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Posts: 53
| We keep our boat in a garage on a slope. The entrance to the garage is a flat sandy, grassy area. It is a tight spot and the boat must be removed from the truck and maneuvered by hand. I can usually handle it with some struggle. However, my 65 year old Dad has a harder time with it when I am not around. The small plastic trailer jack wheel sinks into the sandy, sometimes muddy grass. Paving the area is not really a possibility. Gravel might help and will probably be a future option. The best thing would be a larger width, high flotation tire on the trailer jack. I cannot seem to find one anywhere that fits this description. Does anyone know who makes something like this? The boat is an 18' aluminum flat bottom boat. Probably #1500 total
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Check out the trailer valet. But it isn't the cheapest thing in the world. |
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Posts: 32789
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | These things work pretty well:
https://www.discountramps.com/boat-trailer-dolly/p/TD-3500/ |
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Posts: 53
| Thanks guys, both good ideas. Mike, those things are incredible but out of the budget. It would be better if I had a picture, but I can try and describe it. The place that we have to unhook the boat from the truck is on a hillside. So connecting the trailer tongue to another implement right there may not work. The best thing would be a high floatation wheel or modification to the regular jack. (This style) https://www.discountramps.com/trailer-tongue-jack/p/TR10-01/ With a wheel like this. https://www.roadtechmarine.com.au/250mm-10-pneumatic-tyre-jockey-whe...
Maybe I need to contact a welder. I have no idea what something like that would cost. This will be a Fathers day present.
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Posts: 3469
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya,
I believe all you would need to do is block the trailer wheels, and you are good to go from there if the tongue area is on a hillside.
Block the trailer tires first, then unhook from the truck. Use the dolly from there to maneuver the boat into the garage.
Steve Worrall's option is about $100 from cabelas, but may be cheaper through amazon or possibly even Northerntool.
Steve |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | do you have a tractor? i have a ball hitch mount in the front of my tractor and drive it in and out ... it's an incredible system for doing just what you describe but does take the right tractor to do it. bonus for me is the other things the tractor does for me making life just easy and enjoyable ... |
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Posts: 53
| Using the ATV might be the safest option. This would involved cutting down a tree, which probably doesn't need to be there. Like I said, its a really tight spot. haha
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| I have a trailer dolly with three wheels and move my 18' Pro V with it. However, if it has rained and the thin gravel in front of my garage gets soft, the wheels will sink and make it harder to move. When ground in firm and dry, I move it pretty well by myself and I am 67. |
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Posts: 3469
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hi again,
Depending on the size of the boat, an ATV might work... If the weight is too much, the ATV will struggle to get the boat moving back into the garage when it is at a sharp angle to the boat itself.
I used my honda 450 with an alumacraft navigator 165 and it did alright, but moving it into a garage up on a cement slab at a tight angle made it very difficult.
Steve |
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Posts: 53
| I found it! This guy in the first review did what I was looking for. Thanks for the help and advice guys. Is this winter ever going to end?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Shepherd-10-in-Pneumatic-Swivel-Caster-w...
Edited by GFishes 4/18/2018 1:17 PM
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Posts: 53
| I built it! I will be giving it to my Dad this weekend. If anyone is interested I can list what parts I used and where I got them. I had to do some digging to get this done right and not be too tall.
Edited by GFishes 5/9/2018 10:08 PM
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Posts: 426
| Why can't you lay down one or two pieces of 4ft.-8 ft 3/4 in piece of plywood down as needed for the wheel to ride over the grass as needed? Pick it up when your done and store it in the garage. Block the wheels before you un couple the trailer and push it back into the garage
Edited by 7ovr50 5/10/2018 2:57 PM
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Posts: 3469
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | I have a feeling this might work really well as the tire will be turning on bearings rather than a a hole in a plastic wheel spinning on a shaft.
Nicely done my friend!!
Steve |
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Posts: 53
| Thanks Steve. I think it will too. My Dad will never say it but I know he struggles a bit turning the boat in the grass. He has both of his ankles fused. Unfortunately, I'm not always available to go fishing with him. |
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