Pulling a boat behind an RV can be a bit complicated. There are a lot of things you need to know before you decide to do this. Firstly, you need to make sure it’s legal in your territory. You also need to make sure you are safely hooking up your boat to your RV.
So can you pull a boat behind an RV? Yes you can, we will discuss on this article everything you need to know to do it safely.
To know if you can pull a boat behind an RV, you need to understand that towing a boat trailer behind an RV would be considered a double tow. Double towing is very common in a lot of areas. As long as you make sure that it’s legal and safe in your location, you are able to pull a boat behind an RV.
Double towing can be very dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. That’s the main reason it’s illegal in a lot of areas. You need to be very careful and take extra precautions.
If you’re also wondering if you can tow your boat trailer behind a travel trailer, this is called triple towing. This is where you pull your travel trailer behind your vehicle, and your boat trailer is behind your travel trailer.
This is also common and needs to be done cautiously. You also need to check if triple towing is legal in your area and the territories you plan on driving through.
Pulling Your Boat Behind an RV or Travel Trailer
Before you hook up the boat trailer to your RV or travel trailer, you need to know the risks of driving around with such a heavy load. You also need to keep in mind the length of your loads.
Once you’ve figured out if double and triple towing are legal in your state by calling the Department of Motor Vehicles, you can follow these tips to ensure a safe drive.
- Check state laws for rules and regulations on double towing. When calling the Department of Motor Vehicles to find out if double towing is legal, make sure to also ask about rules such as load weight and length. A lot of states have different rules you need to adhere to, which can be tough if you’re planning on driving through more than one state while double or triple towing.
- Make sure your RV is strong enough to carry your load. When pulling your boat behind an RV, you need to be mindful of the weight of your trailer and boat. If your haul is too heavy, it can snap the hitch. The weight of your boat can also affect the pressure of your brakes.
- Keep some distance between the cars on the road. Don’t drive too close to the other cars beside, behind, and especially in front of you. You have to remember the huge load you’re pulling. When pushing on the brakes, the boat trailer, due to its mass, can propel you forward. Also, be careful when changing lanes; the trailer could easily swerve to the adjacent lane and hit another car.
- Get insurance. There’s nothing more important than being insured before you decide to double tow. No matter how safe and prepared you are, accidents can still happen. With double and triple towing, you risk much more on the road. Do the smart thing and get insurance.
- Set up a rearview camera. With double towing, you aren’t going to be able to see behind your RV. You’ll probably have a hard time spotting the cars behind you or beside you. The best thing to do is to set up a camera in the back of your RV. You can link it to your phone or tablet and have it sit on a holder in front of you. This is the best way to check what’s going on with your boat as well. You can always have someone keep an eye on it from the back of the RV.
- Take frequent stops. Stopping at rest stations will allow you to inspect your trailers. Make sure the hitch is well intact and check tires for low air pressure. Ensuring your RV and trailers are in good condition can prevent future problems.
Hopefully, by following these tips, you won’t have any problems if you decide to double or triple tow.
Laws and Regulations Concerning RV Double and Triple Towing
Before you know if you’re able to pull your boat behind your RV, you need to learn some information on the laws and regulations for double and triple towing. Here is a list of all the states that allow double and triple towing:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
Most of these states allow double and triple towing because of the open roads and big landmass. You won’t see a lot of smaller states on here that have busy highways. This is to help make roads safe.
Towing Regulations
Just because a state allows double and triple towing does not mean that you can tow any way you like. Some regulations need to be followed, and each state has its own. This can be a headache if you plan on passing through different states with your heavy load.
Some states will have limits on how long your full load can be, where some may measure by each individual haul. There are also speed limits to adhere to when double and triple towing. You will need to drive slower than the actual speed limit.
If you want to pull your boat behind a travel trailer, this is prohibited in some states. (This is where you pull your fifth wheel or travel trailer behind your car, and your boat is pulled by your fifth wheel.) On the other hand, when it comes to pulling a boat behind a travel trailer, some states will exclusively allow only watercraft behind a fifth wheel.
If you go over certain weights and lengths in certain states, you first need to get a special permit that allows you to pull such heavy and long loads. If you want to learn more about laws and regulations in your state or states you’re going to drive through, you can always check online for a complete list.
Driving Your RV Safely While Pulling Your Boat
If you decide on pulling a boat behind your RV, you need to ensure that you are doing it the right way. Any type of towing can be dangerous, so you need to be extremely careful with double and triple towing. You need to also think about things that can happen that are entirely out of your hands.
Weather
The first thing you need to consider is the weather. Driving is already tough in rainy and windy conditions, so you can imagine how difficult it will be with all the added weight. Do not double or triple tow in bad weather. Check your local weather report and also for other areas you will be driving through.
If, by chance, it does start to rain and become windy, drive very slowly and do not change lanes too many times. The slippery roads can make your boat trailer swerve uncontrollably. If the rain is coming down hard, the best thing to do is stay at a rest stop until the rain subsides.
Take a Test Drive
Before you go on your trip, drive around with your boat attached. Backing up is the toughest thing when it comes to double and triple towing. Make sure you can reverse smoothly without your boat trailer going the opposite direction.
Be Careful When Turning
Don’t get yourself caught in tight turns. Always make sure you have plenty of room for your RV or travel trailer as well as your boat. Make very wide turns to prevent your boat trailer from scratching your RV.
Don’t be impatient. Wait for all the cars to go by before you make a turn. Keep in mind that the length of your load will take some time to complete a turn. Don’t worry about unsuspected oncoming cars; turn slowly and surely, that oncoming vehicle will stop.
Hook Up Signals and Lights
If there are cars behind you, they definitely will not be able to see what’s ahead of your tall RV or travel trailer. You need to get brake lights and turn signals on your boat trailer. This is more for triple towing, but I recommend doing this for better safety precautions.
If your boat trailer already has brake lights, be sure they are functioning properly. Have someone check to see if they are in good condition while you are driving. If you don’t have turn signals on your boat trailer, make sure cars behind and beside you know that you’re turning or changing lanes.
Sometimes the turn signals on your RV are visible but, to be on the safe side, make hand motions to the cars around you and be sure that they see you.
Use Safety Chains
Safety chains can help secure the attachment between your RV or travel trailer and your boat trailer. They are two separate chains that cross each other and go through both hitches.
Safety chains are very important with double towing. If your hitch decides to break or disconnect, these chains will keep your boat trailer attached to your RV or travel trailer. Once you notice that your hitch has been disconnected, you can stop and fix the issue.
You can also use breakaway brakes. These are hooked up to your tires and will stop your boat trailer from sliding along the road if it becomes unhitched from your RV or travel trailer.
In most states, you will either need to use one or both of these methods when pulling your boat behind an RV. These are safety measures that are provided by law.
Add Reflectors to Each Load
Reflectors will help keep you visible when driving at night. Some people won’t notice that you’re hauling such a big load. In some areas, highways can be dark, and it’s hard to make out the cars on the road without proper lighting.
You can get reflector tape, which can stick to your loads. These are an easier and cheaper option. Make sure to add them to each side of every trailer so that every angle is visible in the dark. This will prevent people from getting too close to you.
Do I Need a License to Pull My Boat Behind My RV or Travel Trailer?
You may see 16 wheelers pulling boats and recreational trailers behind them. This is known as commercial double or triple towing. These paid drivers need to get special permits and licenses to haul such heavy loads.
As for regular licensed drivers, you don’t need a specific license to tow your boat trailer behind your RV or travel trailer. You do, however, need a permit added onto your license in some states, such as Michigan and California.
To get these permits, you will need to pass a test. Permits are not expensive, and you can apply for one easily. Remember to contact your local Department of Motor Vehicles for any other related questions on permits and licenses.
Can You Ride on Your Boat While it’s Being Towed?
Under state law, you cannot ride on anything that’s under tow. This includes trailers and campers. There are exceptions in this case if the vehicle is going 15 miles per hour, and the passenger is over the age of 18.
Riding on a boat that’s being towed is extremely dangerous. There are no seatbelts on a boat, and in case of an accident, you would be more at risk than if you were inside of a vehicle.
Boats are in no way made to be driven on land. There are no seatbelts on boats because of the lack of injury that can be caused to you in a water accident. Double and triple toes are already a high-risk situation. Do not put yourself in more danger by having passengers in your towed boat.
Stay as safe as possible when towing a boat behind your RV and follow all rules and regulations. Make sure you have hooked up your boat trailer correctly and use safety chains and other security measures. These laws have been put into place to protect you and the other people on the road.