Motorised Boat Movers......

Crusher · 13 January 2013, 19:00

Does anybody use a motorised boat mover for moving / manovering the boat around? Not looking for anything to launch or recover with, but somthing to help manouve it around at home would be usefull.

I have seen the "Mr Shifta" and they seem to be alot of money (might be me being tight...)
Does anyone use anything else?

I found this with a bit of internet surfing and thought it looked interesting.....

What does anybody else think...........

homemade battery drill powered trailer dolly II.mov - YouTube

falcon0310 · 13 January 2013, 19:10

i want one

Boats&Outboards · 13 January 2013, 19:10

You can buy a manual one for £15, which gives you a handle (connects to tow hitch) to use to pull with, we use it a lot, works for us, upto 25ft boats on level ground is easy with it!

Peter @ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ www.BoatsandOutboards4Sale.co.uk ~ 07930 421007

simon23 · 13 January 2013, 19:29

My motorised boat mover

Crusher · 13 January 2013, 20:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon23

My motorised boat mover

I'd go for it

but a bit over budget and I know I'd never sell the idea to the wife.....

simon23 · 13 January 2013, 21:03

£50 they are out their if you are in the right place at the right time.its the only bit of luck I've ever had.. i had to promise i wouldn't pick her up from tesco's in it

oracle · 14 January 2013, 11:26

I have the Mr Shifta 3 which was pricey for sure. It's not quite as effortless as the video suggests but I am moving a twin axle 7m on gravel so it hasn't got a lot going for it really.

It has got loads of grunt just struggles for traction on the gravel. Once on the road it's a whole lot happier.

simsy · 14 January 2013, 12:49

The caravan people have many of these for sale..

Jizm · 14 January 2013, 16:23

I had one of these hitchdrive things. Pretty good but only on Tarmac or concrete. Coped with slopes ok though.

Hightower · 14 January 2013, 16:43

I reckon you could build one pretty easily using a reduction gearbox found on eBay and a Dewalt drill (found on another thread). Make sure the drill is a 12v one and an old car battery for the power delivery. find an old sack truck and a ball hitch and you'd just need to connect it all up.

paddlers · 14 January 2013, 16:51

What about one made out of a rotavator. Easy conversion plus it might go quite fast. I tend to pull mine about with the ride on mower if I cant be bothered with the Landy,

Crusher · 14 January 2013, 17:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by paddlers

What about one made out of a rotavator. Easy conversion plus it might go quite fast. I tend to pull mine about with the ride on mower if I cant be bothered with the Landy,

Now there's an EXCELLENT idea!!! My kind of project!! Watch this space!!!

mister p · 14 January 2013, 17:40

May I just ask, could you not just undo what you did to get it there in the first place?

Chris · 14 January 2013, 18:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

I reckon you could build one pretty easily using a reduction gearbox found on eBay and a Dewalt drill (found on another thread). Make sure the drill is a 12v one and an old car battery for the power delivery. find an old sack truck and a ball hitch and you'd just need to connect it all up.

Reduction gearbox | eBay

Like this one?

Peter_C · 14 January 2013, 20:49

Ha, and last night I was researching on electric wheel chairs in order to modify one. I want to build something similar to Sea Legs Rib, but with my smaller Zodiac, although not nearly as cool, and electric power. The problem is the wheelchairs are not designed to handle salt water so it can only be used "near" the water. The search for a cheap/free chair begins. Then I will build front launching wheels that pull the boat around, as the rears need to be used underwater for launching and recovery. I already have another set of Wheeleez sand tires for the front.

I have seen a few different styles of trailer movers. For one of my friends we bolted a winch to the floor of his garage in order to carefully and slowly pull his boat in. The winch had a wireless remote so it could actually be accomplished with one person. Pulling it out from the garage was usually much more involved since once the front wheel left the garage it wanted to head downhill, so again the winch was used to control the trailer.

Pigs, as they are referred to for airplanes are most often gas powered, and can move fairly heavy objects around. Today an electric unit would probably be preferable for convenience and noise. For light weight trailers and short distances a power drill setup works. As shown in the video a cordless would work, but the only one I have seen in person was a 1/2" corded drill that had a decent amount of power and was permanently fixed to the Pig. Longer and you will need a real motor. The more gear reduction the more it can pull. With a welder everything can be built fairly easily once the parts are sourced.

Hightower · 14 January 2013, 21:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

Reduction gearbox | eBay

Like this one?

I saw a better one than that for potentially less money.

falcon0310 · 14 January 2013, 22:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by paddlers

What about one made out of a rotavator. Easy conversion plus it might go quite fast. I tend to pull mine about with the ride on mower if I cant be bothered with the Landy,

can ask you do you have towbar on the front ? as be alot easyer to steer ?
had look on ebay and there quite few cheap with grass gear rusty or not working would tow 2 ton boat ? 50 mt ok ?

Hightower · 14 January 2013, 23:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by falcon0310

can ask you do you have towbar on the front ? as be alot easyer to steer ?
had look on ebay and there quite few cheap with grass gear rusty or not working would tow 2 ton boat ? 50 mt ok ?

I've got a front mounted tow bar on my truck and it's brilliant. Certainty worth considering.

mick · 15 January 2013, 06:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

I've got a front mounted tow bar on my truck and it's brilliant. Certainty worth considering.

I have as well and a winch that's handy at getting the rib out of a tight spot

Hightower · 15 January 2013, 13:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by mick

I have as well and a winch that's handy at getting the rib out of a tight spot

I haven't got a winch on mine, but does everything I ask of it. I'll have to modify the height of either the front or back tow ball this year as there is a bit of a difference that need evening up. But other than that it's fab!