Garage Height Woes

[Dr_Zao]

Hi,

Looking at a making a purchase but it needs to fit in the garage, it's a 7ft tall garage. I've read so many mixed messages: some specs say one thing but forum posts show people fitting them in much smaller spaces than the on paper number.

I'm between an AR-195 and a Scarab 195 (looking for used, either 2014/2015). Both from what I can tell have specced trailer heights of 7,9" with the tower folded. But then I read the 2014 AR has a different tower design than 2015+ and might be shorter but it's hard to find information.

Can anyone shed some light on vertical clearance for those models with the tower folded?

Thanks

 

[malibu Dan]

 

[haknslash]

The 2016-2017 19' boats with folding tower can fit in a 7' garage with removing the stop washers on the tower cable. Don't go by Yamaha website for numbers as they are not accurate or clarified exactly how they achieved said numbers. Older boats I think the tower folded to the rear.

2016+ can fit like so...

 

[Dr_Zao]

Great video, thanks!

Do you just leave those washers off permanently?

 

[malibu Dan]

I'll put mine back on when she comes out the garage and leave them in until next fall...but u could leave them out if you want

 

[Dr_Zao]

Interesting, thanks for that.

I'm in FL so we boat year round. It would have to go back in the garage after every use so I'm hoping for an easy method.

Anyone have any experience doing this with a Scarab 195?

 

[Speedling]

My 212ss fits without the tower easily. Could always try and find one of the sexiest boats yamaha ever made.

 

[haknslash]

Great video, thanks!

Do you just leave those washers off permanently?

You can buy some threaded hex spacers and a bolt then reuse the washers. This will allow the tower the sit lower than stock and you can adjust the height using nuts and washers to make the tower stop just short of laying on the steering wheel. Thread on it here https://jetboaters.net/threads/ar-wake-tower-cable-removal-to-change-fold-height.11639/.

Or you just just leave them out and make a simple wooden frame or use a wheel ramp to support the tower from touching the steering wheel. See my image below of my wheel ramp.

 

[mattschepker]

Following

 

[GoVols01]

Another thing to consider here is flipping the axles over on the trailer. If you look at the Yamaha trailer's axles, they sit below the leaf springs. You can unbolt the leaf springs and then remount the axles to the upper side of the leaf springs, which will reduce the height by ~4". My Regal's trailer sits this same way and it has a boat with an I/O that rides on it.

I'm trying to get a '17 Yamaha 212X to fit inside my 95" height opening. Rough measurements at the dealer put the boat at 102". This is among many things that I will be doing to make my project work.

 

[Eric Ballard]

I measured by boat, my garage and read all the specs for my 2016 SX190. Every measurement said it would not fit. Then I was cleaning my garage and decided to see how close it was in reality. IT FIT with no changes to the boat, trailer or garage and I just backed it in on my truck with the normal hitch and ball. I'm really sure I measure right, but it fit... My point is to try it and see just how close you are and what exactly needs to change, if anything, to get it to fix.

 

[haknslash]

Here's some pics of the extensions I made for my cables....

I made some extensions so that I can adjust exactly how low I want the tower to sit inside the boat. I went with a long bolt than necessary as it helps when I comes time to getting your arm up in there to there into the threaded coupler. I went went with all stainless hardware. The thread is 1/4-20. Use blue loctite to hold everything together once you're ready and have your desired spacing.

Here is the stainless threaded coupler. Half gets threaded into the tower cable and the other half the bolt and washer assembly threads into.

Here is the setup I use for the extension. This allows you to lock on the desired position.

With the adjustment nut spacing amount shown above this allows me to get the tower very close to the steering wheel in the tilted up position which gives you the lowest possible height.

 

[GoVols01]

I went to the dealer yesterday for the 4th time to look at the 212X again to verify total height is <95". He already had the retention straps removed, so we lowered the tower down and then moved the board racks from the back side of the tower to the front. She measured in at about 90 - 92", so we're goo to go with no further modifications to the trailer or anything else!

 

[buckbuck]

@Brian eilrich has a 212X and measures 94" with tower folded. Not sure about moving the racks. Will they swing into the boat if mounted on the front part of tower?

 

[GoVols01]

Yes. You have to flip all the moving parts over so it'll clear everything properly when swinging towards the windshield. Knowing that Zup and knee boards I have won't fit the racks, I may just remove it altogether until we get started into wakeboatding in the coming years.
Dealer says he can get some racks that'll hold the boards I have, but I don't know how much those will run me.

 

[buckbuck]

Let me know if you are selling those racks. They are the best I have seen for a Yamaha.