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Getting trailer in garage, squeezing out extra space?

8K views 44 replies 17 participants last post by  georgiadrifter 
#1 ·
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!
 
#2 ·
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.
 
#4 ·
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
 
#5 ·
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.
 
#11 ·
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.
 
#13 ·
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!
 
#17 ·
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.
 
#19 ·
Pardon my messy garage. Between my 9-5 (yeah right lol) and working around the house; it’s been neglected lately... Room Furniture Building Vehicle Interior design
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). Floor Footwear Shoe Flooring Road surface
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... Floor Automotive exterior Auto part Flooring Fender


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
 
#20 ·
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.
 
#27 ·
You guys are awesome. Definitely feel like I'm back in the game. The total beam of trailer is 80", the door is 96" and I have about 120" of space to play depending on what direction it faces.

Another question, I assume you guys are backing into the garage with car and finishing the parking job by hand? Never pushed around a small skiff before but my dads larger skiff is pretty heavy and hard to move. Are you using a trailer dolly or just shoving it around? I'm a pretty big dude so I figure I can just "hand park" it.

Again thanks all, and the pics are definitely helpful!
 
#30 ·
I loved my welded Fulton swing on my 22' bay boat trailer & got it into a 25' deep garage, BUT;
- only had a 2-stroke Yam 150 hanging off the back, no shallow anchors
- had 8' tall, double door and plenty of garage front access
FYI, the Fulton swing tongues used to be only rated for steel tongues, check if AL wanted.
Good luck whatever you decide.
(Also, I've seen the light now, bay's gone & my 16' Super Skiff fits a lot easier.)
Vehicle Automotive exterior Trailer Auto part Car

Water transportation Vehicle Boat trailer Boat Speedboat
 
#31 ·
You guys are awesome. Definitely feel like I'm back in the game. The total beam of trailer is 80", the door is 96" and I have about 120" of space to play depending on what direction it faces.

Another question, I assume you guys are backing into the garage with car and finishing the parking job by hand? Never pushed around a small skiff before but my dads larger skiff is pretty heavy and hard to move. Are you using a trailer dolly or just shoving it around? I'm a pretty big dude so I figure I can just "hand park" it.

Again thanks all, and the pics are definitely helpful!
You should be fine since you have 120" to play with. For reference I have fit both below boats into my garage at 19'5" deep x 11' wide.

  • Maverick 17HPXV with 115 fourstroke - Fit straight in with removable trailer tongue (trailer flush with bow of boat). the HPX17V hull is LOA 16'9"+ motor.
  • Hell's Bay Marquesa again with a 115 and removable trailer tongue (trailer flush with bow of boat). Marquesa hull is 18'1" + motor. The goes in at most allowable angle.

I pushed both in by hand, a good trailer jack wheel makes all the difference when trying to maneuver the boat in the garage. I changed out my fulton jack wheel to a rubber caster wheel i bought online and it works awesome.
 
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