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I keep my R5 in the water for 5 months during the summer in the northeast and then store it indoors in a non-heated garage on my 2019 boat-mate trailer. When the boat is in the water my trailer sits idle in the garage. My question simply is it ok to store my boat on the trailer this way for the 7 months of fall and winter? Is there any concern or potential issues with keeping the boat on the trailer? For either the boat or the trailer? When the boat is on the trailer in storage every month I do move the trailer slightly to rotate the tires 90 degrees. Is there a better approach than keeping the boat on the trailer all winter long?

This is what the vast majority of boat owners in northern states do, and boats are designed to take it. Moving the tires a bit is more than most people do. Others will chime in, but I would worry more about mice in the garage damaging the boat or trailer, or such things, than the boat being on a trailer.

I have stored our boat on the trailer for the winter since new without any issues. We have it wintered every year and shrink wrapped. I wish I had a garage to store it in you are lucky. The only addition thing I do is jack the trailer up and put on stands and remove the four tires and get stored in my shed.

". . . store it indoors in a non-heated garage on my 2019 boat-mate trailer."

Doing that is very common.

Cover it. Use moisture absorbers. Encourage air flow. Put outdrive fully down. Trickle charge battery. For 7 months, the tires will be fine, especially indoors, out of the sun. If you're concerned about flat spots, you can use tire savers or cradles.

Kate wrote: Sun Sep 07, 2025 6:50 am ". . . store it indoors in a non-heated garage on my 2019 boat-mate trailer."

Doing that is very common.

Cover it. Use moisture absorbers. Encourage air flow. Put outdrive fully down. Trickle charge battery. For 7 months, the tires will be fine, especially indoors, out of the sun. If you're concerned about flat spots, you can use tire savers or cradles.

Use this as well!

Fresh Cab Rodent Repellent

"Fresh Cab Rodent Repellent"

Never tried that. Does it stink up the boat?

Dryer sheets help prevent mold and mildew.

Thank you all for the advice and recommendations. I just had a new set of good year endurance trailer tires installed on the empty trailer sitting idle in summer storage. These replaced the original set of west lake tires. With the R5 boat weighing approx 5,000 lbs and the boatmate twin axle trailer weighing approx 1,400 lbs and given the tires are brand new, when it comes time for winter storage the tires will have less then 100 miles. I want to do whatever I can to avoid flat spots and prolong tire life while in the garage for winter storage. Will it be better to move the boat/trailer every month so the tires resting spot on the concrete garage floor rotates 90’degrees? Or is it better to use tire saver ramps? If the latter is the better approach can anyone recommend a set of tire saver ramps for the 4 trailer tires?

My trailer has 4 bunks from basically mid front to back, with a center bunk in the front. My boat lives on it.

Most people store their boat on the trailer 98% of the year!