Ideas for fitting my boat in my gargage. |
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Frankenotter
Platinum Member Joined: August-26-2012 Location: Milwaukee Status: Offline Points: 1072 |
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Posted: January-09-2015 at 1:16pm |
I love my 176 but the trailer design is HORRIBLE. Half the reason for getting a smaller boat is to be able to fit it in a smaller garage. The trailer destroys any chance of that happening. Beyond that, it cant easily be modified into a swing tongue either. I've gotten quotes from welders and I might as well pay them to build me a new trailer.
There is an additional 3' of unnecessary trailer on this beast. My garage will not fit it length wise, and it is also 6" too wide. It doesn't have the removable swim platform brackets and I would gladly buy them if it would make a difference. Unfortunately, I'd still run out of room. The older trailers will fit and the 176 is only listed at 2200lbs in the reference section. Tim, I trust your judgment. Do you still think the 176 would be too heavy for the older trailers? I would keep the original trailer for long haul stuff and just use the #3 for local boating. Chris |
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1999 Ski Nautique 196
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Donald80SN
Grand Poobah Joined: January-12-2009 Location: Denver, NC Status: Offline Points: 3889 |
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Chris,
Here are two ideas: #1) Leave the rig in that beautiful heated Air Plane hanger? #2) Sell you current home and buy and new home with a larger garage? Sorry for he wise A response, but it is Friday !!!!!!!!! Maybe speak with Ramblin trailer in Florida. Maybe they can build you the a trailer with a swing tongue and then add the removable platform. But this may not help with the width issue. All of this is assuming that what you have now is not a Ramblin Trailer. I can not tell from the pictures. Donald |
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Gary S
Grand Poobah Joined: November-30-2006 Location: Illinois Status: Offline Points: 14096 |
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Your slipping Don,could you help Chris out by storing in NC for the season? Or are you getting too many?
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phatsat67
Grand Poobah Joined: March-13-2006 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 6149 |
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Hmmmmm, My buddy Tom has the same conundrum. Old Eagle under his bu makes him have to put the boat in diagonally in his current or new garage on the house he just bought. He is hoping to have enough cash for the 2017 season to order a new boatmate with swing away and have another garage spot and no winter storage costs.
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quinner
Grand Poobah Joined: October-12-2005 Location: Unknown Status: Offline Points: 5828 |
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Can you tell us more about the garage, is it possible to box out a section or extend it?
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Frankenotter
Platinum Member Joined: August-26-2012 Location: Milwaukee Status: Offline Points: 1072 |
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Winter storage is no problem. My princess is resting in a heated airplane hanger until April.
The problem is the actual boating season. I've been keeping it in my mother's 2 car garage. I have to park it sideways and it just BARELY fits. This thing is almost 25' between the trailer and swim platform. Can't alter the garage because I don't own it. Ill be buying a house in the next few years, but until then, I'll have to make due. |
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1999 Ski Nautique 196
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Dizzwah
Newbie Joined: June-13-2013 Location: Newcastle Aus Status: Offline Points: 15 |
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Looks like the same trailer I have. The tongue can swing upwards but it is a pain in the a#%^ (have to remove the bow stop). Might give you ~1.5 ft more room.
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'93 Sport Nautique
- from dismantling comes true understanding - |
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Donald80SN
Grand Poobah Joined: January-12-2009 Location: Denver, NC Status: Offline Points: 3889 |
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Well Greg now sees that if I was keeping his 206 limbered up he would of not had these fuel pump issues during Christmas, now that he is all in love with the 16 foot mustang I am pretty sure his rig will be coming to my place any day now. I also know that you are heading back south now that you are done making snow angles (and hopefully have that bad gas tank fixed) and heading back to South Florida, I am assuming you are now wanting to accept my lucrative offer for your, hard to find parts for Mustang. Now that you have that fancy modern Vee Drive Super Sport. I believe you will be dropping off that little blue boat on your way back to Florida. Since my Gardens, 1980 Masters, Sea World, Bush Gardens boat is back at Lego land getting scaled in-order to reproduce lego models of this legendary boat, I would indeed have room for one more boat at least until spring. I hope this does not sound like I am bragging. If that fails, I know a bald headed hairy backed guy across the lake that seems to find endless places to store boats. Maybe I can get some advice from him? Chris, sent that boat on down. Donald |
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Treybizttu
Gold Member Joined: October-02-2014 Location: Grapevine, TX Status: Offline Points: 534 |
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I've seen some trailers where the bow stop comes out with the tounge. Not a swing away but a complete removable tongue including the bow stop. As far as width I don't know what to tell you.
At my lake place the barn is 28' deep so I'm good there but my soon to be sold 19'6" I/O doesn't even fit in my garage at home. Heck, I have to butter my crew cab truck to get it in there. |
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skutsch
Grand Poobah Joined: June-19-2008 Location: Racine, WI Status: Offline Points: 2874 |
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Lets just take that thing over to my neighbor. Tig welder and a plasma cutter, couple of HD Barn Hinges and steel plates, and we'll rig up a swing away tongue. It will almost look like the one Alan modified on the Hurricane trailer, almost...
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Mojo
Grand Poobah Joined: December-06-2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3104 |
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You can modify that trailer. Talk with Alan 81 Nautique. He did a custom conversion on the Hurricane trailer. Cutting and welding a swing hinge is cheap when looking at alternative trailers... The 176 would look bad on the old trailers anyway !!!
Moj' |
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05' SV211 TE
73' Martinique had:96' SNOB had:76' Nautique had 77 Tique |
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TRBenj
Grand Poobah Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21130 |
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Any older cc trailer that the boat would fit on, and also fit through a 8' door (70's thru early 80's) #3 still won't help you in the length dept... The tongue will be every bit as long as your current cc/ramlin. You'd also be going from a 5500lb capacity trailer to a 3500lb one, and I wouldn't do it for that reason alone.
The only type of trailer that will fit your length and width requirements is an aftermarket with tall bunks so that the boa sits over the fenders instead of between them- and it'll have to be newer to get the swing tongue. I personally think these style of trailers are sort of fugly... Your current one just looks right. A newer ramlin built to fit will get you a swing tongue, but it'll be every bit as wide so it'd still be a non starter, I assume. Since you don't own the garage and plan to buy eventually, plus the fact that you have winter storage, I'd just store it outside between uses and invest in a good cover (with skirts if you want to keep the sun off it entirely). Summers in the northern part of the country aren't that harsh, and they're short. Your boat would be no more abused than one kept on a lift in the water- you could still keep it minty mint, I've seen it done. |
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quinner
Grand Poobah Joined: October-12-2005 Location: Unknown Status: Offline Points: 5828 |
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Timmy, I think Knotters Trailer is a Prestige
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TRBenj
Grand Poobah Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21130 |
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You could be right- the front fender step looks like it arcs to me, but it could be a deceiving picture. (Ramlin front steps arc, prestiges are a straight angle). They're otherwise very similar in design and appearance.
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Hollywood
Moderator Group Joined: February-04-2004 Location: Twin Lakes, WI Status: Offline Points: 13512 |
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It's a Prestige. You just put all that money into the paint job last winter. "Buck" up and have the tongue modified by someone affordable.
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storm34
Grand Poobah Joined: November-03-2008 Location: Dexter Iowa Status: Offline Points: 4492 |
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I'd probably lean towards a nice cover like Tim suggested. You'll always need the cover, not necessarily the trailer if you ever plan to store on a lift.
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SNobsessed
Grand Poobah Joined: October-21-2007 Location: IA Status: Offline Points: 7102 |
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Chris - I'm sure she won't mind if you hang the boat from the rafters. Then just pull the trailer outside for storage
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“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
Ben Franklin |
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Tim D
Grand Poobah Joined: August-23-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2635 |
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I measured my air's trailer. From the bump post to the tip of the hitch is 23". Yours looks way longer. Maybe you could cut some off and reattach the hitch.
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Tim D
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74Wind
Grand Poobah Joined: August-02-2011 Location: Georgia Status: Offline Points: 2101 |
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Oh ye of little faith...I don't trail often but with the shallow ramps in these Parts I've often thought a few extra tongue feet would keep the tow vehicle muffler from gurgling....
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1974 Southwind 18
1975 Century Mark II |
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skierox
Senior Member Joined: November-07-2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 291 |
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Hello,
Just one idea. I bought a 1997 Ski Nautique with an Eagle Trailer. The previous owner added a Pivot Hitch form a company in California. The product is: Pivit Hitch inc. 5490 Via Ricardo Riverside, CA 92509 (909)682-0485 Previous owner purchased on 5/9/2003 Cost for the product was $349.50 It gives you step-by-step directions. Looks real easy! Directions include step-by-step photos! Let me know if you have any questions. Only issue for me was that I really didn't need it. It looks a little ugly! Scott |
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NCH20SKIER
Grand Poobah Joined: December-16-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2207 |
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'05 206 Limited
'88 BFN |
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MrMcD
Grand Poobah Joined: January-28-2014 Location: Folsom, CA Status: Offline Points: 3602 |
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Our 95 has a removable tongue trailer. It does fit well in a garage. My garage is 42 deep but it is really nice to take the tongue off and save that space. It is much easier to walk around the boat while it is parked. The swim deck comes off also. I bet there are wrecked boats out there with used trailers available for sale.
Your Trailer could be sold as is or modified. A used trailer is not worth much more than $1,000 and you might find one that fits your needs. If not, modify yours. |
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TRBenj
Grand Poobah Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21130 |
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There are 2 problems with an aftermarket swing tongue conversion- that would be an obvious solution and I'm sure that's why he's asking for our help in getting creative.
1. In order to use any swing tongue kit I've seen, it needs to be installed on the portion of the tongue that has converged to a single channel. His prestige does not converge until the 2 frame rails reach the coupler- there are next to no gains to be made installing it that far forward. This is typical of cc/ramlin trailers until ~99-00. The frame rails converge a few feet sooner (aft of the bow stop) on the swing tongue versions (03+) and I assume the same goes for the tilt tongues that preceded them. Lopping off the front if the trailer and doing something custom is possible, but it will be a lot more involved, especially to make it user friendly (he'll be using it frequently since this is a summer storage issue). He's already indicated that he has explored this option and it is cost prohibitive. 2. Even if the length issues are addressed at great expense (tongue and platform brackets), the trailer will still be 6" too wide to fit in his current garage. If that is the real goal here, then keeping the current trailer is a non-starter. I see no solution that even approaches "easy" or "cheap". Hence the recommendation to suck it up for a few more years and invest in a good cover like the one Greg pictured above in the meantime. :) |
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TRBenj
Grand Poobah Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21130 |
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Oh and I'll also mention that there are not many modern 17'6" tournament inboards, so finding a modern trailer that works better and fits the boat is not likely to be an easy task- unless buying new is an option.
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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Chris,
It all sounds like a new garage may be in order! |
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Morfoot
Grand Poobah Joined: February-06-2004 Location: South Lanier Status: Offline Points: 5312 |
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It's obvious Jeffro that you ain't from around here.....that's nothing but a red neck hot tub! |
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"Morfoot; He can ski. He can wakeboard.He can cook chicken.He can create his own self-named beverage, & can also apparently fly. A man of many talents."72 Mustang "Kermit",88 SN Miss Scarlett, 99 SN "Sherman"
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Orlando76
Grand Poobah Joined: May-21-2013 Location: Mount Dora, FL Status: Offline Points: 3108 |
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There's some comments that can be made here... Longer tongue.. Gurgling.... Muff-ler |
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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Removable when not towing or in the garage: |
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Frankenotter
Platinum Member Joined: August-26-2012 Location: Milwaukee Status: Offline Points: 1072 |
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That's a lot of brainstorming. Unfortunately, Tim is right (again). Even if I could modify the trailer length (at great expense) it still wouldn't fit width wise.
The only hope I had was getting a smaller trailer. I can't believe how inefficient they made this trailer. My brain refuses to believe that there isn't something to be done. Even if I get a house with a bigger garage, 25ft of storage for an 18ft boat is stupid. I might as well get a G23 |
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1999 Ski Nautique 196
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peter1234
Grand Poobah Joined: February-03-2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2756 |
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a good cover sounds more logical as this thread goes on
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former skylark owner now a formula but I cant let this place go
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