Another thing I was considering…
Do I really need a 4×4? I figured it would be a good idea just to be safe incase i got stuck in a boat landing, but I don’t remember any times in the years we pulled this boat with an f150 that we ever had to put it in 4 wheel. Now i assume a ranger or s10 is a little different since it is a lighter vehicle so it might spin out easier.
Maybe i could just get a 2wd ranger or s10? V6 or 4cyl.
Need 4×4, No. Want 4×4, Of Course!
Honestly I wouldn’t be without it on a pickup. While I very rarely ever use the 4×4 on my truck, the times I do it’s worth its weight in gold 
Just my 2 cents 
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You really think my rig only weighs 800 lbs.?? I figured the boat had to weigh a lot more than that because of all the wood flooring in it. Plus two batteries and its a console drive. I figured it has to be over 1000 lbs.
What kind of boat is this exactly?
For reference – the hull on my 1650 fishhawk weighs 880 lbs. I’m assuming yours is a bit lighter, but probably not by that much.
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You really think my rig only weighs 800 lbs.?? I figured the boat had to weigh a lot more than that because of all the wood flooring in it. Plus two batteries and its a console drive. I figured it has to be over 1000 lbs.
red89,
I checked the specs on various boat models and have to admit I probably under estimated the weight of your boat, perhaps by a lot. I should have checked first. Can’t believe everything you read on the internet. 
Here are some weights I pulled off an Alumacraft and a Lund brochure from 2006.
Lund 1660 Classic SS – 840 lbs
Lund 1600 Alaskan SS – 915 lbs
Lund 1600 Explorer SS 1035 lbs
Alumacraft Lunker 165 LTD CS – 700 lbs
Alumacraft Classic 165 CS – 880 lbs
Alumacraft Yukon 165 CS – 755 lbs
Alumacraft Navigator 165 CS – 965 lbs
I could of swore the hull weight of my 1994 Alumacraft Lunker LTD was only 343 lbs but it looks like I must be wrong.
Even at these weights, you’d be within the towing capacity of an S10. But you have to read the tow capacity specifications for the vehicle. There will probably be a total towing capacity for a trailer with brakes and a maximum towing capacity for a trailer without brakes. I assume your trailer does not have brakes. For example, my old Dodge Grand Caravan and my wife’s Honda Pilot 4wd both have towing capacities around 3500 lbs but the owners manual states the maximum towing capacity without trailer brakes at about 1100 lbs for each. I put surge disc brakes on the trailer for my Lund Explore 1700 SS because the boat itself weights 1080 lbs. The added cost of surge brakes were only a couple of hunderd dollars when I bought the rig a few years ago.
Gravel ramps… now you’re back to the traction issue just like the icy ramps.
I’d suggest you check the tow capacity of any vehicle you’re considering and if you’re under that weight, you’ll be fine if you can get adequate traction (i.e not icy and no loose gravel.)
Kind of off the topic of your post, but I’m guessing a lot of guys are towing boats that do not have trailer brakes but probably should have to be within specs of their tow vehicles. For the relatively small cost of this option, they’re nice to have.
Good Luck,
Boone
What kind of boat is this exactly?
For reference – the hull on my 1650 fishhawk weighs 880 lbs. I’m assuming yours is a bit lighter, but probably not by that much.
You can come check it out if you want Al. haha. Your fishhawk definetely weighs more… and is a lot wider. its quite a beauty. 1980’s northwood. not sure what model or anything. But its a standard old riveted aluminum.
Just checked my mileage today, pretty sure i got 8 Mpg. 
Red89, Do you go fishing with someone else when you take your boat? Twenty years ago, I had a Mastercraft ski boat and I pulled it with a ’80 El Camino with a 229 v6 and a 3 spd on the floor. The boat was too heavy for the El Camino and I burned up the clutch pulling it out of the lake. After that, I had a friend stay in the boat and used the boat to push it out of the water once it was secured on the trailer, then when the prop left the water, they’d cut the engine.
Hey, maybe we’ll have to go take her for a little spin when the weather warms up. I was thinking about towing my boat down towards the end of the semester, but if you already have one here I might just have to mooch off of you! 
Oh – I’m probably going to try and get out on the ice sometime next week if you’re interested.
Impala… I know exactly what you are talking about and I do go fishing by myself sometimes, so I dont like the idea of having to do that. I’m probably just gonna see if i can make the switch to a V6 ranger. I probably wouldn’t be happy with switching back to a 4 cyl. or a two-wheel drive for towing the boat.
Al… Hit me up on facebook or something if you are gonna get out on the ice. And yes, we’ll have to get out fishing in the northwood when the river opens up. I haven’t been on the river at all yet in my boat.
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