Boat under 20’ storage length

[SamTheHam]

Hi Everyone,

 

Beginning the process to look at a fiberglass boat. Plan to take my time to find the right used boat. I have one big constrain which is I need it to be 20’ storage length with swing trailer and motor trimmed down. This unfortunately  limits my ability to get any newer boats as it looks many discontinue making 17 or 18 foot boats. Even the z17 and the tr179 look like they are above 20 feet in storage. 
 

Welcome all the advice!

 

 

[Jig Man]

That boundary is probably going to limit you to a 17’ boat with a swing away tongue with the motor down.  If you can park it diagonally you can gain some more room.

[casts_by_fly]

Do you have 10’ wide garage doors?  I’m in the same position. I’ve got a three car garage but the doors are 8’ wide (94” inside the trim work) and then I’ve got 19’7” inside practically speaking. If you have wide doors you can **** it at an angle to get a foot or so. If you have 8’ doors you’re going to be very limited as most of the glass boats I looked up have 8’ wide axles. 
 

a bass cat bobcat will be close. It’s 19’11” and a 90” beam.

[Bird]

Does it have to be a glass boat ?

There are a lot more options in aluminum.

My Lowe Stinger 175 could be parked in a 20ft garage with motor trimmed down and would handle an 8ft wide door with patience.

 

[WRB]

BassCat Bobcat is 19’11” with swing tongue trailer.

94” door opening is too narrow. Bobcat can use 150hp engine!

What I did with the same problem was put the boat in the double door side and park another car in the single door side, problem solved.

Tom

PS you can get a removable trailer tongue kit and shorten another 4”. Triton TR 179 with a removable tongue kit works.

 

 

[airshot]

Your best option might be to build a pole barn or add on to your garage !!  

[JackstrawIII]

I have a 17' boat with a folding tongue and it's still over 20' with the motor trimmed down. Just so you're aware. You'll probably need to go 14-16'. 

[SamTheHam]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

BassCat Bobcat is 19’11” with swing tongue trailer.

94” door opening is too narrow. Bobcat can use 150hp engine!

What I did with the same problem was put the boat in the double door side and park another car in the single door side, problem solved.

Tom

PS you can get a removable trailer tongue kit and shorten another 4”. Triton TR 179 with a removable tongue kit works.

 

 

What’s the difference between removable and a foldaway trailer toungue?? Also do you know why the bobcat storage distance is so compact? Technically the z17 and the tr179 are shorter boars but storage size it’s almost a foot more. 

[casts_by_fly]

50 minutes ago, SamTheHam said:

What’s the difference between removable and a foldaway trailer toungue?? Also do you know why the bobcat storage distance is so compact? Technically the z17 and the tr179 are shorter boars but storage size it’s almost a foot more. 

if you look at the transom of the z17 it is flat across the back. The bobcat has the motor inset about 8” from the rear most of the transom. Also, the z17 fold in the trailer is still 6-8” in front of the nose of the boat. I think the bobcat trailer hinge is right under the nose. 

 

[gim]

Most new boats/trailers come with a swing away tongue now. It would be difficult to find one that doesn’t.

 

Usually if you look at the specs for each boat, they will list the storage length. Just be aware that this is for the factory mounted outboard that comes with the boat. If you max out the motor, it’s bigger and will extend the length.

 

The only sure way to measure how long a boat/trailer is to go do it yourself. Bring a tape measure.

 

My guess is that the max size boat that would fit in a 20 foot garage is 17 feet. I have a 17 ft, 8 inch boat with a fold away tongue and it fits in a 21 foot garage. Barely.

[FryDog62]

I wish I had a photo, but if there is room behind your garage - you can make a bump out "box" that fits the dimensions of your outboard. Can buy you a couple more feet for a couple hundred bucks if you're a good handyman. 

[TnRiver46]

6 hours ago, SamTheHam said:

What’s the difference between removable and a foldaway trailer toungue?? Also do you know why the bobcat storage distance is so compact? Technically the z17 and the tr179 are shorter boars but storage size it’s almost a foot more. 

Removable tongue is what I have , you just pull a pin and remove the tongue . Foldaway hinge and swings but stays attached 

[Susky River Rat]

A little lube goes a long way. Another motto to live by is it will move bend or break.

 

i have a pull out tongue which basically makes it flush with the tip of the bow. My boat hull is 18’1”. 88” beam. Add another 2-2.5 feet for the motor/jackplate. My TM extends probably 6-8 inches past the bow. I save maybe 20” with removing my tongue. Than get about 6-8” added back to that on the bow with my TM. I’m looking over 21’ of stored length. 

[Woody B]

Fitting a boat in 20 feet is going to be tough.  Especially a fiberglass boat.  My Tracker Classic XL is over 20 feet with the tongue folded and motor trimmed down.   (16'8" aluminum boat)

[WRB]

BassCat makes their own trailers to custom fit their boats. Some swing trailer tongues pull straight out before swinging to one side and that design requires about 4” extra. The Fulton design swings back without extra length and weld on is shorter then bolt ins. 

Removable tongue doesn’t hing, pull 2 safety pins and remove the receiver.

I would contact BassCat and inquire if they can shorten the overall storage length 4”.

Tom 

[casts_by_fly]

4 hours ago, Woody B said:

Fitting a boat in 20 feet is going to be tough.  Especially a fiberglass boat.  My Tracker Classic XL is over 20 feet with the tongue folded and motor trimmed down.   (16'8" aluminum boat)

 

My dad has an older 162 (maybe 165?) which is more or less the same boat and he puts it in a storage unit for the winter.  Same deal- 20 hp, trimmed all the way down and turned hard one direction, boat angled fully, tongue folded- just barely fits in a 20' unit.  

[Swinghead]

You can’t stuff a 10 pound sausage into a 5 pound casing. 

[Deephaven]

Yarcraft 1785t is 19'10" on the trailer.  It's a tiller, but has as much fishing room as larger bass boats.  

[wvhunt]

On 2/11/2024 at 12:10 PM, Bird said:

Does it have to be a glass boat ?

There are a lot more options in aluminum.

My Lowe Stinger 175 could be parked in a 20ft garage with motor trimmed down and would handle an 8ft wide door with patience.

 

My H17 Xpress can "carefully be backed into my 8' garage doors.  Then with the with the trailer pushed to the left or right I can lower the door. The first time I backed the boat into the garage it took me 30 minutes. I've since narrowed the time frame down slightly