My first guess would be the cops. With that much of a load and the engine having to work that much harder put to much stress on a cop that is getting old.

okay I will have someone with a scanner run a test when I get the chance. It was in a really hilly area turning about +-2000 RPM for a repeated amount of time. all instruments were in the normal area.
so it could be the coil on plugs? does that mean I need to replace my plugs and coils?
thanks for the help

Well I would definitly expereiment with it and see if it does it without the boat before I put the money into all new coils and plugs because coils are 40 bucks a piece. It could be a lot of things and at 50k miles plugs should still be good but its still a possibility.

okay cool, cause I really don't want to have to fight with those dang plugs haha. we'll see if it happens again. I thought the smell was really odd

hey if i were you, at 50k miles, id change 'em now. seriously.

^^
yeah I've heard this from other folks too. I know with age they get even harder to do. I might be changing trucks here, but if not i probably should look into a plug change. stupid 2 piece design..

i did not see the boat..... but if is actually pretty heavy... it could be spark knocking from being to low rpm with the load... you may have to leave the tow haul on at all times.... my 08 just has a od button i wasnt aware these body style trucks had a tow haul.... either way... i would run some injector cleaner through it... and i would check out the COP's...and would def change the spark plugs