Mounting Beachmaster wheels

John Kennett · 09 April 2011, 05:35

I feel a set of Beachmaster wheels calling me, but I would need to find a good way of attaching them to the transom so that they are easily removable.

The suggested solution on the Beachmaster web site involves leaving 8 short studs protruding from the transom. I wouldn't be happy with this for a few reasons: I would be concerned about chafing the end cones while the boat is packed up; having 8 nuts to do each time is about 6 fixings too many; it would always be a bodge.

Any engineering types got any bright ideas?

Ribtecer · 09 April 2011, 07:33

I two have that feeling, I wonder if we can save each other some money?

I also feel the same way re removal, I have not finished on the thought process yet, but have been thinking of having a blank with the same foot print to cover the studs when packing away the boat (Avon Rover 310), When useing the wheels I'd use wing nuts and when packing the boat up I would use dome nuts.

Any further idea's???

Ribtecer

Nos4r2 · 09 April 2011, 08:02

If it won't be too hard to remove and replace them, why not use a couple of big wingnuts and bolts all the way through to hold the moving assembly to the backing plate? That cuts you from 8 bolts to 4.
However, I notice in the folded pics the tyre would be hitting the bolt by doing that, so you'd have to work out if you could lock them up in a slightly lower position.

kitten · 09 April 2011, 10:54

plate on the transom withe two tee slots in place of the bottem bolts and a catch at the top?
four protex bolts in from the sides?
chewing gum and crazy glue?

jwalker · 09 April 2011, 11:08

You could do away with four of the bolts by making a plate which fixes permanently to the transom. The plate would have a dog's leg bend in it so that the top of the wheel mounting can slide below it. You may need to slot the lower holes depending on the tightness of your fit under the plate. If you have a big vise, bending a piece of plate is easy enough. Instructions if necessary.

Alternatively, stick a bit of tube over the bolt ends when folding up and don't fret about it.

prairie tuber · 09 April 2011, 23:40

Here you go, but I have the slots upside down in the first picture.

Ribtecer · 10 April 2011, 05:44

Good thinking and on the right lines, but with that design as soon as your afloat Davy Jones gets the Beachmaster doesn't he?

John Kennett · 10 April 2011, 07:25

I had thought of something along those lines, but hadn't worked out the details of the "bolts". Zodiac/Bombard use something similar for the lower fixing on their launching wheels - I was going to search for something suitable but can't for the life of me think what it might be called!

As a development of prairie tuber's solution (with the slots the right way up) how about three of those fixings plus one threaded insert in the transom to take a thumb bolt? That way it's positively secured with only one removable part per wheel, and minimal protrusions.