Removing Boat from trailer in garage

[Safety First]

There are many ways to remove your boat from your trailer and some are better than others. If you choose to do most of your own boat and trailer maintenance and repairs I would take a look at www.portableboatlift.com. There is much information there and many pictures of the Portable Boat Lift in action. With their boat lift you can use it at home or anywhere. It fits in the back of a pick-up. It allows one person to safely remove their boat from their trailer in minutes, anywhere.

[sgt1970-442]

here is a picture from the factory

i would love to have the dimensions on the cart for moving that boat around.

[sgt1970-442]

There are many ways to remove your boat from your trailer and some are better than others. If you choose to do most of your own boat and trailer maintenance and repairs I would take a look at www.portableboatlift.com. There is much information there and many pictures of the Portable Boat Lift in action. With their boat lift you can use it at home or anywhere. It fits in the back of a pick-up. It allows one person to safely remove their boat from their trailer in minutes, anywhere.

that looks like a nice idea but, what do ya do at the back of the boat. looks like you would need to pull the boat back about a foot off the trailer and get it jacked up a couple inches for the jack stands, then lift the front. if this sounds right, i'm wondering how ya pull the boat backwards.

[NorCaliBu]

...i'm wondering how ya pull the boat backwards.

Just tie the transom eyes to a tree and drive forward with the trailer. Just don't forget to stop after a foot.

[Baddog]

Just tie the transom eyes to a tree and drive forward with the trailer. Just don't forget to stop after a foot.

Might want to specify tree size here, those little 2" dia sticks contractors plant at new homes ain't gonna get the job done.

[Marine Specialty]

No way I'd try it with cinder blocks. Too unstable. Maybe with a little runabout with an outboard but not with an inboard. Too much stuff underneath to damage if it did slip.

NorCaliBu,

I put a 55' houseboat on cinder blocks and it sat outside in the cold weather for 8 months. So a little 20 footer would not bother me at all. I have block up few hundred boats over the years though so i might have a slight advantage there.

[NorCaliBu]

NorCaliBu,

I put a 55' houseboat on cinder blocks and it sat outside in the cold weather for 8 months. So a little 20 footer would not bother me at all. I have block up few hundred boats over the years though so i might have a slight advantage there.

Didn't say it couldn't be done. Just said no way I'd do it. And there's a difference between putting a houseboat on cinder blocks and a tournament ski boat. The portion of the houseboat on the cinderblocks would be the aluminum or steel pontoons vs. the gelcoat of the ski boat. Which scratches up easier? Steel or gelcoat?

And God forbid something did happen to cause the vessel to come off of the blocks. With a houseboat you'd be looking at a scratched, dented, or possibly crushed pontoon which could be fixed with a couple hundred dollars worth of welding. The ski boat? Along with fiberglass & gelocoat damage you probably have to deal with damage to the tracking fins, the shaft strut, rudder, prop, drive shaft,...no thanks. But hey, to each his own.

I can tell you for sure that if I went to a marine service center (be it a dealership or independent service center) and saw tournament boats on cinder blocks I would turn right around and leave. No way would I let them have my boat.

[Marine Specialty]

Didn't say it couldn't be done. Just said no way I'd do it. And there's a difference between putting a houseboat on cinder blocks and a tournament ski boat. The portion of the houseboat on the cinderblocks would be the aluminum or steel pontoons vs. the gelcoat of the ski boat. Which scratches up easier? Steel or gelcoat?

And God forbid something did happen to cause the vessel to come off of the blocks. With a houseboat you'd be looking at a scratched, dented, or possibly crushed pontoon which could be fixed with a couple hundred dollars worth of welding. The ski boat? Along with fiberglass & gelocoat damage you probably have to deal with damage to the tracking fins, the shaft strut, rudder, prop, drive shaft,...no thanks. But hey, to each his own.

I can tell you for sure that if I went to a marine service center (be it a dealership or independent service center) and saw tournament boats on cinder blocks I would turn right around and leave. No way would I let them have my boat.

I would not let a dealership put my bu on block without protection between the boat and blocks.

The houseboat was a solid hull aluminum boat, and by the way it was sitting about five foot in the air.

Jack stands are the best to use. We also tie them together to keep them from spreading apart, just added safety.

[NorCaliBu]

Jack stands are the best to use. We also tie them together to keep them from spreading apart, just added safety.

Jack stands or some other system better designed for the purpose? Fine. My original objection was to the use of cinder blocks. One of my ski buddies is a marine mechanic and has a hoist system in his shop that is capable of lifting a boat off of it's trailer (more often it's used to pull engines though). He made a cart similar to the one in the picture of the Malibu plant that he can set the boat on and roll it out of the way while the trailer is presumably out for repairs.

[sgt1970-442]

Jack stands or some other system better designed for the purpose? Fine. My original objection was to the use of cinder blocks. One of my ski buddies is a marine mechanic and has a hoist system in his shop that is capable of lifting a boat off of it's trailer (more often it's used to pull engines though). He made a cart similar to the one in the picture of the Malibu plant that he can set the boat on and roll it out of the way while the trailer is presumably out for repairs.

would you be kind enough to get the diamensions and a couple photos of that cart for me????

thanks steve

[Baddog]

NorCaliBu,

I put a 55' houseboat on cinder blocks and it sat outside in the cold weather for 8 months. So a little 20 footer would not bother me at all. I have block up few hundred boats over the years though so i might have a slight advantage there.

In all of those 200+ boats have you ever had a cinder block fail?

[NorCaliBu]

would you be kind enough to get the diamensions and a couple photos of that cart for me????

I'll give him a ring and see if he has any pics of it. The basic concept is a lower frame, approx 10 feet by 6 feet (made out of 2"X4" box tubing), with the bunks mounted via a special "H" looking piece that was a pain in the butt to make. We (I helped him build it) made two U shaped brackets and bolted them end to end so that one channel was facing up, one channel facing down. The single bolt construction allows the top U to swivel independently of the bottom so that the bunks of the cart can not only be repositioned width wise, but they can also be set wider at one end than the other. If memory serves each bunk is 2 - 12 foot 2"X6"s standing on edge (and carpeted, of course) and overhanging the frame by a foot on each end.

EDIT: Got sidetracked and forgot to finish the description. We welded triangles of plate steel in the corners and bolted a heavy duty swivel caster in each corner. The casters have about an 8" wheel on them so they roll fairly easily.

I'll see about getting some pictures.

Edited December 10, 2009 by NorCaliBu

[sgt1970-442]

I'll give him a ring and see if he has any pics of it. The basic concept is a lower frame, approx 10 feet by 6 feet (made out of 2"X4" box tubing), with the bunks mounted via a special "H" looking piece that was a pain in the butt to make. We (I helped him build it) made two U shaped brackets and bolted them end to end so that one channel was facing up, one channel facing down. The single bolt construction allows the top U to swivel independently of the bottom so that the bunks of the cart can not only be repositioned width wise, but they can also be set wider at one end than the other. If memory serves each bunk is 2 - 12 foot 2"X6"s standing on edge (and carpeted, of course) and overhanging the frame by a foot on each end.

EDIT: Got sidetracked and forgot to finish the description. We welded triangles of plate steel in the corners and bolted a heavy duty swivel caster in each corner. The casters have about an 8" wheel on them so they roll fairly easily.

I'll see about getting some pictures.

thanks,

i appreciate it. steve

[Marine Specialty]

In all of those 200+ boats have you ever had a cinder block fail?

I have one slip but it was a stand. The stand had gotten water in one of the welded supports and cause it rust and give out. Luckly we had enough stands under it that it did not cause any damage.

[CRMNGRN]

Well, in my yard, I would scrounge up the following, 4 55 gal drums, and 2 14’ 4x12s. Jack up the back, lash the 4xs across the top of the tie down eyes (you may need to block up the 4x on top of the drums, same thing with the front, pull out trailer and block up boat proper. We pull out trailers all the time, a lot of ways to do it, just don’t rush.

[NorCaliBu]

Well, in my yard, I would scrounge up the following, 4 55 gal drums, and 2 14’ 4x12s. Jack up the back, lash the 4xs across the top of the tie down eyes (you may need to block up the 4x on top of the drums, same thing with the front, pull out trailer and block up boat proper. We pull out trailers all the time, a lot of ways to do it, just don’t rush.

Who the heck has 14 foot 4 X 12's sitting around?

[CRMNGRN]

Who the heck has 14 foot 4 X 12's sitting around?

Ah, my bad, but you'd be suprised what you can find that will do the job, all you got to do is look, steel tube/beams whatever.

[Baddog]

Who the heck has 14 foot 4 X 12's sitting around?

Here ya go:

Lowes

4 - 2 x 12s

hand full of 16D nails and you are in business.

[martinarcher]

There are many ways to remove your boat from your trailer and some are better than others. If you choose to do most of your own boat and trailer maintenance and repairs I would take a look at www.portableboatlift.com. There is much information there and many pictures of the Portable Boat Lift in action. With their boat lift you can use it at home or anywhere. It fits in the back of a pick-up. It allows one person to safely remove their boat from their trailer in minutes, anywhere.

Cool device, but the trailer guide posts on my boat that are welded to the trailer would be a big problem.

[Baddog]

Cool device, but the trailer guide posts on my boat that are welded to the trailer would be a big problem.

Sawzall.

[martinarcher]

Sawzall.

Bad idea!

[Baddog]

Bad idea!

Sawzall and a welder??

[Malibuswany]

Sawzall and a welder??

Sawzall, Welder and large amounts of your favorite alcoholic beverage so when you screw it up you don't care.

[Baddog]

Sawzall, Welder and large amounts of your favorite alcoholic beverage so when you screw it up you don't care.

Now we're talking, but don't forget to invite your know it all neighbor to help so that when things go bump, you can blame it on him, then you are in the clear with the wifey.

[martinarcher]

Now we're talking, but don't forget to invite your know it all neighbor to help so that when things go bump, you can blame it on him, then you are in the clear with the wifey.

You guys are the best at solving problems - now I can get started on the project.