Towing a Boat/Dropping in Water Advice

[AB3]

Hello all, so I've got a friend with a boat and he asked if I could pull it out of storage and drop it in the water for him this weekend. I've got a AWD with the core wheels and all season tires. I read the owners manual and all seems like I should be fine to tow it just want to make sure I'm doing everything right as I haven't towed anything with the CT yet. I've pulled the exact boat/trailer with my previous truck (Ram 1500 2022) with no issues. Is there a certain PSI my tires need to be inflated to? Any risks if it's over 11k lbs (pretty sure with the trailer it's around 8-9k lb but thought I'd ask)? Anything I should know when backing up to the launch like how far back into the water I can go (wade mode, slippery surface switch?) I'm probably over thinking it but want to be safe and not damage my truck, any advice would be appreciated.

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[Hookalakupua]

Tire inflation is 50 PSI when towing with those tires. ?
https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/cybertruck/en_us/GUID-B3DD905E-4642-4B5C-9149-480CA2C4F177.html

 

[REM]

Wade mode can take up to 30 mins, so plan accordingly.

 

[AB3]

Wade mode can take up to 30 mins, so plan accordingly.

Do you think it would be necessary? Not sure if it can even be put into wade mode while in trailer mode cuz from my understanding it puts the ride height to low. My biggest worry with launching is ending up like that guy who's CT sank and had to be pulled out lol. I think I'll just be in the drivers seat while he pushes the boat off the trailer

 

[mongo]

Wade mode can take up to 30 mins, so plan accordingly.

Wade mode can run for 30 minutes.
Caresoft/ Autoline updated the video description to correct that error.
Activation can take a few minutes (video says 10, but that's not called out in the manual) , wait for the icon to show up and timer to start.
https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/...tml#GUID-FF5823AF-1063-4748-AAA2-3B4E3F7B3948

 

[REM]

Wade mode can run for 30 minutes.
Caresoft/ Autoline updated the video description to correct that error.
Activation can take a few minutes (video says 10, but that's not called out in the manual) , wait for the icon to show up and timer to start.
https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/...tml#GUID-FF5823AF-1063-4748-AAA2-3B4E3F7B3948

Good catch!

 

[REM]

Do you think it would be necessary? Not sure if it can even be put into wade mode while in trailer mode cuz from my understanding it puts the ride height to low. My biggest worry with launching is ending up like that guy who's CT sank and had to be pulled out lol. I think I'll just be in the drivers seat while he pushes the boat off the trailer

Not 100% sure about wade mode and trailering, but I certainly would use it as insurance if you can.

 

[Korben Dallas]

Not 100% sure about wade mode and trailering, but I certainly would use it as insurance if you can.

 

[Speedr]

Don't overthink it. It'll be fine. Your tires may not even touch the water, it just depends on the trailer...

 

[Qixer01]

You can manually turn off trailer mode. This will allow off road mode. I use the trucks air suspension opposed to trailer Jack.

 

[REM]

good find as well.

maybe you could remove the trailer plug and exit "trailer mode", then enter "wade mode" while getting ready to deploy at the landing parking lot?

 

[mongo]

Be aware Wade sets the suspension to very high which might not go well depending on trailer/ boat/ engine/ ramp setup.

 

[HandsomeYeti]

I’ve launched my boat several times without issue. Works great, don’t overthink it.

 

[flyinglow]

Do you think it would be necessary?

In all my years of launching boats from trailers on boat ramps, I never got the tow vehicle wet. For some reason, everyone these days expects to drive the boat all the way onto the trailer, which generally means immersing the tow vehicle to some extent. If the boat trailer has a winch, use it and keep your truck out of the water.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

In all my years of launching boats from trailers on boat ramps, I never got the tow vehicle wet. For some reason, everyone these days expects to drive the boat all the way onto the trailer, which generally means immersing the tow vehicle to some extent. If the boat trailer has a winch, use it and keep your truck out of the water.

Not normally correct for me. I have nine trailers including four for aquatic pullers. For all four of my boat and jet ski launches it is often impossible to launch or retrieve without the rear wheel in the water up to the wheel rim. The only exceptions are when the ramp is very steep. The winch system on most trailers, including jet ski trailers, is NOT designed to pull the vessel’s weight upward onto the bunks. I find it a little easier going onto the bunks to drive the boat or ski onto the bunks to “hit” the stop - but would never pull it the rest of the way using the winch - 9,000 pounds of boat on dry skids WILL damage your winch or post.

The proper way to load a boat is to put the trailer fully into the water up to the point where a couple feet of the front bunk sticks out of the water. The proper way to launch a vessel is to put the trailer in until the boat floats off. Depending on ramp grade this often means dipping the rear tires on the tow vehicle.

Ramps on the Chesapeake Bay tend to have very shallow grades. On some dirt ramps I have to go in up to the axle to get the boat off - this includes a quick descent and hard brake application to “jerk” the boat backward off the trailer. Note also that some boat trailers put the entire boat ABOVE the trailer’s axle and wheels. You may be thinking only about v-hull boats, which do nest pretty low in the trailer, but many of us don’t have that luxury. For my trailers that haul the boat fully above the trailer wheels, it is necessary to put almost the entire trailer underwater or the boat simply will not come off, even under power.

I’m not one of those hilarious boat launch jockeys we all enjoy watching destroy equipment and endanger people - I launch and retrieve often due to having four workboats and an oyster aquaculture farm, with boats coming and going all day every day - but could almost never do it safely without putting our tow vehicles into the water. The workboats are flat-bottomed Carolina Skiffs - also ride high on the trailer, fully above the wheels.

You’d be amazed at some of the launches we must use. Our closest is a dirt ramp with a hook turn halfway in, and a pothole. Here’s an example of one of my trailers - no way to put this in without getting the CT’s wheels wet when using a shallow launch. Note the space between the trailer wheels and the boat.

Here’s another example in my stable - try getting that front jet ski off without going in up to the rear drive unit!

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