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The ultimate beach cat truck #260241
06/11/13 07:45 AM
06/11/13 07:45 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 774
Greenville SC
bacho Offline OP
old hand
bacho  Offline OP
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 774
Greenville SC
The other day I picked up a spare truck to turn into a cat hauler. Aside from a device to stamp USCG approval on Zhik PFDs, what features would the ideal boat truck have?

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Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260242
06/11/13 07:54 AM
06/11/13 07:54 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
Jake Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Jake  Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,310
South Carolina
I'm pretty happy with my extended cab 1500 Silverado with a cap on the bed and a carpet kit in the bed. I've got plenty of room to put gear, N20 and F18 sails fit lengthwise into the bed with no issue and I've never run out of space back there. Stinky gear also goes in the back for the trip home and because the bed is separate from the cab, we don't have to smell it. The seats in the back may not be suitable for a 5 hour trip but most of the time someone's back there, we're just headed to a restaurant.


Jake Kohl
Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260245
06/11/13 08:19 AM
06/11/13 08:19 AM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,655
Portland, Maine
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ThunderMuffin Offline
Carpal Tunnel
ThunderMuffin  Offline
Carpal Tunnel
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,655
Portland, Maine
Couldn't be happier with my FJ Cruiser.

Plenty of space in the back for all of your gear, 4WD w/locker for pulling trailer on sand. Trailers great. NO CARPET IN THE WHOLE DAMN THING so you can leave a pair of soggy sailing booties in the back for a day in the Florida sun, then pull them out and the car doesn't stink at all.

Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260246
06/11/13 08:40 AM
06/11/13 08:40 AM
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,403
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Ventucky Red Offline
veteran
Ventucky Red  Offline
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,403
A fuel tank that never empties!!!!

Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260250
06/11/13 09:12 AM
06/11/13 09:12 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 774
Greenville SC
bacho Offline OP
old hand
bacho  Offline OP
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Posts: 774
Greenville SC
The one hitch is that the truck needs to keep its ability to pull a gooseneck trailer. One of those canvas bed camper/cover deals might be a reasonable compromise. Right now I have a cab-chassis so the options are great.

Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260255
06/11/13 10:36 AM
06/11/13 10:36 AM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,430
california
F-18 5150 Offline
veteran
F-18 5150  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,430
california
I love my F-250 SD Diesel. 226k miles and running strong. I have the Crew Cab and it is nice dogs in back and people in front. I also have a slide in camper , or fiberglass shell for the bed.
[Linked Image]

Last edited by F-18 5150; 06/11/13 10:41 AM.

Richard Vilvens
Brand Ambassador
PSA Capricorn USA
R.Vilvens@yahoo.com
Fairfield, Ca
F-18 5150

http://www.capricornsailing.com/
Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: F-18 5150] #260263
06/11/13 11:44 AM
06/11/13 11:44 AM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,590
Naples, FL
waterbug_wpb Offline
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,590
Naples, FL
I'd +1 Rich's setup... might even save some hotel costs?


How much did that camper setup cost?


Jay

Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260264
06/11/13 12:08 PM
06/11/13 12:08 PM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,658
Florida Suncoast, Dunedin Caus...
catman Offline
Pooh-Bah
catman  Offline
Pooh-Bah

Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,658
Florida Suncoast, Dunedin Caus...


Have Fun
Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260268
06/11/13 01:52 PM
06/11/13 01:52 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,430
california
F-18 5150 Offline
veteran
F-18 5150  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,430
california
I think retail was 18,000 on the camper. had an old one I traded in and got last years model so it was cheaper.


Richard Vilvens
Brand Ambassador
PSA Capricorn USA
R.Vilvens@yahoo.com
Fairfield, Ca
F-18 5150

http://www.capricornsailing.com/
Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260327
06/13/13 06:53 AM
06/13/13 06:53 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 774
Greenville SC
bacho Offline OP
old hand
bacho  Offline OP
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 774
Greenville SC
So the project begins. Here is the starting point. It's an 07 F450 diesel, ambulance package which means it has a pair of generators that can produce ~250 amps. The plan is to build a steel flat bed with boxes for tools, sails or anything else. Add a larger compressor and inverter. The second part of the plan is to acquire a 25-30f gooseneck that is built a little on the lighter side and add a small pop-up or slide in camper to the front of it, leaving room for boats on the back. The goal is to keep all of this under $10k if possible.

I would love to hear ideas on how to practically move 2+ boats and their trailers at once.

[Linked Image]

Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260329
06/13/13 07:36 AM
06/13/13 07:36 AM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 302
Daytona Beach Florida
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orphan Offline
enthusiast
orphan  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 302
Daytona Beach Florida
How about just using a car and the money saved on gas will pay for the hotel room.

Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260331
06/13/13 07:49 AM
06/13/13 07:49 AM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 932
Solomon's Island, MD
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samc99us Offline
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samc99us  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 932
Solomon's Island, MD
Yeah lol so what'd that big F450 cost?

I'm pretty sure trailex and others build double stack trailers for a reason, idk, maybe so you can move 2 boats at once?


Scorpion F18
Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: orphan] #260332
06/13/13 07:55 AM
06/13/13 07:55 AM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 932
Solomon's Island, MD
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samc99us Offline
old hand
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 932
Solomon's Island, MD
Originally Posted by orphan
How about just using a car and the money saved on gas will pay for the hotel room.


I get 21 MPG towing with my car, Toyota Corolla (I know laugh now I need a different vehicle) and it isn't too happy about it (36+ MPG without towing). We got about 18-19 MPG towing with the V6 Toyota Highlander, which normally does close to 30 around town. Point is, the bigger the vehicle the less it gets around town and they all do about the same, ~17 MPG towing, unless you drive like Trey.

Something with a V6 will do the job well IMO. I want space for gear etc. The Toyota 4Runner fits the bill, as do a few pickup trucks and other SUV's. Nothing against American built but the foreigners have won until recently and I can't afford a brand new something.


Scorpion F18
Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260333
06/13/13 08:08 AM
06/13/13 08:08 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 774
Greenville SC
bacho Offline OP
old hand
bacho  Offline OP
old hand

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 774
Greenville SC
I've got $2,700 in the truck so far. I often need to move big things, sure a car could do the basic 2-boat thing but that would be really boring.

How is that car gonna haul a p19 with no trailer and a 7,000lb bandsaw home from Miami?

[Linked Image]

Or haul 3 420s with no trailer to Mobile and haul an A with a unknown trailer back?

[Linked Image]


Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260336
06/13/13 08:37 AM
06/13/13 08:37 AM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 302
Daytona Beach Florida
O
orphan Offline
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orphan  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 302
Daytona Beach Florida
and a 7,000lb bandsaw home from Miami?

What's it rate?

Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260365
06/13/13 03:56 PM
06/13/13 03:56 PM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 267
Ocean Springs, MS
Capt_Cardiac Offline
enthusiast
Capt_Cardiac  Offline
enthusiast

Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 267
Ocean Springs, MS
http://www.bedslide.com/
i have one of these an i LOVE it. I have a camper top on my ram1500 and with the slide i don't have to crawl inside to get stuff. i bring it out to me!!!


Capt Cardiac
Ocean Springs Yacht Club
Sailor
Nacra20 - Flight of Ideas #5
Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: Capt_Cardiac] #260393
06/14/13 09:25 AM
06/14/13 09:25 AM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,590
Naples, FL
waterbug_wpb Offline
Carpal Tunnel
waterbug_wpb  Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,590
Naples, FL
sweet, just like the hearse my co-worker left in!


Jay

Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260396
06/14/13 10:50 AM
06/14/13 10:50 AM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 302
Daytona Beach Florida
O
orphan Offline
enthusiast
orphan  Offline
enthusiast
O

Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 302
Daytona Beach Florida
A hearse makes a great tow vehicle. Power, suspension, ride, and storage. There was a J24 college team that used to use one.

Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: waterbug_wpb] #260397
06/14/13 10:53 AM
06/14/13 10:53 AM
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 54
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dr5e14w Offline
journeyman
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journeyman
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Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 54

I use a Hyundai i30 with Diesel engine. I get about 25 mpg towing an f18 or double stacked vipers. Before this I would have always said at least an f150 or similar. Now if you're just hauling your boat plus the occasional 2nd boat. It doesn't matter what you have, it will get the job done.

Re: The ultimate beach cat truck [Re: bacho] #260400
06/14/13 12:31 PM
06/14/13 12:31 PM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 302
Daytona Beach Florida
O
orphan Offline
enthusiast
orphan  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 302
Daytona Beach Florida
For those that use a diesel, any problem with exhaust residue collecting on the boat?

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