Moving boat into garage

[MattVT18]

Not sure if this is the right place for this but i thought I'd give it a shot. Do any of you guys use any of the gear driven crank or electric trailer dollies to move your boats? How about lawn mowers? Here is my issue, my garage is a side entry. There is a retaining wall that prevents me from using the tow vehicle to get the boat positioned to go into the garage. Right now I pull down the driveway and unhook the boat. I use a "manual" trailer dolly with a ball to swing the tongue around and push the boat into position. The driveway is a very slight incline, so slight it looks level but its just enough to make it quite hard to get the boat rolling and swung around, especially when loaded with gear and gas. Once lined up and started into the garage it's no problem. I've thought about getting one of the Trailer Valet things, but there seems to be alot of negative reviews. I've also considered having the local weld/fab shop make me a receiver style hitch for the front of my zero turn mower. It really takes away from the fun of using the boat when I know I'll have to strain my guts out to get it put up. My fishing partner is typically my 7 year old son so I don't have much assistance right now. Any suggestions would be welcomed!

[joe3buck3]

My friend recently had the exact same problem. Very slight incline into the garage made moving the boat into the garage extremely difficult and bringing it down the slope was actually hazardous to his health if it got away from him. He looked at motorized dollies but opted for a much simpler and less expensive solution. He installed an inexpensive Harbor Freight 120v winch on the floor of his garage at the rear. Installed two large eye bolts on the lower support at the rear of his trailer and now must slowly winches his boat into and out of the garage. He has the process down to the point that it is very quick and totally safe.

[Jetboy]

How about a hitch on the front of the truck? Just an idea. I think it's going to help me get in a new drive.

[1bluemcm]

I made an easily removable hitch ball holder form my lawn tractor, works well and surely easier than man handling the trailer. Heard a story of a guy pushing boat around using the trailer jack and the jack broke off, crushed his ankle, almost lost part of his leg. Definitely don't recommend relying on the trailer jack.

[MattVT18]

Joe3buck3 - does your friend have to turn the boat while pulling? That's my biggest issue, it's a compound move so to speak. I have to turn and go back at the same.

Jet boy - I don't think there is enough room from the garage door opening to the retaining wall to maneuver a vehicle, even if the hitch is in the front. When I begin swinging the tongue around and pushing back I end up standing on the wall by the time I get the trailer lined up.

1bluemcm - I've been looking at the mower option pretty hard. It's so much smaller than my tow vehicle that I might be able to wiggle the trailer into position. It'll be close though, like I said above I'm standing on the wall once lined up to go straight in. Maybe the mower would allow me to go backwards a little more while spinning the tongue.

[marlinpruett]

I had a dual axle trailer for a 196 Hydrasports and my driveway is uphill with a 90 degree turn at the top into garage and a driveway width of 31 feet in front of the door.
With a front hitch I could move boat into the garage with one motion, no backing, up every time. I have a Ford Expedition EL a very long vehicle.
Now I have a single axle but I painted my driveway with guide spots and I back in ( same vehicle) and just keep the inside tire on the marks. Works good.

,

[1bluemcm]

With the lawn tractor you can turn really tight, so yeah, unless your situation is really, really tight to begin with, I would think it would be feasible with a riding mower. Mine is really pretty basic. I had a piece of 2" x 12" LVL left over from my garage project, I cut it down to fit, had to make some grooves in it to fit my particular tractor, and I just hold it in place with large C-clamps. Stays in place fine, easy to remove.

[Tailhooker]

I've got a Park-It 360. Perfect. Well built. Google it.

[ARK Ranger]

My Z522 was too much for my 14HP John deer. Too much tongue weight.

[davidsa]

Matt, this may not help but let me share my story. I have a three car side entry garage. Double door and then single. Boat goes in single but WON"T fit door so I go through double. I have a 1 inch lip to get into my garage. My driveway is level. For years I took my 19'6 ranger single axle off in the driveway and tried to make a running start on the boat to get it over the lip. My son was 7 as well. Now fast forward 10 years, a new 18'6 boat, and new SUV and I'm too old to move the boat by hand. I found though I could jackknife the boat into the garage just enough to get the wheels over the 1 inch entry lip on the garage. I am strong enough still to move the boat by hand in the garage.

Point being, are you sure you can't jackknife it in? By way, a duel axle would likely kill my process or driveway.

[Bamaman]

We have a couple of Foreman 500 ATV's with trailer hitches on the rear. They'll tow and back up a boat just fine. I've used them on my 5000 lb. pontoon boat/trailer to move it around a little.

Lately, I've been using a 18 hp zero turn mower to haul around my 1000 lb. utility trailer out of the back yard. I'm surprised how strong and maneuverable it is with the hydro drive.

[MattVT18]

I appreciate all the responses, some good ideas. I've only got 25' from garage door to retaining wall. My rig is a little over 23' long with tongue out (has a swing-away tongue). The garage door is a standard 2 car (16' wide) and my wife's vehicle occupies the other side. The fence for our back yard and the retaining wall really limit what I can do with my rig once down the driveway. I'm really leaning toward using my mower to move the boat around. I can chock a wheel, unhook the trailer and pull forward just enough to get the mower into position...I tried a dry run and it will work. I'll hit the fence or wall just about any way I try when I use my truck...I tried for over 30 minutes to get it where I could push the boat straight in after unhooking but just couldn't get it there. I've tried pulling into the driveway as well as backing in and pulling the boat instead of pushing, still quite a bit of effort. My neighbor's UTV handles it without issue. Its small enough that it can get turned and not get into the fence or wall. I'm taking it out again this weekend, so I'm going to try a couple of more ideas my neighbor and I came up with when we tried his UTV. I might be able to sneak between the end of the retaining wall and the fence corner just enough to get the boat/truck where I can get the boat in a little better finish position. He's ok with me coming into his yard a foot or so and that might be all I need.

[joe3buck3]

MattVT18
My friend backs the trailer as far up the driveway as possible but it still must be turned almost 90degrees to go straight into the garage. To accomplish that he just chocks one wheel, attaches his floor winch cable and starts pulling. The trailer pivots on the chocked wheel and when it's straight he removes the chock and finishes the pull into the garage. I watched him do it one day and was impressed at how easy the entire process was. He has marked this driveway so he knows exactly where to position the trailer and chock. Once the boat is about 1/2 way in the garage he finishes the move by hand since everything is level at that point and he has pre-positioned chocks on the floor to stop the trailer in exactly the right spot.

[MattVT18]

That's a good idea. I'm going to try jacknifing it in this weekend and see how it goes. The winch might still work out now that I know how to make a turn!

[Bob G.]

Maybe keep the boat in a portable shelter for ease of parking.

I can't move my boat/trailer by hand, ever! If I'm ever in a tough spot like that, I'd go back to an aluminum boat.

[Tequila Sunrise]

I bought the Trailer Valet to solve my side entry garage debacle as I also have to get my boat in diagonally for it to fit. Overall I am satisfied with the Trailer Valet and it's low cost and ease of use. I moved my jack to the opposite side and leave the Trailer Valet in the garage once the boat is hooked up to the truck. If ever any issues arise that requires the trailer to be removed from the truck I have the ability to do so.

[TR186AU]

Not sure if this is the right place for this but i thought I'd give it a shot. Do any of you guys use any of the gear driven crank or electric trailer dollies to move your boats? How about lawn mowers? Here is my issue, my garage is a side entry. There is a retaining wall that prevents me from using the tow vehicle to get the boat positioned to go into the garage. Right now I pull down the driveway and unhook the boat. I use a "manual" trailer dolly with a ball to swing the tongue around and push the boat into position. The driveway is a very slight incline, so slight it looks level but its just enough to make it quite hard to get the boat rolling and swung around, especially when loaded with gear and gas. Once lined up and started into the garage it's no problem. I've thought about getting one of the Trailer Valet things, but there seems to be alot of negative reviews. I've also considered having the local weld/fab shop make me a receiver style hitch for the front of my zero turn mower. It really takes away from the fun of using the boat when I know I'll have to strain my guts out to get it put up. My fishing partner is typically my 7 year old son so I don't have much assistance right now. Any suggestions would be welcomed!

After struggling for years with my side entry garage, I purchased a Trailer Valet last year, does a very nice job so far and has been used a lot. Sometimes it's a little bit of a workout if you have an incline, but it has saved my back ! Easy to install, I remove it when towing the boat and that is easy as well. I did a lot of research and read a lot of reviews before making the purchase and this was my best option. Made the purchase direct from their company

[MattVT18]

TR186AU - so you're happy with the Trailer Valet? I looked at getting the one that mounted on the trailer like I think you have. I planned to remove it when towing. To me you can't fully trust the reviews you read on a manufacturer's web site but there were good reviews on Amazon as well. You haven't had any issues with the mounting plate or chain have you? Those seem to be the most complained about things...maybe folks are just expecting too much out of the product.

[Tequila Sunrise]

I have had good service from my Trailer Valet. I like that it's removable as it is too bulky to leave on while towing in my opinion. I have been putting my regular jack down to take the pressure off of the Trailer Valet's tires lately as I haven't been fishing a lot. Overton's had the best price on them when I bought mine.

[jimscia]

I have a trailer valet. I only use it at the house. Once trailer is on truck ball, pull the pin leave it in garage. Still have old jack on other side just in case... The trailer valet is to big and bulky to have on the ride to the lake.(plus theft)......When you use the drill attachment, it moves like butter.... There are 2 different gears, going up an incline is not a problem. My brother has a saltwater boat, and he spent over a grand for his electric mover. Best $350 bucks I spent.