getting your boat into the water

[Rakumi]

Hey everybody. So i just had a chance yesterday to use my new upgrades in the water (new wood floor, trolling motor. Etc). It wqs really awesome and so much more enjoyable than before. I could walk all around my excursion 5, even while the motor was running. My only issue seems to be the trouble of getting the boat in the water. When taking it out the water, i caught a little hole. I use to just carry the boat to the dock and bring my extras over to the dock, throw it all in the boat and push the boat over the side. Now with my wood floor (3/4 inch) and heavy battery, i need a different way. How should i best go about getting the boat in the water? I used my dolly yesterday but it is way too small and with all tbis new weight, i cant hardly get the dolly under it properly in the first place. What to do?

 

[ronaldj]

Re: getting your boat into the water

You can make a larger dolly or get a Kayak cart
I don't no enough about your boat to suggest transome wheels sorry

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: getting your boat into the water

You need a rigid back transom to install transom wheeels on/off. Don't play walking around inside deck while engine is running, assume that electrric engine doesn't have a kill cord, if you fall off boat you will see sib going straight which probably was the last tiller position left before falling from sib, bad music if all by yourself or without other boaters near you...

This is truly the last straw. That idiotic dirver should be inmediately fired

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mogrUQ9QIk#t=12

Happy Boating

 

[zurk]

Re: getting your boat into the water

just install a 4 wheel drive on your boat and push it like mine.

 

[Rakumi]

Re: getting your boat into the water

Hey zurk. Pretty cool. So wben you have it in the water, you leave the wheels on or pull them off? And if you pull them off, is it hard making sure the wheels dont sink?

 

[zurk]

Re: getting your boat into the water

rear ones flip up by pulling 2 pins, front ones are strapped in place so just pull front strap and flip on bow.

 

[Guest]

Re: getting your boat into the water

rear ones flip up by pulling 2 pins, front ones are strapped in place so just pull front strap and flip on bow.

how did you mount the front wheel??

 

[ronaldj]

Re: getting your boat into the water

Zurk
Is you boat on a Kayak dolly or are the rear wheels on your transformer.

 

[Sinistre1]

Re: getting your boat into the water

Ok Zurk... you certainly got everyone's attention... now spill the beans!!! Lol. How well does that work... and if the answer is well... you'd better start explaining how to make or purchase the exact same thing for my boat!!! Lol.

I'm mostly kidding but the desire to copy a functional set up like that would be great. Save a lot of wear and tear on my back... so if you don't mind.... pretty please??

close up pics of the front wheels/ strap set up would be AWESOME!!!!

 

[zurk]

Re: getting your boat into the water

heres a few pics.
basically rear wheels are ebay - largest size chinese generic crap. i then took the hollow crappy bars they have and went to a local machine shop and had them do the bars in solid aluminum. Front wheels are a collapsible dolly. one strap holds them to the front for flip up/flip down. they also float. got em from a kayak shop locally - mec. one strap goes around and passes thru the two towing hooks in front of the boat and is tightened so you can drive it around on 4 wheels by pushing the boat. can do it uphill as well. it rolls like a heavy cart basically. works surprisingly well only because the boat provide the rigidity and the solid aluminum prevents slippage.

 

[zurk]

Re: getting your boat into the water

one more. front showing wheel attachment.


i usually assemble it in the parking lot and push it 200-300ft down to the water. downslope is dangerous - boat is very heavy and will drag you down if you let it so tend to go slow downhill. uphill is not much problem and gravel paths are great as they provide some friction to roll nicely.

 

[Guest]

Re: getting your boat into the water

one more. front showing wheel attachment.
View attachment 227824

i usually assemble it in the parking lot and push it 200-300ft down to the water. downslope is dangerous - boat is very heavy and will drag you down if you let it so tend to go slow downhill. uphill is not much problem and gravel paths are great as they provide some friction to roll nicely.

if you dont mind can you assemble your front wheel before attaching it to boat? the closest thing i found was http://www.ezlaunchwheels.com/product.php?productid=20. To rich for my blood

 

[zurk]

Re: getting your boat into the water

more like $25.
NEW Deluxe Boat Kayak Canoe Carrier Dolly Trailer Trolley Transport Cart Wheels | eBay
The whole setup was less than $200. $40 for the front wheels, $80 for rear ones and $70 for machining out of solid aluminum blanks.

 

[JohnnyRudeClassics]

Re: getting your boat into the water

there has been an active thread on launching wheels lately
earlier today I posted about a set I constructed last year
http://forums.iboats.com/inflatables-ribs/launching-wheels-643628.html

 

[JohnnyRudeClassics]

Re: getting your boat into the water

one more. front showing wheel attachment.
View attachment 227824

i usually assemble it in the parking lot and push it 200-300ft down to the water. downslope is dangerous - boat is very heavy and will drag you down if you let it so tend to go slow downhill. uphill is not much problem and gravel paths are great as they provide some friction to roll nicely.

letting most of the air out of the tires could help slow your rig down