What do you keep in your boat garage?

RichA · **Joined:** Wed Jun 25, 2014 12:37 pm **Posts:** 98

The water we like to visit is over an hour drive away from home, over roads that are tough on boat, trailer, and truck. I finally came to the top of the waiting list and got a small individual indoor storage unit at the marina. I still have to take the truck over each time, but the boat gets to spend its off duty hours dry, shaded, and protected from dust and rodents. Yay!

So I'm thinking about what kinds of things to keep on hand. Since this is an individual, locking unit, I can keep pretty much whatever there, but it doesn't have electricity (other than lights), and, at 12.5' by 30', there isn't a ton of room after the H230 is tucked inside. It is over 14' tall, though, so there is some room over the boat. I've got oil, spare PFDs, a few cleaning supplies, and the covers we don't often use.

For those who have kept a boat away from home, any other things you've found useful to have on hand?

Also, any tricks for getting the boat lined up the first time are appreciated, since I have to back it in with a turn since there is another building opposite mine. With some practice I imagine I'll find the right "landmarks", but someone may have a good tip. I'm keeping the turn on the driver's side so I can see better, and starting with the truck close to the door as I come down the road, and then turning away to get the trailer turned to start, and that works pretty well, as long as I don't overshoot or undershoot too much.

Berger · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2015 6:20 pm

I keep a lot of my fishing equipment in my storage barn, as well as all the other items you already mentioned. A trick I use for backing the trailer in is putting down yellow duct tape to mark the path for the driver's side trailer tires. It takes all the guessing away and is reassuring that your distance away from the other side of the unit is adequate. Of course that won't help with your first time in. You'll need a spotter for that.

230 Mike · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2015 7:36 pm

All the tubes & toys
Air compressor with a 25' hose reel
Generator (though the current place has power, a first for me)
Pneumatic bottle jack
6 jack stands with padded saddles
Grease gun
A bucket or two and a few gallons of water
A trailer hub cap installation tool
A complete spare hub, pre-packed
A spare quart of oil and spare quart of drive fluid
Brake bleeder
Step ladder (it goes everywhere the boat goes)

I'll try to remember the rest, but that's the bulk of it. I'd have more but I keep a lot of stuff in my truck (torque wrench and other tools).

On the backing up, these just aren't easy boats to maneuver in reverse. My first storage unit required a turn on level surface which wasn't too bad. My second required a sharp blind turn up a steep hill on gravel. It was no fun. My current one is 3 hours away but is level and nearly a straight shot.

deafwish · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2015 9:59 pm

Consider a solar trickle charger for your batteries, or invite an Electrician friend to 're-wire' the lighting for an additional power outlet!

robopath · **Joined:** Thu Aug 29, 2013 10:34 am **Posts:** 35

Here is my input on parking. I just got a garage near my house, I'll have my boat in Chicago for 2 months. Similar to you now, I have to jackknife the thing into a garage in an alley. A friend helped out checking the distance from prop to back wall the first time but now I have it. If you have a backup camera, just put down some lines with sidewalk chalk to figure where you need to be.
This link is funny but actually somewhat useful:

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2012/02/0 ... ike-a-man/

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

I had an unit prior to getting my shop/barn built. Same dimensions as yours but my boat is smaller so I had more spare room. A step ladder does make life easier and I kept everything I use on boat there in way of cleaners, spare oil and fluids.

The one thing I would rig are rods/poles that I wired from ceiling beams. I used them to hang wet stuff to dry such as carpet, pfds, lines and tubes. I would then dry boat with towel and open it up after vinyl cleaner applied. ... and cover loosely to vent, just to keep dirt out.

I also used and still use two 4 inch thick by 12 inch concrete blocks to mark stopping point. I just watch trailer wheels and line drivers side wheel up with block. I kept spare room at back since that was easy point to off load wet stuff for hanging.

JeffLW · **Posted:** Wed May 06, 2015 7:37 am

My list would be shorter if I told you what is not in my boat garage.

RichA · **Joined:** Wed Jun 25, 2014 12:37 pm **Posts:** 98

Those are some great ideas. I'll add a stepladder, some poles for hanging (instead of just rope, which can be a pain), and maybe set them up on pulleys so I can raise the stuff up out of the way. A heavy block to mark the stop point, and "aim point" is also great. Charging might be tough to set up, but if we aren't going to be out for a month or more I can take the battery home, and I always have the "jumper" box, too.

JeffLW, I think that's a bit more than a "boat garage"! Looks ready for fun any time of year, though.

-- Rich

ric · **Posted:** Wed May 06, 2015 3:11 pm

This:

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

Oh.....I put rat bait/poison on the edges of the unit. Get to them before they get to boat. I also started having spiders so would spread a box of moth balls around on floor and all bugs hit the road.......or......pick up some Bifen and spray it on floor and edges of unit. It kills everything but people and pets including spiders, flies, termites, ants and roaches. I get it at farm/ranch supply where its 1/3 the price.

RichA · **Joined:** Wed Jun 25, 2014 12:37 pm **Posts:** 98

I like the moth ball idea, but out unit is close enough to the water that we could get runoff into the river, and IIRC, Bifen is pretty bad news for things that live in the river, so I'll try to avoid that one near the water.

Thanks!

TX H210SS wrote:

Oh.....I put rat bait/poison on the edges of the unit. Get to them before they get to boat. I also started having spiders so would spread a box of moth balls around on floor and all bugs hit the road.......or......pick up some Bifen and spray it on floor and edges of unit. It kills everything but people and pets including spiders, flies, termites, ants and roaches. I get it at farm/ranch supply where its 1/3 the price.

JeffLW · **Posted:** Thu May 07, 2015 3:37 pm

RichA wrote:

I like the moth ball idea, but out unit is close enough to the water that we could get runoff into the river, and IIRC, Bifen is pretty bad news for things that live in the river, so I'll try to avoid that one near the water.

Thanks!

TX H210SS wrote:

Oh.....I put rat bait/poison on the edges of the unit. Get to them before they get to boat. I also started having spiders so would spread a box of moth balls around on floor and all bugs hit the road.......or......pick up some Bifen and spray it on floor and edges of unit. It kills everything but people and pets including spiders, flies, termites, ants and roaches. I get it at farm/ranch supply where its 1/3 the price.

Try Raid Bug Barrier (Deltamethrin). Not quite as bad for the fish. I spray our dock lines with it as well as the bimini, engine compartment, Blower vents, anchor locker, and any other spot I can find that spiders like to hide. It has worked well keeping them under control.
Doesn't smell anywhere near as nasty as Bifen either.

www.iFourWinns.com

What do you keep in your boat garage?

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