Re: [bolger] Removable wheels on boats
There have been several good (and inventive) ideas for amphibious boats listed here.
Maybe all you guys could email Fritz with pictures and he could add them to his web page
on wheeled boats.
fritzf@...
Your welcome Fritz!
HJ
% Harrywelshman@...
Maybe all you guys could email Fritz with pictures and he could add them to his web page
on wheeled boats.
fritzf@...
Your welcome Fritz!
HJ
> Garth,_ _ _ _ _
>
> I made close to the thing you are describing for my overweight plastic open
> double kayak. Pneaumatic tires, roles in sand, one piece, straps on with heavy-duty
> nylon tie down. The axles are 8" carriage bolts carefully screwed into the
> ends of a 2x4. I made wheel bushing/bearings out of copper pipe scrap. The
> trick is to pre-drill the axle holes the right size so the 2x4 doesn't split.
> I also filled the holes with epoxy before assembling the axle/wheels. A picture
> is worth 1000 words. when my scanner comes back,I will scan one in and file
> it. BTW, this thing will probably handle 200#. (Am I up to 1000 words, yet?)
>
> Jim Chamberlin
>
% Harrywelshman@...
> Years ago Sears used to sell a device to aid in cartopping small boats.I remember my dad using this when I was a little kid. He loaded our 14'
> It was a vertical pole that mounted on the rear bumper of your car and was
> used in conjunction with standard roof racks.
aluminum skiff on top of our station wagon by himself with this. It didn't
actually mount to the bumper, but rather to the trailer hitch.
It shouldn't be hugely difficult to duplicate this, if they aren't sold any
more. You'd need some heavy tubing (stiff enough to hold the back of the
boat 4' in the air), and a pivoting transom clamp fitted to slide up the
tubing & rotate around it. You'd also have to have some way to latch it at
the top.
Cheers,
RonB
Years ago Sears used to sell a device to aid in cartopping small boats.
It was a vertical pole that mounted on the rear bumper of your car and was
used in conjunction with standard roof racks. Mounted on the pole was a
device that looked like a pair of big "C" clamps. The clamps could slide up
and down the pole. To mount the boat, you would first lower the C clamp
device to the bottom of the pole (bumper height) then mount the transom on
the bracket just as if it was an outboard motor bracket. Next you would
slide the bracket (now holding the transom) up the pole to a height equal to
the roof of the car. You could then pick up the bow of the boat and carry it
around to the front roof rack. Since the pole held the weight of the back
half of the boat, it was much easier to pick up the bow. The two of us could
easily pick up the bow of an O'Day Sprite, a heavy FG 10' 6" glass boat. I
don't think they still sell the bracket and I haven't seen one anywhere else,
but it wasn't too complicated to be fabricated locally, Of course, now days
there aren't any real rear bumpers.
Regards, Warren
It was a vertical pole that mounted on the rear bumper of your car and was
used in conjunction with standard roof racks. Mounted on the pole was a
device that looked like a pair of big "C" clamps. The clamps could slide up
and down the pole. To mount the boat, you would first lower the C clamp
device to the bottom of the pole (bumper height) then mount the transom on
the bracket just as if it was an outboard motor bracket. Next you would
slide the bracket (now holding the transom) up the pole to a height equal to
the roof of the car. You could then pick up the bow of the boat and carry it
around to the front roof rack. Since the pole held the weight of the back
half of the boat, it was much easier to pick up the bow. The two of us could
easily pick up the bow of an O'Day Sprite, a heavy FG 10' 6" glass boat. I
don't think they still sell the bracket and I haven't seen one anywhere else,
but it wasn't too complicated to be fabricated locally, Of course, now days
there aren't any real rear bumpers.
Regards, Warren
>I have completed a Bolger Skimmer, and am having difficulty coming up
>with a method of cartopping and solo launch. What you describe sounds
>like it might be very close to what I need.
>I would really like to see some pictures.
>Or if anyone else has any ideas, I would love to hear about them.
Dave,
I have completed a Bolger Skimmer, and am having difficulty coming up
with a method of cartopping and solo launch. What you describe sounds
like it might be very close to what I need.
I would really like to see some pictures.
Or if anyone else has any ideas, I would love to hear about them.
I have completed a Bolger Skimmer, and am having difficulty coming up
with a method of cartopping and solo launch. What you describe sounds
like it might be very close to what I need.
I would really like to see some pictures.
Or if anyone else has any ideas, I would love to hear about them.
--- Inbolger@egroups.com, shorty@s... wrote:
> I went with a half-way compromise.
>
> I mounted 2 wheels on the stern deck of my boat, and then made a
strap
> on frame to get it on top of the car. (frame looks like a 30" wide
> ladder)
>
> I lay the frame on the ground, invert the boat, roll it over on top
of
> the frame, then strap the frame on to the boat.
>
> Next I pick up the frame at the bow, which it sticks out a couple of
> feet beyond, then I roll the whole thing over to my car. I lean
it up
> against the rear of my car so it is at a 45 degree angle. Then
lift the
> stern of the boat and slide onto the roof rack.
>
> Boat weighs about 175lbs but is no problem to handle any more since
I
> build this car-top-trailer.
>
> The only thing is I get a little extra attention at the lake
because the
> wheels stay on. One persons said "Hey, I see you are a novice
because
> you still have the training wheels on!"
>
> David Routh
> Shorty@S...
David:
I know that you have a digital camera: How about posting a few pictures of
your "training wheels"?
Chuck
I know that you have a digital camera: How about posting a few pictures of
your "training wheels"?
Chuck
> I went with a half-way compromise.
>
> I mounted 2 wheels on the stern deck of my boat, and then made a strap
> on frame to get it on top of the car. (frame looks like a 30" wide
> ladder)
>
> I lay the frame on the ground, invert the boat, roll it over on top of
> the frame, then strap the frame on to the boat.
>
> Next I pick up the frame at the bow, which it sticks out a couple of
> feet beyond, then I roll the whole thing over to my car. I lean it up
> against the rear of my car so it is at a 45 degree angle. Then lift the
> stern of the boat and slide onto the roof rack.
>
> Boat weighs about 175lbs but is no problem to handle any more since I
> build this car-top-trailer.
>
> The only thing is I get a little extra attention at the lake because the
> wheels stay on. One persons said "Hey, I see you are a novice because
> you still have the training wheels on!"
>
> David Routh
>Shorty@...
>
>
>
> Bolger rules!!!
> - no cursing
> - stay on topic
> - use punctuation
> - add your comments at the TOP and SIGN your posts
> - add some content: send "thanks!" and "ditto!" posts off-list.
>
>
Thanks for that reference to Fritz Funk's amphibious boats page. What
a treasure. My favorite for pure crazy Bolgeresque ingenuity is Bill
Simonson's Weekend Skiff with extended gunwales to make wheelbarrow-
type handles, with a dolly inserted into the centerboard slot. You
have to see these photos of him walking his boat down the street:
http://www.alaska.net/~fritzf/Boats/CloveTruck/CloveTruck.htm
Also an elegant functional design are the wheels (Happy's Wheel-a-
Weigh) mounted onto the transom individually via a track. This could
probably be done cheapo-fashion with some steel pipes running through
U-bolts or brackets. That'd make them quickly removable and stowable,
too -- rather than having them fold up and be unsightly during the
sail.
http://www.happyidea.com/launchwheels.html
Great resource -- thanks.
All best,
Garth
a treasure. My favorite for pure crazy Bolgeresque ingenuity is Bill
Simonson's Weekend Skiff with extended gunwales to make wheelbarrow-
type handles, with a dolly inserted into the centerboard slot. You
have to see these photos of him walking his boat down the street:
http://www.alaska.net/~fritzf/Boats/CloveTruck/CloveTruck.htm
Also an elegant functional design are the wheels (Happy's Wheel-a-
Weigh) mounted onto the transom individually via a track. This could
probably be done cheapo-fashion with some steel pipes running through
U-bolts or brackets. That'd make them quickly removable and stowable,
too -- rather than having them fold up and be unsightly during the
sail.
http://www.happyidea.com/launchwheels.html
Great resource -- thanks.
All best,
Garth
> Try this website. It is a collection of various solutions to hand
> portability ranging from beach wheels to hand trucks.
>
>http://www.alaska.net/~fritzf/Boats/Amphib/Amphib_boats.htm
I went with a half-way compromise.
I mounted 2 wheels on the stern deck of my boat, and then made a strap
on frame to get it on top of the car. (frame looks like a 30" wide
ladder)
I lay the frame on the ground, invert the boat, roll it over on top of
the frame, then strap the frame on to the boat.
Next I pick up the frame at the bow, which it sticks out a couple of
feet beyond, then I roll the whole thing over to my car. I lean it up
against the rear of my car so it is at a 45 degree angle. Then lift the
stern of the boat and slide onto the roof rack.
Boat weighs about 175lbs but is no problem to handle any more since I
build this car-top-trailer.
The only thing is I get a little extra attention at the lake because the
wheels stay on. One persons said "Hey, I see you are a novice because
you still have the training wheels on!"
David Routh
Shorty@...
I mounted 2 wheels on the stern deck of my boat, and then made a strap
on frame to get it on top of the car. (frame looks like a 30" wide
ladder)
I lay the frame on the ground, invert the boat, roll it over on top of
the frame, then strap the frame on to the boat.
Next I pick up the frame at the bow, which it sticks out a couple of
feet beyond, then I roll the whole thing over to my car. I lean it up
against the rear of my car so it is at a 45 degree angle. Then lift the
stern of the boat and slide onto the roof rack.
Boat weighs about 175lbs but is no problem to handle any more since I
build this car-top-trailer.
The only thing is I get a little extra attention at the lake because the
wheels stay on. One persons said "Hey, I see you are a novice because
you still have the training wheels on!"
David Routh
Shorty@...
Garth said,
<snip> Anyone ever see such a thing?
______________________________________
Try this website. It is a collection of various solutions to hand
portability ranging from beach wheels to hand trucks.
http://www.alaska.net/~fritzf/Boats/Amphib/Amphib_boats.htm
<snip> Anyone ever see such a thing?
______________________________________
Try this website. It is a collection of various solutions to hand
portability ranging from beach wheels to hand trucks.
http://www.alaska.net/~fritzf/Boats/Amphib/Amphib_boats.htm
I imagine if the wheels where done just right, one could sail in the parking
lot and zip right down the boat ramp on wind power...Regards, Warren
Garth,
I made close to the thing you are describing for my overweight plastic open
double kayak. Pneaumatic tires, roles in sand, one piece, straps on with
heavy-duty
nylon tie down. The axles are 8" carriage bolts carefully screwed into the
ends of a 2x4. I made wheel bushing/bearings out of copper pipe scrap. The
trick is to pre-drill the axle holes the right size so the 2x4 doesn't split.
I also filled the holes with epoxy before assembling the axle/wheels. A
picture
is worth 1000 words. when my scanner comes back,I will scan one in and file
it. BTW, this thing will probably handle 200#. (Am I up to 1000 words, yet?)
Jim Chamberlin
lot and zip right down the boat ramp on wind power...Regards, Warren
Garth,
I made close to the thing you are describing for my overweight plastic open
double kayak. Pneaumatic tires, roles in sand, one piece, straps on with
heavy-duty
nylon tie down. The axles are 8" carriage bolts carefully screwed into the
ends of a 2x4. I made wheel bushing/bearings out of copper pipe scrap. The
trick is to pre-drill the axle holes the right size so the 2x4 doesn't split.
I also filled the holes with epoxy before assembling the axle/wheels. A
picture
is worth 1000 words. when my scanner comes back,I will scan one in and file
it. BTW, this thing will probably handle 200#. (Am I up to 1000 words, yet?)
Jim Chamberlin
Garth,
I made close to the thing you are describing for my overweight plastic open
double kayak. Pneaumatic tires, roles in sand, one piece, straps on with heavy-duty
nylon tie down. The axles are 8" carriage bolts carefully screwed into the
ends of a 2x4. I made wheel bushing/bearings out of copper pipe scrap. The
trick is to pre-drill the axle holes the right size so the 2x4 doesn't split.
I also filled the holes with epoxy before assembling the axle/wheels. A picture
is worth 1000 words. when my scanner comes back,I will scan one in and file
it. BTW, this thing will probably handle 200#. (Am I up to 1000 words, yet?)
Jim Chamberlin
I made close to the thing you are describing for my overweight plastic open
double kayak. Pneaumatic tires, roles in sand, one piece, straps on with heavy-duty
nylon tie down. The axles are 8" carriage bolts carefully screwed into the
ends of a 2x4. I made wheel bushing/bearings out of copper pipe scrap. The
trick is to pre-drill the axle holes the right size so the 2x4 doesn't split.
I also filled the holes with epoxy before assembling the axle/wheels. A picture
is worth 1000 words. when my scanner comes back,I will scan one in and file
it. BTW, this thing will probably handle 200#. (Am I up to 1000 words, yet?)
Jim Chamberlin
>This talk of barrow boats and adding a wheel to the bow or stern of
>the Elegant Punt is similar to an idea I had after some miserable
>dragging and wrestling with my Gypsy this summer, to get her back and
>forth across a 200' (at low tide) sand bar and out into the water.
>And since I cartop her and will frequently be doing all this solo, I
>foresee similar or worse problems getting her across parking lots or
>down boat ramps. I'm in a bind -- boat just light enough to cartop,
>but too heavy for one guy to move very well, without causing damage.
>Two guys can stagger around and bring her a good ways, but I'd like
>to feel free to go solo sailing anytime I want. So . . .
>
> I hope to devise some sort of stowable strap-on wheel system.
>Wheel must be big enough to roll on sand -- maybe like an inflatable
>wheelbarrow wheel, 10" in diameter and 4" or 5" thick. Still puzzling
>over what sort of fork/frame to attach it to that would be light,
>compact, yet attach reliably to the boat. I'd like to be able to
>strap it on around the stern with nylon webbing, roll the boat to the
>water, then pop it off and throw it all into my 12" X 16" hatch
>during the sail. I'm thinking a 2X6 (with fork attached) could run
>across the bottom of the transom, and a bolt of some sort could run
>from that up through the bottom gudgeon (L-bracket)to stabilize it so
>the whole thing doesn't slide off.
>
> If I ever make one that works, I'll let you know. Anyone ever see
>such a thing?
>
>All best,
>Garth
>
>
>
>Bolger rules!!!
>- no cursing
>- stay on topic
>- use punctuation
>- add your comments at the TOP and SIGN your posts
>- add some content: send "thanks!" and "ditto!" posts off-list.
>
>
I make little 'trailers' for all the kayaks I make; the rule is they have to
stow on-board so I don't have to take out where I put in, as I frequently
paddle around a nearby peninsula with the tide, etc. and like to be able to
walk back to the car. They have an upright of plywood that has a 'V' cut in
it to fit my stern, (your bow in this case maybe?) and padded with pipe
insulation; at the bottom of the slab of ply, there is a 2x2 screwed across,
and this is thru-drilled for an aluminum axle and two light plastic barbeque
wheels are held on with spring clips in drilled holes, so if I really want
to knock the thing down to take up little space on board I can, though it
fits thru the hatch all mounted up. Off the bottom of all this, under the
2x2 and parallel to the axle, is a little horizontal slot to pass a long
'tongue' of 1/4" ply from back to front. The tongue has a chunk of wood
screwed across the back end to stop it in the slot in the forward-most
position, and is tapered toward the front and has a 1" hole near the front
end, thru this I loop a long length of bungie cord with hooks on both ends.
This tongue can be as long as it needs to be to hold the trailer centered
under the boat; mine are around 18 - 24", but it could be 3' long if needed.
The stern of the kayak slips into the V and is held in place with a strap or
bungie over top; the 'tongue' passes under the boat and keeps the vertical V
from flipping when you roll over an obstacle or drag thru sand; and the
bungie tensions the whole thing forward to keep it from being dragged off
the back of the boat, bungies can hook to anything handy far enough forward
(oarlocks maybe?). The whole thing takes about 10 seconds to mount up and
toss under the boat, when knocked down you have a flat tongue, a bungie, and
a chunk of plywood with 2 6" wheels hanging off of it. Sounds way more
complicated than it is! I don't have any photos....... it works well in
sand, rocks, everything - muckles onto the boat and I can drag it all over
the place without it coming loose. Make axle as long as needs to be to keep
whole thing from tipping over all the time, but short enough to get thru
hatch (if possible). Good luck!
Paul Lefebvre
stow on-board so I don't have to take out where I put in, as I frequently
paddle around a nearby peninsula with the tide, etc. and like to be able to
walk back to the car. They have an upright of plywood that has a 'V' cut in
it to fit my stern, (your bow in this case maybe?) and padded with pipe
insulation; at the bottom of the slab of ply, there is a 2x2 screwed across,
and this is thru-drilled for an aluminum axle and two light plastic barbeque
wheels are held on with spring clips in drilled holes, so if I really want
to knock the thing down to take up little space on board I can, though it
fits thru the hatch all mounted up. Off the bottom of all this, under the
2x2 and parallel to the axle, is a little horizontal slot to pass a long
'tongue' of 1/4" ply from back to front. The tongue has a chunk of wood
screwed across the back end to stop it in the slot in the forward-most
position, and is tapered toward the front and has a 1" hole near the front
end, thru this I loop a long length of bungie cord with hooks on both ends.
This tongue can be as long as it needs to be to hold the trailer centered
under the boat; mine are around 18 - 24", but it could be 3' long if needed.
The stern of the kayak slips into the V and is held in place with a strap or
bungie over top; the 'tongue' passes under the boat and keeps the vertical V
from flipping when you roll over an obstacle or drag thru sand; and the
bungie tensions the whole thing forward to keep it from being dragged off
the back of the boat, bungies can hook to anything handy far enough forward
(oarlocks maybe?). The whole thing takes about 10 seconds to mount up and
toss under the boat, when knocked down you have a flat tongue, a bungie, and
a chunk of plywood with 2 6" wheels hanging off of it. Sounds way more
complicated than it is! I don't have any photos....... it works well in
sand, rocks, everything - muckles onto the boat and I can drag it all over
the place without it coming loose. Make axle as long as needs to be to keep
whole thing from tipping over all the time, but short enough to get thru
hatch (if possible). Good luck!
Paul Lefebvre
> I hope to devise some sort of stowable strap-on wheel system.
Garth,
I bought a wheelbarrow at Home Depot, last year. You buy it
unassembled, and the set consists of: the tub; handle kit; wheel kit.
I think they're all priced separately. You could buy two wheel sets,
which have a pnuematic tire/wheel, and the axle brackets that attach
to the forward ends of the handles.
I'm going to use the plastic hand truck design that is shown at
this website:
http://sites.netscape.net/frankellinghaus/pages_English/boatbuilding/l
auncher.htm
I imagine you can come up with a frame that will fit through your
hatch.
You might compare the price difference between the hand truck
design and the wheelbarrow wheel idea.
Take care,
Pete Reynolds
I bought a wheelbarrow at Home Depot, last year. You buy it
unassembled, and the set consists of: the tub; handle kit; wheel kit.
I think they're all priced separately. You could buy two wheel sets,
which have a pnuematic tire/wheel, and the axle brackets that attach
to the forward ends of the handles.
I'm going to use the plastic hand truck design that is shown at
this website:
http://sites.netscape.net/frankellinghaus/pages_English/boatbuilding/l
auncher.htm
I imagine you can come up with a frame that will fit through your
hatch.
You might compare the price difference between the hand truck
design and the wheelbarrow wheel idea.
Take care,
Pete Reynolds
--- Inbolger@egroups.com, "Garth Battista" <garth@b...> wrote:
> This talk of barrow boats and adding a wheel to the bow or stern of
> the Elegant Punt is similar to an idea I had after some miserable
> dragging and wrestling with my Gypsy this summer, to get her back
and
> forth across a 200' (at low tide) sand bar and out into the water.
> And since I cartop her and will frequently be doing all this solo,
I
> foresee similar or worse problems getting her across parking lots
or
> down boat ramps. I'm in a bind -- boat just light enough to cartop,
> but too heavy for one guy to move very well, without causing
damage.
> Two guys can stagger around and bring her a good ways, but I'd like
> to feel free to go solo sailing anytime I want. So . . .
>
> I hope to devise some sort of stowable strap-on wheel system.
> Wheel must be big enough to roll on sand -- maybe like an
inflatable
> wheelbarrow wheel, 10" in diameter and 4" or 5" thick. Still
puzzling
> over what sort of fork/frame to attach it to that would be light,
> compact, yet attach reliably to the boat. I'd like to be able to
> strap it on around the stern with nylon webbing, roll the boat to
the
> water, then pop it off and throw it all into my 12" X 16" hatch
> during the sail. I'm thinking a 2X6 (with fork attached) could run
> across the bottom of the transom, and a bolt of some sort could run
> from that up through the bottom gudgeon (L-bracket)to stabilize it
so
> the whole thing doesn't slide off.
>
> If I ever make one that works, I'll let you know. Anyone ever
see
> such a thing?
>
> All best,
> Garth
Garth,
I made such a gizmo for my Featherwind, per Dave Carnel's instructions.
Here's a pic and description of it. I've since purchased some pneumatic
tires but haven't fitted them yet. Since I put an arched dory transom on
my Featherwind, I can clamp it to the arch part when moving her upside
down.
http://members.tripod.com/simplicityboats/n_stuff.htm#dollly
David
Garth Battista wrote:
SOME CLICKS THAT COUNT!!
Feed someone.
http://www.thehungersite.com/
Save a little rain forest.
http://rainforest.care2.com/front.html/player12296
Simplicity Boats (& mirror sites)
http://members.tripod.com/simplicityboats/index.html
http://members.xoom.com/simpleboats/index.html
Here's my latest boat:
http://members.tripod.com/simplicityboats/summerbreeze.html
http://members.xoom.com/simpleboats/summerbreeze.html
Quasi esoteric musical instruments
http://unicornstrings.com
I made such a gizmo for my Featherwind, per Dave Carnel's instructions.
Here's a pic and description of it. I've since purchased some pneumatic
tires but haven't fitted them yet. Since I put an arched dory transom on
my Featherwind, I can clamp it to the arch part when moving her upside
down.
http://members.tripod.com/simplicityboats/n_stuff.htm#dollly
David
Garth Battista wrote:
>--
> This talk of barrow boats and adding a wheel to the bow or stern of
> the Elegant Punt is similar to an idea I had after some miserable
> dragging and wrestling with my Gypsy this summer, to get her back and
> forth across a 200' (at low tide) sand bar and out into the water.
> And since I cartop her and will frequently be doing all this solo, I
> foresee similar or worse problems getting her across parking lots or
> down boat ramps. I'm in a bind -- boat just light enough to cartop,
> but too heavy for one guy to move very well, without causing damage.
> Two guys can stagger around and bring her a good ways, but I'd like
> to feel free to go solo sailing anytime I want. So . . .
>
> I hope to devise some sort of stowable strap-on wheel system.
> Wheel must be big enough to roll on sand -- maybe like an inflatable
> wheelbarrow wheel, 10" in diameter and 4" or 5" thick. Still puzzling
> over what sort of fork/frame to attach it to that would be light,
> compact, yet attach reliably to the boat. I'd like to be able to
> strap it on around the stern with nylon webbing, roll the boat to the
> water, then pop it off and throw it all into my 12" X 16" hatch
> during the sail. I'm thinking a 2X6 (with fork attached) could run
> across the bottom of the transom, and a bolt of some sort could run
> from that up through the bottom gudgeon (L-bracket)to stabilize it so
> the whole thing doesn't slide off.
>
> If I ever make one that works, I'll let you know. Anyone ever see
> such a thing?
>
> All best,
> Garth
>
>
> Bolger rules!!!
> - no cursing
> - stay on topic
> - use punctuation
> - add your comments at the TOP and SIGN your posts
> - add some content: send "thanks!" and "ditto!" posts off-list.
SOME CLICKS THAT COUNT!!
Feed someone.
http://www.thehungersite.com/
Save a little rain forest.
http://rainforest.care2.com/front.html/player12296
Simplicity Boats (& mirror sites)
http://members.tripod.com/simplicityboats/index.html
http://members.xoom.com/simpleboats/index.html
Here's my latest boat:
http://members.tripod.com/simplicityboats/summerbreeze.html
http://members.xoom.com/simpleboats/summerbreeze.html
Quasi esoteric musical instruments
http://unicornstrings.com
This talk of barrow boats and adding a wheel to the bow or stern of
the Elegant Punt is similar to an idea I had after some miserable
dragging and wrestling with my Gypsy this summer, to get her back and
forth across a 200' (at low tide) sand bar and out into the water.
And since I cartop her and will frequently be doing all this solo, I
foresee similar or worse problems getting her across parking lots or
down boat ramps. I'm in a bind -- boat just light enough to cartop,
but too heavy for one guy to move very well, without causing damage.
Two guys can stagger around and bring her a good ways, but I'd like
to feel free to go solo sailing anytime I want. So . . .
I hope to devise some sort of stowable strap-on wheel system.
Wheel must be big enough to roll on sand -- maybe like an inflatable
wheelbarrow wheel, 10" in diameter and 4" or 5" thick. Still puzzling
over what sort of fork/frame to attach it to that would be light,
compact, yet attach reliably to the boat. I'd like to be able to
strap it on around the stern with nylon webbing, roll the boat to the
water, then pop it off and throw it all into my 12" X 16" hatch
during the sail. I'm thinking a 2X6 (with fork attached) could run
across the bottom of the transom, and a bolt of some sort could run
from that up through the bottom gudgeon (L-bracket)to stabilize it so
the whole thing doesn't slide off.
If I ever make one that works, I'll let you know. Anyone ever see
such a thing?
All best,
Garth
the Elegant Punt is similar to an idea I had after some miserable
dragging and wrestling with my Gypsy this summer, to get her back and
forth across a 200' (at low tide) sand bar and out into the water.
And since I cartop her and will frequently be doing all this solo, I
foresee similar or worse problems getting her across parking lots or
down boat ramps. I'm in a bind -- boat just light enough to cartop,
but too heavy for one guy to move very well, without causing damage.
Two guys can stagger around and bring her a good ways, but I'd like
to feel free to go solo sailing anytime I want. So . . .
I hope to devise some sort of stowable strap-on wheel system.
Wheel must be big enough to roll on sand -- maybe like an inflatable
wheelbarrow wheel, 10" in diameter and 4" or 5" thick. Still puzzling
over what sort of fork/frame to attach it to that would be light,
compact, yet attach reliably to the boat. I'd like to be able to
strap it on around the stern with nylon webbing, roll the boat to the
water, then pop it off and throw it all into my 12" X 16" hatch
during the sail. I'm thinking a 2X6 (with fork attached) could run
across the bottom of the transom, and a bolt of some sort could run
from that up through the bottom gudgeon (L-bracket)to stabilize it so
the whole thing doesn't slide off.
If I ever make one that works, I'll let you know. Anyone ever see
such a thing?
All best,
Garth