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Last Updated on August 22, 2024 by Paul Clayton
One thing all boating enthusiasts have in mind while purchasing a pontoon boat is whether it’ll fit in their garage.
While you can always place your pontoon boat in your driveway or your backyard, your garage is a safer place to store it. This will help you protect your boat and make it last longer.
But will a pontoon boat fit in your garage? Well, it really depends on the size of both. You have to customize the space accordingly to make room for your precious pontoon boat.
Check out my steps and tips to find out how you can store your pontoon boat in a garage.
So let’s get started.
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Will a Pontoon Boat Fit in Garage?
If your garage is large enough, your pontoon boat will easily fit inside along with its trailer.
On the other hand, if your garage is small, there’s a chance you can still fit your boat inside, but you’ll have to make a few changes here and there.
This means you have to be creative and follow some tactics to optimize the space available.
Does that sound too hard? If you don’t have any such tricks in mind, I’ve compiled a list for you.
Steps to Fit your Pontoon Boat in Garage
Just follow these steps below to store your boat inside your garage safely.
Step 1 – Declutter Your Garage
You have to organize your garage first. Mind you – organizing does not mean only throwing out the stuff you don’t need.
Besides that, you’ll also need to place the things you need in specific containers and boxes so that you can optimize the overall space.
You can do this by building a few shelves on the side to remove the stuff that takes sufficient space on the floor. You can also place a cupboard at the corner to fit in all the extra things lying down.
This way, you can easily fit your boat directly into your garage without any obstruction. Furthermore, if your garage is organized correctly, you’ll be able to access your things quickly, even while your boat is parked inside.
Otherwise, if you push your boat into a messy garage, you’ll have a hard time finding your things when you need them.
Step 2 – Move Your Boat Inside
The way you move your boat into your garage has a significant effect on whether it will fit in or not.
Your trailer valet device is a useful tool to maneuver your boat carefully inside your garage and safely close your bay door as well.
Most pontoon boats have this valet device attached to their trailer. This makes it easy to move and use your space optimally.
First of all, make sure that the boat’s beam is parallel to the bay door’s length when you move it inside.
Similarly, the centerline of your boat and trailer should be at the center of the garage. Now, use the valet device to move the boat hitch into a straight line. After that, park it gently along the garage’s opposite corner.
This way, your trailer will be parked at an angle to provide maximum space for the rest of your boat to fit in. Using this technique, a typical 23’ pontoon boat will easily fit in your garage.
Step 3 – Use Breakaway Tongues to Fit Your Trailer
Most pontoon boats will fit into a garage along with the trailer using the two steps mentioned above. However, some boats don’t fit inside even after using multiple maneuvering techniques.
In this case, use a breakaway tongue to reduce the length of your trailer. Some trailers come with these tools. If yours don’t have one, you can get one installed in your trailer.
Once the length is reduced, you can easily fit your boat inside the garage and store the trailer separately.
Other Helpful Tips to Fit a Pontoon Boat in Your Garage
If you think your boat or garage is different, and the above steps won’t work for you, here are some helpful tips you could try out.
Measure Your Pontoon Boat Beforehand
If you plan to store your pontoon boat inside your garage before your purchase, make sure to measure the boat first. Buy something that easily fits inside your garage.
When you measure your boat, make sure that the Bimini is in the up position. Along with that, also measure the height from the top of the pen rails.
Measure the Rig and Trailer
Pontoon boats with longer trailers and breakdown tongues are more comfortable to maneuver through small spaces. If your garage has limited space, it’s better to go for a more extended trailer.
Make sure to measure the length starting from the propellor’s tip to the rear of your engine.
For example, if you’re buying a typical 23 feet boat, you’ll need a rig length of 31 feet to fit your boat in.
You may also need one or two extra feet for the door onset. This helps you avoid pushing your boat towards the wall.
Push Some Air Out of Trailer Tires
If your boat is not fitting inside because of the height, you can reduce the height level by taking some air from the tires.
Remember, it will only reduce the height by some fractions of an inch, so don’t expect any drastic changes. Also, don’t push too much air out as it may spoil the trailer tires.
Purchase a Small Boat
Or you can simply buy a small pontoon boat. A compact boat will easily fit into cramped spaces. This way, you won’t have to worry about storing it at all.
There are many high-quality options available in the market if you consider buying small boats. Although it will limit the number of people or pets in your boat, it’ll be much less of a hassle when it comes to storage.
Get a Bigger Garage Space
Yes, that’s possible! Even though the notion sounds outrageous, it is quite practical when you’re thinking of fitting a large boat inside a garage.
You can build a fence around your existing garage space to store your boat inside. However, this means your garage door will remain open, and that steals the purpose.
Covered fences and extensions can be built around your garage to accommodate your pontoon boat. Moreover, you can even rent a larger garage near your home to park your boat when it’s not in use. It will be worth it!
Final Words
That concludes our answer to your question, will a pontoon boat fit in garage? Yes, of course, your pontoon boat will fit into your garage. But, you’ll have to follow some steps to complete the task.
Firstly, measure your boat before buying to make sure it fits your garage.
If you’ve already bought a large boat, you can maneuver it using the trailer valet device and breakthrough tongues to fit inside.
Besides that, if you really love your boat, you can get your garage extended. Or, you can get a fence built around it to make more space.
Whatever you do, remember that your boat will be parked without any use most of the time. So make sure the space you park it in is covered and protected. Decide wisely!
