towing boats

Was wondering if anybody had any experience towing a boat with the 1st generation Forester. The towing capacity it seems is 2000 lbs from what I've found around the internet. The boat that I would like to tow is right around 1800 lbs.
Do I need trailer breaks if I'm just going across town and do you think that that would be safe. Since it's within the towing capacity I'm not too worried but does anyone have any experience pulling something of that weight up a steep boat ramp? Don't want to have myself rolling back into the water. :lol:
-shotgun willie

in N.S.W. Australia its law to have brakes on a trailer with a combined load of 750Kg/1653Lb regardless of your veichle. at your weight i would definatly get brakes put in. i tow about 500Kg/1100Lb in my outback and going down big hills is bloody scary, so i bought some 4 pot WRX brakes which have yet to be installed. better safe than sorry.

Personally I wouldn't bother with the trailer brakes but it depends how far/fast your going and how often. I have used trailer brakes though and when braking you don't even notice it is there(I had them when I towed the 4400lbs trailer full of Subie motors)

You have the 2.5l motor don't you? I think in the US they did while the rest of the world got the 2.0l in the 1st Gen Forester. Personally I just wouldn't to a big boat with my car, hell I wouldn't even be able to get upto any speed limit with that crappy little motor! In Saying that I have towed around 2 tonne before(4400lbs)

Thanks for the advice. Actually, found out that that weight of the boat is probably over 2500 pounds which would probably be a pushing it in the Forester. Guess I'll just have to borrow my brother's truck to drag the boat around.

shotgun willie, what eden says is right. Peace of mind and safety. Am just thinking about the same thing myself, and the weight I want to tow is 750 kg. I saw just recently an Outback towing an ALine caravan... and to me.. it looked a little messy coming into a roundabout down a steep incline. Don't mess with weight and gravity. Play it safe & get the brakes

Victoria has the same rules as NSW, i.e. 750kg+ requires brakes.

My little old camper trailer was under the limit and towed fine without brakes, but I was sensible about speeds and braking distances.

My new (to me) Heaslip camper trailer has override actuated hydraulic drums, have only towed it about 150km so far, but they work fine.

I have no trouble pulling the heavier trailer - but then mine is a 2.5 litre engine, even if it is getting a bit long in the tooth at 373343km...

eden said:

in N.S.W. Australia its law to have brakes on a trailer with a combined load of 750Kg/1653Lb regardless of your veichle. at your weight i would definatly get brakes put in. i tow about 500Kg/1100Lb in my outback and going down big hills is bloody scary, so i bought some 4 pot WRX brakes which have yet to be installed. better safe than sorry.

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Eden, until last week I thought my 00 Outback could legally tow 750kg without brakes, but then discovered that my particular model is only legally rated to tow 500kg without brakes. Anyways - have had electric brakes fitted & am glad I did