What Boats Can a Jeep Grand Cherokee Tow? [18 Examples]

As a proud owner of a Jeep Grand Cherokee, you’re probably already impressed by what your vehicle is capable of doing, but there’s much more your Grand Cherokee can do if you’re a boater as well. In fact, the Jeep Grand Cherokee boasts an extraordinary towing capacity that can be conducive to your boating.

How Much Weight Can a Jeep Grand Cherokee Tow?

While the towing capacity of the Jeep Grand Cherokee ranges greatly depending on which model you purchase, the general consensus is that the Jeep Grand Cherokee is capable of towing anywhere between 3,500 and 7,200 pounds.

Knowing the towing capacity of your Jeep Grand Cherokee is a great first step in the boat purchase process. However, only knowing the towing capacity of your vehicle doesn’t provide much help when you’re looking for a boat to buy. You also need to know what types of boats are within your vehicle’s towing capacity.

What Types of Boats Can a Jeep Grand Cherokee Tow?

With an impressive towing capacity compared to the physical size of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, a towing capacity of 7,200 allows you a greater selection when it comes to purchasing a brand new boat. Below, you’ll find a table that overviews the average dry weight of certain types of boats that fit nicely within your vehicle’s towing capacity.

An important piece of information to consider is the weight of the trailer you’ll be using to transport your boat. You need to factor this into your vehicle’s towing capacity.

For example, if your specific Jeep Grand Cherokee has a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds and the trailer you’re planning to use weighs about 300 pounds, this limits the maximum dry weight of your boat to about 3,200 pounds. However, you should make every effort to remain well under your vehicle’s tow capacity to prevent damage to your vehicle’s performance.

Based on this information, here are some types of boats your Jeep Grand Cherokee should be able to tow based on the average dry weight of each.

Type of Boat	Average Dry Weight
Jon Boat	450 pounds
Skiff Boat	900 pounds
Bass Boat	1,700 pounds
Cuddy Cabin Boat	2,700 pounds
Pontoon Boat	3,100 pounds
Wakeboard Boat	3,500 pounds
Catamaran Boat	4,000 pounds
Bay Boat	4,200 pounds

This list overviews eight different types of boats that your Jeep Grand Cherokee could reasonably tow, but you need to consider the fact that these are simply averages. There is a great likelihood that some models within each of these categories are much heavier or lighter than the set average.

Jon Boat

Jon boats are the most basic type of fishing boat used on small bodies of water like lakes and ponds. The design of this type of boat is pretty typical of the cliche rowboat, with a flat bottom and several benches within the boat to provide seating for occupants.

Here are some specific models that are reasonably within your vehicle’s towing limit.

• Lowe L1436 – 185 pounds
• Alumacraft 16 Foot Jon Boat – 320 pounds
• Tracker Grizzly 1860 – 794 pounds

Skiff Boat

A skiff boat is a boat designed for shallow water and is actually very similar to a Jon boat. Generally speaking, a skiff boat has a square shape on one end with a pointed shape on the other end. These are typically occupied by one person, but larger sizes can hold several occupants.

Here are some specific models that are reasonably within your vehicle’s towing limit.

• Sundance K16 Skiff – 680 pounds
• Carolina Skiff 198 DLV – 1,660 pounds
• Carolina Skiff 218 DLV – 1,773 pounds

Bass Boat

A bass boat is a small-sized fishing boat built for freshwater fishing. This type of boat is usually motorized and provides chair-like seating to one or two occupants.

Here are some specific models that are reasonably within your vehicle’s towing limit.

• Tracker Boats Pro Team 195 TXW – 1,302 pounds
• Charger 210 Elite – 1,900 pounds
• Ranger Boats 1880MS – 2,290 pounds

Cuddy Cabin Boat

A cuddy cabin boat contains a small cabin within the boat that can be used for storage, sleeping, or any other reasonable purpose. This type of boat is much more convenient than bowriders and cruisers, though providing many of the benefits included in each.

Here are some specific models that are reasonably within your vehicle’s towing limit.

• Stingray 225CR Cuddy Cabin – 3,539 pounds
• Rinker 26QX Cuddy Cabin – 4,910 pounds

Pontoon Boat

A pontoon boat is typically viewed as the perfect boat for parties and social gatherings. With a significantly larger deck and more seating, the deck can sometimes accommodate up to 10 people at a time. You can use a pontoon boat for relaxation, fishing, and even water tubing.

Here are some specific models that are reasonably within your vehicle’s towing limit.

• Yamaha 115hp – 400 pounds
• Avalon Eagle 16′ – 1,350 pounds
• Suntracker Regency 254XP3 27′ – 3,300 pounds

Wakeboard Boat

A wakeboard boat and ski boat are essentially the same things. This type of boat creates the ideal amount of waves behind the boat to provide a greater experience when wakeboarding, water tubing, or water skiing. They are usually pretty high speed and drive smoothly.

Here are some specific models that are reasonably within your vehicle’s towing limit.

• Correct Craft Ski Nautique – 2,945 pounds
• Super Air Nautique 230 – 4,650 pounds
• Supra SE 2019 – 6,150 pounds

Catamaran Boat

Catamaran boats are a unique watercraft due to the fact it has multiple hulls. Also considered a type of sailboat, this boat provides incredible stability and can be used for many activities on the water.

Here are some specific models that are reasonably within your vehicle’s towing limit.

• Glacier Bay 2665 – 6,200 pounds

Bay Boat

Bay boats are intended for fishing in shallow water, but could also be used in deeper water if you select a more durable model. These boats are often viewed as the perfect fishing boat due to their versatility and fishing-related features onboard.

More Information

Purchasing your boat is the first step, but setting your vehicle up to be able to tow your new boat is a more complicated process. Below is some information about selecting a hitch and setting it up properly.

Selecting a Hitch

When you’re selecting a hitch, you need to consider your vehicle’s towing capacity and tongue weight. You also need to know how much your trailer weighs, as your hitch will be dragging the weight of your boat plus your trailer.

Here is a brief guide to the classifications of hitches.

• Class 1: Up to 2,000 pounds
• Class 2: Up to 3,500 pounds
• Class 3: Up to 8,000 pounds
• Class 4: Up to 10,000 pounds

Based on these classifications, your Jeep Grand Cherokee can reasonably be set up with up to a Class 3 hitch. However, keep in mind that the towing capacity of up to 8,000 pounds for the hitch doesn’t automatically make your vehicle capable of towing that weight.

Setting Up Your Hitch & Trailer

Actually setting up your hitch and trailer can be a somewhat difficult process, but there are some pieces of information you should remember. Here are some tips for setting up your trailer and hitch.

• Make sure all nuts and bolts are tightened properly.
• Guarantee equal weight distribution on your trailer to prevent fishtailing and trailer disconnection.
• Set up safety chains to keep your trailer attached if the hitch happens to fail.
• Properly wire the lights and signals of your trailer to notify other drivers when you’re turning or braking.
• Enlist the help of another person to help you guide your vehicle to the trailer.

Overall, setting your hitch and trailer up properly has the ability to provide you and those around you with a safe driving experience while also protecting the performance and durability of your vehicle and boat.

Closing Thoughts

As we reviewed above, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is able to tow more than eight types of boats that you can use in salt or freshwater. The list we provided was brief and your Grand Cherokee is more than qualified to tow almost any type of moderately sized boat with its towing capacity of up to 7,200 pounds. We hope this helped you to figure out which type of boat you’re going to purchase.

As an owner of a Jeep Grand Cherokee, you might be interested in learning more about your vehicle and what it’s capable of. With that said, feel free to check out our posts on the towing capacity of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

What Boats Can a Jeep Grand Cherokee Tow? [18 Examples]