. We load it down with 2 600lb fat sacs in the back, and two 250pounders up front. So it's probalby weighing 5500pounds when I got all my buds and gear loaded up.....frankly it's rather insane, but it's damn fun

enjoy the new boat