When you’re looking for a Hitch for your boat trailer, you’ll want to make sure that it’s the perfect fit. There are many different hitch types and sizes available, so it can be hard to know which one is the right one for your trailer. After intensive research and testing, we’ve put together this helpful guide to help you choose the best hitch for a boat trailer.
Our Recommended Hitch for Boat Trailer Comparison Table
We believe this comparison table will help you to compare the features of those hitches and you’ll find your perfect match.
IMAGE | MODEL | KEY FEATURES | OUR RATING | PRICE |
 | B&W Tow & Stow |
| ||
 | BulletProof Hitches |
| ||
 | Weigh Safe 180 |
| ||
 | CURT 13333 Class 3 |
| ||
 | CURT 11486 Class 1 Trailer Hitch |
|
5 Best Hitch for Boat Trailer Reviews (Tested)
1. B&W Tow & Stow: Best hitch for towing boat trailers
The B&W TS20048B, which are heavy duty and designed to work with 2.5-inch receivers and have a 5” drop and a 14,500-pound maximum towing ability, are the best hitch for boat trailer in the towing industry today.
It’s been over twenty years since B&W has been making goods for the tow vehicle. The most popular gooseneck hitch in the U.S.A. is their Turnoverball TM gooseneck. This gooseneck one revolutionized the business! Most makers of gooseneck hitches now employ this tow balls storage and mounting method.
Artisans and the latest technology are employed in a state-of-the-art facility in the heartland to produce their products. People visit B&W all the time to receive high-quality merchandise and excellent customer service.
Pros:
- Tows up to 10,000 pounds
- Heavy duty. During endurance tests, it performs well
- There is no need for multiple hitch balls mounts when several tow balls are sizes
Cons:
- After testing this hitch on several vehicles, we noticed that it can be too big to fit in some receivers. So check the correct size.
Also read: How to Hook up a Gooseneck Trailer?
2. BulletProof: Our second best choice for Boat Trailer
Lifting and lowering your boat will be a breeze with this BulletProof HD256. Designed to withstand the test of time, BulletProof hitches are well known in the towing industry and are proudly crafted from solid steel in the United States of America.
Raising and lowering the ride height is as simple as pulling the two pins and sliding or moving the tow balls in the hitch up or down. BulletProof hitch balls with a gross trailer weight capacity of up to 22,000 pounds are also included, with a high quality, patent pending design.
There are heavy duty steel hitch bars on the sides of this to make it easy to remove and use with any other receiver. Protected from corrosion, rust, UV radiation, and other forms of wear and tear, its appealing appearance can be preserved for an extended period despite heavy use.
Pros:
- Heavy duty
- 14,000 lbs of towing power
- Secondly, four ride heights may be adjusted
- There is no need for multiple tow ball mounts when several ball heights
Cons :
- Passes the agility test
3. Weigh Safe 180: Environment friendly boat trailer hitch on a budget
The Weigh Safe hitch dial here lets you know when you’ve reached 10-15 percent of the recommended towing ability while you’re transferring your trailer freight. Using a scale for the vehicle’s tow ratings, measure the trailer’s tongue weight TW by hauling it to the scale and weighing it many times.
NB: Keep an eye on the trailer’s tongue weight TW capacity whenever hitched to a car.
In addition to being a practical work of art, the Weigh Safe is visually arresting. Depending on the receiver shank, it has 1500 lb tongue tow ratings for 2 in. and 2.5 in. receiver shanks. It is a novel approach to trailer safety that explains how and why it’s essential. This military-grade heavy duty towing hitch is crafted from a 6061T6 aluminum billet block.
This high-quality aluminum of Weigh Safe will outlast and outshine your trucks for the next ten years. As a result, snow-removal operations that use magnesium chloride rather than salt are more environmentally friendly.
Pros:
- Easy-to-adjust system with a dual Pin and Clip locking mechanism that has been improved
- A 12,500 lb. towing capacity with heavy duty towing mechanism with better stability
Cons:
- The receiver lock at times sometimes doesn’t work correctly
Read:
- Weigh Safe Hitch Problems and Proven Solutions
- What to do if Boat Trailers Tongue Weight is too little?
4. CURT 13333 Class 3: Populer hitch for towing a Boat trailer
The CURT 13333 Class III hitches are designed to accommodate a wide range of tow vehicles. You may use it on anything, even a full-size automobile, a van, a truck, or a trailer boat. As an option, you can also use these Class III hitches with safety chains to tow a hitch mounted cargo carrier or bike rack if you need more storage space while on the road.
This heavy duty class iii hitch is intended to fit every car to make installation as simple as possible for any household. According to the official procedure, it can handle 6,000 lbs GTW and 600 lbs TW in weight. Towing equipment with a weight distribution of 10,000 lbs WD and 1,000 lbs WDTW is more accessible with this class iii hitch than any weight distributing ones.
An additional feature of this class iii hitch is the ability to put tow balls’ mounts with a 2×2 shank into the 2-inch aperture of the tube. The hitch is crafted in the United States to provide a high level of design and craftsmanship and a precise fit.
Robotic and manual processes are utilized in tandem to improve speed and quality during the manufacturing process. Indeed, the company’s co-curing technique is a technologically advanced achievement. To prevent rust, it is submerged in Bonderite liquid and then coated with a black powder coat to strengthen its endurance and make it resistant to corrosion, chipping, and exposure to ultraviolet trailer lights.
There is no need to worry, as CURT offers a limited lifetime warranty to give you peace of mind on any adventure, no matter how long it takes. The CURT 13333 class iii trailer hitch is an excellent companion for any trip, whether you’re going hunting, fishing, camping, or for work.
Pros:
- They come in five classes, offering a range of weight capacity and receiver tube sizes
- Heavy duty and a towing capacity of 6000 lbs
Cons:
- Endurance performance could be better
5. CURT 11486 Class 1: Long lasting hitch
Curt Class 1 trailer hitches are the appropriate option for all of life’s events, activities, and encounters. For towing a boat trailer or smaller trailers like the small sedan and crossover vehicles, Class 1 provides a rear receiver tube for hitch mounted load carriers, bike racks, and light duty trailers.
Read:
After testing this receiver hitch of class 1, we found out that you don’t have to cram the trunk or even the seats with cargo.
Like other Curt custom trailer hitches, a class 1 hitch is built for a specific vehicle application. A vehicle specific design allows for the most secure, quickest, and easy installation. There are specified model years compatible with this Hyundai Ioniq class 1 hitch. All unnecessary adjustments are removed, and the vehicle’s existing design and layout are flawlessly integrated with a custom fit design.
The gross trailer weight capacity rating is two thousand pounds, and 200 pounds is the tongue weight rating for this Hyundai Ioniq hitch.
Lightweight trailers and freight carriers can also benefit from this (never exceed the lowest rated component). The hitch receiver tube measures 1-1/4” x 1-1/4” to accept tow ball mounts and other trailer hitches accessories. The open back of the hitch receiver tube makes cleaning it much more manageable.
Pros:
- Designed for each vehicle to provide a proper fit
- The main body is disguised for an OE look and optimal integration with the car
- Safety testing by SAE J684
- Heavy duty precision welding ensures superior strength and fit
- Powder-coated in a high gloss black that is exceptionally resistant to abrasion
Cons:
- The concise warranty period
Here’s the Curt hitch installation process video
Also read:
Things to remember when selecting a ball hitch and coupler for towing your boat?
Trailer hitch makes your boat and trailer safely towed behind your tow vehicle. However, as not all hitches are alike, let’s choose the right hitch for you.
Also read: 3 Common Trailer Hitch Coupler Problems and Solutions
Hitches for Carrying Load
The most common type for pulling trailers, especially for heavy boats, is a Weight Carrying (also known as dead weight) hitch, and there are five different classes based on the combined weight of the boat and trailer.
Somewhere on the hitch, you’ll find the vehicle’s tow ratings. Step Bumper hitches are a thing of the past, and you should do the same for our discussion. They are inferior to the ones we discuss here.
Isotopes of Carbon
These are available with either fixed ball platforms or hitch receivers that accommodate 114-inch-square removable drawbars/ball mounts and can take up to 2,000 pounds of gross trailer weight GTW and 200 pounds of tongue weight (TW). Smaller boats can only be towed with a light duty tow rating.
Second-Grade
These hitches, which can support up to 3,500 pounds GTW and 300 pounds TW, attach to the vehicle’s frame. However, unibody vehicles may require additional bracing or backing plates. With 114-inch square drawbars, these hitch receivers are usually sufficient for aluminum heavy boats and personal watercraft.
Which class of trailer hitch is best suited for a boat?
Class III
If you’re looking for the most common hitches with heavy duty, the Class III hitch is the one for you. It is fastened to a vehicle’s frame via fasteners (usually a truck, van, or full-size SUV). A 2-inch-square drawbar fits into the receiver’s opening. With a weight distributing system, the GTW and TW ratings of class iii can be boosted to 10,000 pounds GTW and 1,000 pounds TW, respectively.
Class IV
These Class IV frame-mounted receiver hitches are rated 10,000 pounds GTW and 1,000 pounds TW in Weight Carrying mode. The towing capacity of class iv is limited to a drawbar 2 inches square and is often found on full size trucks. The weight distributing mode of Class IV hitches improves the GTW and TW ratings to 14,000 and 1,400 pounds, respectively.
Class V
These receiver hitches are made for heavy duty vehicles and vans and have a weight rating of 12,000 pounds GTW and 1,200 pounds TW. But with a Weight Distribution System, the trailer lights rise to 17,000 pounds GTW 1,700 pounds TW. The corresponding drawbar is 212 inches square, which is an increase in size.
Read: Types of trailer hitches and Hitch classes: A Complete Guide
Hitch for Boat Trailer FAQs
● Can I tow a boat with a Class 2 hitch?
Yes, during our testing we’ve found out that Class II hitches can tow a gross trailer weight GTW of 3,500 lbs. In fact, it is common to find Class II hitches on full size cars, minivans, and crossovers, as well as small SUVs and pickup trucks.
● Which trailer hitch class is best suited for a boat less than 2000 pounds?
According to the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) classification, there are four classes, each with a maximum rating of the weight capacity of 2,000 pounds; Class I hitches, Class II hitches, Class III hitches, and Class IV all have a maximum weight capacity of 3,500 pounds, 5,000 pounds, and 10,000 pounds, respectively.
Conclusion
The best way to be safe is to use a vehicle with the right hitch that is the right size. We have laid before you the best 5 trailer hitches you can buy for towing the boats. Depending on your budget, you can get one of your choices, but CURT really provides quality boat hitches that are really worth the money. Hope you may load your trailer safely to benefit your family’s safety and the protection of other motorists with the help of this article.
Also read:
