Dry Weight vs. Loaded Weight: Why Your Camper or Boat Weighs More Than the Brochure
The weight in the camper brochure is almost never what you'll tow. Plan for the loaded weight, or better, the trailer's GVWR.
The camper sticker, decoded
- Dry weight or UVW (unloaded vehicle weight)
- The trailer as it left the factory, often without options, batteries, propane, or water.
- CCC (cargo carrying capacity)
- How much you're allowed to add. GVWR minus UVW.
- GVWR
- The most the trailer can weigh fully loaded. If you size your tow vehicle to this number, you can't outgrow it.
What gets added
- Water weighs about 8.3 lbs per gallon. A 40-gallon fresh tank adds about 330 lbs.
- Propane: two full 20-lb tanks add roughly 70 to 80 lbs including the tanks.
- Batteries: often 50 to 65 lbs each for lead-acid.
- Dealer options: awnings, solar, spare tire, and generators are often left out of dry weight.
- Your stuff: food, bedding, chairs, tools, and kitchen gear add up to hundreds of pounds fast.
Boats work the same way
A boat's published weight is often the hull alone. Add the engine if it isn't included, the trailer (several hundred to 1,500 lbs or more), fuel at about 6 lbs per gallon, batteries, and gear.
The only sure answer
Weigh it. A certified truck stop scale gives you the real number in a few minutes. Until then, the trailer weights on this site add a realistic allowance on top of published dry weights.