[rovster]

OK, so I have a dilemma, I'm seriously considering getting a Tavernier 17 built but I'm not sure I can fit it in my garage. I've been told I need 19' and change, I have exactly 19'3" from door to wall. Its a standard 8' garage door but its open to one side of where the boat will sit.

I've seen threads on people opening dry wall, and moving the trailer to the side to squeeze out extra room. I wondering if there was a way to calculate that room because that would be a deal breaker and I should be looking at perhaps a smaller skiff.

To paint a picture, the boat would theoretically be parked with a wall to the port side.

If the trailer sticks out let's say 6", how far would I have to swing the trailer to the side to get that clearance? How much clearance do I need on the opposite aft side of trailer to make that movement?

I'm assuming I would swing the trailer towards the "open" (away from wall) side of the garage?

Any advice here appreciated. Thanks!

 

[firecat1981]

My trailer stuck out about 3" on my last skiff, even with the swing tongue, and I needed to swing it about 2.5-3ft to clear. That was a 15.5ft boat, but had a fairly large winch stand.

Honestly though a 19.5ft total package on a 17ft boat is being pretty optimistic. That basically means the trailer needs to be even with the front of the boat. I'm in the same situation with my build and will be modifying my trailer in the next few weeks, hopefully, to work.

If you had a 16ft door and a standard width garage I'd say it will be ok, but with an 8ft door and 19ft depth I might consider a smaller skiff.

 

[Charles Hadley]

Cut opening in rib on garage door so it will clear trailer on way down

 

[Charles Hadley]

OK, so I have a dilemma, I'm seriously considering getting a Tavernier 17 built but I'm not sure I can fit it in my garage. I've been told I need 19' and change, I have exactly 19'3" from door to wall. Its a standard 8' garage door but its open to one side of where the boat will sit.

I've seen threads on people opening dry wall, and moving the trailer to the side to squeeze out extra room. I wondering if there was a way to calculate that room because that would be a deal breaker and I should be looking at perhaps a smaller skiff.

To paint a picture, the boat would theoretically be parked with a wall to the port side.

If the trailer sticks out let's say 6", how far would I have to swing the trailer to the side to get that clearance? How much clearance do I need on the opposite aft side of trailer to make that movement?

I'm assuming I would swing the trailer towards the "open" (away from wall) side of the garage?

Any advice here appreciated. Thanks!

Swing tounge or removable tounge trailer

 

[windblows]

Get the specs from Tavernier, beam, length, length and beam on trailer to the inch. Get some graph paper. Draw your garage on it where each square represents a square foot. Then, draw your boat to the same scale on another page of the graph paper. Then cut the boat out and you can place it in the garage, swing it from side to side, etc. to see how it will fit. It worked for me to fit a 19' bay boat in a 20' deep 2 car garage.

 

[rovster]

Swing tounge or removable tounge trailer

I suppose at this point anything. What is better for tight spaces? Its not built yet so I can order whatever I want I suppose.

 

[rovster]

Get the specs from Tavernier, beam, length, length and beam on trailer to the inch. Get some graph paper. Draw your garage on it where each square represents a square foot. Then, draw your boat to the same scale on another page of the graph paper. Then cut the boat out and you can place it in the garage, swing it from side to side, etc. to see how it will fit. It worked for me to fit a 19' bay boat in a 20' deep 2 car garage.

Good idea may try that.

 

[Charles Hadley]

I suppose at this point anything. What is better for tight spaces? Its not built yet so I can order whatever I want I suppose.

Get most clearance from removable tounge,but heavy I have a folding one on ramlin,600 dollar option I did myself for 175

 

[MatthewAbbott]

1) Is it going into a one or two car garage?

2) are you trying to back it straight in or can you swing the rear of the boat either direction to park it at an angle?

 

[firecat1981]

1) Is it going into a one or two car garage?

2) are you trying to back it straight in or can you swing the rear of the boat either direction to park it at an angle?

See original post for that info.

 

[MatthewAbbott]

My boat does not fit straight into my garage. I back it in until the tires are just inside and disconnect from the truck. I steer the boat at a slight angle until it’s full into my garage.

I also have a set of car dollies that I put under the tires and can basically push the boat side ways to gain more room to walk by the tongue. I don’t always put it on the dollies but when o do it takes about 20 minutes to lift one side and chalk it up, lift the second and put the dolly under then go back to the first to lift again and put the dolly under that tire. I do that to avoid drastic angles on the trailer jack.

 

[MatthewAbbott]

See original post for that info.

I guess I should have said “how much room” IE: is his wife parking her car in the garage, other stores items, etc

 

[rovster]

OK so I do have a large garage but only have room to fill the single slot. Wife won't budge on it. So I do have some side to side room just not a ton. It is a single door 8' wide but I do have a little lateral room to one side on the inside. I can clear out space all the way around where the boat would sit including some interior space just adjacent to it.

I just don't know realistically how much room I'll get by swinging the tongue to one side and if it will even clear the door and how much the whole package will kick over to the opposite side.

Any pics of that dolly set-up? I don't mind going through some "theatrics" to get it to fit each time I use it.

Sorry it probably seems like I'm overcomplicating this but I really want to squeeze as much skiff as I can get in there. I'm sure most of you understand!

 

[Capnredfish]

If you have 19’3 and they say you need 19 and change. They should know the exact change. There is surely a way to modify trailer a few inches. I have a removable tounge.

 

[rovster]

Ok it’s 19’8” with swing tongue and engine straight back

 

[MatthewAbbott]

@rovster I’ll take some pics when I get home of how much I have to turn the front of my boat and pull some exact measurements to maybe give you a better idea of what you can expect. I’m afraid it’ll be pretty tight with your wife’s car but maybe doable.

 

[rovster]

Thanks, pics appreciated. I’m not worried about a car in there I’ve got about 7” beyond the door on one side and about 18” on the other before I start encroaching in general space. I’ll see if I can measure some lines on the diagonal this weekend to see if I should still have hope. I’m also curious to see if there’s any space behind the dry wall only worry is of that’s an insulated wall. It abuts to our dining room.

 

[WindblownBeard]

In an effort to soothe your fears, I was in the exact situation as you are. It fits. My garage was 19'4, and cranking the engine to the right along with a slight angle fit great. Sometimes I even had 6 inches to spare, just mark the angle with tape on the ground.

 

[MatthewAbbott]

Pardon my messy garage. Between my 9-5 (yeah right lol) and working around the house; it’s been neglected lately...

The overall length of my boat/trailer is right around 21’. The “useable” length of my garage is 17’ x”(I have a work bench on the back wall).

My boat is kicked into the second bay pretty good but I do that so I have about 2’ from wall to tongue to walk by.

Car dolly I use to kick it all the way to the next corner...

I don’t see why you couldn’t fit a slightly shorter trailer into a 2’ longer space with minimal side kick.


As always...YMMV

 

[SFL_Mirage]

I was able to modify my Owens and Sons trailer to move the winch post up to where the A frame meets and weld it, then add a swing hitch directly right before it. That brought LOA down a few feet. I also had to move my axle up further and my bunks up to accommodate moving the boat up and making sure the motor wouldn’t hit the back support on the trailer. I think my garage is 19’5” straight and I was able to get my maverick LOA 18’ in the garage backing straight in with the swing tongue. Just takes some welding, grinding and basic math to get it done. I have a couple inches of clearance still too. Depend on your front to back length of the boat and motor but sounds like you can make it work if I did it.