Towing a 24ft Yamaha Boat with the Taco

Heres my experience towing a boat with a tacoma. Boat was a 21 foot Malibu wake setter and truck was a 2005 tacoma with tow rating 6500lbs. Our boat didn't weigh as much yours.

Engine wise: Truck could pull the boat, on very steep grades it was slow and we kept it at 55. Otherwise it could tow fine once you got up to speed.

Brakes and handling: This is where you can feel the fact that you're in a midsize. The brakes don't handle the load as well and the truck itself feels undersize towing that load. Your boat is way heavier. I personally wouldnt feel comfortable getting that close to the tow capacity.

We ended up getting a half ton that towed our boat worlds better, brakes, acceleration, handling, everything. We were towing 4 hours out of state so it was much more comfortable in a bigger truck. It wasn't fun towing with the tacoma. Our truck was 2wd so we had wheels spin at the ramp a couple times but we just had our friends sit in the bed and put some weight over the rear axle and the truck pulled the boat out just fine.

If you're towing it a couple miles to the boat ramp I wouldnt worry, if its longer distances I would upgrade to a bigger truck in all honesty.

Definitely get a trans cooler, oil cooler, etc (tow package).

 

Can't really say for Actual driving but I had to move a clients boat in and out of the shop and didn't have any issues with that. I think it was 22'? Fastest I went was 30km/h from the front to the back Where the shop is.

 

Dragging something around the block and pulling a boat out of the water or on the highway are worlds apart.

OP, it sounds like you're driving the wrong truck for that load. My water toys stay on a lift inside the boat house. So they only get towed if there's an issue.
Point being, the Tacoma will work as an occasionally tower of that kind of size. If it's more frequent or any decent distance...say goodbye to your little friend

 

OP, have you considered something a little different in a boat? I figure since you are looking at the 242x you are interested in skiing, wake-boarding, etc. There are some fish/ski boats available, and should you decide to get into fishing the boat is ready.
Here is one that I have had experience with.
http://www.nitro.com/2018-sport-series-fish-and-ski-boats/z19-sport.html

 

i wouldnt tow very much i tried towing my 3500pds utility trailer and the truck struggles to keep it in a reasonable gear.......not enough torque or power

 

Really shouldn't be towing higher than 4th anyways.

 

Actually I have been looking at the Yamaha 212X instead of the 242X, I was at first set on the 212X but when the 2018's came out I started looking at going with the 24ft because of the upgraded tech over the 21 and that everyone I have met says go with the bigger boat. I think with the 212X I would be fine because the loaded weight would be about 4700Lbs.

https://www.yamahaboats.com/wake-series/212x/

 

Imho 4700 lbs is too much depending where you'll be towing. I dragged a 4800lb boat from salt lake up to flaming gorge they Evanston so pretty high elevations.

Handling and electronic brakes on the trailer made it pretty comfortable. But screaming in 3rd gear to maintain 45mph on the highway is not enjoyable.

 

I own a 23' Yamaha not quite as heavy. The tongue weight is not a problem but I would not put anything in the bed that is heavy. The truck becomes gutless and it takes everything it has on hills. You will be at high RPM, in low gears and be that slow guy going up hills for sure. As for braking your trailer will have surge brakes and they will work well BUT do not expect to stop as quickly.

 

Towing aside, whatever size boat you think you want, buy the next size up because they are never big enough after you buy them!

 

According to numbers on your post and you have a 4x4 Taco...

Boat=5900# some of the time.
Tow rating=6400#
92% of 6400# is 5888#.

The general rule of thumb is to never pull more than 85% of your rated tow capacity. 85% of 6400# is 5440#. That extra 400ish# doesn't seem like much but when your brain on a long haul turns to mush it could mean the difference. For sure a trailer brake and an equalizer bar should be used if pulling further than your local lake, just imo.

 

Haha that is what is killing me here. When I first started looking I was in the 19ft range but I then settled on the 21ft as it just fits me best and is all around what I want (keeping in mind that I am an seasoned boater and have been on all sorts of boats and my uncles 24ft). That being said I know that the rule of thumb is to go bigger so it just kind of sucks because the 212X is looking to be the most I can pull.

 

Have you towed very many times?

 

Op you also haven't really said how long and what kind of terrain you'll be towing in? Unfortunately get the 212 or a full size. I'm kinda in the same boat looking for a camper and want to stay under 3,500 If can to allow kayaks and gear

 

It looks like it is going to come down to which is more important: The boat you really want or the truck you really want.

Based on the comments from owners who have tried it, getting the boat you want and pulling it with the truck you have could potentially result in losing both.

You're going to drop a lot of coin either way so try to drop it where there would be the least amount of regret later.

For me, having experienced both of the best days of a boat owner's life (day I bought and the day I sold it), I would let the truck take precedence.

You said you were an avid boater so for you the boat may be more satisfying.

Good luck with whichever you choose

 

Very close to max towing capacity with just a driver in the truck. Not to mention the physical size and wind resistance of a boat that size.

 

I think if you add up the dry weight (UVW) of the camper plus the CCC (cargo weight capacity) that is the number used to figure your tow rating percentage. So I'm thinking the CCC would be that extra weight for your gear. I'm not sure how heavy kayaks are but if you are looking for a trailer under 4k pounds then they must weigh a lot. I've added up how much gear I would have and am having trouble thinking I would have 1267# using the trailer specs I linked below. The numbers (If I'm doing it correctly) puts me right at 85% of the 6400# tow rating.

http://www.forestriverinc.com/produ...176&Image=5082&ShowParent=1&ModelID=1171#Main

 

Lots of folks forget about wind resistance figuring in the equation. A camper can be like towing a parachute, might only be 2000 lbs but at 60 could feel like 10,000. My brother is in the same boat (so to speak) has a v6 Nissan he bought to pull a camper... just picked up his 3rd camper, 3rd different design hoping his truck could pull it better. Not happy after first trip. Should have just got a full size truck, he'd still have the first camper. What kills me is that's the only thing he uses the truck for.

Me, I wouldn't tow anything over 1/2 capacity any long distance with my Taco on a regular basis. Bad things can happen real fast.

 

I would think a dual axle camper that weighs more and would handle wind sheer better than a single axle light trailer.

 

Honestly I disagree, working in the industry here in FL. I find More people bought way more boat than they need, many never use them because of the hassle of using a boat larger than their needs.

A bigger boat may need more maintenance, (in boat or trailer), burn more fuel, etc. A great example is towing. If it becomes a pain to tow every time, you won't want to use it as much.
You will use the boat much more often and have much more fun if you buy the right boat. (Bigger or smaller) but if you need to tow every time you use it, make sure it is easy for you to tow, otherwise it will become a chore.

Over the years I've steadily gone down on the size of boat that I own personally to where I'm at just a 17 footer, and I barely tow it, it sits on a lift in my back yard.

Big boats are fun too but be realistic about your expected uses of the boat, are all of your friends and family going to come every time, or will it usually just be a couple of you, do you want to burn more fuel every time, and do you want to tow that much every time?

I always buy used, boats depreciate faster than vehicles. That way if you decide in a couple years of real world use that you don't have the right boat, it will minimize any losses if you sell and buy another.

If the 24 footer is the right boat by all means get it and figure out how you will tow. I just very rarely recommend someone goes larger than they need and many times recommend they think about going smaller.