pic: boat put away for winter =(

[bow wow rider]

Makes me sad. But at least it's a nice place to rest for the next few months. Looks kind of like a showroom.

Contemplating putting the trailer up on jack stands to take pressure off the tires... thoughts?

 

[themaniam1]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

That does not look like it is put away for winter. More like on a show room floor of a dealer. What an awesome storage space for your boat. I bet you didn't even winterize it other than maybe pulled the drain plugs.

 

[Subliminal]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

I'm jealous! Wish I had a nice indoor spot for mine. She's gunna winter outside under a tarp this year.

 

[Brewman61]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

Jacking up to get the tires off the ground isn't a bad idea- but I've never done it. Boat sits on trailer outside in the cold MN winter season. Done this for the past 5 years, no problems with the tires that I can tell. But I'm not a heavy duty trailer user- boat sits in the water all season, only on the trailer winters, and I only put about 30 miles/year on the trailer.

 

[bow wow rider]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

That does not look like it is put away for winter. More like on a show room floor of a dealer. What an awesome storage space for your boat. I bet you didn't even winterize it other than maybe pulled the drain plugs.

yeah i'm lucky, it's at my dad's place, he has a huge three-part garage, this room was set up for auto work. it does get cold in northern ohio, so i drained the cooling system, greased things up, cleaned, etc... but this room doesn't go much below 25 degrees in the winter.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

Heck If you need a boatn' -fix- You can go sit it your boat in the middle of the winter and have a cold one . Put a little cocnut flavored suntan oil on a cotton ball so u can smell it Close your eyes and ....drift........

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

Nice boat and nice garage.

I need to get the water out of mine this weekend I think. Pretty sure I'm done tho it was in the 70's-80's Sat and Sunday.
Weird how 60's feel so warm and nice in spring and in fall 60's feel cool and chilly. To me anyway.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

show movies of boating on those big white walls....

Dude you seriously need more stuff

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

I can't fathom missing out on the lake Erie perch and walleye BONANZA!
I'm in northeast ohio and won't tuck in till mid November, I love the tranquility of boating in the fall.
Your very fortunate to have such a nice storage facility, I'll have the typical struggle with snow and ice, keeping pressure off my wheels has never been high on my list, keeping them from sinking into the dirt yes, a patio block or piece of plywood works.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

Getting the weight off of the wheels is a good idea. Make sure you support it under the axle and not under the frame of the trailer.

Nice garage...I want one like that...

 

[Expidia]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

Yessss,
I know the saddest day of the year for me is just around the corner. I know I'll have to do it over the next few weeks and yet my Wife is making (forcing) me go to New Jersey next weekend.

I might get one or two more weekends in, before I have to Mothball my rig until early May
That's 7 months of winter.

I'll leave room now below for the Fl boaters to come back with their comments like "we never have to put ours away"

 

[Fireman431]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

and yet my Wife is making (forcing) me go to New Jersey next week

Putting away your boat AND going to Jersey?!? Wow...you must have done something really annoying to her...

82 degrees here (sunny FL) and we'll be at the island this Saturday. And then a 4 day trip on the boat the following weekend.

I'm sorry...was that condescending?

 

[fat fanny]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

For all of us in the north to all of you in the south we do envy you but don't blow your horn to loud. I hate the day I put my boat away for the year but I also keep thinking of whats to come in the spring. It's been a month now and I'm still cussing the Army Corp of engineers for draining my lake early to control the tributaries (horse hockey) well @ least that's thier excuse.

 

[JimS123]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

40 years ago, after hearing thump thump thump in the spring, and after reading that trailer tires should be supported when not in use, I made a set of axle supports and used them for years. 20 years ago I bought a tandem trailer and got lazy at the same time and stopped jacking for winter. Haven't heard a thump since. They say tires are made better now and its no longer necessary. I've got 8", 12" and 13" boat trailer tires and I don't support any of them and don't see any issues.

 

[superbenk]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

I'm tossing around the idea of jacking mine up this year too. I haven't done it for the past 2 winters on the new tires & it hasn't shown any problems in the tires, but I get the theory behind doing it.

 

[dlngr]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

Getting the weight off of the wheels is a good idea. Make sure you support it under the axle and not under the frame of the trailer.


That's the opposite of what I would think- why keep the weight on the axle/springs all winter?? Get the weight off the tires and suspension.

 

[rwidman]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

Getting the weight off of the wheels is a good idea. Make sure you support it under the axle and not under the frame of the trailer.


That's the opposite of what I would think- why keep the weight on the axle/springs all winter?? Get the weight off the tires and suspension.

The trailer is designed to be supported by the axle(s) and 10% or less on the tongue. If you think it's important to take the weight off the springs, you need to support the trailer frame at the points where it attaches to the springs.

People who use their trailer boats (or other trailers) year round do not seem to have tire or spring problems. Even if you were to get "flat spots" on the trailer tires (and I doubt you will), they will go away with a few miles of towing.

I wouldn't bother. And I didn't for the years I had trailered boats.

 

[ziggy]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

i like the way ya got the chair facing the boat ready to use w/ table and trash can next to you for your empty's while your sitting looking at your beautiful boat waiting for next spring..

and to think, mine sits in a white rock driveway with a cover over it... ya got it good man.. it looks great..

fwiw, i don't lift mine off the tires. i'm sure they freeze to the white rock all winter long. (my serious abuse) i will pull the wheels and clean and physically re-grease the wheel brgs though. not my favorite job, but i will likely do it in the end. i have in the past anyways.. so far, i've not had any ramifications for doing it this way..

 

[Fireman431]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

Getting the weight off of the wheels is a good idea. Make sure you support it under the axle and not under the frame of the trailer.

That's the opposite of what I would think- why keep the weight on the axle/springs all winter?? Get the weight off the tires and suspension.

Springs are designed and made to be under tension without relief. Think of the springs on a car. Rarely, if ever, relieved of tension.
The boat trailer is usually I-beam steel or aluminum and is certainly strong enough to support the boat, but that's not what it's designed for. Heck, wood is strong enough to support a boat.

Axles are designed to carry load. Support the trailer (if you decide to lift it) under the axles. Or leave it on the ground. If you get flat spots, they will go away after a few miles of road use. I worry more about the cold weather helping with delamination, but it's probably not an issue in the garage.

And the other poster is right. Tires are much better now then they ever used to be. it was more a problem with bias-ply vs. radials.

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: pic: boat put away for winter =(

If you are worried about gettn' a flat spot.. Move the trailer a half foot. or two a few times during the off season