Written by: Jacob JLast updated: 5/9/2025Est. time to read: 12 mins.

What Size of Boat Trailer do I Need?When you're in the market for a boat trailer, there are a lot of factors to consider. We've discussed things like which material is best for a boat trailer and whether you should use bunks or rollers–but today we're going to discuss a seemingly obvious, yet deceptively complex topic. How big should my boat trailer be? What capacity should it have? This is actually a rather important point, because if you get a boat trailer that's too small, you risk damaging your boat, trailer, or vehicle–but buy too large, and you're wasting money, towing more weight than you need to, and putting unnecessary strain on your vehicle. Let's go over all of the factors and help you decide which boat trailer is perfect for your boat.We will go into some more detail about how to get your specific boat and trailer measurements further into the article, but if you just want a quick and estimated reference guide based on your boat type, we have you covered there too. There will be outliers of course, but these are the general measurements you can expect to see.

Boat Trailer Size Guide

Boat TypeTypical Length/WeightTypical Trailer Type/WeightTypical Tow Vehicles

Personal Watercraft (PWC / Jet Ski) 8-12 ft. / 800-1,000 lbs. Typically single-axle / 200-400 lbs. Sedans, SUVs, Minivans, Trucks

Jon Boat 10-20 ft. / 800-1,000 lbs.. Typically single-axle / 200-400 lbs. Sedans, SUVs, Minivans, Trucks

Kayak 8-14 ft. / 35-70 lbs. Typically single-axle / 200-400 lbs. Sedans, SUVs, Minivans, Trucks

Canoe 13-17 ft. / 60-75 lbs. Typically single-axle / 200-400 lbs. Sedans, SUVs, Minivans, Trucks

Bass Boat 16-22 ft. / 1,000-2,000 lbs. Typically single-axle / 300-500 lbs. Sedans, SUVs, Minivans, Trucks

Pontoon 18-30 ft. / 2,200-3,000 lbs. Typically single-axle / 500-600 lbs. SUVs, Minivans, Trucks

Motorboat / Runabout 16-24 ft. / 2,200-3,000 lbs. Typically single-axle / 500-600 lbs. SUVs, Minivans, Trucks

Saltwater Fishing Boat 20-35 ft. / 2,200-3,000 lbs. Typically single-axle / 500-600 lbs. SUVs, Minivans, Trucks

Ski Boat / Wake Boat 19-25 ft. / 4,000-6,000 lbs. Typically tandem-axle / 800-1,000 lbs. Large SUVs, Heavy-Duty Trucks

Bay Boat 18-26 ft. / 4,000-6,000 lbs. Typically tandem-axle / 800-1,000 lbs. Large SUVs, Heavy-Duty Trucks

Sailboat 20-45 ft. / 7,000-8,800 lbs. Typically triple-axle / 1,300-1,600 lbs. Large SUVs, Heavy-Duty Trucks

Speed Boat (Performance Boat) 20-35 ft. / 7,000-8,800 lbs. Typically triple-axle / 1,300-1,600 lbs. Large SUVs, Heavy-Duty Trucks

Cabin Cruisers 24-45+ ft. / 7,000-8,800+ lbs. Typically triple-axle / 1,300-1,600 lbs. Large SUVs, Heavy-Duty Trucks

How to Measure your Boat

Estimates can only get you so far. When you're selecting the perfect trailer for your boat, it's much more important to be precise. The first step would be to get your boat's specific dimensions. This is a bit tricky, because the manufacturers list the LOA (length overall) of your boat, and generally include things like outboard motors, swimming platforms, or other protrusions in that measurement–none of which need to be taken into consideration when you're sizing your boat for your trailer.

When measuring your boat for trailer fittings, you only need to measure from the bow eye (the ring in the front that connects to the boat winch) to the transom (the vertical surface at the back of the boat–where the engine is mounted). This is due to the fact that this is really the only part of the boat that is making contact with the trailer. Your engine, as well as any accessories you have on the front of your boat, will generally not, and therefore don't have to be considered.It's also important to measure the width of your boat. Like measuring for the length, you will be taking your own measurement here. Measuring from fender to fender (also known as the chine beam) underneath your boat will give you the proper width as it pertains to trailer fitment.

The manufacturer's LOA will often include additional accessories that don't need to be included in this measurement

The fender to fender measurement will be the best way to determine your boat's width

Bow eye to transom will give the best measurement for your boat's length. This measurement is crucial for making sure your trailer is appropriately sized

How to Find your Boat's Weight

Once you know the dimensions of your trailer, it's also important to find out how much it weighs. This is so you can determine what capacity you need from the ideal trailer. Keep in mind, we are not referring to the weight of the boat that is provided by the manufacturer–we are looking for the wet weight of the boat.

The wet weight of a boat is the actual load that's being placed on the trailer. Which is the weight of the boat, plus the weight of any gear or fluids that the boat has taken on.
The wet weight of a boat includes:

• The boat's weight (according to the manufacturer)
• The boat's motor
• Any batteries that may be on the boat
• Fuel (~6lbs. / gallon)
• Water (8 lbs. / gallon)
• Gear (this is hard to weight directly, but you can estimate this to be roughly 10% of the total weight)

In order to determine what your trailer's towing capacity should be, we suggest adding all the factors listed above. Then adding roughly 15% extra weight onto that final number–and going with a trailer that can support that weight. This will mean that you have plenty of extra capacity to handle and rough roads that you may traverse while towing your boat trailer.Don't Forget: When towing–You're always limited by your lowest rated componentDon't forget about your vehicle's capacity either! Make sure your vehicle is able to tow your boat's wet weight and the weight of the boat trailer itself. For a deep dive about your vehicle's towing capacity, click here. But a quick and dirty guide goes like this:

• Look inside your vehicle's driver's side door to find your vehicles GCWR (gross combined weight rating)
• Find the GVW (gross vehicle weight) of your vehicle by taking it to a weigh station–subtract this number from the GCWR from the previous step
• This final number is the maximum weight of your loaded boat and trailer

How do I Pick out the Right Boat Trailer?

Once you know all the dimensions of your boat–and the capacity of the trailer you'll need to hold it–we can get started with the selection process. Generally speaking you want your trailer to be slightly longer than your boat. Anywhere between 2' and 6' should be perfect for allowing your trailer to maneuver effectively while allowing the best fit for your boat. Your trailer should also have a capacity about 15% higher than the boats wet weight (as stated above). If both of those conditions are met, you have officially sized your boat trailer! There are a few other factors to consider that we didn't go over here–click here to read our guide on the next step: selecting between painted steel, galvanized steel, and aluminum for your boat trailer! But with all that out of the way, thank you for reading and we hope we helped you learn a bit about sizing your trailer. Stay safe out there, and happy boating!

About Jacob JTo say that my path to etrailer was complicated would be an understatement. I have always had a passion for helping others, and throughout my education and career as a social worker or community liaison, I have loved writing as a hobby. When I found etrailer and was given the opportunity to turn something I enjoyed doing into a career that helped people access information and products they need to live the best life they possibly could, I was instantly interested.I am a lover of the outdoors, I have been loading and unloading trailers since before I was old enough to drive them, and have spent my recent years working in and around the automotive industry. And I am excited to share all of the things I have learned (more often than not the hard way).I consider myself a perpetual student, and etrailer gives me the opportunity to learn something new every day and share my findings with others. Which is something I am extremely grateful for. I look forward to continuing to help people find the answers they need to make memories for a lifetime.