Moving boats with quad bikes

Into The Blue · 30 April 2011, 09:51

Anyone got any experience of moving boats around a yard with a quadbike? Been offered a small quad to help manoeuvring an 8 mtr boat as space is a bit tight for turning. It's only 100cc but it'll only be moving it 30mtrs. not sure if it'll have enough grunt.

Andy B · 30 April 2011, 10:18

grunts no good without grip! it probably wont be heavy enuff
unless your doing it with the jockey wheel up then it probably wont take the weight

BogMonster · 30 April 2011, 10:21

Should be no problem as long as it is low geared and has a centrifugal clutch, I have moved some very large trailers with the Honda TRX300 on our farm.

Loose gravel is your enemy, as is any sort of a hill, and needing to stop in a hurry. All three together is really bad news

(no prizes for guessing how I know...) but for moving a boat trailer around on the flat on hard ground, I think it would be OK.

Noseweight on the hitch will be something you need to check though, as a 100cc quad won't like a quarter of a ton on the back!

Dirk Diggler · 30 April 2011, 14:23

I use a 300cc Kawasaki to move 2 ton boats around my place without any problems

Into The Blue · 30 April 2011, 19:49

Thanks all, mostly soulds like good news, it'll be on the flat, only at very slow speed and no emergency stops needed. The surface is pretty compacted so should get some grip.
Weight looks like the biggest problem, nose wieght that is. It's on a double axle trailer and it's fairly light on the nose - 50kg I seem to remember.
As the Quad's only going to be £150 I'll give it a go and let you know how it goes
Cheers

ed_dash · 01 May 2011, 06:07

My local sailing club used to have a quad to tow the safety boats up the beach, they have had 3 in the past, all worked well, but not good for starting off or up a wet slip. The worst part was trying to unhook, our tow hitches needed to be lifted up vertical and then tilted forwards for it to detach, not the easiest with the tow hitch on the rear axle and under all the rear rack etc. If you have a tow hitch that is easy to get off then go for it.

Our local club now has a tractor, alot slower but will pull a lot more and with hydraulic lift on the back no more back strains.

The RNLI have now gone down the tractor route for the IB1 for the same reasons, lack of traction on the slipways.

Hope this helps

Mollers · 01 May 2011, 09:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Into The Blue

Anyone got any experience of moving boats around a yard with a quadbike? Been offered a small quad to help manoeuvring an 8 mtr boat as space is a bit tight for turning. It's only 100cc but it'll only be moving it 30mtrs. not sure if it'll have enough grunt.

You'll kill it. No way will the clutch cope.
I used to back my 6.5m in and out of a barn with a 400cc farm quad. The 400 wasn't keen on shifting 1500kg.

BogMonster · 01 May 2011, 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

You'll kill it. No way will the clutch cope.
I used to back my 6.5m in and out of a barn with a 400cc farm quad. The 400 wasn't keen on shifting 1500kg.

Depends on the surface though. A man can push a 2 ton 4x4 on level concrete. I agree you'd not get far on a draggy surface.

Solent-Salted · 06 May 2011, 14:48

We move a 5.4m with a 70hp 2str on the back with a 400cc Quad over shale on the flat, but we have to swap to the tractor for launch and recovery as is a beach with a high incline.