Hi everyone. This is my first post, and with all the stuff that’s rattling around in my head, I fear that it will be a lengthy one! So, I apologize in advance. And for anyone who sticks around to the end, thanks for your patience! Okay, here’s the back story. About three months ago I started getting the itch to get a boat again. I haven’t owned one for about twenty years. In looking around the web, I found this fantastic site. Having been a Glastron fan since my days as a much younger man, I’ve become increasingly interested in the discussions and photos you’ve all posted. So, I’ve now been following these threads for the past couple of months – I feel like an addict! But, I’ve learned a lot. And, I’ve got my eye on a classic Glastron 23. But, here’s my problem. Five months ago I traded in my SUV for a new passenger car. In hindsight, a very stupid move! Don’t get me wrong – I love the car I got. I’m just concerned that it’s not going to make a suitable tow vehicle. The manufacturer states that light trailering up to 1,000 lbs. is okay. However, there are some after-market hitches made (Curt, Hidden Hitch, Draw-Tite) for my specific vehicle that bolt onto the frame and are rated to 2,000 lbs. I presume that these are safe and work well or they probably wouldn’t offer them. I don’t know why there’s a difference in the manufacturer’s vehicle tow rating and what other hitch-makers feel is appropriate. Unfortunately, the Glastron 23 seems to weigh-in somewhere between 3,000 and 3,500 lbs. on the trailer based on the sources I’ve found online. I’ve learned that this makes it a Class II hitch requirement instead of the lighter-duty Class I hitch. And, none of these hitch manufacturers make a Class II hitch specifically for my vehicle. My first question is . . . is this because of structural concerns with my vehicle, or is it due to there not being enough demand for a heavier-duty hitch for my vehicle? I’m certain that nobody intended my current vehicle to be used for pulling a 23 foot boat. But, with the right equipment, is it capable of doing so? It has a six-cylinder engine rated at 270 horsepower, which I believe is more power than the V8 I used twenty years to tow my boat. It has 223 lb/ft of torque. Of further concern, it is also rear-wheel drive, and sits pretty low to the ground. Any thoughts on whether this description would allow for towing a 23 foot boat, especially up a boat ramp . . . provided, of course, I can find an appropriate hitch? I’d hate to get a boat launched, and then not be able to get it back out of the water and up the ramp due to lack of power or traction! Are there any formulas available to determine this? Back to the hitch problem. Can anyone tell me this . . . what is the primary difference between a Class I hitch and a Class II hitch in terms of manufacturing and strength? Is the Class II hitch made from heavier/stronger steel? Are the bolts that hold it to the vehicle’s frame larger/stronger? Or, what else? And, if this is the case – that everything is just larger/stronger/heavier material, could I consider purchasing the Class I hitch that fits my car, and taking it to a qualified welder to have him use it as a template to create a Class II hitch? And, if this is feasible, does it then need to be “officially certified†by some person or some agency to be used legally on the highways? By the way, in case you’re wondering, I can’t just trade the car back in . . . it’s a three year lease! That’s the reason I need a bolt-on hitch that’s properly designed to fit under my specific car . . . at some point I’ll have to take it off when my lease is up, so no permanent welding is going to work. I really don’t want to wait 2-1/2 more years before I can tow a boat! The irony here is that, if I have to keep my current car, and buy a tow vehicle specifically for the boat, I won’t be able to afford the boat! Now, I am perfectly happy with the idea of buying the boat anyway, putting it in storage, and just sitting in it on dry land on my days off until I figure out how to get the tow vehicle situation resolved. Maybe within a year or so I can find a bargain-priced tow vehicle somewhere. But, my wife is adamant, saying “If you can’t tow it, you can’t buy it!†So, any ideas or suggestions that anyone has related to my above questions and predicament would be most welcome. I may just have to wait a while until I can afford both a boat and a dedicated tow vehicle . . . but, who wants to wait to have fun? As I said, I’ve got the itch! By the way, it was all of you, with your photos, videos, and discussions that helped my “itch†progress to a full-fledged rash, so thanks . . . I think.
