Towing a Bass Boat, Pontoon or Bay Boat: Which Ram or Jeep Fits the South

Southern boating is not one activity. A bass angler on Lake Fork, a pontoon family on Lake Martin and a bay-boat owner launching in Galveston or on Mobile Bay all pull different boats to different ramps, and the best tow vehicle changes with them. Add a long summer, humid air and, for some, saltwater, and the usual advice to match the tow rating to the boat leaves out half the picture.

This guide compares the Ram and Jeep vehicles that Southern boat owners ask about most. We do not publish boat weights here, because they swing widely with length, engine and equipment. Instead we give you the vehicle side of the math. Get the boat maker's dry weight, then add the outboard if it is not included, fuel, batteries, gear and the trailer itself. That total is the number to compare with the table.

What each vehicle is rated to pull

Each maximum belongs to one configuration, so the combination you actually buy may be lower. Heavy-duty Ram ratings are preliminary as published.

Vehicle	Max towing	Where that maximum applies	Max payload	Starting MSRP*
Jeep Wrangler	5,000 lbs	4-door Rubicon, automatic, 4.10 axle (other 4-doors: 3,500)	1,562 lbs	$36,635
Jeep Grand Cherokee	6,200 lbs	Both engines, 2WD or 4WD	1,050 to 1,280 lbs (two-row)	$39,730
Jeep Gladiator	7,700 lbs	Sport S with 4.10 axle (Rubicon 7,000; Willys, Mojave 6,000; Sahara 4,500)	1,720 lbs	$43,895
Dodge Durango	8,700 lbs	Tow 'n Go, R/T 392 or Hellcat (GT standard: 7,200)	About 1,350 to 1,590 lbs	$43,875
Jeep Grand Wagoneer	10,000 lbs	4x4, 3.92 axle, standard wheelbase (3.55 axle: 6,030)	1,300 lbs (estimated)	$65,000
Ram 1500	11,530 lbs	3.0L Hurricane Standard Output (V6: 8,100)	1,880 lbs with that engine; 2,340 lbs with the V6	$42,575
Ram 2500	17,740 lbs (HEMI) / 20,000 lbs (diesel)	Preliminary	4,580 lbs (HEMI with package); 3,990 lbs (diesel)	$48,040

*Manufacturer-published starting MSRP excluding destination, as of November 2026. The starting price is for the base trim and will not carry the maximum rating.

One pattern jumps out. The tow ratings stack up quickly, but payload is far tighter on every light-duty vehicle, and tongue weight comes out of payload before you load a single cooler. Boat trailers put a meaningful share of their weight on the hitch, and you add passengers, fuel and gear on top. If the boat is large or the family is big, payload is the constraint that runs out first.

Matching vehicle to boat

Bass boats. These are often the lightest of the three boat types, long and low, and often launched close to home. A Gladiator, Grand Cherokee or Durango is a reasonable match for many bass rigs, provided the boat-and-trailer total sits well inside the rating. The Gladiator has an advantage at a ramp because four-wheel drive is standard on every trim. In the Grand Cherokee, four-wheel drive is optional on the lower trims, so choose it if you launch on gravel or steep, slick ramps.

Pontoons. Pontoons are wide and tall for their weight, so crosswind and drag matter as much as the number on the trailer. We would lean toward a vehicle with some headroom: a Ram 1500 with a larger engine, a Durango with the Tow 'n Go package, or a Grand Wagoneer. The extra capacity makes a pontoon feel less like it is steering the truck on a windy day. Check the trailer's width and the ramp's approach as well.

Bay boats and offshore skiffs. These are often the heaviest of the three, with deep hulls and big outboards, and saltwater raises the stakes. A Ram 1500 with the Hurricane Standard Output engine, a Grand Wagoneer, or a Ram 2500 are the vehicles we would put on the list. The 2500 matters more if the whole outfit, boat plus trailer, runs heavy, or if you also carry a lot of gear in the bed.

The Wrangler is a fine vehicle for a small jon boat or a canoe, but its tow rating is modest, and its short wheelbase feels less settled behind a trailer than a longer truck would.

Trailer tech that earns its money at the ramp

Backing a trailer is the least favorite part of boating for many people, and some vehicles offer help.

Vehicle	Option	Price*	What the manufacturer lists
Ram 1500	Towing Technology Group	$595	Trailer hitch line-up assist, trailer reverse guidance, 12-way/1-way trailer connector
Ram 1500	Trailer Tow Group II	$1,095	Trailer brake controller, trailer reverse steering control, trailer tire pressure monitoring, trailer light check
Ram 2500	Towing Technology Group	$1,595 to $2,395 by trim	Surround-view camera, trailer reverse guidance, trailer tire pressure monitoring
Jeep Gladiator	Trailer Tow and Auxiliary Switch Group (Sport S, Sahara)	$995	Class IV receiver hitch, trailer-hitch zoom, heavy-duty engine cooling, four auxiliary switches
Jeep Grand Cherokee	Trailer-Tow Package	$995	Class IV hitch, heavy-duty engine cooling, rear load-leveling suspension, 180-amp alternator, full-size spare
Jeep Grand Wagoneer	Heavy-Duty Trailer-Tow Package	$1,195 to $1,995 by trim	3.92 axle, trailer brake control, trailer light monitoring, trailer tire pressure monitoring

*Manufacturer-published MSRP for the 2027 model year.

Notice that both the Gladiator and Grand Cherokee packages include heavy-duty engine cooling. If you will tow in Southern summer heat, treat the tow package as part of the purchase rather than an accessory.

Ramp and saltwater realities

• Wet ramps are slick. Algae and silt make some ramps behave like ice. Four-wheel drive and good tires help you pull the rig out of the water.
• Do not dunk what you can avoid dunking. Dipping the trailer is normal. Putting the tow vehicle's wheels and hubs deeper than necessary is not, particularly in saltwater.
• Rinse everything after salt. Fresh water over the hitch, receiver, wiring connectors, trailer frame and the vehicle's underside is the baseline. Salt creeps into the places you cannot see.
• Let hot trailer hubs and brakes cool before backing them into the water. Dunking very hot components is hard on them, and the trailer's wheel bearings deserve regular attention, especially after salt.
• Heat adds load. Idling in a hot line of trucks waiting to launch is hard on cooling systems. Keep an eye on the temperature gauge.

Bottom line

For most bass rigs, a Gladiator or Grand Cherokee is enough. For pontoons and most bay boats, a Ram 1500 with the stronger Hurricane engine or a Durango with Tow 'n Go gives you a safer margin, and the Grand Wagoneer is the comfortable pick for a big family and a mid-sized boat. For a heavy bay boat, an offshore rig or a boat you plan to upgrade, buy the Ram 2500. Whichever you choose, weigh the rig and read the sticker, because the table gives you ratings and your boat gives you the truth.