Garage Issue - looking ahead.

[alandry100]

I have lots of work to do on the new (to me) 170 this winter. The biggest thing is to replace fuel tank. I would like to get the boat into the garage but the trailer will not fit. The boat will however. My question is - Is there a way to get the boat off the trailer and back into the garage without backing the trailer in. It is a load rite with rollers. I was thinking some kind of rolling frame on casters - we have a piano to be refinished in the garage on these. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[GoneFission]

OK here's what you can do:

1.  Move the boat into place in the garage
2.  Lower the front all the way down to the floor
3.  Put supports under the transom tight with the bottom of the boat
4.  Jack the front of the trailer up high
5.  Put supports under the front of the boat under the chines so the trailer can come out
6.  Lower the front of the trailer back down to normal - the boat should now be free from the trailer
7.  Roll the trailer out from under the boat
8.  Block the bow of the boat under the keel for added support  

To put the boat back on the trailer, you just remove the keel blocking and reverse the sequence above.

[seabob4]

I like John's method...

[fitz73222]

Since you can't get the trailer into the garage, back her up as far as you can and push / pull her off of the trailer onto plastic 55 gallon drums laid down with the bungs good-n-tight. Now the drums will deform but they are slick and the boat will slide/roll on them and as you move the boat back into the garage keep moving them from front to back as you move back. I'd say 5-6 of them will give you enough to do the job. Now the hull deadrise may give them the tendency to scoot out from under the hull so a couple of extra hands may be necessary or just build a quick 2X6 box to keep them contained and just keep sliding it back as you move back. Once you get her where you want her then do the customary blocking and stabilizing using blocks and timbers. If you were down here in Florida, I'd give you the drums since we get rid of about 20 a week but I know you can buy them for $20 bucks a piece. Try hunting some locally at a manufacturing plant or some industry that does parts cleaning in their process, sometimes a dry cleaner may have some that are used in their operation. I've actually done this and you won't believe how easy it is to move a lot of weight on these drums.

[wingtime]

Johns method of using the trailer jack to do all the work is a good old stand by.  Another option would to build a cradle of sorts with two bunks for the boat to sit on.  One advantage of this is you can place castors on the cradle so you can move it around.  Seabob will attest this is SOP for most boat manufacturers.

[gran398]

All methods offer hull support, which is the main thing.

Will presume its a one shot deal...cheapest way out given the above parameter has my vote.

[Circle Hooked]

Is the trailer just to wide to fit in the garage, just thinking out loud here.

[alandry100]

Trailer is too wide - but the boat will fit.

[louiefl]

Any chance you Can borrow a smaller trailer? Since your 170 isn't that heavy, you might be able to load it on a flat utility trailer, block it, back it in, jack it up and remove it. Not like you are going down the highway.

[gran398]

Good idea.

To make it a step simpler....Remove the winch stand on the big trailer, back the small trailer to the bow of the boat, and winch the boat onto the new small trailer.

[alandry100]

That's a good idea - not sure why I didn't think of it. I have a smaller trailer on a runabout I have for sale right now. Will use it if it doesn't sell. If not I'll borrow one.

[alandry100]

My father in law is a structural engineer and is designing a cradle (roller) - about how heavy do you think the 170 is?

[gran398]

Not a bunch. If you have a small trailer, go with it. You can always add additional support as needed when she gets inside.

Save the time/money....its only over the winter