Parking trailer with boat on sloped driveway

Slartibartfass

Capri 22 Mod
Dec 13, 2015
499
Catalina Capri 22 1139 Mamaroneck, NY
Not sure if I am crazy for trying but I have a suitable long driveway to park the boat on the trailer next to my house in the off season (first time buyer). My driveway slopes upwards so when I would back up the trailer the trailer tongue would need to be lifted upwards to approximately 32 inches above the sloping ground before the boat would be level on the trailer to avoid any water infiltration issues in the cabin.

Am I crazy for even considering trying this....? Obviously would use wheel chokes to brake trailer wheels and would even put rebar in the ground vertically sticking out of the ground in front of the wheel chokes as an added safety before I disconnect the trailer tongue from the car.

Would use a 48" High-Lift Jack (locked into place) to push the trailer tongue up and use a Brownell boat stand to finally rest the trailer tongue on the Brownell stand there when I have achieved level.
 

Slartibartfass

Capri 22 Mod
Dec 13, 2015
499
Catalina Capri 22 1139 Mamaroneck, NY
Sorry, moved my own topic from "Trailer & Towing" to here. Better fit....
 

shnool

.
Aug 10, 2012
556
WD Schock Wavelength 24 Wallenpaupack
Raising the neck up shouldn't really be a big issue with a single axle. I'd check clearance of the back of the trailer and stern though.

I'd add that if the storage is for a long period it may make sense to also jack the aft end of the trailer up to take pressure off the wheels, springs, and axle. Gravity is still straight down so give enough angle to the boat to drain the cockpit. I'd be inclined to pull the boat in head first, and leave it level (if you had a way to get it up out of the way of course).
 

Slartibartfass

Capri 22 Mod
Dec 13, 2015
499
Catalina Capri 22 1139 Mamaroneck, NY
@shnool thx. I am planning on doing this next week Friday March 18th. Will post some pictures....

I gonna back up into the driveway otherwise leveling will be a problem.

Behind the driveway is my Workshop (detached garage) with a nice thick concrete floor.

Into that I added a 3/4" concrete anchor bolt (70,000 psi tensile strength) that holds a swivel hoist ring rated at 5,000 lbs (see: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008B9 ... ge_o04_s00 ).

Connected to that is a 3/8" thick G-4 metal chain rated at 5,400 lbs which I will connect to the trailer as added safety after I block off the wheels. WIll be using Sea-Dog Quick Links to lock the chain onto itself on both ends (links are rated at 12,1000 lbs).

Trailer with boat is rated at 3,700 lbs (I think way too high, gotta drive to a weigh station at some point) so I think I should get at least that extra second to jump out of the way if everything fails......

Let's hope not or my first sailing season is over before it started.....
 

Slartibartfass

Capri 22 Mod
Dec 13, 2015
499
Catalina Capri 22 1139 Mamaroneck, NY
Here is a picture of the concrete anchor and chain.



I drilled a hole thru the garage door to keep it shut covered by a repurposed Tupperware bowl lid.

Also built a plug made out of slices of rubber disks (used to level billiard tables) glued together to more permanently fill the hole.
 

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Slartibartfass

Capri 22 Mod
Dec 13, 2015
499
Catalina Capri 22 1139 Mamaroneck, NY
Went out to the boat today for final preparations before towing her to Mamaroneck...

Tied everything down and I brought all the sails home for inspection.
 

Slartibartfass

Capri 22 Mod
Dec 13, 2015
499
Catalina Capri 22 1139 Mamaroneck, NY
Today's the day.... Wish me luck. Never trailered anything in my life.... I hope my sailing season won't be over before it started....

Parking backwards on my sloped driveway and leveling the trailer will be an interesting and exciting exercise.
 

HERSH

.
Nov 21, 2012
520
Catalina Capri 22 http://www.chelseayacht.org
Instead of cutting down all those trees, you could have used automotive jack stands to hold the front up.
They are adjustable and probably a lot less expensive. A lot easier to store.

Hershey.