Good Day!

Chesbayslr · Apr 10, 2008

I'm a new member here. Gee, what a great site. Also, great folks. You can see from my handle where I'm from. I'm currently faced with a major life-style change. I'm a sailor who is about to make the change to a powerboat. The lady in charge of me, that I have lived with (and love dearly) for the past fifty years has laid down the law! "One or the other, but not both" Sooo...it looks like either a 2301cc or a 2501 to replace my sail boat. Ever tried to fight a 40 inch striper under sail single handed...it is exciting to say the least. What can I say...I sure appreciate the opportunity to become a member of the forum. You don't know how valuable the information available here is in helping me make a decision. One question that I have deals with towing. I cut-my-eye-teeth fishing from Cape Lookout (Beaufort) to Cape Fear (Southport) on the North Carolina Coast (before I got the sailing fever). I want to be able to fish here on the Chesapeake (we live on the Magothy) but I want to return to my roots from time to time. I'm aware of the need for a wide load permit. But I hear all kinds of rumbles coming out of the "good-ole-boys" in NC about enforcement activities that began last fall aimed at recreational boaters with boats wider that 102 inches.Has any one had any problems towing a 25 with the 114 inch beam in either Va or NC? Does anyone tow to Coastal NC?

Megabyte · Apr 10, 2008

Chesbayslr":1ybq2c5b said:
I'm a sailor who is about to make the change to a powerboat.

It is always good to welcome an owner of a sail powered vessel to the Parker fold.

Welcome, and congratulations!

There was a thread in the recent past regarding trailering to NC, and apparently the marine manufacturers (including Parker) were behind an effort to mitigate the effect that over-the-top enforcement had caused.

I do not know the outcome of those discussions, but hopefully a member here can help.

FWIW... the Parker 23 CC has an 8'6" beam, which needs no special permits. The 25, being a 9'6" beam does, in many jurisdictions.

Let us know if there is anything specific we can do to help. :wink:

kentislandparker · Apr 11, 2008

Welcome, if you are trailering more than once a year I would not go for the 25. I have a 25 sc and the state troopers do pay attention to the laws also a big issue in the Chesapeake bay bridge tunnel. The wide load permit is a pain and I would hate to think what an insurance company would do if you had an accident without the wide load permit. I think most will agree if you trailer get the 23. Enjoy, Parker is a great boat.

esfishdoc · Apr 13, 2008

When it comes to trailering a 9'6" beam there are always many versions of what happens and what could happen. I'll try and limit this response to my observations and experience.

I've lived in the Norfolk/Eastern Shore area of Virginia for 20 years. the most recent 10 on the Eastern Shore. I cross the bay by way of the CBBT a minimum of 4 times a month and lately average about 6 trips a month (not trailering....) In my line of work I know many of the local, state and CBBT police.

First, let me tell you what I've never seen. (don't get me wrong here.. I'm not saying it has never happened.. just that I've not seen it.. and I'm out there a lot!) I've never seen a boat and trailer pulled over by the police for any reason... except a couple of run down red neck rigs from North Carolina up here for croaker with trailers ready to collapse. I've never seen or heard of any nicely appointed rig with a 9'6" boat pulled over for inspection of wide load requirements. At the very busy ramps of Cape Charles and Kiptopeake I've never seen a 9'6" beam with "wide load" designations and there are many coming from Maryland, Jersey, NC and other places. The LEO's I've talked to tell me it is a non-issue for them.. they do it, thier family and friends do it... they are stretched too thin as it is and they don't care about an overwide beam boat on the road as long as you aren't drunk.

The few times I've trailered through the CBBT, all they were interested in was collecting my 60 dollars... they will ask if you are over... and if you say no and you look over, they will measure....and then you might have a problem.

I know what the law says. I also know that to get a wide load permit and then follow those laws, I can't trailer my boat when I want to.

I may catch some flak for my postion on this... but for me.... where I am....I'm safe, careful, coureous.. and I don't have a wide load permit.

I've read what has been going on in NC... I don't go there so it isn't an issure.

Richard

Chesbayslr · Apr 13, 2008

Richard, Kevin, Kentislandparker.
Thank you for the kind welcome and your responses. As I understand the issue in NC, size is a part of it, but the larger part is weight. Some of the fines have been as much as $2000.00. Apparently in NC the current wisdom is that recreational boats are not exempt from licensed weight limits like travel trailers or motor homes. When they pull you over, they add up the weight of your tow vehicle and the rig that you are towing and if your tow vehicle is not licensed for that total weight, they impound the vehicle until it is. In Maryland and Virginia are recreational rigs, namely boat and trailer exempt from weight limits? The other screwy thing was if you were pulling the rig with a SUV, the weight deal did not apply because SUV's were exempt. They have several coastal legislators who are apparently agreeable to introducing legislation to try and straighted out the mess. But...I sure don't want to get caught in a mess. I've currently got my pickup registered for 8000lbs. Sure as the world the truck plus a fully loaded 2500 is going to put me over the edge on weight.