Trailering a ski boat is not something that every car can do, so it’s a good idea to check the weight of your ski boat before you hook the trailer to your car.
The average weight of a ski boat is 4,500 pounds (2,041 kilograms). If you add the fuel and a few equipment on board a ski boat will have an average weight of 4,700 pounds (2,132 kilograms). The average weight of a trailer is around 1000 pounds (453 kilograms). And on average a ski can hold around 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms).
While this is not a definitive rule, in general a ski boat will weigh more, the longer it is. But as the materials that are used for a ski boat get lighter with each new model, this “rule” is getting very outdated. So let’s take a look at some ski boat models made in the last year and see which is their average weight.
Table of Contents
The Average Weight of 15 Different Ski Boats
| Ski Boat Model | Weight (pounds) | Weight (kilograms) | Length |
| Chaparral 19 SSI | 2,540 lbs | 1,152 kg | 19 feet |
| Nautique Ski | 2,945 lbs | 1,336 kg | 20 feet |
| Chaparral 21 SSI | 3,100 lbs | 1,406 kg | 21 feet |
| Chaparral 23 SSI | 3,600 lbs | 1,633 kg | 23 feet |
| Four Winns HD2 | 3760 lbs | 1706 kg | 20 feet |
| Four Winns DH3 | 4170 lbs | 1891 kg | 22 feet |
| MasterCraft XT20 | 4500 lbs | 2041 kg | 20 feet |
| MasterCraft XT21 | 4800 lbs | 2177 kg | 21 feet |
| Four Winns HD5 | 4860 lbs | 2204 kg | 24 feet |
| MasterCraft XT22 | 4900 lbs | 2223 kg | 22 feet |
| Tige RZX 20 | 4975 lbs | 2257 kg | 20 feet |
| MasterCraft XT23 | 5000 lbs | 2268 kg | 23 feet |
| Four Winns DH8 | 5350 lbs | 2427 kg | 26 feet |
| Tige RZX 22 | 5600 lbs | 2540 kg | 22 feet |
| Tige RZX 23 | 6000 lbs | 2722 kg | 23 feet |
As you can see there is no exact rule to estimate the weight of a ski boat . A 21 feet ski boat can weigh 4,000 pounds, as well as 5,000 pounds.
This big difference is created by a lot of factors, but the most influential ones are the materials used and the furniture.
The material that is used to make the boat can have a major impact on the weight. A lot of manufacturers simply state that the floor is made out of wood, but there are multiple types of wood, and each type can weigh more or less. Or they say that it has vinyl, but the thickness of the vinyl can greatly influence the weight.
The furniture used on the boat will also have a huge impact on the weight of the ski boat , in some cases they can add more than 1000 pounds.
How Do I Find Out the Weight of My Ski Boat?
As I said there is no proper way to estimate the weight of a ski boat, the best and safest way is to check the website of the manufacturer, if they don’t produce the same model any longer don’t look at a similar one. A 2018 model won’t necessarily weigh as much as a 2021 model.
Instead you can simply call or email them. They always keep notes on the previous models for situations like these. They should be able to give you an exact answer without any problem.
Can My Car Pull My Ski Boat?
If you are trying to figure out the weight of your ski boat to make sure that your car can pull it, make sure that you add the weight of the trailer as well. Even if the trailer has wheels and can move, your car will still need to pull it.
If we go with the average weight of 5,200 pounds, add the weight of the fuel, luggage, water sport equipment, we get the approximate weight of 5,400 pounds. Now we have to add the trailer weight, so we will add an extra 1000 pounds. We get a total of almost 6,400 pounds.
To make sure that your car won’t be overburdened and that you won’t have any problem driving it you will need a car that has a towing capacity of at least 7,000 pounds.
How Many People Can a Ski Boat Carry?
As I said in the beginning of the article that the average extra weight on a ski boat will be around 400 pounds. But this doesn’t include the people that will be on the boat.
Knowing how much weight a boat can carry is just as important as knowing how much the boat weights.
The exact number can differ from boat to boat, but there is an average. And this average differs based on the length of the ski boat.
On average a ski boat between 19 and 21 can hold up to 12 passengers.
On average a ski boat between 21 and 24 can hold up to 15 passengers.
On average a ski boat between 24 and 28 can hold up to 18 passengers.
On average a ski boat of 30+ feet can hold more than 120 passengers.
But this number can slightly differ depending on the weight of the boat, so make sure to check what the plates of the boat say, and don’t just assume that the average applies to your ski boat.
If you don’t have the plates any more, lucky you can still calculate the exact number, here is how you can do it.
Calculating the Capacity of Your Ski Boat
Here are steps that you have to take when you calculate the capacity of a ski:
- Find volume in cubic feet
- Calculate the area: π × r(2)
- Multiply by length (in inches)
- Divide the cubic inches by 1728 (1728 is the cubic inches in a cubic foot 12 × 12 × 12)
Or you could use this simple calculator that will tell you the weight capacity by simply a couple values: Boat Capacity Calculator.
Final Thoughts
So the average weight of a ski boat is 4,500 pounds, but if you add up everything that might be on the boat you get to a weight around 4,700 pounds.
And if you want to see if your car can pull the ski boat, don’t forget to add the weight of the trailer as well. The trailer will usually add another 1000 pounds to the total weight.
And while you can estimate the weight of a ski boat, if you are not 100% sure you can always give a call, or email the manufacturer, they always keep notes on all of their products.