Trailering a 340 EC

norriscathy

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Jan 21, 2013
60
east texas
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Does anyone trailer a 340 from lake to lake? We are in the middle of the country with lots of large lakes nearby in Texas, Arkansas and Missouri. Also not far to the Red River and then into the Mississippi. It looks like the 340 is about as small a boat as you can get that would accomodate 2 couples for a week or so at a time. Would really like to move from lake to lake to river for a week or so at a time but hiring a transport company each time would be pretty expensive. Your thoughts please I pull 30+ cattle and equipment trailers all the time with my F-250 V-10.

Norris
 
A friend of mine pulls his 96 330DA from TN to FL twice a yr. w/his duramax diesel duley
 
I have towed my 14K pound 310 with my 2500HD. It can be done, although I wouldn't want to do it weekly or even a couple times a month. Check with your state's oversize load laws... you will probably need a permit.
 
i have the same question as i'm considering my next boat. i have a duramax diesel dually to pull with.
how do you launch a boat that big? i can pull it, but will i be able to pull it up a ramp with my back tires in the water or would i have to have it launched and re-trailered for me?
 
There was a fellow on the old Regal site who trailered his 35. I would think your biggest issue would be permits, lead and chase vehicles if required and height. The Regal had outdrives.
 
i have the same question as i'm considering my next boat. i have a duramax diesel dually to pull with.
how do you launch a boat that big? i can pull it, but will i be able to pull it up a ramp with my back tires in the water or would i have to have it launched and re-trailered for me?

There is a fellow on another site who has pulled his 280 all over the place with his Ram diesel dually. No problems to date.
 
i have the same question as i'm considering my next boat. i have a duramax diesel dually to pull with.
how do you launch a boat that big? i can pull it, but will i be able to pull it up a ramp with my back tires in the water or would i have to have it launched and re-trailered for me?

You can launch and retrieve your boat... how easy depends on how well it fits the trailer and how steep the ramp is. You will need help... at least one helper at the trailer as you drive the boat on. Traction at the ramp has not been a problem at our lake, but we have very clean water.
 

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i have the same question as i'm considering my next boat. i have a duramax diesel dually to pull with.
how do you launch a boat that big? i can pull it, but will i be able to pull it up a ramp with my back tires in the water or would i have to have it launched and re-trailered for me?
If your dually isn't 4x4 I wouldn't do a 280 or larger.
 
a 340 on a trailer ??
guess it would depend on what year but the 80s 340ec is a 38' long 14' wide 18,000 lb(dry weight) boat
permits would be required I would bet....and more than a 3/4 ton to STOP it
anything will make it move....consider the stopping
 
I guess the OP didn't really what year model he was considering.....the mid-ninties models were not as wide. There's a 94 model 330EC on my dock, and I think it's 11'6" wide.

Don
 
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I pull a 2000 340 DA with a beam of 11 1/2 foot. Specs say boat dry is 13K lbs I think. It is pulled with a 2000 F250 Crew Cab 4X4 7.3L Diesel. The motor has been programmed and I have an extra large transmission cooler on it. The cooler was installed last year after being nervous about temps. I have pulled the boat over 200 to 300 miles each year and when we purchased it I pulled it back from MI, through IN and IL. You need to pull permits and run oversize load signs and flags. Each state has its own stipulation about running at night or weekends among other rules and regs.

When I run it where and I know the heights I take the radar dome off for safety, it is about 13'9" at the arch on my trailer. When I pulled it back from MI I took the arch completely off and laid it on the bow.

When I put it in and pull it out I do it in fourwheel low and ease it in or out. The trailer and winch always sound like something is going to break creaking and flexing as we put it in or pull it out.

There are a few guys out here on CSR that pull this same boat. I have a friend in town that pulls his early 90's 310 which is very similar to the 340 size but about a thousand pounds lighter with his 2500 avalanche with a 454. He just traded that in for the new 1500 HD with the MAX trailering package and the 6.2L. I am very interested in how that works out for him this season...:wow:

Here is a picture of mine all hooked up.http://www.alwaysstarboard.com/2012/07/sheboygan-or-bust.html (double click pic to enlarge)
 
Man, that is one awsome rig!!!!!!!!!!!!Thanks Paul; you have really made me feel better! I hadn't thought about height clearance; thanks for the heads up .The '89 I'm looking at has a beam of 11'11" and will be permitted in the states around here without any escort or other problems. At 12,100 # it will be a load but my V-10 4x4 will out pull any diesel on the road. (Can anyone match a 36 ft dual tandem trailer (8,000#) with 20 rolls of hay (20,000#) pulling up the mountains of Arkansas?) Thanks again Paul; you've made the '89 340 a "done deal".
Norris
 
a 340 on a trailer ??
guess it would depend on what year but the 80s 340ec is a 38' long 14' wide 18,000 lb(dry weight) boat
permits would be required I would bet....and more than a 3/4 ton to STOP it
anything will make it move....consider the stopping
Jim:
I believe you must be thinking about a 390. Stopping is no trouble. All large trailers have brakes tied to the trucks braking system through a brake controller under the dash in the truck. When you step on the brakes you are braking 10 wheels (4 on the truck and 6 on the trailer)
 
Jim:
I believe you must be thinking about a 390. Stopping is no trouble. All large trailers have brakes tied to the trucks braking system through a brake controller under the dash in the truck. When you step on the brakes you are braking 10 wheels (4 on the truck and 6 on the trailer)

Just a word of caution not all trailers with brakes have brakes on all wheels but you are correct if equipped correctly for the weight stopping is not a problem. Just make sure your load is balanced correctly and be aware of the sway.
 
Here's my 83 310 coming out on a trailer. We had the truck in 4 low and it almost didnt come up the ramp. Sea Ray said my boat weighted 13k, from the way that truck pulled it I was thinking closer to 20k.

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Actual measurments of my boat is 37.5ft long 11.11 wide.

I used to drive oversize loads for a living. In GA we didn't need escorts for anything that you could pull behind a pick-up. You can get a blanket permit for the year otherwise you will have to get permit for each way you move it and you will have to give the state your route.
 
Here's my 83 310 coming out on a trailer. We had the truck in 4 low and it almost didnt come up the ramp. Sea Ray said my boat weighted 13k, from the way that truck pulled it I was thinking closer to 20k.

5D141A67-5DA4-454F-93F7-3A4F871DE677-6709-0000085856AFD378.jpg


49ACC044-C3ED-454A-9930-89B1662E0F6C-6709-0000085859FA162B.jpg


Actual measurments of my boat is 37.5ft long 11.11 wide.

I used to drive oversize loads for a living. In GA we didn't need escorts for anything that you could pull behind a pick-up. You can get a blanket permit for the year otherwise you will have to get permit for each way you move it and you will have to give the state your route.
the 13000 would be dry weight
add 2 tanks of fuel..water..waste...and gear and the numbers climb fast
most liquids will average 8lb per gallon plus all of the add ons and gear ..an exrta ton or so isn't hard to put on
 
Jim:
I believe you must be thinking about a 390. Stopping is no trouble. All large trailers have brakes tied to the trucks braking system through a brake controller under the dash in the truck. When you step on the brakes you are braking 10 wheels (4 on the truck and 6 on the trailer)
I was incorrect on the beam but the pre 89 boats 34' isn't LOA
add the swim platform and pulpit and the length is pretty close
and 18000 pounds wont be far off either with fuel water and gear.
 
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All the tanks were empty. Fuel, water and waste were bone dry. Towed it over with another boat. Really didn't have much gear on board as I emptied her out at the dock trying to make it as light as possible.
 
97 330 dancer on third set of trailer tires.....
 
Paul;
Is taking off the arch a "big Deal" ? I really like the looks of "Duceornothings" rig without the arch better than the newer models. Staying on lakes I really have no need for a radar arch. If there are cover plates, etc available thought I might just take the arch off and leave it off. Sure would simplify trailering and IMHO looks better also.
Norris
 
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