Boat owners and townhouses?
 

Any boat owners care to share their experience with putting their boat in a townhouse garage? What does it take to get it done?
Were you able to still fit another vehicle?
Any other unforeseen circumstances with boats and townhouses?

I've measured up a few, looking for some peoples personal experiences as well...

One concern I would have would be how tight backing it in would be. I know a buddy of mine was looking at town homes before he got his house. He said that most of the places it was almost impossible to back them in due to how tight the streets were and vehicles parking out front of their homes. Make sure you have room to actually back it in and maneuver the truck and trailer.
I think some guys on here have those motorized trailer helpers to help move their boats around as well.

The one friend I had that put an inboard in his townhouse garage (2-car) had a very short list of boats that would fit (obviously depends on the length of the garage) and they were mostly old direct drives. He had to pull the platform, fold the tongue, and put it in diagonally (~20-footer). They couldn't park any other cars in the garage. I think their garage was smaller than some though.

I have other friends that had to leave their's outside covered, but the town-home association may have a problem with that as well depending on the rules.

I lived in a condo for a couple years when I owned a Sanger DXII. Couldn't back it in because of the water heater and washer/dryer, had to jackknife it sideways in front of the garage and then push it in nose first. Even then it was about 18 inches too long, so I had to cut a passage into the wall for the tongue of the trailer. If you opened the cabinet in the kitchen to the left of the stove, you would find a trailer coupler instead of pots and pans.

Pain in the ass every time, but you can't beat having your boat in your own garage for keeping it safe and ease of getting projects done on it.

This is from about 4 years ago, when I had my Moomba.

Not a townhome, but a smaller 2 car garage. 20x20

Pulled boat with a manual winch and a 2x4 stuck in the doorway.
http://i.imgur.com/T0D1aMS.jpg

Used car jack to reposition the boat.
http://i.imgur.com/Lz2JwIB.jpg

I got lucky I can put the tounge in the laundry room
http://i.imgur.com/4BpO1jl.jpg

No need to do laundry in winter

I fit my Ski Nautique 176 and avalanche in my 20x20 townhouse garage and still have room to walk around the sides of my truck. I back the boat in, no need for winching. The boat has a New Dimensions Nautique factory clone tower that folds down, the swim platform comes off, and the trailer tongue breaks away.

The 176 is one of the smallest inboards you'll find, and probably one of the only ones you'd be able to fit a vehicle next to. Any typical 20 footer would have to go in diagonal or tongue first and through the wall/door.

Another thing to keep in mind...... Some townhouse communities are super strict on what can and cannot be parked outside. Some don't even allow cars to be parked outside for long so if your boat takes up your entire garage you'd be screwed.

That's good stuff right there.

I know when my wife had her town home it was no boats outside and thats how most around here are. Can't park them out side period. We got home one night late with the boat and left it in the driveway. By 8 am the next morning I already had a letter on my door!

^^^ dang, thats a little extreme, I could see a rule such as "boats can't be parked in driveways for more than 2 consecutive nights" or something like that.

Kronos, I'm impressed. Total commitment to lifestyle! Hand winching would be a serious pain in and out so Kudos to you man.

Hehe, wasn't so bad, once I got it halfway in the garage, I could easily push it by hand from that point.

I have a Tige R20 now, and it fits in the garage easily since it has a cool trailer.

http://p0.craigupload.com/d/1e6c/2662/34427.jpg


Im building a new house here soon, and this will be my new garage, designed to fit up to a G25.

http://p0.craigupload.com/d/1e6c/2662/172521.jpg

In that new garage pic, how big is that side-door for the boat?

Mark