I need to purchase a vehicle to tow a boat. A chaparral Signature 270
to be specific. http://www.chaparralboats.com/uploads/pdfs/270sigspecs.pdf.
The boat is ~30 feet and weighs 8750 lbs.  It has a galvalized trailer
with 3 wheels on each side. Fully loaded I think the weight is
approximately 10,000 lbs. I would like to know what type of vehicle
can tow this large of a boat? Specifically I am looking for real world
experiences and knowledge. I know that there must be many people that have
and tow these boats, and the previous owner used a 1/2 ton pickup truck
that was only rated to 7500 lbs...?  Based on manufacturers towing
capacity, there are very few that are rated that high. Although I have
heard that this is a low estimate.(?) Confirmation of this would be
helpful.
To get even more specific and get a nice tip, I'd like to compare the
Chevy suburban, tahoe, GMC Yukon, and the new Nissan Armada.
Thanks!

It's pretty to easy to check the towing capacity for any of the trucks
you've mentioned.  Somethings to consider beyond the towing capacity
are the following: make sure it's a full towing package, not just a
'rated' hitch, that would involve a better transmission cooling
system; a beefed up suspension (beyond 1/2 ton) or else you'll spend
tons on tires, brakes, general wear and tear.  Another, given the
weight of the tow, is 2w/4wd decision.  Depending on the quality,
pitch, and general slippery nature of the boat ramps, all four tires
grabbing helps a lot.  You can always pull beyond the ratings, but
it's not as safe, and you'll spend a whole lot more on truck
maintenance.  If you're leasing it, it will bite you in the end.
I realize this isn't exactly what you asked for, but it might help you
look.  Good luck, nice boat.  Disclaimer:  I drive a Yukon Denali
w/4wd.

Hi Skipper 2b. I once did two short seasons of snapper fishing off the
West Australian  coast with a skipper who towed his 30 foot catamaran
launch on a triple axle trailer behind a Ford 350, the big model, with
a 6 cylinder motor. It handled it very well, but in recovering, he
mostly drove the boat onto the trailer, using the winch for only the
last few feet. Hope this helps?.

Thanks for the comments. 
I have the factiry specs for all of the trucks mentioned.
Suburban (Yukon XL):
1/2-ton 2WD (lbs.) 8400  Vortec 5300      
1/2-ton 4x4 (lbs.) 8200  Vortec 5300      
3/4-ton 2WD (lbs.) 9900 w/ Vortec 6000  12,000 w/ Vortec 8100 
3/4-ton 4x4 (lbs.) 9600 w/ Vortec 6000  12,000 w/ Vortec 8100 

Tahoe (Yukon) (2WD)
Vortec 4800 V8   5700 lbs. w/ axle ratio 3.42
                 6700 lbs. w/ axle ratio 3.73 
Vortec 5300 V8   6700 lbs. w/ axle ratio 3.42
                 7700 lbs. w/ axle ratio 3.73 
Tahoe (Yukon) (4x4) 
Vortec 4800 V8  6400 lbs. w/3.73  7500 w/3.73 
Vortec 5300 V8  7400 lbs w/4.10 7800 w/4.10 

Nissan Armada
Maximum towing capacity (lbs.) 6,500or 9,100 with towing option (standard on LE) 

None except the HUGE suburban with the 8.1 litre towes more than 10K
lbs. I'm "pretty sure" that not ALL owners of big boats like this have
that exact vehicle... (or do they?)...

Depending on the coolness factor, I'd go with a one ton Ford with a
powerstroke diesel extend cub.  Of course, all chrome wheels, and
trick paint.

You have a lot of weight to pull, and nothing is better than a diesel.
 Plus it will have a great resale value. Gas engines just don't have
it.  Ever got behind a Class C motorhome trying to get up a him??? 
That's a Gas engine, Huff and puff and nothing to show for it....

Good Luck

You can find all the factory ratings for Chevrolets at
www.Chevrolet.com. We are a dealership in Norman, OK and there is also
a wealth of information at our site www.marcheitzchevy.com.