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Thread: Driveway width for backing boat?

  1. #1
    Festus Guest

    Default Driveway width for backing boat?


    I'm planning on building a new 30X40 workshop that will also be used to store an 18' boat in. The way that my house and land are situated, I will have to bring the driveway up alongside a fence on the north side of my tract, the driveway will go past the shop a ways, and then I will have to back the boat into the shop. In other words the driveway and the overhead door are parallel to each other. And here is my question, how much distance do I need to leave between the fence & the shop to back (& turn) the boat into the shop? Any ideas? I thought about just taking the boat to a large vacant parking lot, but maybe someone has already been down this road.

  2. #2
    fiddlefarter's Avatar
    fiddlefarter is offline Moderator Crappie Cover Forum * Crappie.com Supporter
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    I'd say about 30'. Unless you drive a F350 Crew Cab or similar "long truck". But it might be best if you went to an empty parking lot and measured how much "swing" room you need to back into a parking space. Carry a couple buckets with string tied to them to emulate the fence. Move em out till you don't hit them anymore then add 5-10'.

    The way I figured was that most road driving lanes are 12'. I can easily back into a driveway with my 18' boat by using both lanes, 24'. I added 6'.
    Ya ain't holdin' your mouth right.

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    howdy festus; interisting question, one that alot of people don't think about, until they can't get the boat into the barn. the first thing is to remember is the the boat has a engine hanging off the back and a vehicle for propulsion stuck to the front. that's the total length of the vehicle.
    let me see if i've got your sitution right, you are going to be pulling along side the shop (from back to front?), then going past it (correct?). Is the door going to be on the nearside (to the driveway) or the farside? if it's on the nearside, i would extend the driveway 3 times the length of the vehicle (towing vehicle +trailer +boat engine = length of vehicle)past the end of the barn and blend the driveway into the extension. it all depends on just how good you are at backing up. also rembember that when you go from outdoors to indoors most people have a tendancy to end up on an angle. how well lit will the inside of your barn be? my guess is that you will probably not be parking flush agienst the wall. so, the door will be set 3 or 4 feet away from the wall, and the door is probably going to be at least 10 or 12 feet wide (wider is better), ok, back to the lighting, if it is well lit paint a line on the floor to use as a guide for the portside trailer tire to follow, that should get you to the same spot eveytime, you can paint another line at 90 degrees to indicate where to stop. almost forgot, start the backing line OUTSIDE, that way if you get out of shape you have all that extra space out front to use for corrections till you are lined up.
    (think i just went and did a Moose1am). hope that helps. tarfu

    P.S. by-the-way welcome to the board, was just re-reading and noticed it was your first post. and a doozer of a question you came-up with too.
    Last edited by tarfu; 05-29-2005 at 01:37 PM. Reason: missed something

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    I back a 17" bassboat with a Suburban up my driveway all the time. In this case my drive way would be your workshop. The paved street in front of my house is 23 ft. wide and I need all of it to back into my 13ft. driveway without going off either. I pull 42 ft. past the driveway to start backing in.
    The suggestion to use a dolly to back it in would be the most efficient if the land is level enough. Using a riding lawnmower to manuver is an option a friend of mine uses.
    If you have to back with the vehicle go to a lot and layout everting. Remeber square corners are dificult so allow enough room to angle the trailer in, remembering you can't store anything in your building in that angle space.
    Don't place lights so they shine in your eyes if you plan on backing at night.



  5. #5
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    Default boat dolly

    With my boat dolly, I have no problems getting my boat in and out of my garage-would not take for it!

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    Lightbulb

    howdy again; stupid me. if you are going to drive past the barn, why?
    why not install doors at each end make it a drive through! cost of paving extra driveway length will cost more than an extra door. then with all the square footage you are planning in there you can turn it around inside (by hand if necessary), then it's ready to back out same way it came in from!
    it's an idea. tarfu

  7. #7
    Festus Guest

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    Tarfu ~ I like the idea of "driving thru". I think that I will put overhead doors in both ends, that way I can drive thru, do a u-turn, come back thru and park the boat. I'll save the backing for the boat ramp. Thanks!!!

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    Oh, remember to open the garage door also huh Moose? LOL

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    Quote Originally Posted by Festus
    Tarfu ~ I like the idea of "driving thru". I think that I will put overhead doors in both ends, that way I can drive thru, do a u-turn, come back thru and park the boat. I'll save the backing for the boat ramp. Thanks!!!
    Howdy once again Festus; you're welcome, actually you should thank one of my classmates. i'm sort of a "fatherly" figure to some of the young ladies where i go to college at. she called to ask my opinion about something, and i told her what-ever, anyway, the phrase "run into the roundhouse Nelli, he can't corner you there!",came out and i did the old head-slap routine. got back on the 'puter with the drive through thing. use it in good health and rembember to open BOTH doors! tarfu :D

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