Using tractor to move boat/trailer around property

[z0lt3c]

Hi Guys-
Have a simple question, wondering if anybody with some experience can help. I recently acquired a 17' Bowrider and I will be storing it on my property in it's trailer when it's not in the water. I don't have alot of room on the driveway for the boat, so I want to roll into a corner of my yard, which I have plenty. If I try to pull it over the yard with my truck, I will chew up the yard pretty good.

I am thinking it will be easier to connect up to my Kubota B7800 tractor once I get in on my driveway to move to the final location in my yard.

My question is, what is the best way to make the trailer connection to the tractor? Can I just drop a 2" ball onto the drawbar and away I go? I have seen 3pt towing and FEL towing adapters, but they seem to be a pricey solution if I can just use my drawbar.

If anybody has moved a boat over a lawn with their tractor before I'd love to hear your advise.

Thanks,

[Egon]

[QUOTE][/ Can I just drop a 2" ball onto the drawbar and away I go?QUOTE]

You should be able to.

Will the drawbar be high enough to allow trailer hitch to lower onto it?

[firemanpat2910]

if the drawbar isnt hig enough, what about putting the ball on the box blade, if its just a 17' boat I cant imagine that it would be all that heavy.

[AndyMA]

Another way to do it is to just a hole in your bucket and put and bolt a ball on. Makes it very easy to manuver.

Andy

[Diamondpilot]

Here is a $20 fix. Go to Harbor Freight or WalMart and get a step bumper hitch and bolt it on to the top of your bucket. Very hand to move trailers around and you can really get it in and out of tight spots. I use mine also to hold my bucket boom pole I made. Here is a pic.

Chris

[jmc]

What not to do: (at sometime, somewhere I witnessed either someone else or myself experience this unfortunate series of events)-

Mounted ball on 3PH because you don't have to crank down the trailer tongue- just lift the 3ph.

Boat sitting with water in the bow since the bow was low point.

Lift trailer tongue with 3PH.

With bow now higher than stern, water runs to stern.

Stern now heavier and outboard motor keel slams into pavement since 3PH does not resist lifting forces. (another possibility is that the trailer hitch came off the ball because, since they/I were "just moving the boat a little bit", they/I didn't lock the trailer hitch to the ball.)



John

[tommcintire]

We had (until recently) a B2910 (effectively the same tractor) and we moved trailers around all the time from the drawbar. I've even moved a 6x10 dump trailer and a 2 horse with dressing room horse trailer.

Be careful on the downhills, as the weight of a heavy trailer can overrun a hyrdrostatic transmission, but if you have good brakes on your B7800, you should be fine.

Haven't set the new machine up for towing yet (a NH 2310), but I imagine it will also work like a champ!

-Tom

[newbury]

Other than drop the box blade the first thing I did with my tractor was park my trailer. I did go to TSC and get their $130 trailer hitch.

[shakin]

i move my boat aeound quite a bit with the draw bar, and ball. will not be a problem. don't have an hst but i find it hard to believe the weight of a 17' boat will be more than it can handle these boats are not that heavy. my 19' cuddy rolls easily around and the tractor is not bothered. i use the tractor because i can get the boat closer to other objects and it's easier to manuever than the dually.

[Runner]

I move mine around with a three-point mounted hitch all the time. Works good for me.