Boatworld kayak Boat 365 and an Outboard engine - Launch wheels question

deadsquirrel · 07 January 2026, 21:49

If you have that boat with an outboard engine, what launch wheels have you used? Im worried about clearance from the engine when the wheels are fully up. Im thinking of getting the boatworld heavy duty wheels that seem to have two positions in the hope it clears it. If it does not, ill modify it with a chain so it stays at around 45 degrees up.

Anyone have any tips?

Fenlander · 08 January 2026, 08:44

From a casual look at online images that transom looks too narrow to fit launch wheels, even if you could get them on the idea of them clattering about held half tilted with a chain sounds very irritating.

However at 30kg for the boat and a max 6hp outboard which will be no trouble to carry surely this would be an easy outfit to launch without wheels? If you did want them though I might look at the slip under kayak/canoe type.

deadsquirrel · 08 January 2026, 11:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

From a casual look at online images that transom looks too narrow to fit launch wheels, even if you could get them on the idea of them clattering about held half tilted with a chain sounds very irritating.

However at 30kg for the boat and a max 6hp outboard which will be no trouble to carry surely this would be an easy outfit to launch without wheels? If you did want them though I might look at the slip under kayak/canoe type.

thanks for looking! I will be using it for spearfishing and mainly on my own so quite a bit of equipment like weights, gun, anchor, engine itself is 27kg, fuel etc. So would be good to have a decent solution for this if i can find one otherwise its quite a few trips back and forth from the car to the beach.

do you have a link for the type of wheels you meant?

Fenlander · 08 January 2026, 22:40

Fully understand if you have lots of kit. We have so many individual items for a day out we usually set everything up and transom wheel to the water, sometimes several hundred metres.

I was thinking of this type of thing for you...

https://boatworld.co.uk/products/rib...CABEgJhD_D_BwE

Daithidonegal · 31 January 2026, 11:22

Hi, did you get sorted as to wheels? I heard people say the c tug sandtrackz would work. Im looking at the boatworld 435. What make you decide on a kaboat over a regular sib say 3.2 meter. Im in two minds.

Steve509926 · 31 January 2026, 23:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daithidonegal

Hi, did you get sorted as to wheels? I heard people say the c tug sandtrackz would work. Im looking at the boatworld 435. What make you decide on a kaboat over a regular sib say 3.2 meter. Im in two minds.

I'll say hi and welcome here, but it may be better if you start a new thread if you are in two minds about which sib would suit you best. You may get a better and more mixed response.

Daithidonegal · 01 February 2026, 08:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve509926

I'll say hi and welcome here, but it may be better if you start a new thread if you are in two minds about which sib would suit you best. You may get a better and more mixed response.

Hi Thanks Steve. I'll do that.

deadsquirrel · 10 February 2026, 21:45

Hey guys. Apologies. Had no idea there were more replies.

I really don’t want anything that needs to be stored on the boat as it will have limited space as it is.

I think I found an example of what I want to achieve. Does anyone know what wheels those are?

https://youtube.com/shorts/gdVdVA2ge...fc67JAJ0hTnvcD

Steve509926 · 10 February 2026, 23:16

They look like Vevor 500lb launch wheels (which don't appear to be available anymore) adapted with some extra webbing and a snap buckle. The extra pins with the hangers look too good to be home made/diy'ed.
Have you asked the originator of the YouTube short?

deadsquirrel · 11 February 2026, 10:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve509926

They look like Vevor 500lb launch wheels (which don't appear to be available anymore) adapted with some extra webbing and a snap buckle. The extra pins with the hangers look too good to be home made/diy'ed.
Have you asked the originator of the YouTube short?

I did some research and came to the same conclusion. And, like you discovered they don’t sell them any more. The search for a solution continues 😬

deadsquirrel · 14 February 2026, 19:20

So i found one manufacturer that makes something that looks ideal as it has a horizontal position BUT the reviews mention the spring loaded mechanism rusts and falls a apart. (https://shorturl.at/bWNUg)

So im thinking... for anyone that has experience of these items, if i buy one like the attached image shows, would i be able to just use a grinder to create two new tabs so that it clips into them in a horizontal fashion? Will that work?

Steve509926 · 14 February 2026, 21:05

I don't see a reason why you couldn't grind a slot so the wheels would clip into a horizontal position. However, I wouldn't want my transom wheels in a horizontal position when I'm out on the water.
The stress and strain on the brackets, pins, transom bolts, and the transom itself, would be greatly increased and could cause them to fail.

deadsquirrel · 14 February 2026, 21:19

Hmm.. good point. I think attaching some sort of strap/chain or bungee to take the weight would help.

Fenlander · Yesterday, 11:28

Do you really need wheels that stay with the boat? The previously mentioned kayak style wheels you slip under and secure with a ratchet strap just for the launch process would be so much easier.

It just seems a less than elegant mechanical solution to have those wheels sticking out horizontally when considering the stresses in a chop.

I know we all have slightly different ways of operating our SIBs but for some ten years now we've only fitted transom wheels to launch then they come off and go back to the car. At mid trip destinations we either moor to a pontoon or pull up on a beach, we never pull right out enough to need the wheels.

deadsquirrel · Today, 08:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Do you really need wheels that stay with the boat? The previously mentioned kayak style wheels you slip under and secure with a ratchet strap just for the launch process would be so much easier.

It just seems a less than elegant mechanical solution to have those wheels sticking out horizontally when considering the stresses in a chop.

I know we all have slightly different ways of operating our SIBs but for some ten years now we've only fitted transom wheels to launch then they come off and go back to the car. At mid trip destinations we either moor to a pontoon or pull up on a beach, we never pull right out enough to need the wheels.

Once I get the boat, if I don’t see a solution then I’ll consider removable wheels or those really small plasticky ones. Like these https://www.amazon.co.uk/MiDMarine-C...=ALBQQ9E6GX5AP

Here is a clip of the wheels https://youtu.be/U4LsvBkmEsY?si=Wj-xVYeNXstqgDFU

Only disadvantage is the clearance as I’ll be launching from very uneven areas on lizard but still much better than none.

Steve509926 · Today, 10:49

Small plastic wheels are great on a smooth concrete slipway, anything a bit rough and they next to useless as the diameter is too small to get over pebbles/ rocks etc.
Another disadvantage is they are brittle and can snap.
See last picture in #1:-
https://www.rib.net/forum/f50/rednec...ong-86146.html

Fenlander · Today, 11:27

>>>I’ll be launching from very uneven areas on lizard but still much better than none.

To back up Steve's comment... Those little plastic wheels are fine for a 2.8m rowed tender to a yacht trundled unladen a few metres down a concrete slip. For a kitted out setup with OB on and an uneven foreshore forget it.