Thread: Pulling 5th wheel and boat in FL

Does anyone pull a 5th wheel with their boat in FL. It seems to be legal in many states, but not FL. Please post pictures of your rig. I posted this thead on the general forum and has recieved many answers and veiws.

Chuck

Well although my camper is not in Fl, I do pull my 16.5ft boat behind my 17ft pop up camper back home in Ms. Pulls great

According to TowingWorld.COM, the some 30 states do allow you to pull a trailer behind your fifth wheel. There are some "fine print" details on the matter, so we urge you to check out the full list before you hitch up and go. Here's the list of states allowing "triple tows:"

Alaska,Arizona,Arkansas,California,Colorado,Idaho, Illinois,Indiana,Iowa,Kansas, Kentucky,Louisiana,Maryland,Michigan,Minnesota,Mis sissippi.Missouri
Montana,Nebraska,Nevada,New Mexico,North Dakota,Ohio,Oklahoma
South Dakota,Tennessee,Texas,Utah,Wisconsin,Wyoming

Please read the rules... Most states it has to be a fifth wheel camper to be legal. Also most states have a length limit. Tn is 65ft long and the trailer has to be a 5th wheel. Even Ms I think when I was looking into it has to be a 5th wheel.
You will hear lots of people talk about doing it with other campers. But ask your self is it worth killing someone over this? Or going to court and coming out without your house and everything you own? I have a buddy that enforces these kind of things in Tn with trailers and big trucks he told me it could cost me everything in a wreck.
So I got a Truck camper and tow our boat with us this way. But on the bright side. If your in Ar yours can be up to 90ft long. And over that buy a permit for $5 and go over 100ft long. LOL
If you go this route be safe and watch where you pull into.
Pete

doesn't seem like anyone in FL is towing a boat behing a fifth wheel. Looks like only those fishermen who visit us from the north and west. I still have not made a decision yet, but my options would to be to register the trailer and boat in another state that I spend the summers in. Have to check that out.

Chuck

Hello Chuck, Did you get any definate answers from Florida DOT about towing doubles or triples with out of state tags?

Not yet. Was going yesterday but had some other things to take care. Plan on going in the morning. Will post results.

Chuck

Talked with the FL state police post in Brooksville. According to Chuck, it is against FL law for someone to pull a boat hooked to a trailer. He said that the driver will be stopped, ticketed and made to drop the last trailer. You have 4 hours to remove it from the roadside before it will be impounded and towed. I asked him about other from states that allow the towing of two vehicles. He said that the reciprocity does not apply. One persona opinion. I have seen quite a few traveling FL roads. Disappoints me, but I am not dead with the issue yet.

Check with your northern friends who travel with their trailer and boat.

Chuck

Originally Posted by chuckauten

Talked with the FL state police post in Brooksville. According to Chuck, it is against FL law for someone to pull a boat hooked to a trailer. He said that the driver will be stopped, ticketed and made to drop the last trailer. You have 4 hours to remove it from the roadside before it will be impounded and towed. I asked him about other from states that allow the towing of two vehicles. He said that the reciprocity does not apply. One persona opinion. I have seen quite a few traveling FL roads. Disappoints me, but I am not dead with the issue yet.

Check with your northern friends who travel with their trailer and boat.

Chuck

Pretty much what I assumed. What I'd really like to know is what they base the law on. Is it against the law because they believe a driver, inexperienced in pulling doubles, would be a hazard to traffic, or is it because the vehicles aren't designed to pull double or triple. Most states do allow doubles, so I would think it's not the vehicles in question, just the abilities of the driver. Looks like the heavily populated eastern seaboard and some of the west coast states make it illegal, whereas the rest of the country allows it. Personally I do think you need some experience or training to pull a double or triple. Can you imagine some of these folks that can't even back their boat trailer down a ramp, being let loose on the highway pulling a double or triple.

Chuck like you I looked into a 5th wheel and a boat. Ran into the same problems so I settled on a camper at Talquin. What upsets me is all the big rigs on all 50 states pulling two trailers (UPS, FEDEX etc.)