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Old 12-15-2017, 05:07 AM   #1
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Launching a PWC with Seneca

I have a friend trying to talk me into getting a PWC to take on some camping trips. I am wondering just what challenges I might face trying to launch and retrieve a small boat on a boat ramp.

This seems like it might be a PITA due to the length of the Seneca. Looking for opinions from some that have used the RV to pull and launch boats.

Thanks, Mark
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Old 12-15-2017, 05:29 AM   #2
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I've considered the same thought but with a 16' fishing boat. I don't want to break camp to launch the boat every time I wanted to go fishing while fishing. Plus, some ramps/lake facilities are very big, so a full size RV in a boat parking lot may not be fun.
Wife won't drive/pull the boat with the truck either.

If the CG has docks, only have to launch/load one time, but will probably have dock usage fees. You can always make friends with another camper who has a hitch and get them to launch/load you, but then you are dependent upon them which can be inconvenient. Or go camping with your buddy all the time
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Old 12-15-2017, 05:45 AM   #3
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After my second cup of coffee I realized I don't even like backing the Seneca that much, let alone with a short trailer on a narrow ramp. I am not going to do this. I don't know what I was thinking.

Thanks.
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Old 12-15-2017, 08:52 AM   #4
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I tow a fishing boat all the time

My boat is easy to launch from Seneca.
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Old 12-15-2017, 08:59 AM   #5
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Another shot
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Old 12-15-2017, 09:41 AM   #6
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We have lived on or near Dale Hollow Lake for 15 plus years and have seen many boats launched from RV's including the largest Class MHs. Most state park ramps around hear are 4 or 5 lanes wide with plenty of room to turn a large tv well down the ramp for an easy launch. Pulling a PWC with a large rv can be a bit more of a challenge since they are virtually invisible behind the RV. Its difficult to back my SeaDoo behind my full sized truck for the same reason. With practice you get more comfortable with the process.

For recreation a PWC is hard to beat on the water Sort of like bringing along a motorcycle for rides on back country roads.

Another approach for a PWC is to load it in the bed of a pickup and tow the truck. With the help of a few friends its not that hard to back the truck into the water to the rear tires and then slide the boat out. Lots of fun on the water.
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Old 12-15-2017, 11:55 AM   #7
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When I had the big pickup camper, I put the boat or PWC on the front hitch. You could hit the narrowest ramps easily. But, if they are steep and wet they can be hard to get back up with people in the boat, the back tires just spin. A Seneca may not have that problem with what it weighs.
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Old 12-15-2017, 04:16 PM   #8
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Some concerns

I have been interested in this idea since we concidered getting the Seneca as I would like to tow our PWC around to different lakes of the country and see them by water. I have read many forums of Class A owners who have launched boats from their rigs.

Some concerns are noted:
Pitch of the ramp. Most ramps have a flat area then pitch downward towards the water. If this pitch is too significant you could drag the jacks behind the steering wheel.

Slimmy Grimmy. Some class A owners put a second hitch on the front to keep the driving wheels free from slipping on any algee on the ramp so they went down ramp frontwards.

I am getting a strong "no" from the boss on my desire to do this, but figured wither she will allow it or I can pay someone with a truck a few bucks to drop me in since towing to the destination will be fine. I think you will need to perform a thorough evaluation of the given ramp before doing it no matter the situation.
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Old 12-15-2017, 04:48 PM   #9
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Hitch on the front of an RV or tow a pickup with the PWC on a trailer in the bed of the pickup, tongue up over the cab and unload trailer and PWC at campground and tow boat to the ramp. If there is truly a WILL, there will be a WAY. Otherwise, rent a PWC or boat at the campground and K.I.S.S.
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Old 12-15-2017, 09:23 PM   #10
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Jetskis are heavy

When I started jetskis 20 years ago, my three person Polaris weighed less than 500 lb and you could conceive the idea of putting one in a pickup truck bed. These new watercraft go more than 1100lb with their 16 gal of fuel. If it's not floating or on its trailer there is no moving it.

I think the Seneca offers some advantages when backing this little trailer up. The long overhang past the back wheels will make up for the short trailer. Additionally, the backup camera will allow you to see the whole picture of where the trailer is going to keep in line.
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Old 12-16-2017, 06:47 AM   #11
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Hope you have a backup camera. Couple years ago we are sitting watching the entertainment as people launch boats at the lake... some guy in a class A backed down the ramp until his rear tires were just touching the water. Normal driving for a pickup truck... HORRIBLE decision with a class A and significant rear overhang. He submerged the last 8 or 10 feet of his camper, parts of which were several feet under water. When he pulled back out of the water, there was water gushing out of the back of that motorhome the whole way out of the driveway. I can only imagine the long term damage he did, simply because he didn't think about what he was doing.
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Old 12-16-2017, 09:15 AM   #12
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Yeah, as I thought this through using a risk-benefit analysis, I decided that I will not be launching anything with the Seneca.

I don't want to make that call, "Hello Progressive Insurance, you are not going to believe what happened".
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