Parking Trailer on grass

A forum for discussing issues relating to trailers and towing MacGregor sailboats.
User avatar
Matt19020
Captain
Posts: 576
Joined: Sat Jul 15, 2006 1:29 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Middle River, Chesapeake Bay MD...2007 MacM Suzuki DF70 4-Stroke ..... "My Time"
Contact:

Parking Trailer on grass

Post by Matt19020 »

I was wondering if anyone had any creative ideas for parking a trailer in the yard. I do not want to do a concrete or asphalt driveway in the backyard.
My current situation is that I have ruts in the grass where the trailer is. I am not sure I want to commit to gravel but considered paver stones or even 2"X6'X10' pressure Treated boards tied together for a 30' run. This would be similar to a "deck" but with no footing so basically the wood would just be sitting on the grass. I am only looking for something to last about five years or so and can be removed without to much work.
User avatar
hart
Captain
Posts: 514
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 1:31 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Foley, AL 2001 26X "Wind Song" 50 hp Mercury Classic MMSI/DSC: 338081191

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by hart »

At one of my previous houses I had a parking pad that was made mostly of shell. I loved it. I just went around the trailer with Round Up every so often and that was that for maintenance. But it's the same commitment as gravel so you may not want to go that route.

I have a similar problem in this house. The boat sits in the back yard and I have to move it around to mow and it sinks somewhat from week to week. But there's a concrete pad in my future.
User avatar
Erik Hardtle
First Officer
Posts: 408
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 4:45 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: New Bern, NC
Contact:

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by Erik Hardtle »

I keep mine on the side of the house...
I have river type gravel (rounded 1/2 inch stones) about an inch thick with pavers for the wheel path, and a cinder block to stop how far back it goes. I shaved off all the grass with a weed wacker and put down a double layer of plastic to keep the weeds at bay.


Image
User avatar
Terry
Admiral
Posts: 1487
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2004 2:35 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Vancouver, B.C. Canada. '03 26M - New Yamaha 70

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by Terry »

I am not sure about the too much work part but I have seen a few examples of an idea I like. You can buy some concrete or brick inlay blocks that have some sort of pattern as part of the structure. You bury these so that just the tops show at the ground surface and fill in the pattern structure areas with dirt. You then re-sow the area with grass seed and the grass will grow all among the brick inlay thereby disguising or camoflaging them. You will still have to mow the lawn there regularly but the inlaid bricks will better support the trailer and leave no ruts.
Alternatively you could just drop a couple paving stones into the ground where the trailer wheels sit and be done with, but either way you still have to move the boat to mow the lawn under it.
I would choose the brick inlay purely for aesthetic reasons but I may get tired of moving the trailer to mow the lawn under it. I have seen this practice used for parking a car along side a house or motor home in the back yard, but then these vehicles are more easily moved out of the way to mow the lawn. Looks nice though!
User avatar
bastonjock
Admiral
Posts: 1161
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 10:41 pm
Location: Lincolnshire United Kingdom Mac 26X

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by bastonjock »

i had a load of small stone that are normally used for hardcore and then rollered.I find that when my boat is off the trailer for any lenght of time that my brakes seize,so the flat hard ground makes it easy to move the trailer on a regular basis to keep the brakes free,for ease of removal later i would go with the 2ft x 2ft concrete slabs
K9Kampers
Admiral
Posts: 2441
Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:32 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: NH, former 26X owner

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by K9Kampers »

Erik-

What's with the bent port spreader on 'Knot Shore' ?
User avatar
Matt19020
Captain
Posts: 576
Joined: Sat Jul 15, 2006 1:29 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Middle River, Chesapeake Bay MD...2007 MacM Suzuki DF70 4-Stroke ..... "My Time"
Contact:

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by Matt19020 »

Erik, very nice, realativly simple and very esthetic I will post image when done (but give me to end of season)
User avatar
puggsy
Captain
Posts: 571
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:30 am
Sailboat: Venture 25
Location: MACLESS but not quite BOATLESS in Perth Western Australia

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by puggsy »

If its going to be there for any length of time, jack up all corners of the trailer to get the weight off the tyres and block it up with solid square wood or solid concrete blocks...even to the height where you can spin the wheels.
It will prevent your tyres developing flat spots and make the Old Girl harder to steal...

Image

Puggsy
User avatar
Matt19020
Captain
Posts: 576
Joined: Sat Jul 15, 2006 1:29 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Middle River, Chesapeake Bay MD...2007 MacM Suzuki DF70 4-Stroke ..... "My Time"
Contact:

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by Matt19020 »

This was what I came up with to resolve my inital problem.
I still put ruts in the grass in the font part but so far so good with this set up.

BEFORE:
Image
AFTER:
Image
User avatar
DaveB
Admiral
Posts: 2543
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:34 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Cape Coral, Florida,1997 Mac. X, 2013 Merc.50hp Big Foot, sold 9/10/15

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by DaveB »

I use 6 -18"x 2 " thick on each side to sit on rear yard.
I have tandem axels but on a single axel needs only two each side.
You don't want your tires sitting on grass, creates dryrot and fungis.
each 18inch square costs $3-4 Each
Dave
Matt19020 wrote:I was wondering if anyone had any creative ideas for parking a trailer in the yard. I do not want to do a concrete or asphalt driveway in the backyard.
My current situation is that I have ruts in the grass where the trailer is. I am not sure I want to commit to gravel but considered paver stones or even 2"X6'X10' pressure Treated boards tied together for a 30' run. This would be similar to a "deck" but with no footing so basically the wood would just be sitting on the grass. I am only looking for something to last about five years or so and can be removed without to much work.
User avatar
bubba
Captain
Posts: 896
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2008 11:04 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Richland,WA Columbia River Lake Wallula "INSPIRATION" w/70 suz. 9' Merc dingy
Contact:

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by bubba »

I park my trailor on grass all the time maybe I am in a rut, but here in the desert the grass is dry.
User avatar
Paulieb
Engineer
Posts: 145
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:02 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: New Windsor, NY * Airbender 2002 Mac26X, Honda 50 *

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by Paulieb »

I have 2 rows of 18"x18" pavers on the side of the house, centered on the trailer tires, with an additional paver where the hitch wheel goes. It takes a bit of precision trailering, but I am used to it now. When the trailer is not there, you can't even see the pavers from the street, they are hidden buy the grass. I think the whole project cost me about $100 and an afternoon of digging out the grass. I have no sand under them, but you must at least dig the grass/roots down to the dirt. Placing the large pavers directly on the grass results on broken pavers under a load (lesson learned the hard way). Digging out the grass also give clearence to cut the grass without a weed whacker.

Paulieb
User avatar
Matt19020
Captain
Posts: 576
Joined: Sat Jul 15, 2006 1:29 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Middle River, Chesapeake Bay MD...2007 MacM Suzuki DF70 4-Stroke ..... "My Time"
Contact:

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by Matt19020 »

I did think about using the pavers but I would still need to mow the grass under the trailer.
I figured I would just commit myself to always owning a boat otherwise I will have to move the 3 tons of stone out of the yard ! :(
User avatar
Doug W
Captain
Posts: 632
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:08 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Prairie Home MO - Galactica - 2010 26M with Etec 60
Contact:

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by Doug W »

Mine is parked on gravel but I really like the paver idea! I'm going to to that! Thanks!
User avatar
keith
Chief Steward
Posts: 50
Joined: Thu May 07, 2009 5:02 am
Location: perth,western australia 99x merc 50 bf my tribe(sold now Nauticat 33)

Re: Parking Trailer on grass

Post by keith »

I laid grano with reo mesh in the backyard for parking no mowing , watering ,weeds or any maintenence means more time for boating.
A couple of mates have paving and after a while the surface isn't exactly even and i've seen pavers crack under the weight of jacks if you forget to use a jacking plate.
Reinforced concrete no problems and easy to scoot around under boat on creeper for inspection and maintenence.
If the missus don't like gray you can paint it to look like many finishes(cobblestone,pavers etc)
Post Reply