Moving boat by hand

  • dog2th
    Omaha, NE
    Posts: 362
    #1239197

    I’m looking at a new boat that is 500 pounds more than my old one. I could move the old one around in the garage with moderate success by hand by myself. The new one is longer, has a tandem axle trailer and weighs more. It will fit in the garage, but am I going to be able to turn it very easily to put into a storage area?
    I’m hoping someone else has had this problem and a good idea to remedy it. I’m considering a trailer dolly from Cabelas, but will that be enough?

    Thanks.

    kroger3
    blaine mn
    Posts: 1116
    #1137843

    Crank the tongue jack all the way up will help transfer some weight to the rear tires and roll around a little easier.

    bigcrappie
    Blaine
    Posts: 4376
    #1137845

    You may need to get a set of Hydraulic Car Wheel Dolly about $69-$100

    jerry b
    western WI
    Posts: 1506
    #1137846

    Not knowing the real weight it’s tough to say. I had one large (2050) dual axle trailer. It took a 4wd compact tractor to move it around. In the garage, my single axle can be moved without help. JMHO-Unless you have some way to get the tires off the ground and use a set of castor wheels, you’ll be working up a serious sweat. jerr

    ironheadr5
    Northeast, Iowa
    Posts: 373
    #1137869

    I would have to agree that a tandem axle trailer is very hard to move by hand.

    Ralph Wiggum
    Maple Grove, MN
    Posts: 11764
    #1109419

    Quote:


    I would have to agree that a tandem axle trailer is very hard to move by hand.


    I agree! My B-I-L has a 21′ Mastercraft ski boat on a tandem axle. That thing is darn near impossible to move without a truck!

    carnivore
    Dubuque, Iowa
    Posts: 436
    #1137908

    If you are interested in a dolley, I sent you a PM. Should work good if you have room to maneuver.

    buckshot
    Rochester, MN
    Posts: 1654
    #1137919

    Yeah tandems are tough to move because the front wheels drag when trying to turn it. I have a tandem and with some effort it moves forward/backward but there is no turning it.

    John Schultz
    Inactive
    Portage, WI
    Posts: 3309
    #1138115

    Quote:


    Yeah tandems are tough to move because the front wheels drag when trying to turn it. I have a tandem and with some effort it moves forward/backward but there is no turning it.


    What he said.

    Denny O
    Central IOWA
    Posts: 5827
    #1138176

    My boat on a tandom trailer (1950 Lund) I’m lucky to move it either forward or back, side to side HA!
    By the way I’m no light weight either in strength or on the scales! LOL!

    nick
    Lakeville, MN
    Posts: 4977
    #1141165

    Yup every once in awhile I get someone who comments on my boat only being on a single axle, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Bad enough to move around as is, I looked into a power dolly, if I ever bite the bullet and go bigger I’m including a motor operated dolly to assist moving the trailer, right from the get go.

    Luckily I didn’t know such things before I bought it, and ended up with a single axle, at first I kind of regretted it, not any more.

    dog2th
    Omaha, NE
    Posts: 362
    #1141291

    I found a motorized dolly on line for about $1k. Yikes!

    I’ve been asking boat dealers and friends what can help move around a beast of a boat with tandems in a garage. One guy said use a dolly to steer and mount a winch on back wall of garage to pull. I thought about putting a trailer ball on my lawn tractor and pushing it in place that way.

    Ralph Wiggum
    Maple Grove, MN
    Posts: 11764
    #1141317

    Quote:


    I thought about putting a trailer ball on my lawn tractor and pushing it in place that way.


    That’s what a lot of dealers do–put a ball on the front of a tractor or skid-loader. Heck, my storage guy has a ball on the front of a Chevy S-10 that he uses to move boats around.

    Johnbrad
    Posts: 31
    #1161060

    Cabela trailer dolly will be perfect to move your boat easily.

    whittsend
    Posts: 2389
    #1162273

    Has a lot to do with garage floor type and boat tire type.

    On a concrete garage floor and most level parking lots I can hand move my 18′ Lund with ease…. But only with radials.

    I had bias ply tires for a few years, and it was a PITA every time I tried to push that boat around.

    2 cents.

    TheFamousGrouse
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts: 11820
    #1162783

    Be very careful with the lawn tractor approach. Keep in mind, it isn’t just moving it, it’s STOPPING it that produces the problem potential. On flat ground it’s OK, but get a boat rolling on a slight incline and a lawn tractor won’t have the weight or brakes to overcome the momentum.

    I saw some asshats do an epic fail at a resort a few years ago. They were obviously amateurs with more money than brains and they unhooked their giant 375 HP walleye rig in the boat parking lot and then realized the trailer tounge was sticking out too far. So they started pushing it backward that extra 3 feet! The 4 of them managed to get it going, but then realized the issue became stopping what they started. The laws of physics are a real b!tch sometimes. Fail! They rolled it right back through the fence and into the ditch behind the parking area.

    Grouse

    1hl&sinker
    On the St.Croix
    Posts: 2501
    #1162816

    Quote:


    You may need to get a set of Hydraulic Car Wheel Dolly about $69-$100


    slide them under the wheel, one on each side, jack em up and move boat with ease.

    wheel dolly

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