Towing Doubles

[Carl L]

Here is a good site that lists the towing laws.

I would be careful of that site.    It lists triple tows as legal in California.   Well yes, legal, but only if you have a commercial Class A license bearing a double trailer endorsement.   If they can get that state wrong, they may have others out of line.

[Ned]

Just referring to triple tows is an error.  There are very few states that allow a true triple tow, that's 3 trailers behind the tow vehicle.  What they're calling triple is really double tow.  If you ever see a real triple tow on the road, it's scary, especially in a cross wind.

[RoyM]

I have seen commercial triples in Alberta, allowed on select highways, but is it ever ugly in a cross wind. The big problem with doubles is weight and the fact the second trailer usually cannot be seen until it pulls out to pass. I can't imagine trying to manoevre one in and out of the typical campground.

[chasmosis]

So I guess I should have picked it up before but I am clear now that many of  you feel that towing doubles is unsafe at any speed/gcvw/length.  I apologize for unnecessarily stirring this topic up again.

I've seen enough folks going up and down the road towing doubles and I think that with a short, light 5er and surge brakes on the boat trailer (mechanically actuated hydrolic trailer brakes when the trailer pushes forward on the ball hitch it activates the master cylinder) that you could probably tow a double safely.  But there are a lot of ifs, if the 5er trails good, if the boat trailer trails good, if the frame on the 5er is heavy enough, GCVW, length, no hope of backing it up more then a few feet, whipping it, dropping your boat somewhere at a campground parking your 5er then going back to get the boat, Spouse thinking your nuts for even entertaining the thought, etc...

Thats a lot of ifs....I think too many for me.

Taking this all into account, I'm now thinking for my families needs probably a Truck Camper and towing a boat directly behind the truck is a better idea for me.  I understand that theres still ifs going that route as well but it seems for my needs there's a lot less.

Take care and thanks for the comments.

Since you guys discuss weights and overloaded trucks an awful lot I figured I drop a link I found about a fella discussing his TC setup.  I know this isn't the TC area but seems like he's gone to a lot to "toughen up" a way overloaded rig.
http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=791&Itemid=34

[Carl L]

Taking this all into account, I'm now thinking for my families needs probably a Truck Camper and towing a boat directly behind the truck is a better idea for me.  I understand that theres still ifs going that route as well but it seems for my needs there's a lot less.

Good thinking.  Back in my trailer boating days, camper bearing trucks pulling a lightweight boat was a common sight at lake launch ramps.   With due care over gross combined weights, this would seem the way to go. 

That said my two-ton, ocean-going 20 foot deep-vee hull was hauled by an E350 van with a 460cc V8.  Ya gotta go with what fits.