Trailer for 280 Express Cruiser

I am looking to upgrade to a Rinker 280 EC after owning my Sea Ray 230 Weekender for 28 years. My question is how to pick a trailer for the 280. After calling a trailer manufacturer they recommend a dual axle Venture tandem axle trailer model VATB 8725 rated at 8725 pounds for a 27-29 foot boat. The 280 EC is actually 32' long from what I have read. Is this trailer adequate or should I be looking at triple axle rated for a longer boat? Also thinking about towing it with a Mercedes 2500 Sprinter V6 3.0 liter Turbo Diesel. I know it's not rated for the weight but I use to tow my Sea Ray (6000 lbs.) with a Chevy S10 pickup. Any advice would be appreciated.

Comments

  • skennellyskennelly Member Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭✭
    Welcome to the forum.

    Only advice I have is on the towing.  Don't tow with a rig that doesn't have the towing specs to handle the load.  You are putting everyone on the road in danger doing so.  Not to mention if an accident was to occur your insurance may not cover it because you overloaded the tow vehicle.

    Your Sprinter 2500 says it's towing capacity is 5000lbs.  That's waaay under the weight of a 280+trailer and not safe.
    2002 - 270FV Mag 350 B3
  • randy56randy56 Member Posts: 4,083 ✭✭✭✭✭
    X 2 --- also IMO you should rate the trailer, @ 10,000 lbs, or close to it, you will have,100 gallon of gas, beer, 30 gallon's water in holding tank and supply's 

     Not to mention if an accident was to occur your insurance may not cover it .

    There was a story told on here of a guy pulled his boat from home to ramp, maybe 5 miles each way, had an accident, he lost his home boat truck, everything, insurance would not cover, because of overloading. we have all done it, and got by with it, but it's not safe. 
    Boat Name : 

  • StodgeStodge Member Posts: 2,738 ✭✭✭✭
    My center console came with a Venture trailer.  Very well made.  I was impressed with how high the winch was compared to the last trailer I had for an 18 foot boat.

    2002 FV 342 on Lake St. Clair - Past Commodore SHC - Vessel Examiner USCGAUX

  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have a 280EC and I had the same Venture trailer that you have listed above. The 280EC fits on that trailer. I towed my 280 from Baltimore to Pittsburgh on the Venture trailer and it did well. If you go that route, get the optional target bunks in the front along with LED lights. The trailer comes with bias tires, which I was not a fan of. Overall for a generic trailer, it will work fine under the 280. If you are going to be doing any long haul towing, I would get a Trailmaster trailer. They are custom made for the boat. I sold my Venture trailer and bought a Trailmaster. The trailer is painted to match my boat. The boat rides really well on the Trailmaster trailer. Good luck with your purchase! 
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
  • pault1216pault1216 Member Posts: 206 ✭✭✭
    I think you would be right at the point of either tandem or triple axle. My 260 and 270 had tandem. My suggestion is be sure to have brakes on all axles. Check into electric over hydraulic as an option also. LED trailer lights are nice to have also.
    -Paul
  • jme097jme097 Member Posts: 1,224 ✭✭✭
    I have a trailer for my 2007 280 EC. Best option by far is to tow her. 
    Boat Name: Knot A Worry
    2007 280 Rinker Express 6.2L B3
  • tk1973tk1973 Member Posts: 120 ✭✭
    No shot would I tow the 280 with a Sprinter. You’ve got a max of 5000lbs. 

    I picked up a trailer for my 280 last year and am using a 16 f150 and she struggles sometimes. Really should be into a 250 but I only tow it twice a year. 
  • Dude_HimselfDude_Himself Member Posts: 596 ✭✭✭
    I have a 280 EC on a Yacht Club triple axle trailer. I prefer the triple-axle trailer - it's a lot of boat. Weighted out around 9400# with boat, trailer, some fuel, some water, etc. I have LED lighting as well, and my first project this spring is going to be conversion to EoH braking - the boat will drag my E350, and my neighbors F-450 backwards, down the local ramps. 

    Definately get the target bunks - makes it much easier to load with current/breeze.
  • GMSLITHOGMSLITHO Member Posts: 1,559 ✭✭✭✭
    here is what I bought for me 2003 270 All aluminum construction 
    10500 gvw tandem 
    LED lights torsion axels 
    stainless steel hardware 
    2 speed winch 
    Guide poles 
    Front and rear bunks
    Walk on keep fenders 
    Custom Bunk set up to your boat 
    Kodiak disc brakes 
    5 year warranty on parts

    Trailer total $4195    
       
    Boat Transport 
    Trailer from New Jersey to Long Island $200
  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Here is my Trailmaster trailer model T28100BBR

    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    This is my old Venture trailer model VATB-8727 with brakes on both axles and target bunks.

    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
  • rinker270nbrinker270nb Member Posts: 207 ✭✭✭
    Here's my 270, triple axle trailmaster on a diesel turbo dually GMC 3500.  Sometimes I forget that it's back there.  Most times I am cautious as **** because I have about 7+ tons of weight on my hands. In all sincerity, I don't think you will get far in your Sprinter until you realize you're outmatched by your load.  

  • Robs_232Robs_232 Member Posts: 212 ✭✭✭
    Don't tow that boat with your Sprinter! You may be able to move it on flat land but if you go down a hill with a curve of any sort, the boat weight will push that Sprinter to a place you don't want to be. It doesn't matter if you have tandem, or triple axle brakes. I have pulled many trailers, overloaded, with trucks that shouldn't have been attempted. I made it but many white knuckles. That was back when young and not smart.
  • pault1216pault1216 Member Posts: 206 ✭✭✭
    Lots of comments on tow vehicles and I agree! My experience was trying to tow my FV260 from Indy to Fl Keys with a 1/2 ton '84 diesel Suburban (rated 4500#) and it fried the torque converter just outside of Atlanta. Tranny had just been rebuilt, 2 oil and tranny coolers, overload springs and shocks, power pack on the engine (non-turbo) and still 2 days downtime enroute. I could have bought a more capable older 3/4 ton to tow with instead of wasting my money trying to make my vehicle something it was not. Lesson learned. Now I have the Chev 3500HD 4X4 drw turbo (but no boat yet!)
    -Paul
  • GMSLITHOGMSLITHO Member Posts: 1,559 ✭✭✭✭
    I tow my 270 with a Ford F350 with a 6.4 diesel 
  • Alpine2018Alpine2018 Member Posts: 2
    GMSLITHO where did you get your trailer? It sounds like a great price for the weight rating. After some research and reading the comments here I have decided to rent a one ton diesel pickup truck for the trip. On a Sprinter forum I saw that my truck is a unibody design that will come apart if towing that much weight. 
  • Cableguy GregCableguy Greg Member Posts: 5,011 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @Alpine2018 if you go the Venture route, I got mine from EMI Marine out of York, PA. They delivered it to the place where I got the boat in Baltimore and set it up for me. 
    2008 280 Express Cruiser, 6.2MPI, B3, Pittsburgh, PA "Blue Ayes"
    Go Steelers!!!
  • GMSLITHOGMSLITHO Member Posts: 1,559 ✭✭✭✭
    He delivered to LI and set it up on the trailer then delivered to my house in NY state total for the delivery $600 the marina where the boat was charged me $150 To drop it on the trailer 

    Boat Trailers Direct Inc 
    DM Boat Transport LLC 
    W-cell 8484667027
    David Moss 
  • jme097jme097 Member Posts: 1,224 ✭✭✭
    @Cableguy Greg same trailer I have
    Boat Name: Knot A Worry
    2007 280 Rinker Express 6.2L B3
  • JonnyMJonnyM Member Posts: 302 ✭✭✭
    Here is my rig.  I have electric brakes that make it real nice.  I was lucky to find this 2008 Loadmaster trailer in Erie, PA on Craigslist.  It was built for a Silverton Flybridge with inboards but I was able to move the tounge back and make a few adjustments.  I still want to make a few more before I launch this year but it fits pretty well.
    "Mosi on Dahn"  2003 Fiesta Vee 270
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