Fixin to sell the z71 due to poor mpg , a looking at a base model halfton v6 with 5 speed . I have drove standards for years but always launched with an automatic had several v6 chevys so not worried about the motor lugging . Im only running a 15 ft flatbottom so wieght is no biggie , How much trouble is to launch solo with a 5 speed ?

It's no problem, just be smart. I launched a zx180 skeeter with a 4 banger nissan 4x4 for 2 years. But, I never left it running, in neutral, held only by the parking brake. I always killed it, put it in gear, and set the brake. Not one accident. Just remember, if you leave it running, in neutral, you are only relying on the parking brake to hold it on the ramp. I don't care how big an 'ole boy you are, you are not going to stop one a boat ramp that is going in! LOL

I have one, no problem if you are good with a stick. Put it in gear and start to let the clutch out. When you feel it starting to pull, pop the break. The worst part of it is 99% of the time, your fishing buddy isn't someone you want learning to drive a stick with your truck on a ramp 3 feet from the water...

Dang...
I'm looking for the smallest engine that I can get to pull a 17-19ft fiberglass bass boat with. Did you not pull it long distances? I was thinking a bigger 6 cylinder was about the smallest that I could get. I know it will be a pain at the boat ramps if I don't get 4x4...

i tow full size bass boats with a v6 f-150 standard without any probs. just keep good tires on it

My last truck was an 86 Toyota 5 speed. It had a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder engine that went 240k miles before I replaced it. I pulled several 18 foot Ranger boats with it and never had a problem pulling boat ramps so long as I had good tires on it.

You can get 4 wheel drive but if you get a limited slip or a locking differential you should have no problems.

Fred,
No I didn't pull it long distances very often. It would do it, but not well. Highway speeds were at about 3000 rpm. Pretty buzzy to be comfortable. The engine was still going strong at 200K+ miles when I sold it. Put one clutch in it at 104K and a tranny at 220K. If I had used this truck normally, light towing, the tranny might have lasted longer. Plus my wife drove it for 2+ years, so no telling what happened when she drove it . Overall, I guess I wouldn't recommend it, it's not comfortable for long trips, or heavy traffic. I would mostly run to lavon or Ray bob from McKinney with it. We used the Yukon for most of the longer trips. Never was scared on a ramp with it, or pulling out in traffic, but stopping it could get interesting. With the fully loaded boat weighing almost as much as the truck, it could get a little exciting at times. If the trailer had brakes it would have been much better, but what do you get with a single axle trailer, no brakes.

My procedure to get off the ramp without burning a clutch or spinning the tires was this. First off, I always pull it out. The ramp is no place to learn to drive a standard. I would pull the brake and hold the clutch. While holding the parking brake apply the throttle and ease off the clutch with using the parking brake to control rearward rolling. Its a balance thing. I got to where I could do it without pulling the parking brake and just use the clutcha and throttle. You want to apply enough throttle to keep it from dying and ease out on the clutch all the way as soon as you can without whiplash or stalling. You want the clutch to lock up as soon as you can and ease up and over the ramp. The high rev slipping manuvers will destroy the clutch and neighboring parts in short order. If it is not going your way just step on the clutch and brake and start over, no need to panic. YMMV

It is too bad the old straight 6 motors are out of style. That would be your ticket! Good torque, good on gas, well better than the V8s

As far as long drives, my Toyota pulled my 18 foot Ranger to Missouri, Arkansas and Lousiana many times. I fished BASS and so I visited Lake of the Ozarks and Table Rock several times a year.

I didn't say above that my truck was a one ton. Looked like a regular truck but had heavier clutch/rearend springs and suspension. I bought it after seeing a coworker using the cheapest 4 speed Toyota pulling a fireplace trailer weighing over 5 thousand lbs loaded. He put over 100 thousand miles on that truck with 2 clutches the only major repairs.

It can be done. My next truck will definitely be smaller than my Dodge diesel. Maybe one of the new diesels especially if they bring out a little engine in a little truck. 22 mpg pulling, now that would make me a happy camper.

I've got a story. Having finished the Lake of the Ozarks tournament at 4:20 pm on Saturday I was supposed to come home and pick up my daughter for a club tournament on Cedar Creek for our club tournament. She was looking forward to the trip and I didn't want to dissapoint her.
I was told by a coworker that driving 35 was faster (I didn't think so) and I was in a hurry. Remember now I had been fishign for 6 straight days and was tired. I barely missed the exit to 69 off the turnpike in OK and pulled over just past it. I was going to back up but there was traffic so I decided to go up and turn around. A mile or so up the road was a sign saying next exit 22 miles (construction) so I remembered the highway 35 deal and decided to try that. Well long story short and every hour or so I sped up a little as it kept looking like I was falling behind and by the time I hit Fort Worth and then home I was driving 80. Got home at 2:30 and by 4:30 we were on the road again. Didn't sleep.
We made it to Cedar Creek where I caught my 3 fish club limit within the first hour of the tourney. I then layed out in the back while my then 13 year old daughter caught 2 of her keepers for the day. She was happy about that.

True story. The trip from Osage Beach to home was approx 560 miles. I never got less than 16 mpg pulling a boat in that truck. When driving normally at 65 I would get between 18 and 19.

Two words for you with lauching your boat from a vehicle with a manual transmission: wheel chocks. My explorer is a v6 w/automatic but I still chock one wheel every time, since I almost always am lauching alone.

Doesn't hurt and it could be a truck-saver.

I pull with an 01 Tacoma V6 4WD TRD 5 speed with no issues.

I take advantage of the 4WD. Put it in 4L and let out the clutch...when it grabs release the brake and just touch the gas. Truck can almost pull it and the boat out at idle with 4L.

When I am by myself, I use chocks like Zeek mentioned.

I did it too for years with 2 different boats and 3 different trucks. 2 of the trucks were 4WD Toys and 4 bangers ... never had any trouble on ramps as I used the low range. Pulling up hills with heavy glass boats ... well ... just get a running start and use your gears.

I had a '92 Chevy ext cab with the 350 in it ... never any problems using the pop the brake (parking) once she started to engage the clutch.

Oh, use the chocks too!

Wow, these stories really eased my mind. I've got a 95 Yota pickup with the 2.4 in it and it pulls my 07 Pro Team 175 pretty well. I was worried about it burning up the clutch or the tranny pretty fast.

It's not the one ton or anything, so I may have to replace the rear end and clutch sooner than some, but it only has 90k miles on it now so my thinking is that as long as I take care of it, it should last for a long time to come.

As far as pulling out with the manual tranny, I use the parking brake trick that everyone else is talking about. I keep it engaged and get the clutch and gas going and as soon as I feel it start to pull, I release the parking brake and it goes.

I've been wanting to pull my boat up to Ray Roberts from Little Elm and have been a bit nervous to haul it that far (LE ramp is only 10 minutes from my house). Now I'm not so nervous.

I have a 2001 Silverado with a 5 speed. Never had much of a problem. Mine does have the 4.8 V8. I echo the tip about turning off the truck, using your parking brake and putting it in gear when you get out of the truck. My parking brake cable broke a few months ago. Luckily not on the boat ramp. I use my break to hold me on the incline when I take off as well. Never used chucks, but sounds like a good idea. You may check the price and MPG difference to go to the small v8 with a stick. Mine still gets about 20 MPG. My boat is an 18 foot fiberglass bass boat, weighs about 2k lbs.