Can you move your loaded Single Axle Skeeter trailer around by hand?

Curious if others have the same experience I do trying to move your boat & trailer around the garage by hand? I have a 2013 MX1825 dual console with a single axle trailer with the Fulton F2 jack (single wide wheel model) and I can barely move that thing around the garage by myself. It feels like there’s just an insane amount of tongue weight that doesn’t even allow me to turn the Fulton wheel without hitting it with a rubber mallet. Is this the same experience with everyone else?

I know it’s a heavy fiberglass boat, but not being able to get the jack wheel to turn on cement seems odd? I’ve tried cranking the jackstand all the way up/down and it makes no difference…It’s starting to make me look hard at those battery operated hitch movers.

Is the dual wheel model any better at turning? When I was deciding what F2 model to get several reviews said the dual wheel models were cracking/breaking due to so much weight being placed on the thinner wheels?

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You probably have done this already Joe, but in case you didnt, lower the jack as low as possible and that really helps. The f2 is also better. I have also used the individual dolly’s on the jack & wheels which worked well too !

That is a rather heavy boat to be moving around by hand. I would think the problems you are having is normal. I have a 18ft Crestliner with a 150 which is ALOT less weight than your setup. I can mover mine around my garage by myself but I would not say its a real easy task. I know one thing. If you have even a slight slope to your driveway, you don’t want to let the boat start rolling down. This spring I put it away wet in the garage. The next morning was sunny so I decided I would pull it out into the driveway to dry off. I thought I would just roll it out by hand. Rolling it out was not a problem. Stopping it was. I almost took out the mailbox. Trying to push it back up the driveway was impossible. I had to hook it to the truck to just get it back up the driveway. I’m still having problems with my shoulder from trying to stop it. I wont be doing that again !!!

fishthumper wrote:

That is a rather heavy boat to be moving around by hand. I would think the problems you are having is normal. I have a 18ft Crestliner with a 150 which is ALOT less weight than your setup. I can mover mine around my garage by myself but I would not say its a real easy task. I know one thing. If you have even a slight slope to your driveway, you don’t want to let the boat start rolling down. This spring I put it away wet in the garage. The next morning was sunny so I decided I would pull it out into the driveway to dry off. I thought I would just roll it out by hand. Rolling it out was not a problem. Stopping it was. I almost took out the mailbox. Trying to push it back up the driveway was impossible. I had to hook it to the truck to just get it back up the driveway. I’m still having problems with my shoulder from trying to stop it. I wont be doing that again !!!

Oh I know… I have wheel chocks that I put out a few feet at a time in front of the tires when rolling it out…

Dean Marshall wrote:

You probably have done this already Joe, but in case you didnt, lower the jack as low as possible and that really helps. The f2 is also better. I have also used the individual dolly’s on the jack & wheels which worked well too !

Yep, that didn’t seem to help much and actually I think puts more downward pressure on the F2 jack wheel. I just can’t get the F2 Jackstand wheel to pivot and turn at all without hitting it with a mallet (and that’s something I really don’t want to do anymore as I could damage it if not careful)

What Dean said. Crank it down and see if that helps. I learned that the hard way.

JoeMX1825 wrote:

I just can’t get the F2 Jackstand wheel to pivot and turn at all without hitting it with a mallet (and that’s something I really don’t want to do anymore as I could damage it if not careful)

Don’t get in the habit of kicking it to make it turn either – In addition to my sore shoulder my Big toe has often also been sore this summer

Back in my day we’d move bigger boats by hand without even having a trailer, uphill both ways in the snow. You kids nowadays are soft.

Word of warning…the Fulton jackstand can fail. I witnessed this first-hand when my WX2190 was getting a stand-up top made. I was ready to pick it up and the workers decided to roll it out of the garage/shed where it was worked on. It took two of them to get it moving and when the F2 wheel hit the seam between the shed concrete floor and the concrete apron it snapped off…quite violently. Thank goodness neither of them was hurt by the flying wheel or the entire boat/trailer crashing down to the concrete. Luckily, the jackstand “stub” held in the deployed position and saved the trailer from hitting the concrete. The “stub” hit the concrete about 1 foot from the toes of one of the workers – it could have been a major life-altering injury!

They were not moving be boat “fast” by any means, it was barely creeping out the door on a flat surface.

The wheel assembly is held in place by 4 long machine screws. Three of them sheared off, the 4th pulled out and took out part of the wall of the jackstand with it. About $185 for a new jackstand via Amazon. The canvas place paid for the replacement.

These jackstands are rated for lifting/lowering the trailer, not so much sustaining the lateral forces exerted when moving the boat/trailer on the jackstand roller.

Scott

Here’s what happens to my Fulton F2 jack if I try pushing the boat around…….

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to_setter wrote:

Here’s what happens to my Fulton F2 jack if I try pushing the boat around…….

Yikes!!!!!!!!!!! this is exactly what i’m worried about…

fishthumper wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>JoeMX1825 wrote:</div>
I just can’t get the F2 Jackstand wheel to pivot and turn at all without hitting it with a mallet (and that’s something I really don’t want to do anymore as I could damage it if not careful)

Don’t get in the habit of kicking it to make it turn either – In addition to my sore shoulder my Big toe has often also been sore this summer

and that is exactly why I started to use the rubber mallet….

Do you have adequate air in your tires? I never seemed to have an issue with my ’12 MX1825

Have you tried lubing the jack? Lube the wheel and the castor with oil, and grease the gear/rack. Also be sure that your tires are inflated ALL the way to the recommended psi – even a couple of pounds less makes it harder to push.

With my 18 foot Ranger, I move the boat by hand and have found it’s much easier to move if the jack wheel is pointed in the opposite direction I want to move it. Either turn the jack wheel before you crank it down to the ground, or push the trailer slightly to one side to turn the wheel and then push or pull the trailer. If you try to move the trailer without doing this, you have a LOT more resistance to overcome to make that little jack wheel turn and move the boat.

Lowering the jack GREATLY reduces the stress on the jack you’re moving the boat – a lot of leverage force working against it when its extended and increased risk that it will fail.

If none of this helps, is it possible to mount a jack that’s CENTERED on the trailer instead of off to one side?

Picked up a ultra tow from northern hydralics. Makes moving the 1825 single axle not a problem and you are not relying on the fulton jack, think it is much safer operation moving in IMO.

tomr wrote:

Picked up a ultra tow from northern hydralics. Makes moving the 1825 single axle not a problem and you are not relying on the fulton jack, think it is much safer operation moving in IMO.

do you mean this? https://m.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200695290_200695290

Trailer dolly’s are the only way to go unless you want to make your chiropractor rich.

What pound dollie would be needed for a Skeeter MX1825? Is that # based on tongue weight?