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[Tug---Kenny]

Here's a subject not covered much. 

Has anyone built a trolley to convey their craft to the lake. 

I have just spent two days building mine to transport my Boston Typhoon. This came about because I weighed her after the testing tank setting up to the waterline and balancing the sideways tilt fully loaded.

The total weight is now 3 stones, (or 42 pounds) and I nearly fell into the pond by lifting her out.  The pond is a recent acquisition from Wilkinsons and is featured in the 'Bargains' section.

The trolley comprises a set of Golf trolley wheels and handle, fitted onto a wooden board. Atop this is a standard boat cradle, glued and screwed down. It has it's first coat of paint and when finished, will be padded out to accommodate the boat. I have prevented tipping sideways by struts above the wheels. I don't want it to fall over on the corners.    I know it looks a long beast but the boat is 5 foot long anyhow. The handle folds back and the wheels tuck under the carriage, so it fits into the car with the boat.

Let's see your inventions.  :)

Ken




 

[Roger in France]

Very smart, Ken. It looks very manoeuvrable.

This topic was covered some time ago on the Forum but deserves airing as new ideas are always welcome.

As well as transporting to the waters edge, for large craft a solution is needed to helping with taking the weight when launching and recovering.

Come on Mayhemmers, let's have your latest brain waves.

Roger in France.

[tigertiger]

Yes Mayhemmers

Lets have some ideas for dealing with drop keeled boats as well.

Transportation, and launch and recovery

[Welsh_Druid]

After the Warwick Boat Show I visited the nearby Knightcote Model Boat Club and was very impressed with their launching facility.
I hope they don't mind me posting these photos.

Don B.

[catengineman]

Just mine for the Tito Neri

[Roger in France]

Yes, that's great CATENGINEMAN. Do you have any problem launching or recovering? What does your "Tito" weigh?

Still not got around to buying one!

Roger in France.

[banjo]

 :)

This is my Tito Trolley....

It all fits in the boot of my Mitsubishi FTO, I do have to dismount the superstructure and clear out the coats etc.
I use the neckstrap from my radio to pull it.
All the boat cradles I have are 9" between the legs ( ) to sit astride it.

Edit..
Yes Roger...Very heavy!!

[Roger in France]

Do you run the trolley down into the water?

Roger in France.

[banjo]

 
I usually use the local pond, Basingstoke; the water is "brimming"
It can be used as a launch trolley given suitable access.

[catengineman]

Yes, that's great CATENGINEMAN. Do you have any problem launching or recovering? What does your "Tito" weigh?

Roger in France.

I have modified the trolly since those pictures it now has phnewmatic tyres and I have a lift bar that hooks into the Gog eye and also the forward eye, I can then lift the tug from the water quite easily. I will get some new pictures and post them

[catengineman]

As Promised
(2484) trolly all set for transport
(2486) Handle and transmitter carrier removed, this config is great for working on tug
(2487) Lift handle fitted
(2488) Display stand off trolly and lift handle
(2489) Trolly handle back in trolly
(2490) + (2491)  Lift handle stowed on display stand

As for the weight it comes in at a back breaking 23 Kilos, I have even been known to roll the trolly down the slipway and then drive the tug off and recover it the same way. still had the problem of getting it into the back of my car :-\

Note to self ask SWMBO for a lighter boat or a hyab on the back of the car

[Big Ada]

If you are after wheels, shops that sell and repair wheelchairs do not change the tyres they throw the wheels away and fit new wheels,so they get over run with wheels that are ok for trolleys,chat up your local outfit.

Len.

[portside II]

I like the idea of the sideways slipway for launching ,we at goole did think of that idea for the pond as it would be in tradition of how some of the boats built at goole were launched ,but as the pond is only 18" deep (council regulations for health and safety) then the launching ramp would be really long or really steep and require an electric winch to operate the latter .we are still thinking of the idea of a crane of the type that is used on a boat (cant think of the name at the moment) the bent bar type with a pulley on the end and a cable winch, as there are some members who have difficulty getting back up from a launch never mind getting down there in the first place .
But back the the topic ,here is my boat transport when the weather gets better as the pond is only about half a mile from my house ,not sure about a launch though  .

[catengineman]

Sampson post or davit ? is that what you are thinking of?

[portside II]

Thats the thing ,yes  with a bearing at the base so it can be swung out over the water and the boat held on a sling with a frame above to keep the slings away from the delicate areas .
daz

[Roger in France]

catengineman,

Clearly well thought out and well engineered, well done. I bet you get requests to go into production.

I have never seen a lifting device which uses the boats own attachment points before.

For a club I would have thought a crane was easy and desirable, particularly where the pond edges are shallow.

Roger in France.

[catengineman]

I could go into production 

Lifting models with ropes or wires you would need 'spreader beams' and there would have to be two drop ropes so that the vessel being lifted did not swing with the rope/wire twist.

Then there is the hull shape's to think about  but nothing is impossible. :)

[DickyD]

Is it only me that cant see portside's photograph ? :-\

[Big Ada]

Is it only me that cant see portside's photograph ? :-\

Nope I can't see it either.

Len. :(

[catengineman]

Is it only me that cant see portside's photograph ? :-\

Nope I can't see it either.

Len. :(

Same here cant see the picture!

[portside II]

Don't worry i cant see it either ,loaded the photo up to photobucket and then posted it on here ,then i decided to sort my albums out and broke the link  oops !.
So when i noticed what had happend i tried to correct it before anyone (Richard) notices, too late ??? .
So here it is again.

daz

[DickyD]

Neat, so who do you get to peddle the bike ?  :-\

[portside II]

Mee  as the bike is a 23" frame and the wife is only 5'4"
daz

[catengineman]

Thats dedication for you 

Boy is that going to take a long time to get to the Mayhem Weekend lets hope its not raining

[kiteman1]

A cheap alternative that takes around five minutes to make is to use a pair of old seatbelt straps with a spreader bar at the top.

These are looped around and under the boat and are great for most boats if access is reasonable.  Nylon braided ines are easier to make inserted through plastic tube to protect the hull.....................

[portside II]

your right Kiteman1 ,we use the braided nylon flat band that comes in to the port as strops ,
with a loop at either end hooked over a short length of dowel (broom handle) and some lead strips in the botom they make great slings for launching and retrieving of your favorite craft .there is an abundent suply of this stuff if any one would like some ,its about 1"wide, 1/8" thick  and normaly about 3m long, lifting capacity about  500kg so it sould handle even the largest boats(thats models that fit in a car ,i have seen that lifeboat on here).
I dont think so catengineman  it's a long way down there    .
daz

[OMK]

Tug-Ken, neat idea posting this one. I like what you built there. Thing is, the pond from my place is but a few sheep fields away and doesn't really justify taking the car. Doing it by bike is a load more practical for me, so I'm aiming this particular question at Portside...

Portside, that is one heck of a neat contraption you got there. I love it already.
Can I ask you a question?
If I were to build one the same, how would I, or more to the point, how did you connect the trailer itself to the bike?
Where it's connected just beneath the seat, what did you do there? What parts did you use? Where do you get them?
What did you do to get it to pivot?

[Roger in France]

I think we are seeing some good examples of boat transport trolleys here, which is what this thread is about. I guess everyone has seen and used straps to lower a boat into the water when you have arrived at the pond. However, this is about the overland journey and the thread could be usefully extended into getting a large and heavy boat launched and recovered.

I am experimenting with plastic plumbing pipe and the many joints and fittings available. This will provide both a transportation trolley and a submersible launch/recovery tool. It will not corrode but is strong and light to use. Something like a sack truck or "diable" as they are called in France. I am trying to arrange for the transportation wheels to be changed in position to provide a pivot point for lowering down the pond bank. I will share my ideas after some further experimentation - it looks too Heath Robinson at the moment!

What I really want is a transportable crane which lifts the boat into the car, lifts it out and places the boat on the water. However, I think that would need towing behind the car and be more complex than practical. I just love setting out a problem and inventing a solution. The fact that it takes hours and could probably have been resolved more simply and quickly does not seem to deter me!

I must say that I have been caused to rethink by catengineman's connection to deck fittings, great idea that.

Roger in France.

[catengineman]

Hi Roger in France,
You mention that you would like to be able to lift vessel out of car onto transport then into water,

If I may help with the concept could you assist with some information like is the vehicle in question a hatch or ? weight and type of vessel.
I have a few brain cells jumping up and down waitting to be used.

[portside II]

Always glad to help PMK.
The trailer is made from box section ,the type used to make office furniture ,welded into a rectangular frame with a couple of braces for support .And the draw bar is the same box type but mine is slipped in another box to allow the draw bar to be extended ,also the wheels are on a pivoting axle with shocks so it can be flipped over and the axle moved to the back of the trailer.
the coupling is a home made ,see photo.


and the fitting for the bike is from one of thoes childrens towing bikes .


I bought this one for about a tenner from my local shop, if you want some more photos of the build i can post them for you .
daz

[Roger in France]

Hi catengineman,

Cars are currently a hatchback Renault "Espace" plenty of room or a Renault "Kangoo"slightly less space but again a hatchback. I also have a good car trailer which could be used and may even buy a cheap van one day.

I am thinking about lifting heavy tugs and merchant ships. In some the large batteries can be removed but I am setting myself the parameters of 50kg. in weight, 2m. in length, by 50cm. wide, height 1m.

My idea is to have a transporter/launcher which will accept the appropriate cradle for different vessels.

All (polite) suggestions will be well received.

Roger in France.

Roger in France.

[catengineman]

Thank you Roger in France,

Brain cell in gear Await momentum from muscles   

R,

[catengineman]

As a rough idea Roger in France

Would this be the sort of thing you were thinking of if it was made in Aluminium Alloy it would be light and manageable I think.



Rough idea,

In one corner of a trailer mount a tubular post that can pivot (base bearing may be required) [the height of this post is not stated] The top of this post there would be a pivot point and strengthened with compensating plates. This would support a section of *Boom*
The boom is telescopic by means of one tube sliding inside the other, locking at various extension lengths via “R” pin and holes drilled through both tubes. The end of the larger boom would have a small sheave (roller) this would be for a wire (rope) to travel on from a small boat winch affixed to the up-stand post around the sheave and then back to the up-stand, giving lifting/lowering control of the boom.
The end of the inner boom section would have an eye for connecting a swivel.
In turn this swivel would be connected to a scissor type spreader beam, at the end of each beam there would be hooks for the attachment of webbing straps which would be lengthened or shortened depending on vessel to be lifted.
The up-stand to boom pivot point should be constructed so that the boom would lower fully and that the boom would then lay parallel to the up-stand. Having removed and *shut* the scissor spreader the boom and up-stand could be lifted out of its pivot from the trailer and stowed for transport.

[Roger in France]

I like it! Thanks. Attaching it to the trailer makes a lot of sense.

I was thinking of a crane on a dolly so I could load the boat from the car or trailer and trundle it to the pond side. However, there is the problem of stability which requires a very heavy base...then I need a crane to pick that up......

OK off to the workshop. But don't hold your breath as this is Project 99!

Roger.

[catengineman]

Just wish I was on a certain vessel right now then I could have the required tubes just laying there wanting to be used
But alas I no longer work for that company