Suggest you do a little searching/reading about towing on the forum. There is oodles of info. 4000lbs should be no problem, but be sure the trailer has brakes and your RL and trailer is set up properly for trailer brakes and tongue weight.

I have towed trailers well exceeding the recommended weight for extended periods of time with my RL. I don't recommend it, but the truck is quite capable.

 

Anything approaching the 4,000 lbs mark requires good trailer brakes for the Ridgeline's brakes are just average and tests have shown it to be poor when hauling heavy loads. Also, when you are towing close to the Ridgeline's maximum capacity, it is highly recommended that you use 91 or higher octane gasoline; your transmission will thank you.

What type of terrain will you be traversing with this future boat? If it's even small mountainsides, such as the Appalachians, I would not exceed your Ridgeline's Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). If you'll be traversing rolling hills, you'll be in trouble if you exceed 700 lbs of the GCWR. If you'll be traversing flat terrain you can do it if you don't go over more than 900 lbs of the GCWR. This has been my experience pulling different trailers and hauling different loads on different terrain up, down, and around the Mid-Atlantic Region with my 2009 RTL. I would not recommend exceeding the GCWR, but if you need to the above is what I've learned.

Note: These numbers should not be applied to the 2006-2008 model year Ridgelines for the 2009-2014 model years have a different engine, a revisited transmission, and an integrated class III hitch.​

You can read about my most adventurous towing trip to date with my Ridgeline at the following thread: http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/...club.com/forums/20-dear-honda-feedback-forum/62922-my-trip-lake-cumberland.html

For my "does and don'ts" about towing heavy trailers with the Ridgeline, read this thread: http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/...club.com/forums/71-problems-issues/92634-question-about-towing.html#post1347210

Keep this in mind, if you get a 4,100 boat (wet) a dual-axle anodized boat trailer with single-axle surge-brakes will be about 900-920 lbs. That combination puts the Ridgeline at its maximum tow rating. Now add your weight, the trailer's weight, and your Ridgeline's curb weight and compare it to the GCWR, let's say (175 lbs + 5,000 lbs + 4,491 lbs) - 10,085 lbs = 419 lbs; that's how much additional stuff you can put in your Ridgeline before you exceed your GCWR. So, if you're going to be traversing some mountains and carrying four or five people with their personal stuff, you may be okay depending on what you put in the bed.

 

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Keep this in mind, if you get a 4,100 boat (wet) a dual-axle anodized boat trailer with single-axle surge-brakes will be about 900-920 lbs. That combination puts the Ridgeline at its maximum tow rating. Now add your weight, the trailer's weight, and your Ridgeline's curb weight and compare it to the GCWR, let's say (175 lbs + 5,000 lbs + 4,491 lbs) - 10,085 lbs = 419 lbs; that's how much additional stuff you can put in your Ridgeline before you exceed your GCWR. So, if you're going to be traversing some mountains and carrying four or five people with their personal stuff, you may be okay depending on what you put in the bed.

Lots of good advice in this thread. My only quibble is that in my opinion these weight estimates are low. Manufacturer's hull weights are usually optimistically low, and don't include many essential components of the boat that you would be hauling.

For example, my 1900 lbs "dry" boat hull is a 4K+ lbs tow rig all in, when you factor the additional +/- 475 lbs engine weight, +/- 475 lbs fuel load, and another +/- 400 lbs of gear weight (batteries, ground tackle, safety equipment, electronics, fishing gear, water sports gear, etc etc). And then this rides on +/-800 lbs tandem trailer.

It adds up surprisingly quickly. Yes, some boat weights include engine weight, but others (typically those that are outboard-powered) usually don't. So it's important to understand what is included.

 

McChizzle is right. Pay attention to the weight of added gear & passengers. Knowing you are getting a Wakeboard boat means you aren't going to the lake alone.

You are going to be at max or over. If you were towing this a couple times a year I would probably use my RL. Now if you are like my brother & his friends with Wakeboard boats you would be towing your Wakeboard boat to the lake 2 to 3 times a week. I wouldn't do that with a RL, I'd go full-size.

 

Thanks for the input everyone

I live in Minnesota and it is relatively flat here. I do go to the lake a lot with my current boat, maybe twice a week on average. However our season is short, normally only a solid 3 months with a little boating in september and may. Also I rarely go more than half an hour from the house. closet lake is only 2 minutes away.

I am glade you posed info about trailer weights as I can't seem to find them anywhere. I also had forgotten about the higher octane fuel. I have been pulling my current boat with regular 87. I will probably just start putting 93 in the truck mid may this year until the end of boating season.

 

You're welcome.

If your current boat and trailer is under 4,000 lbs you my not need, or see a difference with, higher octane gas like you will pulling trailers over 4,000 lbs.

Enjoy the water this summer; I can't wait myself (Waterskiing here I come!:act024.

 

On another note.

Do I need a brake controller if a trailer has surge brakes? From what I understand most of the boats I am looking at use a 5pin connector

also in the link you posted you mentioned upgrading the ridgelines brakes. What do you mean by this? just different pads?

 

... Do I need a brake controller if a trailer has surge brakes? From what I understand most of the boats I am looking at use a 5pin connector

Surge brakes work as a self-contained system based on inertia that applies pressure to a small brake cylinder in the trailer's tongue to push fluid to the brakes. The fifth pin, compared to a four-pin connector, is used to electrically disconnect the surge brakes when a truck is put in reverse. It works by sending an electrical signal that stops the brake fluid from flowing when the truck's backup lights are activated so you're not working against yourself when backing up your trailer.

To take advantage of this, you will need a seven-blade to five-pin adapter. Personally I like the seven-to-five adapter that also has a 12V DC outlet accompanied by a 12 foot 12V extension cord for it makes it easier to use a portable air compressor to keep my trailer tires properly inflated.

 

I have a 2014 ridgeline and I currently tow my yamaha ar190 no problem. The boat is about 3000lbs with the trailer. But I am never satisfied and I think i am eventually going to sell my boat and get a wakeboat.

I was hopping that people with boats could chime in and let me know how the truck pulls boats at the limit. I am specifically looking at an axis A22 which is 3600-4000lbs (everywhere i look i get conflicting information) dry plus trailer and gear/fuel. I don't really want to choose between my dream boat and dream truck.

My 2007 Ridgeline hauls my boat with no effort I have a 1982 20 foot 4 Winn's weighs 3600 pounds and I don't even really feel the boat behind me especially when. I have it in D3 gear.

 

Be careful about using D3 on the Gen1 Ridgeline. Per Honda, D3 should only be used when you need more engine braking while descending a hill. If you keep your Ridgeline in D3, it can overheat your BJFA transmission. Note that Honda's transmissions in the Gen1 are not your typical truck transmissions, so take good care of them and they will take care of you (fluid changes, etc.).