my trailer is a tandum axle registered at 1000 lb with a capacity of 4000 lb, which put me at 5000 lb total, over the 4500 lb threshold and i don't have brakes. meaning that i would have to get it inspected before i could get plates. i got a notice in the mail instead of the renewal notice i usually get. well, i went to the tax office and they let me change the capacity to 3000 lb, putting me under the limit and they gave me my plate sticker. i'm good at 3000 lb. the boat is 1275 lb and motor is 510 lb and the fuel and tackle doesn't amount to but about 400 lb. guess i'll need to start carrying the boat and motor stats with me to prove it. if you're running a 20-23 ft boat and can get under the 3000 lb limit and you don't have brakes, you can beat this inspection sticker thing.

I would take the rig with a full tank of fuel and the boat loaded like it usually is to a CAT scale and get a certified weight. If it's good enough for the truckers, it's good enough for us.

probably good idea. then you can hand the LEO the certified scale receipt. i really don't think we'll get much flack out on the road. i think the problems will be at the tax office and the inspection stations. while on that subject, not all insp stations can do trailers, but the motorcycle dealers can. crazy huh. when i had to get my gooseneck inspected, the only place around here that could do it was Texas Yamaha in LaMarque. they're good folks over there and will work with you, not on you.

I would think that the tax office should be using the manufacture's original weights on the boat and trailer titles, not the actual loaded weight.

this ^^^^^^^^, rated weight is what they will use, if you can get around it go for it.

Any problems with inspections...bring them to me, I'm a certified Texas State Inspector...Weatherford, TX