A car is a great way to get around town. They’re great on gas, have seating for the family, and some models even have all-wheel drive.
If you’re looking to get a PWC, you may be wondering if your car will haul it? Could it haul two on a double trailer? Or will you get stuck on the ramp?
The good news is that a car will tow most PWCs. The not so good news, it’s not always a smart idea to use a car. There is a lot to consider when using a car to haul your personal watercraft, so let’s break it down some more below.
Is It Possible For A Car to haul A PWC?
A car will haul a PWC or even two on a trailer under certain conditions, but it’s not the hauling that you need to worry about, but instead the “stopping and starting”!
Anything with wheels could be towed, but it’s the stopping and going up and down boat launches that you need to worry about.
Boat ramps are tricky – steep and slippery.
Make sure your vehicle is powerful enough, or it might slip into the water. Choose ramps wisely and know your vehicle’s limits!
It’s surprising how many folks try to haul two heavy jet skis with their lowered cars. They often get stuck on the ramp or even slide down.
Remember, just because you do something doesn’t mean you should!
1/3 Rule – Calculate The Limit
Most cars could haul a trailer with a total weight from 500 pounds to 2,000 pounds, but this number doesn’t always factor in the power needed to get out of a steep boat ramp.
A lot of models weigh more than 500 pounds, keep that in mind.
Boat ramps come in many sizes and shapes
Some ramps are gentle, while others have steep drops and potholes.
Stick to the “1/3 rule”: only haul 1/3 less than your hauling capacity. For example, if it’s 1,500 pounds max, stay under 1,000 pounds.
Adjust based on ramp and car power/traction. Ignoring this rule might get you stuck or rolling into the water.
Braked vs Unbraked
What is Braked and Unbraked? Braked and unbraked towing give different weight ratings.
- “Braked weight” is the weight that is used if the trailer has brakes.
- “Unbraked” is the weight if the trailer does not have brakes.
Always go off the unbraked weight, as most single and double trailers don’t have brakes. (At least for most states in the US)
You want to use the unbraked weight just to be on the safe side, especially on small trailers, as you need the power to get them out of the water on a steep ramp.
Car hauling Capacity
Since hauling capacity will vary greatly, with some manufacturers outright saying towing a trailer with their cars is not recommended, I’ve omitted a generic list of car hauling capacity.
The hauling capacity will even vary from year to year, and me placing one number for all year models is not safe.
It’s best to look in your owner’s manual for the exact capacity of your car.
Keep in mind this weight must include the jet ski, gear, fuel, and trailer weight.
- To see how much your jet ski weighs, check out our post here.
- To see how much your jet ski trailer weighs, check out this post.
What the Manufacturer Says
What the car manufacturer says and what someone selling you a hitch says don’t always match. (Shocking, I know!)
While a hitch maybe available for your car, it doesn’t always mean you should haul with your car.
Just understand the risks when you go against the manufacturer’s recommendation.
Also, understand that the weight needs to be distrusted correctly, or the trailer will fishtail.
Horsepower Needed To haul
How much horsepower do you need to haul? You should have at least 150HP or at least 180HP for two small machines on a trailer.
As previously stated, the issue isn’t in the motion itself, but in the “stopping and starting”. Any wheeled vehicle will move, but possessing sufficient horsepower is advantageous, particularly on steep boat ramps.
All that horsepower won’t mean much if you can’t get “traction”, so having good wheels on your car is important. Ideally, you want an all-wheel drive car, as that will give you the most traction.
Stick To hauling These Jet Skis
If a car is your only option, then you’ll want to stick to the Rec-Lite category of jet ski.
A Rec-Lite is the Sea-Doo Spark and Yamaha EX models. These also happen to be the most affordable models on the market. I’ve sold these models to people who towed them with Prius and Mustangs before.
To learn about the current 2024 Rec-Lite’s, we have a post comparing them here.
For some cars, you could get away with the bigger Recreational models, but I would avoid the luxury and performance models for sure.
Sedans
Will a sedan work? A sedan is just a 4-door car, and is able to haul a small trailer following the 1/3 rule as talked about earlier.
hauling With a 4-Cylinder Car
A 4-cylinder car will haul them on a trailer, depending on the horsepower and hauling capacity.
It’s best you stick to our “1/3 rule”, as talked about earlier in this post.
Hatchbacks
You’ll be able to tow them on a trailer with a hatchback, but you must follow our “1/3 rule”, as talked about at the start of this post.
Ramps Are Slippery And Steep
One of the biggest things to keep in mind is that boat ramps are slippery and steep.
You need traction to haul anything out of the water, and you also need some good ground clearance.
While not all ramps are steep, you’ll still run into a few that are, and a vehicle that is not tall enough will get stuck.
Having good brakes is important, too. Not in the way it stops you on a normal day, but when hauling something there is now more weight, and you need brakes that are rated for that. There is a lot to take in, so keep this stuff in mind.
Tip: If you’re stuck on the ramp and just need a little more traction, let some air out of the tires. If that doesn’t work, call a tow-truck.
Trucks Having Hauling Features
What makes trucks great is that many of them have features just for hauling trailers.
There is often a button to press to put the truck in hauling mode, where it gives more power and stopping power. You often have more hauling accessories like easier light hook-ups, or it’s already equipped on the truck.
All of this is stuff you won’t find on sedans, and for good reason. Many of it could be added, but it’s not worth it.
Get A Marina Membership
What vehicle you have doesn’t matter if you get a membership to a local marina.
You could store your jet ski there, they will keep tabs on it, clean it or service it depending on your contract with them.
When you need to bring it into the dealership, most dealers will pick you up by water for a fee. If you got the cash, keeping your jet ski at a marina is the best way to go about it, especially if you could keep it on a floating dock as it’s ready to go whenever you want to take it out. If you live on the water, then you’ve won, avoid a trailer and just have the dealership pick you up when you need it.