Hey folks,

I haven't been around this forum in a long time so I haven't kept up with various discussions that might have come up. Maybe this has been discussed before.

Has anyone used there HHR at a boat launch with a sea-doo trailer? I'm looking to tow a sea-doo this summer and I'll need to launch (which should be easy) and also pull the sea-doo back out of the water (which might be more difficult.)

I'm wondering if anyone has any experience or tips when trying to use the HHR to pull the sea-doo out of the water and up the boat launch. My HHR is a 2.4L so it should have adequate power and torque. I also have pretty good tires which have an excellent wet traction rating. I'm also thinking about getting an 8 or 10 inch extension for the hitch so that I can keep the HHR out of the potential slick portion of the boat launch.

The sea-doo weighs about 600 pounds not including the trailer. I'm going to make sure the sea-doo is almost empty of fuel when pulling it out to keep the weight down.

I don't know much about the boat launch at this point other than it being concrete. Don't know anything about angle. It is a lake launch so it shouldn't be too bad for algae.

 

The angle of the ramp is going to be the biggest issue. Too steep and you won't have the traction to pull it out of the water.


I've launched boats with several FWD 4 bangers and each did it with ease. Your weight is fine, but I'd avoid the extension., those lower your tongue weight capabilities and I think the actual tow weight also.

 

The angle has me worried the most. Luckily the lake has at least a dozen different launches so hopefully I can find the one which is the least steep. I'm thinking the HHR should hopefully do okay. I looked at the weight distribution and I think it is around 58 up front which should help. Maybe I'll make sure the HHR is low on fuel as well which should keep some weight out of the rear.

I was only planning on using the extension while pulling the sea-doo out of the water and up the launch. Figured it might help keep the front wheels on a drier portion of the launch.

 

Do you have any experience with towing? I've launched small boats with small vehicles from all sorts of ramps. Horsepower isn't the issue here. Its all about the ramp design and getting traction.Also some of the best built ramps can get that dreaded algae growth which means "slicker than whale----" Remember:It's easy to back down a ramp and launch:loading back on the trailer and pulling out can be the tricky part.
Front wheel drive(limited slip would help) also means that the tongue weight of the trailer is reducing weight from the front of the car= less traction.
I seen guys in pickups loose traction pulling out of a ramp. They usually get someone to bounce up and down on the rear bumper to get it to "grab".
Don't think I would want someone to jump up and down on my front bumper of my front wheel drive.
Just my 2 cents.

 

Ramps are usually wet all over, and as stated, some have alge growing on them. Traction is at a premium at times. Back down first, and then pull up before you get into the water. If you have trouble now, you will have lots of trouble trying to pull it out of the water.

Start off slowly.

 

I have some experience with towing but not much. I've only ever been on the launch with a GMC Envoy. I was just trying to see if I could get any pointers from someone that might have used the HHR on a launch previously.

I'm hoping a nice slow crawl with the HHR in L will be sufficient to get the sea-doo moving out of the water. I'm also pretty sure that this launch has those nice, deep, angled grooves which help to direct water and also provide a lot of traction so that should be very beneficial.

 

Solman thought of exactly the same thing as me....except of different reasons.

Although the angle vs traction is valid, I also thought about the tailpipe end becoming submerged....which was my experience on a recent encounter.

I had a couple of kayaks in the rear cargo area and in an attempt to facilitate removal and get as close to the water as possible, I noticed the tailpipe under. I quickly moved forward.

 

When I had my boat, I used to get the tailpipe tips in the water on occasion, idling, it's no problem and it will burp the exhaust out........

If you have a steep ramp, the water is not an issue, but it's also harder to pull out. A ramp with less incline is easier to get out, but odds are you will dip the tail in water. Fresh water is no biggie, but salt water on the other hand will require a rinse soon after.

 

When I was in my teens, my family had an 1800 lb boat that we used to pull with a 1967 VW Beetle. It had a 1500cc 56hp engine. We all used to help "push" when starting up the boat ramp, but my pop (who is now in heaven) felt it was necessary to save clutch wear. The VW itself was capable of pulling it out of the water in 1st gear on both paved and steel corrigated boat ramps. Based upon this actual experience, I have to think that the HHR has the ability to pull a large jet ski out of the water on a boat ramp.

 

Like I stated before,horsepower isn't the issue:traction is. I used to have a 68 VW. Rear engine sitting on top of the rear tires-good for traction. HHR with front wheel drive,backed down a ramp-?