Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

[NJ2014]

I'm trying to find a boat for 3-5 people that will fit in my indoor garage.
My garage length is about 30 feet, 14 feet wide.
But!! my garage door is 82 inches wide and 6 feet height. My chevy tahoe fits in the garage door tightly but inside it fits next to another car.

Also I'm very new to boating. I did sail speed boat in mexico before, and wave runners.

my budget $5k to 8k.

Thanks!

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

6 foot high? wow, that is SERIOUSLY going to limit sizes... Even my 15.5' tri-hull was over that. I'm thinking something like a 15' aluminum jon boat maybe..

 

[NJ2014]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

6 foot high? wow, that is SERIOUSLY going to limit sizes... Even my 15.5' tri-hull was over that. I'm thinking something like a 15' aluminum jon boat maybe..

I know it sucks!
How about Stingray 195 LR?


will it fit?

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

Are you thinking of removing the windshield plus the wheels and sliding it in the garage on dollys? If not unlikely the Stingray will fit in 6'. I store my trailer at a storage facility for $25 monthly ~~ same even if the boat were on it. Gated and camera security provided. Find a storage facility then get the boat that fits what you want to do.

 

[NJ2014]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

Are you thinking of removing the windshield plus the wheels and sliding it in the garage on dollys? If not unlikely the Stingray will fit in 6'. I store my trailer at a storage facility for $25 monthly ~~ same even if the boat were on it. Gated and camera security provided. Find a storage facility then get the boat that fits what you want to do.

Oh wow I didn't know it's that cheap!. I live in NJ (NY area) I wish pricing here is the same. I will check Monday. Thanks a lot.

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

Hopefully it is that cheap in your area. Some here are open and under roof for $60 and to 24' total inside for $95. A campground stores in a field for $10 monthly. Have any friends in the country that can store inexpensively? Careful on barns with hay, feed, etc as rodents will nest and eat your upholstery and wires. Check out boat storage in the yellow pages. Camper or RV storage too. Best to get the boat that fits your needs instead of your garage

 

[coolbri70]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

you will be looking at a jon boat, bass boat, or a run about minus a windshield:noidea:

 

[sphelps]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

Are you using the boat for fishing or water sports . What kind of water will you be boating on ? As was mentioned check out some bass boat setup's . Some of them have more seating than others kinda like a bow rider fish and ski low profile windshield with canvas tops that fold down .

EDIT: At 6' -10" wide I doubt a bass boat trailer will fit . Install a larger door maybe ..

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

Something like an older seadoo challenger might work.
Used 1997 Sea-doo Challenger, Rochester, Mn - 55901 - BoatTrader.com

 

[gm280]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

I was wondering if your 6' height limitations was because of the garage door size or the actual ceiling height? If it is your garage door size, maybe your could reframe the opening to allow a higher door. If it is because of the actual ceiling height, then your are restricted to Jon boats or some bass type boats.

 

[Bayou Dave]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

If only the door height is 6' and ceiling height is say 8' you might be able to lower the front of the trailer to get it in and then raise it up when it is past the door.

 

[sphelps]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

Just measured one of my :facepalm: projects .. This boat and trailer will fit in your garage doorway . 4" to spare on the width and 12" to spare on the height .
Wanna buy it ! Only needs a little TLC ! :lol:

 

[pckeen]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

Hi NJ - Your best bet is to take a tape measure with you to a boat dealer and then go from there. There are lots of 14-19' boats that will fit in that space. Many Center console and tiller steering boats lack the height of a boat with a windshield.

Are you sure that your garage door is 6' high? That would have to be a custom garage door - the normal height for a garage door is at least 7'....

 

[dan02gt]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

A Bass Tracker Pro 165 might fit. It has a package width of 6'9" and a height of 5'2".

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

I don't think you are making a very smart decision when you let your garage dictate so much about your boat. Garage storage is just one of the "things on the list' to evaluate when deciding what to buy, but it shouldn't be the most important.

Options: get a boat that can be stored outside. get a boat with a cover. add cheap storage to your homesite, like a car port. Store off site.

Boats are nothing but a long list of expenses and storage is typically one of them. And when you write your next mortage check, look at it, because those dollars include your monthly payment for the "free" storage of your garage.

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

I've owned several bowriders that were under six feet in overall height. Lowe, Starcraft to name a couple.

A lot of it has to do with trailer design. Today's trailers tend to sit lower than models from the past. The lower towed height also aids in launching/retrieving.

As stated above, dropping the tongue with the tongue jack will usually gain you a few inches. I've had to do that with a couple center consoles I've owned.

As stated, visit some boat dealers or a show, equipped with your tape measure.

 

[onewhippedpuppy]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

A Tahoe fits through a garage door that is 6.8 ft wide and 6 ft high?!

My 19' Tahoe is by no means big, but no way it would fit through that. It needs a 9' wide door and is easily 7' tall. I agree with the other posters, find a boat that fits your needs then find a place to store it. Covered outdoor storage around here runs about $50/mo, and a small storage unit is $100/mo and up. If you don't want covered, there are storage facilities that rent parking spots for around $25/mo for a small boat.

 

[gtochris]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

I know it sucks!
How about Stingray 195 LR?


will it fit?

Maybe, I'm sure mine would.
Trailer might play a part, my bunk sits lower than most roller models.

 

[thumpar]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

The trailer really does play a big roll in it. My boat is pretty tall but fits in our 7' high garage door because it sits low on the trailer. There is less than an inch between the top of the fender and bottom of the hull. You might want to measure the door. I don't think a stock Tahoe would fit in a 6' height. The specs I found where from 72"-77".

 

[dan02gt]

Re: Newbie - Trying to find a boat that will fit in my garage.

Height is not the biggest problem OP is going to have. It's the beam. There are plenty of boats that have a package height of less than 6'. However, his door is only 82" wide! Every single bowrider I looked at had a beam wider than 82" most 18-20 footers are in the 90-95" range. Here's what I found on the specs of some of the smallest glass bowriders available today:

Bayliner Element 16'2" LOA Beam of 89"
Bayliner 160 16'2" LOA Beam of 86"
Stingray 180RX 18' LOA Beam of 85"
Glastron GT160 16'6" LOA Beam of 84"

These specs do not include the trailer. Tahoe publishes their beam numbers and total package width numbers so:

Tahoe Q4i 18'1" LOA Beam of 91" Total package width is 100".

I just don't see a modern glass bowrider being a option here. Some of the smaller aluminum fishing style boats will work though.