I have a jet ski, that I towed with my 4 cyl. 120 horsepower honda accord for several months with absolutely no issues. I have a 99 prelude now, and I am getting a tow package on it. I know the jet ski won't be a problem, but I bought a boat. It's 19ft, and it's a ski boat, with an inboard motor. I don't know the weight, but is it at all possible to tow the boat with the 99 prelude base 5 speed? I know this is REALLY stupid, but I just don't have the money to go throw on away on an SUV or really on someone else to tow my boat for me whenever I want to take it out. Any suggestions or has anyone done this before? Thanks.

 

I pulled a Crownvictoria out of a ditch with my 4gen. I see little **** beater cars towing boats to our local dock...

i dunno..

 

how big are the boats?

 

The 5Gen is rated for 1000 lb towing capacity. The only hitches you can buy for it are class I hitches, so if you're less than 1k lbs, you should be okay. There is a trailer wiring harness behind the trim panel in the trunk in front of the rear driver's side tail light.

 

This is all going to depend on the boat launch you go to. The launch we used to drop our 16'er at was a task for my dads 4x4 Nissan so it would eat a Prelude alive. Just think about the power you need to pull the boat out of water up a steep grade. Not to mention the weight on the rear will unload the front wheels. Maybe you should put some Drag Radials or Slicks on and just do an 8000rpm launch to get it out of the water!
--Sorry, its early!
I don't want to see a Prelude Submarine picture although the 2nd pic would be cool! Prelude power boat FTW!!!!

 

lol @ the dumbass driving that suburban

Let me come up there and wakeboard off your boat, and I'll bring my prelude, there's no way the both of us can't pull that thing.

On a more serious note: I'm almost sure that boat weights close to 4000lbs so the lude isn't gonna cut it, most wakeboarding boats are about that heavy.

 

haha sounds good. Where do you live?

I figured it would be a dumb question, but it pulls my ski just fine. I didn't think they offered hitches that could pull more than 1K lbs. anyway. Anyone selling a small truck?

the boat is 19 feet, and I attached a small pic underneath. The boat ramps where we are at are not that steep, but still the prelude with 200 hp might not be enough, but yet a 4x4 150 hp nissan truck can haul it? eh..

 

thats a guy from absoluteprelude.com

his boat is small though.

 

[QUOTE=jaywoodz]haha sounds good. Where do you live?

the boat is 19 feet, and I attached a small pic underneath. The boat ramps where we are at are not that steep, but still the prelude with 200 hp might not be enough, but yet a 4x4 150 hp nissan truck can haul it? eh..

NC.

Weight transfer has a lot to do with it, your front end will lift up and you won't be getting much traction, whereas the rear sinks, the truck would get an increase in grip.

Just convert the lude to AWD

 

yeah, I'm sure pulling a small job boat or even a big one wouldn't be an isse since they have such small motors and the fact that half or more of them are aluminum. I'm stationed in Camp lejeune, nc for another 2 weeks or so, then moving back up to VA.

I wonder how much his boat weighs. hmm

 

i think they can only tow 1000lbs safely

 

why dont you try it and let us know how it works out

 

haha and use my 5th gen as a guinea pig? ahhhh

 

No way man. 19ft boat has got to be at least 3000 lbs. Just isn't doable. My buddy had a 1992 voyageur that wouldn't pull at 19ft out of the water and it was a really slight hill out of the lake. If you were successful i would imagine it would cause future damage to the car.

Congrats on the boats tho. Only thing better then a boat is a prelude

 

Well, The 19ft Marlin I used to have weighed 3500-4000lbs depending on what gear we loaded in the boat. Everyone else on here has said how launching it will be a bitch due to the front wheel drive. I would agree with that completely, however no one has even brought up the fact of stopping with that thing.

There were a few times week took the boat up with a small jeep, sure you could pull it and sure you could launch the boat, but on the hills and twistys the boat really wanted to swap places with the jeep. I dont know about you, but when I see my boat passing me on the highway, that's not a good thing

 

I personally wouldn't go towing ur boat i think it will exceed the preludes towing capacity.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jaywoodz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">haha sounds good. Where do you live?
the boat is 19 feet, and I attached a small pic underneath. The boat ramps where we are at are not that steep, but still the prelude with 200 hp might not be enough, but yet a 4x4 150 hp nissan truck can haul it? eh..
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Torque and weight transfer......you could always use a 75 shot to pull it out!
Be sure you do the 6pot caliper swap too!

 

Bad idea...jus by a used pickup truck or suv..

 

Do not do this.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by roller3804 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do not do this.</TD></TR></TABLE>

 

19ft boat exceeds 1k i guarantee it.....

find a buddy with a truck or something....we dont wanna see the 5th gen go under water like the suburban..lol

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jaywoodz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">haha and use my 5th gen as a guinea pig? ahhhh </TD></TR></TABLE>

use teh turbo lude

 

Do IT!

 

haha, I was thinking about that. My friend and I were joking about taking the 4th gen and throwing a tow package on it. I think pulling it wouldnt be a problem, stopping would be however

I would also need AWD FTW

 

my prelude cant tow nothing until i get my motor in...i still need that transmission backcover