Biggest Trailerable Sundancer?

LmannyR

New Member
Aug 16, 2008
328
West Palm Beach, FL
Boat Info
220 Sundancer 1989
Engines
5.7 Mercruiser w/Alpha 1
Which Model is the biggest Sundancer I can trailer. I'm looking for an upgrade in the next year.

We do some family fishing and thought about the late model 290 amberjack, but that seems to be over the limit with my truck. (trade for dually 3500?, want to trade one day anyway).

Fishing = drop a line at the dock with an occasional troll on the atlantic for kicks ( we do this now ) in our 220DA.

So my next choice is 290DA (we could fish off of it). I've only seen the 2005+ models.

I'm hoping to get a no older than 2000 although I prefer 2004 for the smartcraft systems, and upgraded interior for the wife.

I have an open mind so suggest away...
 
I know someone who trailers a 300DA, and in fact, wehn I'm ready to upgrade that's what I'm going with and it will be on a trailer. you are supposed to have permits for anything over 8.5' beam, but many have trailered without one. I have a 1 mile each way commute from storage to launch, so I'm not planning on getting a permit as it's all back roads.
 
Not sure which model but I was told an 8.5 is the widest beam you can trailor without get special permits and your restricted on the time of day you can transport if you go larger. I'm researching the same thing for next spring. I love being on a major river but it would be nice to go to different locations off the river.
 
Just got off the phone with Florida DOT. They said anything over 8'6" is restricted to daylight hours only. 12' or more requires escorts with permits. Acording to this rep, a yearly permit is required for more than 8'6.

What does the 300 weigh? 290? 310? What are their beams?
 
A 340. Using a 5th wheel trailer and a 450 as the tow vehicle. Yes you need a permit. I have to have one for the 290 as well.

I've looked into this in some detail as that is what we intend to upgrade to at some point and still be mobile.
 
Just got off the phone with Florida DOT. They said anything over 8'6" is restricted to daylight hours only. 12' or more requires escorts with permits. Acording to this rep, a yearly permit is required for more than 8'6.

What does the 300 weigh? 290? 310? What are their beams?

go to Searay.com and you can get all that info. For me, the largest one that can come with out drives is the largest I'd get. I do allot of River running so I need outdrives. I know others with big inboards that have tore up their underwater gear.
 
Laws vary by state on width and height restrictions. I tow my 310.
 
If the 290 AJ is over the limit of your truck are you planning to upgrade tow vehicles? If not - what are you planning to tow with? That will help you with what is the biggest DA you can tow. I stuck with the 270DA since it has the 8.5' beam and I did not want any restrictions. I also didn't want to lose an SUV - so that left me with towing something which weighed less than the 12k lbs I can currently tow with the Excursion. As far as the biggest one which can be towed - they can all be towed if the height isn't too much - after all they are transported all over the country. Launching them is another story...
 
Based on the beam alone the 260 is the largest with the 8'6" beam.
 
Height is only an issue if you have an arch and those can be hinged. The width is really the biggest issue. Just don't go over 12 feet wide or 13 or 14 feet high and you will be fine. If you don't mind taking a pilot car front and back, go ahead and go over the limits. You just have to get the appropriate licenses and insurance for the pilot car drivers!

Loading and unloading is no different than the smaller boats that we've owned. I actually winch the 300 DA less than I did the 250 DA. It just centers better on the trailer for some reason. The only other restriction I face is that I can't be on the highway after noon on the day prior to a holiday weekend or on the last day of a holiday weekend. So that means I get to go early and leave late! :grin:

There are some small variances depending on the state laws. We always get an annual Idaho permit for $50 and then get a permit for $20 a month in Washington. We usually get it for April through October. The folks in Washington always ask if I intend to haul at night. Apparently I can if I get "approved" ahead of time based on the required lights I would need to add. I haven't bothered with that.

When we head West to Seattle, we have restrictions mon - fri during commute times, but that's never been an issue.
 
:smt001 I have a sea ray sundancer 260,and on the website sr claims this boat the largest trailer boat without permits:smt001
 
Just got off the phone with Florida DOT. They said anything over 8'6" is restricted to daylight hours only. 12' or more requires escorts with permits. Acording to this rep, a yearly permit is required for more than 8'6.

What does the 300 weigh? 290? 310? What are their beams?

LmannyR,

I trailer a 290 in Florida. Yes, a permit is required for anything over 8.5'

A yearly permit costs about $20, and I have never seen a boater buy one, nor have I heard of any boaters being stopped in Florida (I sure it has happened, but for the most part, this doesn't seem to be a big crime in Florida). The same cannot be said for Georgia and the Carolina's who do like to stop wide boats.

There are three members of my local boat club that routinely trailer a (03-06) 300DA, and have not have any issues with towing or enforcement.

Personally, I think my '06 290DA pushes the limits as far as I am comfortable with trailering. The Ford F-350 handles it very well.

Good Luck with your search.
 
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I have just completed the search you are talking about. I ended up with a 268 sundancer. 8.5 and the actual length from swim platform to the pulpet is between 30 and 31 ft. The 8.5 foot beam is the major problem. All states require some sort of permit for everything over 8.5 ft. If you travel in more than one state a seperate permit is required for each. In texas a trip permit costs $60. and is good for 6 days. also, a bond must be posted for $10,000. It took me almost a half a day talking to computer driven ans. machines to get this info. I restricted my search at that point to boats 8.5 ft. I tow it with a 1-ton crew cab dodge 3500. cummins diesel The hasel of getting multi state permits every time I wanted to travel was toomuch trouble. I thought about just winging it but I rejected that approach. Sounds like a good way to spend your weekend talking to state police and trying to get your boat out of state custody. 20 yrs. ago I might have done it, but now I would rather not have to worry about every cop coming the outer way....Olive oil would never let me hear the end of a deal like that.....
 
I had a trailer for my 330 and it worked like a breeze! It was a triple axle and was pulled with your exact truck as well as another friends F350 Diesel Dually. Weight is around 13,500lbs depending on how much fuel I have in the tanks. Beam is 11'6".

Good Luck! GO BIG!
 
If I were to do it all over again, I'd go with the biggest boat I could pull with an F350 and deal with the permit issues. Adding to the beam of the boat, even if only 1 foot, makes a huge difference in the comfort department not only in the cabin but also while underway. My first boat was a 260 that we decided on because of the permit issues. We really wanted a 280 but it is over width and I was unsure of the permit process to go to Canada. I now realize any permit costs would have been well worth it for a wider, more stable beam. Go as big as you can afford and safely tow is my rec..

BTW, here in NC we no longer need permits to tow a boat up to 10' wide :thumbsup: Apparently, someone in Raleigh knows the effect boaters have on the coastal economy. Now, if they would do away with property taxes on boats.......
 
If you plan on going from your residence to the water and back, a boat larger than 8'6" wide may work as long as permitting isn't an issue. If you plan on trailering multi-state, just realize that you will need permits in EVERY state that you go through for a boat wider than 8'6". Also realize that most states have restrictions that prohibit trailering on holidays, weekends, and night time. Yes, you read correctly... holidays AND weekends. How they expect someone to get their boat to the water not during a weekend is beyond me.

Doug
 
This is a hard question to answer ... out in the West ... Tahoe and elsewhere they trailer anything up to a 380DA ... frequently have 340DA's with stern drives on trailers there.
 
If you plan on going from your residence to the water and back, a boat larger than 8'6" wide may work as long as permitting isn't an issue. If you plan on trailering multi-state, just realize that you will need permits in EVERY state that you go through for a boat wider than 8'6". Also realize that most states have restrictions that prohibit trailering on holidays, weekends, and night time. Yes, you read correctly... holidays AND weekends. How they expect someone to get their boat to the water not during a weekend is beyond me.

Doug
How they expect someone to get their boat to the water not during a weekend is beyond me.:huh:


This is how it’s done here for over widths that are 12’ or less. No operation during the following times:

-between 4pm and 11pm on Sunday
-between 4pm and 11pm on Friday between the 4th Friday in May and Labor Day
-between 4pm and 11pm on any holiday
-between 4pm and 11pm on the day before any holiday except when Independence Day falls on a Sunday

I'm curious as to what they do in NJ.
 
Oregon did a study and they determined that they were better off WITHOUT travel restrictions during the holiday weekends. Apparently the increase in traffic on the next day caused more havoc when all the oversized loads hit the freeways. That's about the only good study I've seen from Oregon, but I wish Washington and Idaho would adopt it! :smt038
 

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