Motorhome to launch your 'bu?

[Malibuzer]

We have done it a few times with both our little 24 ' class C  and both 36ft Class A rigs.  Our ramp is very short and with the overhang its no issue keeping the rear wheels out of the water.  It can be a royal pain depending on the ramp.  The first time was in Bayview, Idaho.  Long steep concrete ramp and I was sweating bullets the entire time.  99% of the itme we have had someone else with a vehicle that does it for us. 

[tvano]

my largest (ramp dependent) concern is how high the trailer tongue will get due to the long distance between the rv rear axle and the hitch insert.

wag: i'm betting the ball will be 4' off the ground on the ramp i typically deal with.  my little girl just doesn't have that much wiggle room at the prop guard.

[Malibuzer]

3 minutes ago, tvano said:

my largest (ramp dependent) concern is how high the trailer tongue will get due to the long distance between the rv rear axle and the hitch insert.

wag: i'm betting the ball will be 4' off the ground on the ramp i typically deal with.  my little girl just doesn't have that much wiggle room at the prop guard.

Makes sense.  Some people actually install a hitch in the front of the rv.  That will keep the wheels on a dry surface and there will be limited overhang.  You may need an extension though to keep electrical or the engine etc out of the water.  This really goes back to the comments from earlier in the thread about being very selective on the ramps you would even attempt this on.

 

 

[Cole2001]

A buddy of mine has a 40ft Winnebago with the tag axle and towing his 237 he honestly prefers it over his pickup. Launching and maneuvering that’s another story. You need a ramp with access where you can back straight down and not be too steep. 

For finding one with a big enough towing capacity you can’t look at the gas models 90% of them top out at 5k. The Cummins models are mostly 10k.  

[xx29l9]

Ha, why bother pulling a boat when the motorcoach is also the boat-

 

[tvano]

 that's the winner.  what a grin! 

bet the wake is bumpy at 32'off and 34mph.

[RyanB]

On 3/21/2019 at 3:51 AM, ID AX said:

I have looked a couple times at a motor home setups but it’s seems to me finding a motor home with the capacity to tow a 22’+ wakeboat is not that easy.  I haven’t ever been that serious about it but most that I have looked at have a 5k - 7k max tow rating and that doesn’t cut it for any of the boats I have owned. 

Don’t look at gasser models. Regular Class C and Class A have a 5000 pound capacity. Super C and Diesel Pushers are 10,000 +. 

[BlindSquirrel]

@xx29l9Old thread, but saw this rig going down the road and made me think of it..... not sure it's legal...but just hook them both up! lol.

 

 

 

Edited June 17, 2020 by BlindSquirrel

[Eagleboy99]

Pretty sure that is illegal.   BTW, I see a lot of motorhomes with a hitch in the front to launch a boat.  Seems to be the way to go.

[Bozboat]

A picture from a few years ago, but this is what I think of when someone says motor home and Malibu 

[Pnwrider]

3 hours ago, Eagleboy99 said:

Pretty sure that is illegal.  

Wrong. The laws vary state by state. Several states allow you to tow more than one trailer. 

[RyanB]

2 hours ago, Pnwrider said:

Wrong. The laws vary state by state. Several states allow you to tow more than one trailer. 

 Actually most states allow towing tandem. As a general rule, everything in the middle of the country (not costal states) allows it. And very few have any specific requirement that the first trailer is a 5th wheel (although some do). 
 

I’ve towed tandem for almost 20 years. Only once with the Malibu though. 7000 pounds just seems too much to pull behind my 5th wheel, even though I had the frame reinforced so it could take it. 

[Cole2001]

Buddies setup. 

 

[carguy79ta]

 

7 hours ago, Cole2001 said:

Buddies setup. 

 

Wow what a rig. Usually the boat is more expensive than the rig, not in this case.

[xx29l9]

Some great pictures....not sure I would want to pull a tandem setup, looks like a recipe for disaster. I still haven't used our motorhome to launch our boat. The ramp I was going to do it at was too crowded with parked trailers and I didn't have enough room to make a 180 turn and get the boat pointed towards the lake. So far we have just asked some nice people we meet in the campground if they would mind helping launch/retrieve and I've been blown away by the help from strangers, not one person has taken the money I offered for their help. I would be happy to help anyone if they came to me with that request. There still are good people out there.

One another note, I'm getting closer to having a tow rig for the model 'bu-

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?3206141-2006-Damon-Astoria-Motorhome-Scratchbuild/page4

Bob