Boat Storage and Parking

[jjohnson120]

So I'm curious where do you guys park your boat when it's on a trailer? I've had mine this past year at my house on grass, but have really wanted to get it on something else. Concrete is real expensive and do to location I'm finding it difficult to put down gravel. I'm not needing a huge area, but I was wanting to do something to help prolong tire life and maybe make it easier to mow around. Any suggestions would be helpful.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

If it's just tire life you are concerned about, and you park in the same place, pour two concrete pads (or bury blocks, bricks, sidewalk slates, etc.) but make the pad long enough that you can pull the boat forward a foot or two for mowing. Tire life on the grass is only an issue if it sits still for several months; if you take it out and use it, you won't park back on the same spot on the tire.

 

[gstrom11]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

I am able to park mine in my garage angled and have like inches of clearance on the sides and top when going in. I store in garage whenever not in use.

I agree with Home Cookin', could easily get 4 or so 12x 12 concrete pavers and just bury them flat so you can even mow over them

 

[jjohnson120]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

During the summer it gets used, so I'm not as concerned, but during the winder it definietely sits in the same place for 7 months. I had thought about the pavers, but I was really wanting something that did the complete spot so I didn't have to move the boat to mow. Since it's a pontoon it's not a very easy task.

 

[Gyrene]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

Spray roundup - kills the grass.

 

[jjohnson120]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

Problem with that is I live in a nice neighborhood and probably wouldn't get by with that.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

In the garage

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

If your HCA lets you park a boat on the grass (lucky guy), the shade probably makes a small dead spot anyway. I would enhance the parking spot with some square pavers, as large as you can handle, to match the size of the trailer. Even go fancy with some edging and sand/landscape plastic underneath. But only if your HCA won't make you tear it all out and move the pontoon out of the neighborhood. Sometimes you don't want to call attention to yourself.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

In my experience... Sun kills tires... Grass doesn't hurt em at all.... Parking on concrete long term is much harder on tires than parking in the grass.... Dirt conforms to the tire over time.... Concrete causes flat spots.

 

[jjohnson120]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

Yeah our HOA isn't completely active, but since we have at least acre lots, parking behind the house is acceptable. I thought about buying some pavers, but I feel like it would cost an arm and leg to but as many as I needed. It's fairly easy to weedeat around the front and rear, so I thought maybe I should just put 2 pads of pavers under the tires for now. I've had the boat out there for awhile and no one has said anything, of course I'm not the only one with a boat, so that helps. Everyone else just keeps theirs on the grass as well, I guess I was just going for something that looks better.

 

[Bubbasboat]

XXXXX

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

Ok here's what you do....Layout the area with spray paint..get some good grass killer, spray the area…wait a few days for the grass to die. Get some treated landscape timbers and out line the back and sides, anchor down with long spikes or re-bar…….Lay some stone paver squares for the tires…..then get 2 -3 yards of mulch so it’s thick and throw that down in the area.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

Gravel , Mulch, or Concrete are the primary choices.
Unless the pavers are installed on a properly compacted gravel and sand base, they will crack in no time if you drive a 1000lb+ trailer over them. Pavers installed directly on the soil will withstand foot traffic, but not tires at 50psi.

 

[jjohnson120]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

Ok here's what you do....Layout the area with spray paint..get some good grass killer, spray the area…wait a few days for the grass to die. Get some treated landscape timbers and out line the back and sides, anchor down with long spikes or re-bar…….Lay some stone paver squares for the tires…..then get 2 -3 yards of mulch so it’s thick and throw that down in the area.

I had thought about doing the mulch. I have these pieces of fiberglass from a cat walk that were given to me that my dad has used for trailers in the past. I also have 4 25' 4x4's i could use as well. Sounds like I got some planning I need to do this weekend.

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

It will look nicer than plane - ol grass and it will be alot easier to weed eat.

Good Luck and show us some pic's when you get it done....

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

I am actually putting my boats up on jack stands these days when I don't use them to get the weight off the tires.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

I am actually putting my boats up on jack stands these days when I don't use them to get the weight off the tires.

You do that with your cars too?

I guess with bias tires it could be an issue, but the radials under my boats roll just as nice after the 6-7 month garage nap.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

I think mulch wouldn't be any better than grass. Your tires will still sink into mulch and where the sidewall and mulch make contact it will weather check..... I've never used mulch, but I don't see how it would be any different..... Doesn't hurt to try however. I would use something hard like gravel. You could dig out an area, use a border and fill with gravel. Just don't use anything that has a binder. You want rock only........ Concrete would be good too, but as mentioned, it's spendy......

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

You do that with your cars too?

If they sat for 7 months I would. My last set of trailer tires all had tread separation where they had been sitting. You could tell from the sidewall marks. This happened on my 1000 mile round trip to lake Tahoe.

Here is advice on RV tires but should equally apply to trailer tires:
http://www.goodyearrvtires.com/tire-storage.aspx

Ideally, a vehicle in storage should be placed on blocks to remove all weight from the tires.

I always thought the same as you in that it didn't make a difference. Changing my thinking after my last failures.

 

[jjohnson120]

Re: Boat Storage and Parking

I think mulch wouldn't be any better than grass. Your tires will still sink into mulch and where the sidewall and mulch make contact it will weather check..... I've never used mulch, but I don't see how it would be any different..... Doesn't hurt to try however. I would use something hard like gravel. You could dig out an area, use a border and fill with gravel. Just don't use anything that has a binder. You want rock only........ Concrete would be good too, but as mentioned, it's spendy......

Basically my thought with the mulch is a filler so I don't have to mow. I'd be using something like the fiberglass I have to be right under neath the tires so they wouldn't sink in. If I end up doing it I'll for sure take pictures. I got a better idea than I did 2 days ago.