Sponsored

Bill Hippel

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Apr 17, 2025
Threads
14
Messages
197
Reaction score
354
Location
Abington pa.
Vehicle(s)
24 stx 4×4 Ranger
Occupation
Retired carpenter
It was time to take my 24' Baylinger out of the water. The ramp is steep and the boat, trailer and gear weighed 6,400. My Ranger did a great job. Sorry no pics of the ramp I was busy.

Ford Ranger 2024 Ranger STX towed my 24' boat 20251029_110159
Sponsored

 

Scooter

Well-Known Member
First Name
Brian
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Threads
75
Messages
767
Reaction score
599
Location
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Vehicle(s)
65 Comet, 2011 Ford Ranger
Occupation
--Machinist
So, you are just steering with the center consul knob, with cameras. If you are using it that way do have a crawl mode. Or you are Old school and can back a large trailer up. Just saw a video today of a Dually sliding down the steep dock. Once the boat touched the water it was ok. Lucky. Kinda like those videoes of boat ramps gone wrong. How could you not be upset when some Dude is recording it. You at least have to say FY and knowing you FK Up ! Ha ha.

Impressive. Your not screwing around transporting that. A bit of a sag in the back. That's what you do if you wish to haul things for a long time or distance. Air bags.
 
OP
OP
Bill Hippel

Bill Hippel

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Apr 17, 2025
Threads
14
Messages
197
Reaction score
354
Location
Abington pa.
Vehicle(s)
24 stx 4×4 Ranger
Occupation
Retired carpenter
So, you are just steering with the center consul knob, with cameras. If you are using it that way do have a crawl mode. Or you are Old school and can back a large trailer up. Just saw a video today of a Dually sliding down the steep dock. Once the boat touched the water it was ok. Lucky. Kinda like those videoes of boat ramps gone wrong. How could you not be upset when some Dude is recording it. You at least have to say FY and knowing you FK Up ! Ha ha.

Impressive. Your not screwing around transporting that. A bit of a sag in the back. That's what you do if you wish to haul things for a long time or distance. Air bags.
I'm not good but OK at old school back up with camera. I start early at the ramp, when all the camera guys are still in bed. There's a lot to do winterizing the boat like fogging engine, pulling engine plugs,hull plug, batter and more. 8 cylinder merc-cruise is in the boat and alot of weight.
 

Sponsored

Scooter

Well-Known Member
First Name
Brian
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Threads
75
Messages
767
Reaction score
599
Location
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Vehicle(s)
65 Comet, 2011 Ford Ranger
Occupation
--Machinist
Its a young man's game. A lot of responsibility to make everything go smoothly.
I alway's thought of that with adult toys. You cannot think you can put them to the side until the season starts. The the level of wealth you need is someone to take care of your stuff and captain it if needed.
 

superj

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jason
Joined
Feb 8, 2025
Threads
40
Messages
3,491
Reaction score
3,210
Location
Corpus christi texas
Vehicle(s)
2004 ford ranger, 2024 ford ranger
Occupation
Aircraft examiner
yup /\

boats and planes are very expensive toys
 
OP
OP
Bill Hippel

Bill Hippel

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Apr 17, 2025
Threads
14
Messages
197
Reaction score
354
Location
Abington pa.
Vehicle(s)
24 stx 4×4 Ranger
Occupation
Retired carpenter
Its a young man's game. A lot of responsibility to make everything go smoothly.
I alway's thought of that with adult toys. You cannot think you can put them to the side until the season starts. The the level of wealth you need is someone to take care of your stuff and captain it if needed.
Yes owning a boat is an expense, but boat owners are everyday hard working people and 99% of them captain there own boat. I try to maintain and winterize my own boat to keep cost down. Here in Pennsylvania I use my boat from April thru October and enjoy it very much. I don't agree with your young man's game point. I am a 60 year old retiree, on my dock alone there are three other 60-70 year old's that fish and boat. I will admit it was easier in my 30&40's.
 

Jason B

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jason
Joined
Apr 27, 2023
Threads
1
Messages
1,189
Reaction score
1,268
Location
Louisiana
Vehicle(s)
2024 Ranger XLT FX4
Occupation
machinist
So, you are just steering with the center consul knob, with cameras. If you are using it that way do have a crawl mode. Or you are Old school and can back a large trailer up. Just saw a video today of a Dually sliding down the steep dock. Once the boat touched the water it was ok. Lucky. Kinda like those videoes of boat ramps gone wrong. How could you not be upset when some Dude is recording it. You at least have to say FY and knowing you FK Up ! Ha ha.

Impressive. Your not screwing around transporting that. A bit of a sag in the back. That's what you do if you wish to haul things for a long time or distance. Air bags.
What you speak of, steering with the console knob, is a feature of Advanced Towing option, which also gives you a Trailer Brake Controller. Unfortunately, that feature isn't available on XL STX models.
 
OP
OP
Bill Hippel

Bill Hippel

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Apr 17, 2025
Threads
14
Messages
197
Reaction score
354
Location
Abington pa.
Vehicle(s)
24 stx 4×4 Ranger
Occupation
Retired carpenter
What you speak of, steering with the console knob, is a feature of Advanced Towing option, which also gives you a Trailer Brake Controller. Unfortunately, that feature isn't available on XL STX models.
Do you have advanced towing option with console knob and if so do you like it ?
 

Sponsored

Steeliegreen

Well-Known Member
First Name
John
Joined
Dec 4, 2024
Threads
3
Messages
63
Reaction score
40
Location
Oregon City Oregon
Vehicle(s)
Ford F-350 2021 and Ford Ranger 2024 XLT
Occupation
rETIRED
Do you know off hand what the tongue weight of your boat is?
I have one that is similar and thinking of towing with my Ranger.
 

John E Davies

Well-Known Member
First Name
John
Joined
May 26, 2024
Threads
64
Messages
780
Reaction score
1,082
Location
Spokane WA USA
Vehicle(s)
2024 Ranger Raptor Velocity Blue (fastest color)
Occupation
Retired aircraft tech
For really short trips, such as marina to storage, the Ranger is gong to be just OK, but definitely not safe for long ones, you need a full sized truck with big brakes, because invariably boat trailer brakes screw up and you have to be able to panic stop your entire rig, or control the speed on a steep down grade. No Ranger is capable of that.

Little truck, little brakes, little towing…. For a three ton boat and trailer a HD truck is best. If you must tow with a Ranger, make sure you have hydraulic disk trailer brakes that are in good working order.

I have only towed one big boat, a SeaRay 250 Sundancer, about 7500 pounds with its trailer, I used a 1 ton Suburban and felt that I had a reasonably safe setup….

John Davies
Spokane WA USA
 
OP
OP
Bill Hippel

Bill Hippel

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Apr 17, 2025
Threads
14
Messages
197
Reaction score
354
Location
Abington pa.
Vehicle(s)
24 stx 4×4 Ranger
Occupation
Retired carpenter
Do you know off hand what the tongue weight of your boat is?
I have one that is similar and thinking of towing with my Ranger.
No I don't know the tongue weight, but 6,400 lbs is no problem and I think it can handle 7,500 lbs. ,And if you get a hitch that will give you 10% tongue weight for peice of mind you will be ok.
 
OP
OP
Bill Hippel

Bill Hippel

Well-Known Member
First Name
Bill
Joined
Apr 17, 2025
Threads
14
Messages
197
Reaction score
354
Location
Abington pa.
Vehicle(s)
24 stx 4×4 Ranger
Occupation
Retired carpenter
For really short trips, such as marina to storage, the Ranger is gong to be just OK, but definitely not safe for long ones, you need a full sized truck with big brakes, because invariably boat trailer brakes screw up and you have to be able to panic stop your entire rig, or control the speed on a steep down grade. No Ranger is capable of that.

Little truck, little brakes, little towing…. For a three ton boat and trailer a HD truck is best. If you must tow with a Ranger, make sure you have hydraulic disk trailer brakes that are in good working order.

I have only towed one big boat, a SeaRay 250 Sundancer, about 7500 pounds with its trailer, I used a 1 ton Suburban and felt that I had a reasonably safe setup….

John Davies
Spokane WA USA
I can't speak on long distance towing but I would feel good towing with my Ranger long distance with my boat.
 
 







Top