Bad location to own a boat

mcgill · Dec 21, 2010

Hello

i live on a street that is not the best for a boat owner it is a very small street. And getting my 1700 pound 18.5 bass boat in and out of my yard. Is a bare. Now i have a 19.5ph crafsmen tractor maybe it can help me get in and out of the grass yard this up comming spring . I just has to find a way to get a hich on my crafsmen

thank you

Gary H NC · Dec 21, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

I had a plate welded on my tractor and mounted a hitch ball.
The metal that is already there is too thin to support any weight.

This works on fairly flat ground but if it is a hill the boat will push the mower...Be Careful!!

Reel Kahuna · Dec 21, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

Take your craftsmen tractor to a welding shop who can fabricate and weld/bolt on a trailer hitch on it.

JB · Dec 21, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

Put the ball on the front of the tractor, not the rear.

jeeperman · Dec 21, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

JB said:
Put the ball on the front of the tractor, not the rear.

Easier to put a hitch on the back (most likely).
Depending on the conditions of your terrain, a front hitch might not workout too well with a lawn tractor that has small and skinny front tires.
Your lawn tractor and terrain might require the tongue weight on the back to obtain enough traction to move the boat.
Up front hitch would unload traction weight.

86 century · Dec 21, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

I have moved boats much larger than yours with my old 12hp mtd works great on flat ground just be sure you give your self plenty of room to stop.

cribber · Dec 21, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

JB said:
Put the ball on the front of the tractor, not the rear.

What JB said... Go check your local boat yard and see where they mounted the ball on the yard tractor. It'll more than likely be on the front. It's all about weight balance

Stachi · Dec 21, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

I move my boat (pictured below) with my 1968 John Deere 140 all the time with the rear mounted ball .

H20Rat · Dec 21, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

cribber said:
What JB said... Go check your local boat yard and see where they mounted the ball on the yard tractor. It'll more than likely be on the front. It's all about weight balance

yard tractors are almost always old john deere's, 140's or 314/318's. HEAVY HEAVY tractors made of steel. Sears are mtd's, made of thick tinfoil. (nothing against mtd's, I own 2 currently and have mowed commercially with them for years, but I've also owned a number of the 'real' john deere's, not the department store versions.) If you mount a front hitch on it, its very likely 200 pounds of tongue weight might lift the back wheels off the ground!

(out of 3 local dealers I know about, 2 use atv's, one has a john deere 318 with a welded up 3 point hitch assembly complete with hydraulics so they can raise/lower the ball._

Silvertip · Dec 21, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

You do it like this -- and this is a Sears tractor by the way. It moves my Alumacraft Navigator 165CS and my Misty Harbor pontoon with no problem. You want the top of the ball a minimum of 15 inches off the ground or you won't be able to use the tongue jack.

TravG · Dec 21, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

I use an eye bolt on the back of my tractor, as there was already a hole not large enough for a ball. It was much easier than trying to rig a ball and works just as well. I wouldn't trust it on anything other than level ground though.

Lou C · Dec 21, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

If you have to room to maneuver it, putting a front hitch on the tow vehicle works great, here's the one on my 98 Jeep Grand Cherokee.....

roscoe · Dec 21, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

Personally, I would build a bigger street.

mcgill · Dec 22, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

Silvertip said:
You do it like this -- and this is a Sears tractor by the way. It moves my Alumacraft Navigator 165CS and my Misty Harbor pontoon with no problem. You want the top of the ball a minimum of 15 inches off the ground or you won't be able to use the tongue jack.

[/QUO THANK YOU THIS IS THE WAY I AM GOING BUT MY TRACTOR IS ONLY A 19.5HP ALSO DID YOU SEE THE SIZE OF MY BOAT ON MY PAGE WILL IT MOVE THAT SIZE BOAT. GREAT PHOTO OF THIS TRACTOR AND THE HICH HOW CAN I GET A HICH LIKE THAT ONE I WAS THINKING OF MAKING MY OWN HICH

Frank Acampora · Dec 22, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

A piece of 6 inch by 1/2 inch thick steel angle iron will do quite nicely. I had a piece lying around and was too lazy to cut it so it spans the whole rear of the tractor frame. Use a good set of drills to drill the bolt holes and ball hole. On my tractor, I added wheel weights at the back and lead weight on the front. I beefed-up the frame where the axles are supported too. Mine is an 8 HP sears varidrive and it will move my 21 foot cuddy on the level. I would not try it on any grade though.

Thames_Outdoors · Dec 23, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

Find a older cheap ATV... I dont have the problem of a small street. I have 7 acres but it is still easier to move things around with my ATV then having to use my truck and a lawn tractor..

rentprop1 · Dec 23, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

I have a Craftsman 5500 with a 26 hp engine and only a 15 foot skiff and it would not tow it to save my life, you guys are seriously moving boats across grass with lawn tractors ??????

dude11 · Dec 24, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

This my friend---will pull your truck with boat attached and never even grunt,and yes it's a Sears,1978 vintage.

mcgill · Dec 24, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

dude11 said:
this my friend---will pull your truck with boat attached and never even grunt,and yes it's a sears,1978 vintage.:d

hello so the qestion is will my new sears 19.5ph tractor pull this boat you see on my page. A round in my grass yard.

Yhank you

MRS · Dec 24, 2010

Re: Bad location to own a boat

If you are on level grass ground I would say yes. But if you are on level ground give it a go nothing lost if it does not work but I bet it will. I have a 19ft. 2,500lb. that I can move with help by hand on level ground.

Bad location to own a boat

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Fleet Admiral

Petty Officer 1st Class

Honorary Moderator Emeritus

Lieutenant Commander

Ensign

Lieutenant

Lieutenant Commander

Vice Admiral

Supreme Mariner

Cadet

Supreme Mariner

Attachments

Supreme Mariner

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Supreme Mariner

Seaman Apprentice

Petty Officer 1st Class

Petty Officer 1st Class

Attachments

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Commander