I bought my aluminum fishing boat in the fall, and I remember spending the entire winter worrying if my SUV could tow it. It was my first vessel, so I didn’t even think to consider the boat and trailer weight or my SUV’s towing capacity. I searched far and wide on the internet trying to set my mind at ease. Ultimately, I decided that the safest bet would be to buy a new SUV. This worked out well for me, because my Lund Impact 1875 Sport has provided 8 years of awesome fishing, but you might want to do your homework ahead of time, or find yourself at the car dealership soon!
This article is going to walk you through the average weight of boats and trailers commonly sought for fishing. First, I’ll walk you through why the sticker weight isn’t the only thing you need to worry about when you consider a vehicle’s towing capacity, and will give you some good advice to keep you safe on the roads. Then, I’ll discuss everything from 16 foot aluminum boat and trailer weights all the way up to normal pontoon boat weights as well as bass boats. Finally, I’ll recommend some good SUVs and trucks for towing a boat.
Whether you’re going to purchase a new boat or if you intend to buy a used boat for your family, this guide will give you a good idea of whether or not you need to upgrade your tow vehicle.
Can My Vehicle Safely Tow My Boat?
Before we go any further, it’s critical that you understand a few things about your vehicle’s tow rating. Most people assume that “towing capacity” is all that they need to consider, but this simply isn’t true. I can list all the numbers and figures I want but unless you understand the difference between GVWR, GVCR, and tongue weight, you’re going to have issues. It’s equally important that you understand that the average weight of a particular boat and trailer probably won’t be close to real world conditions.
What Does GVWR Mean?
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the total amount of weight that your vehicle can handle. It includes the weight of the vehicle itself, as well as any passengers, cargo, and fuel. Importantly, it also includes the tongue weight of the trailer you are towing. The tongue weight is the amount of force that the trailer and its cargo is exerting on the ball of your trailer hitch. You want to keep your boat trailer tongue weight to roughly 10-15 percent of your total trailer weight. Having much more tongue weight than that will cause you many issues while trailering, launching, and retrieving your boat. If you have too little tongue weight on your boat trailer, it might pop off your tow hitch!
What Does GVCR Mean?
GVCR stands for “Gross Vehicle Combined Rating” and includes both the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the towing vehicle and whatever is being towed behind it! Thus, when you’re researching the average weight of a boat and trailer, make sure that it won’t put you over your vehicle’s GVCR.
Should I Max Out My Truck’s Towing Capacity?
No. You should try to keep your total towing weight below 70-80% of your vehicle’s towing capacity. However, always bear in mind that the towing capacity is not the same as the GVCR. If you have multiple passengers or intend to load your boat or tow vehicle to the top with gear, you could jeopardize safe travel at much less than the 70-80% rule.
Average Weight of Boats and Trailers
Now that we’ve discussed these important weight rating concepts for your tow vehicle, let’s get into the nitty gritty of average boat weight by popular model types so that you can figure out which boat your SUV can safely tow. I do want to put forth the methodology I’m going to use first.
As I mentioned at the beginning, the average weight of your boat and trailer probably doesn’t reflect real life conditions. This is because it doesn’t take into account the weight of gasoline (which weighs about 6.3lbs), nor does it take into consideration any gear in your boat. That means your trolling motor, anchors, batteries, safety equipment, and fishing tackle need to be accounted for. Let’s look at how quick that adds up:
- A marine deep cycle battery weighs 50lbs, and your boat likely needs between 1-3 of them to power your trolling motor.
- A cranking battery weighs about 37lbs, and your boat probably needs 1-2.
- A trolling motor weighs on average 42lb, with the more popular models (Terrova, Ulterra, and Ultrex) weighing far heavier on this scale (35lb, 70lb, and 77lb). I’m going to go ahead and call this 70lb for most serious fishermen.
- You’ll have at least 200lbs of fishing and safety gear on your boat.
Note this says nothing about extras like shallow water anchors, jackplates, extra seats, kicker motors, or the like.
Boat Weight Calculator Methodology
For the purposes of this article, I will make the following assumptions:
- I will add 322lb for any boat 16′ or less (1 deep cycle battery, 1 cranking battery, 200lb of gear and safety equipment, and a 35lb trolling motor).
- Boats 17-19′ will have 407lb added (2 deep cycle batteries, 1 cranking battery, 200lb of gear and safety equipment, and 70lb trolling motor).
- Boats 20′ and larger will get 501lb added (3 deep cycle batteries, 2 cranking batteries, 200lb of gear and safety equipment, and 77lb trolling motor).
In addition, I will multiply 6.3 x the boat’s fuel capacity to get their fuel weight. Note that this can be substantial with some boats.
Deep-V Aluminum Fishing Boat and Trailer Weights Chart
A popular type of boat for families is a Deep V or “fish and ski” boat. They range from 16 foot aluminum boat and trailers up to 22 foot monsters. Here are 10 of the more popular models from Lund and what they weigh. I figure by going with one manufacturer, you get apples to apples. Note that many other aluminum boat manufacturers are going to have similar models.
Bear in mind that these boats (or at least the larger models) are almost routinely equipped with kicker motors, downriggers, and sometimes shallow water anchors too. While great for fishing, all of this adds up. Further, the 200lbs worth of gear may be on the lighter side for some of the bigger boats like the Lund Pro V 2175 that has enough storage to carry a small tackle shop with it.
| Boat | Listed Towing Weight of Boat, Motor and Trailer | Fuel Capacity (gallons) | Realistic Weight (Fuel plus Calculation) |
| Lund Angler | 1472 lbs | 6.5 | 1835 lbs |
| Lund Impact 1775 | 2337 lbs | 30 | 2939 lbs |
| Lund Impact 1875 | 2559 lbs | 36 | 3,193 lbs |
| Lund Tyee 1875 | 2929 lbs | 40 | 3,588 lbs |
| Lund Pro V 1875 | 3021 lbs | 43 | 3699 lbs |
| Lund Pro V 1975 | 3546 lbs | 51 | 4368 lbs |
| Lund Tyee 2075 | 3658 lbs | 50 | 4474 lbs |
| Lund Pro V 2075 | 3808 lbs | 62 | 4700 lbs |
| Lund Pro V 2175 | 4273 lbs | 65 | 5184 lbs |
| Lund Baron | 4272 lbs | 70 | 5214 lbs |
Not for nothing, but you might want to check out my article on the Lund Impact vs. Pro-V before you rush out to buy a larger tow vehicle. You might find that the lightweight Impact is the perfect family boat. It certainly makes for a perfect picture.
Deep-V Glass Fishing Boat and Trailer Weights Chart
There are several manufacturers of fiberglass deep v boats. These are going to weigh much more, on average, than the aluminum boats. Here are several models. This time I’ve used Lund and Nitro. Why these two brands? Because they are the manufacturers willing to share the towing weight (Nitro calls this “package weight” and this includes the weight of fuel, batteries, gear, etc.).
While your particular boat may not be on the list below, notice the extreme change in weight between a Lund 189 Pro V GL (4530 lbs realistic weight) compared to the aluminum Pro V 1875 above (3699 lbs realistic weight). At around 831 lbs difference, upgrading to a glass model is going to push you outside safe towing capacities of most family SUVs. Thus a pretty good rule of thumb is if you want a fiberglass walleye boat, you’re going to need to tow it with a dedicated truck when you factor in the weight of the boat and the trailer as well as gas and extras.
I was considering adding Ranger in as they do at least list the GVWR of their trailers, but when it comes to these giant deep V glass fishing boats, the information isn’t that useful. For example, the Ranger 622FS is listed as having a trailer GVWR of 6800lbs. Although considering this gentleman figured out that a 619FS weighs 4600lbs all in, this might not be that far of.
| Boat | Listed Towing Weight of Boat, Motor and Trailer | Fuel Capacity (gallons) | Realistic Weight (Fuel plus Calculation) |
| Lund 189 Tyee GL | 3815 lbs | 41 | 4480 lbs |
| Lund 189 Pro V GL | 3865 lbs | 41 | 4530 lbs |
| Lund 208 Tyee GL | 4265 lbs | 55 | 5113 lbs |
| Lund 202 Pro V GL | 4315 lbs | 65 | 5226 lbs |
| Nitro ZV18 | 4500 lbs | 45 | 4500lbs |
| Lund 219 Pro V GL | 4683 lbs | 65 | 5594 lbs |
| Nitro ZV20 | 5500 lbs | 55 | 5500lbs |
Aluminum Bass Boat and Trailer Weights Chart
I grew up fishing on a 16 foot aluminum bass boat. They’re great shallow water fishing boats and can be very economical for families. Unfortunately, not many manufacturers bother to list their towing weight or even package weight. This left me with two options: I could talk about the towing weight of the few aluminum bass boats and trailers that Lund offers (Tracker has package weight which is supposedly “all in”) or allowing for Ranger’s use of the GVWR of the trailer. I decided to go with the latter, so any Ranger boats below are going to reflect that.
However, this means that the listed Ranger weight is the exact “realistic weight” in the chart, because you can’t exceed the GVWR. Thus, no change was made for fuel. This gives you “some” idea of what you’re dealing with, at least in terms of if your tow vehicle can handle it. I suppose that’s what brought you to this article, so I can deal with that.
| Boat | Listed Towing Weight of Boat, Motor and Trailer | Fuel Capacity (gallons) | Realistic Weight (Fuel plus Calculation) |
| Tracker Classic XL | 1705 lbs | 6 | 1705 lbs |
| Lund 1775 Renegade | 2105 lbs | 22 | 2566 lbs |
| Tracker Pro Team 175 TXW | 2233 lbs | 21.5 | 2233 lbs |
| Lund 1875 Renegade | 2311 lbs | 22 | 2769 lbs |
| Tracker Pro Team 195 TXW | 2541lbs | 30 | 2541lbs |
| Lund Pro V Bass 1875 | 2644 lbs | 39 | 3297 lbs |
| Ranger RT178C | 2720 lbs (trailer GVWR) | 22 | 2720 lbs (trailer GVWR) |
| Ranger RT188C | 2950 lbs (trailer GVWR) | 22 | 2950 lbs (trailer GVWR) |
| Lund Pro V Bass 2075 | 3309 lbs | 49 | 4119 lbs |
| Ranger RT198P | 3725 lbs (trailer GVWR) | 31 | 3725 lbs (trailer GVWR) |
Fiberglass Bass Boat and Trailer Weights Chart
Fiberglass bass boats are like the sports cars of the fishing world. Many anglers dream of owning one someday, and if that includes you, you’d better dream about what type of SUV or truck is going to tow your boat too.
Note again that Nitro provides “package weight” for their boats which includes fuel, batteries, etc. Your boat weight may vary somewhat depending on how much gear you’re carrying, but this is a good starting point.
I had to get creative with the boats by Ranger as they don’t give their towing weight on their website. However, per some research, the average weight of a Ranger trailer appears to be around 1200 lbs. Adding in the weight of a 200 hp Mecury (500lb) and 250 hp Mercury (600lb) gave me an approximate calculation (remember, I’m still using between 407 and 501 for extra weight for the batteries, trolling motors, and cargo).
| Boat | Listed Towing Weight of Boat, Motor and Trailer | Fuel Capacity (gallons) | Realistic Weight (Fuel plus Calculation) |
| Nitro Z17 | 2650 lbs | 24 | 2650 lbs |
| Nitro Z18 | 3200 lbs | 40 | 3200 lbs |
| Nitro Z19 | 3500 lbs | 50 | 3500 lbs |
| Nitro Z20 | 4050 lbs | 50 | 4050 lbs |
| Ranger Z518L | Not available (boat alone = 1650 lbs) | 39 | 4002 lbs estimate |
| Ranger Z519L | Not available (boat alone = 1850 lbs) | 51 | 4572 lbs estimate |
| Ranger Z520L | Not available (boat alone = 1950 lbs) | 51 | 4672 lbs estimate |
Towable Inshore and Saltwater Boat and Trailer Weights Chart
Some saltwater boats are hardly what I would call towable, but all of the below come with one as part of their package. While there are plenty of boats out there to choose from, I’ve stuck with Mako for this table because they’re one of the few manufacturers to list a package weight. This includes the weight of boat, motors, trailer, fuel, and batteries.
These boats range from the affordable Mako 184CC to the the mighty Make 414CC that costs more than most houses. All the same, without knowing where you’re from, I decided I’d better list them and their boat and trailer weights (or “package weight” as Mako calls it).
| Boat | Package Weight | Fuel Capacity (gallons) |
| Mako 184CC | 3055 lbs | 53.5 |
| Mako 204CC | 3,435 lbs | 87 |
| Mako 214CC | 4,535 lbs | 91 |
| Mako 236CC | 7,200 lbs | 136 |
| Mako 284CC | 9,800 lbs | 228 |
| Mako 334CC | 11,995 lbs | 306 |
| Mako 414CC | 23,000 lbs | 566 |
Pontoon Boat and Trailer Weights Chart
Trying to determine the average weight of a pontoon boat is especially difficult when you consider that so much of that will depend on the layout you choose. Several luxury pontoon boat manufacturers like Bennington offer a wide variety of floorplans. These could significantly change the weight, depending on what you choose.
Luckily, Sun Tracker offers the same “package weight” that Nitro, Tracker, and Mako boats all provide. This at least gives a pretty good idea of the average weight of pontoon boats out there. As a general rule, I’d assume that any luxury brand is only going to increase in weight over some of the more affordable options.
I have added the “length” column for these boats so you can get an idea of what a comparable pontoon boat may weigh for other manufacturers.
| Boat | Length | Package Weight |
| Sun Tracker Bass Buggy 16XL | 18’5″ | 2426 lbs |
| Sun Tracker Bass Buggy 18 DLX | 20′ | 2983 lbs |
| Sun Tracker Fishin’ Barge 20 DLX | 21’11” | 3602 lbs |
| Sun Tracker Fishin’ Barge 22 DLX | 24’2″ | 3873 |
| Sun Tracker Fishin’ Barge 24 DLX | 26’2″ | 4253 lbs |
What Kind of Tow Vehicle Do You Need?
The type of tow vehicle you’ll need will depend entirely on what sort of boat you land on. If you’re an offshore fisherman, you are going to need to get a serious work truck like a Ford F-250 or even F-350 to get your behemoth vessel to and from the ramp. On the other hand, many smaller aluminum fishing boats and trailers weigh so little that a regular SUV can handle them.
Personally, I would try and find a way to stay in an SUV rather than a truck. While trucks are cool and all, an SUV tends to be a superior family vehicle. It’s also nice because long fishing rods fit in an SUV with the rear sets folded down, but would hang over the side of all but the largest truck beds and could be damaged.
This really isn’t a car website, but luckily www.motor1.com is, and they have a good article listing the Best SUVs for Towing in 2021. I was extremely surprised to find that they identified 19 different SUVs that can tow over 7,000 lbs (some going as high as 9,300 lbs as in the case of the 2021 Ford Expedition). While most of these received abhorrent fuel capacity, a few (like the Chevy Tahoe) got a decent 24 mpg.
Best Midsize SUV for Towing Boats
The SUVs in motor1.com’s list are mostly overkill for the majority of boats in this article. Instead, I’d recommend a Nissan Pathfinder. It can tow 6,000 lbs yet still gets up to 27mpg on the highway. This is the vehicle I use to tow my Lund Impact and I couldn’t be happier with it. At 6,000 lbs of towing capacity, it could conceivably tow a smaller Pro-V as well.
Do you Need 4X4 for Towing a Boat?
This depends on the type of ramps that you visit. If they’re gently sloped and well-maintained, and your tow vehicle is powerful enough, there would be no need for a 4×4. However, if you’re planning on pulling boats from steep or shoddy ramps, 4×4 is going to make a huge difference. Bear in mind that water levels fluctuate throughout the year. That ramp that’s in great condition in April may be 10′ ahead of you in August as you launch on mud. A 4X4 is definitely going to help in those situations!
Conclusions
There are plenty of great boats out there that you can tow with most midsize SUVs. As most of my readers know, I love my Lund Impact and given its realistic towing weight for the boat and trailer is about 3,200 lbs, that’s well below 80% of the towing capacity of my Nissan Pathfinder. Any fishing boat and trailer that weighs less than about 4,800lbs would be fine for towing with my SUV, which opens up many options.
The bottom line is, while trucks are nice, you don’t “need” a truck to tow many of the boats out there unless you start getting into the true heavy weights. This should be reassuring for several of families who want to get into boating, but don’t want to mortgage the house to buy a truck to go with their new watercraft.
I hope this was helpful. Do you have any other suggestions to make the article better, or more tips for towing boats safely? What about a favorite tow vehicle? If so, please leave a comment below!
John Paxton
