Backing into garage

[Harritwo]

Re: Backing into garage

My new boat just barely fits in the garage. There is only two inches clearance on either side of the door. It's too close to back it all the way in using the truck, so I push it in by hand. The problem is there is a slight slope to the garage floor and driveway. Just enough to make water run out. The slope makes it very hard to push the boat back by hand. I also suspect the tongue jack wheel is not really made for this. It's hard to turn, and is starting to lean after just a few uses.

Any ideas for how to make it easier to push the boat back? Any thoughts on a better tongue jack?

Thanks

The trailer dolly that i bought was not heavy enough for my boat. I have a riding lawn mower that i built a small hitch for and i can use that to move my boat in and out of the garage. Lots easier than trying to back in and i usually have a spotter standing where i can see him and he can see my clearance.

 

[TyeeMan]

Re: Backing into garage

I tought my self when I was but a very young boater to always back up with the mirriors because I knew dern well that one day (actually happens a lot now with the wife) I would have a pick up box full of stuff and wouldn't be able to see out the back window, or with the tail gate down. What would I do if you couldn't see out the back to back up? So I always use my mirors.
Front hitch, not an option. What happens if your in the situation to where you can't use your front hitch? Are you going to pack up and go home cuz you can't back up with your mirrors? Learn to use your mirrors, it's not hard.

Go to an empty parking lot, put out some cones or something that resembles cones, make the space 4 inches wider than your boat and practice, , with your mirrors. Practice backing into a parking spot as if you pull up to it and had to turn the trailer 90 degrees to get into the spot.

I have about 3 inches wide on each side of my boat and back it into it's single stall (up a steep driveway too mind you) all the time using my mirrors. Oh, and I have to come in to the driveway at an angle other wise my drive will hit. Volvo Dup Prop, , don't go up that high.

Mount a little spring loaded thingy on the as your backing in, drivers side of your garage door frame. Have it stick out 1 3/4 - 2 inches. Mount it so it will hit the lowest part of your trailer fender, usually a step. If you can see (verify via springy thing) that you have 2 inches on the drivers side, unless your trailer got wider going down the road, guarentee you'll automatically have 2" on the other side of the trailer.
Now, so your backing your boat into your garage using your mirrors and your fender starts to bend back your spring loaded thingy mounted to your garage door frame. Stop, pull out a bit, recorrect and try it again.
If you have a big air gap between your trailer finder and your spring loaded thingy you'll automatically know that you're too far over to the other side. Correct.
As others have said, add one or a pair of wheel chocks, back up till you hit the chocks, , your golden. And if your boat goes in straight 99% of the time it will come out straight.

Do that a bunch of times and you too will have people at the landing asking you to back in their stuff.