How far do you move your SIB on transom wheels? - Page 5

mm289 · 14 September 2019, 09:15

Interesting setup, the front of the Frib doesn't half feel heavy when you are pulling it up a slipway after a trip, doesn't help that the fuel tank is strapped in the middle and I have my anchor bag etc strapped to the front

so I feel your pain (I know I should remove them first but when your wet and just want to get out of the water

)

Looks like a really neat solution, espcially if you are launching from slips

Cheers,

Paul

Fenlander · 14 September 2019, 09:38

>>>especially if you are launching from slips

Apart from interim picnic stop pull outs we don't do sand/pebble beach launches... always plan our boating locations so the launch is in a more sheltered estuary, harbour or loch situation from a slip or hard. We're too old to be fighting soft sand and surf.

But what we do more than most I think is longer road/track trundles from setup to launch hence this bow trolley becoming more important. Everywhere we launch in England tends to be busy and being able to set up away from the frantic slipway car park bun fight then trolley to the water is a great advantage.

Fenlander · 14 September 2019, 12:21

Having sorted a few minor frustrations getting this trolley spot on for the Aerotec a bonus at the end.

After our aforementioned long trundles once the boat is floating I get the final bits sorted for sea as Mrs F takes the transom wheels back to car or cottage. I had wondered how she would manage wheels and trolley.

Well... had you designed the trolley to carry our transom wheels it couldn't have been better... result.

Tonus · 19 July 2020, 09:41

That looks great Fenlander - impressed with the modifications!

I'm on the verge of ordering one of these from YachtShop myself but was looking at the angle-adjustable one as I thought the pulling handle might be too low? Do you find it at a good height?

https://www.yachtshop.eu/en/product-...ts%20transport

It's not cheap so want to get it right - I think you have the non-adjustable one?

Tonus · 19 July 2020, 09:43

Can I also ask if you think this setup will work on a boat/outboard thats totals 150kg? It's an Excel Vanguard 435 with 350mm transom wheels and a Mercury 20hp...
I've yet to get it in the water as it arrived two days ago and I don't have the wheels yet!
Many thanks

Fenlander · 19 July 2020, 12:09

Do you mean would a trolley like mine work for your setup?

I think so. Problem we found... as out outfit became heavier in terms of fuel/kit... was if it was all laid out as it would be when at sea then it was too heavy a lift at the bow handle. So we'd move all the kit right to the transom in a big pile... some even hanging over the back of the transom.

This made it easier lifting at the bow but then there was so much weight on the transom wheels they would sink into soft surfaces and be a devil to pull up kerbs or crash into potholes etc.

Now we can set the boat up ready for sea and the weight is shared between transom wheels and bow trolley.

Yes... the handle is too low on that Trem trolley. I keep meaning to find if there is a local tube bender who could bring it up 4"-6" which would make it loads more comfortable.

Tonus · 19 July 2020, 16:13

Good to know that the weight can be spread out across the boat. I'll have to look into those long straps in case it wants to slide off!
Looking at the 'adjustable' trolley - The description doesn't give much away in the Trem catalog... it's hard to see exactly how it adjusts! Now I look I don't think it adjusts the angle of where the bow rests as I originally thought. A greyed out image that suggests the top section pivots to take you round corners.
A Google translate of the Italian alludes to htat too... hmm

Tonus · 19 July 2020, 17:00

... the wheels look smaller on the one I'm looking at too...

Fenlander · 19 July 2020, 17:00

Looking at the Trem catalogue...

https://www.yachtshop.eu/PDF/TREM/20..._TREM_2020.pdf

...my trolley is the third one down. The only similar was the second one down which doesn't steer and as far as I could think unless you never wanted to negotiate a corner or never turned it round then the lack of steering would have made it near impossible.

I think mine is described as articulated rather than adjustable.

Fenlander · 19 July 2020, 17:06

Yes mine has the smaller 260mm wheels compared with the non-steering one with 360mm wheels. With the transom wheels themselves supporting the main weight of the boat and outboard it's important their wheels/tyres aren't too small... but the load on the bow trolley is less and those smaller wheels are fine for the front end.

Fenlander · 19 July 2020, 17:16

The axle on my Trem trolley is 20mm so that gives you the opportunity for a massive choice of wheels (using bushes if reqd) if you wanted to swap for any reason.

Tonus · 19 July 2020, 17:46

Ah that's all good to know - thanks.
The transom wheels I'm going to install are 350mm (Trem) so they should be pretty substantial. I need to negotiate a ramp that's 60ft long and not too steep... there are stones all over the top of it at the moment and won't be cleared until the Covid situation improves... So I'm looking at dragging the boat 500 metres along the flat to the next ramp that is clear. Hence the need for more apperatus.

Until these transom wheels come I have no idea how hard/easy it is to drag the boat yet. Good to know how to distribute some of the weight...

Kristian S · 29 March 2021, 20:46

What a great thread!

Are you still happy with your setup Fenlander?

I just replaced a Honda 2.3 hp (12.4 kg) with a Yamaha 8 hp (28 kg) and I'm already dreading dragging my inflatable across the 100m wide beaches with loose sand...

Fenlander · 29 March 2021, 22:27

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Ha well time moves on... as does an age related shoulder problem so I have just bought an outboard 10kg lighter and soon should have a new SIB that is easier to manage. But yes to a degree it will be similar as in air floor SIB with transom wheels and probably still using a bow trolley but of a simpler type. I will be updating the thread late April when the new outfit is all in use.

But my setup is more suited to hard surfaces so you may need to do something different for 100m of soft sand.

Kristian S · 30 March 2021, 08:26

Thank you for the warm welcome.

What SIB/Outboard are you getting? I'd love hear about you new setup once you had time to try it out

100 m of soft sand was probably a bit of an exaggeration. The 2.3 hp would push me along at 7 km/h and I would always choose the launching site nearest to my destination - no matter the condition. The 8 hp should get me on the plane and allow me to pick actual slipways or at least better launching sites further away from where I want to go. So even though the 8 hp is a bit heavier it will hopefully make launching easier.

There are a few places I want to launch but cannot park the car close by where a bow trolley could come in handy. I also use the SIB for spearfishing as and I would like to be able to load all the gear in the boat at the car which adds quite a bit of weight, especially if I'm out with a mate, and it's not always possible to place all the weight above the transom wheels, so I think a bow trolley would be very handy.

Fenlander · 30 March 2021, 08:58

In a few weeks I should receive an Elling KB350 SIB. This has an efficient hull which will offset to a great extent the fact I'll be downsizing from a 15hp Yamaha to a Tohatsu 9.8 2-stroke which only weights 26kg. In the UK... together with the Yamaha/Mariner/Mercury 15hp 2-strokes... these Tohatsu models are in great demand on the used market because of the light weight. I'm also downsizing my fuel tank from 25lit to 12lit plus sorting out the over-large amount of kit I've always carried.

So weight savings all round is the plan.

Kristian S · 30 March 2021, 19:01

Ah yes the Elling KB350 was recommended to me as well on the f-ribsandsibs forum. I currently have a Zodiac 275 with an airdeck - my first SIB - and I'm thinking about upgrading to something a bit bigger and more seaworthy in a year or two. Maybe the Elling or maybe an F-Rib if I can justify the cost.

Apparently you can buy new 2-strokes from Mainbrayce on Alderney. It's very hard to find a good 2-stroke on the used market here in Denmark as well and they are way overpriced, so I'm considering making a holiday of a visit to the Channel Islands at some point and plan to bring home a brand new 2-stroke.

Tonus · 31 March 2021, 10:46

Kristian - I too have since switched to a lighter boat - I have a launching ramp 100m walk away that has become covered in tonnes of shingle over the months and now has a very steep storm bank... there's another ramp 500m away along a dead flat promenade so my trundle is going to be longer when I get back in the water!

I did buy a trolley like Fenlander's but the new Zodiac 360 is only 50kg so with the engine on and the transom wheels under the hull the balance is great and the boat feels super light even with fuel/anchor etc. I may employ some kind of shoulder or neck strap to help... will see how I go!

I have a feeling pushing will be easier then pulling but will try both.

Good luck!

Kristian S · 04 April 2021, 10:17

I read the whole 'Elling KB350 for Fenlander?'-thread and a bunch of other Elling KB350 posts. It really seems like an ideal packable, lightweight SIB that is stable, maneuvers well and can go plenty fast with small outboard. I really like all the pre-installed Borika mounts too as I fish a lot and the A-frame looks pretty neat... I might just join you in the Elling Club if you enjoy the boat

Fenlander · 04 April 2021, 16:57

Well the forum will be first to know how it works out for our use.