How far do you move your SIB on transom wheels?

[Fenlander]

Stig asked by PM how easy my outfit is to move along the road on its transom wheels so thought I'd start a thread where I could chuck up a couple of images and see how others get on.

I've owned at least 8 SIBs fitted with either Zodiac OE or Trem transom wheels. In all cases I've found with the outboard on as it sits behind the wheels it tends to balance out the weight of the boat you have to lift on the bow handle.

I do put the fuel tank and all my kit right by the transom to minimise extra weight on the bow handle when doing a road trundle then set it all up in the proper place at the top of the slipway. I make sure the transom wheels move freely on the legs and coat the moving surfaces with waterproof grease every few outings.

Set up like this I happily trundle the boat single handed along the road for quite a distance at normal walking pace with little effort.... up to a 5min walk if it enables easy parking and setup space away from a busy slip.

I did make up an alloy pole with a clip at the centre to go on the bow handle so two could share the pull but it just became annoying as none of the rest of the family walk as fast as me so I seemed to be dragging them as well as the boat.

This year our 2wk holiday will require the boat to be pulled a couple of minutes up a hill from the slip to hide in a garden and I'm thinking of buying a new outboard trolley like a Rooteq which with a small adaptation can also be used to hook under the bow handle so all my effort is in pulling it along and none lifting.

Images of Zodiac 340 air floor/15hp and a smaller wood floor Avon with 4hp.

[Max...]

Good post David. It's amazing how easy it is to pull a pretty heavy SIB/engine combo single handed on 'smooth' surfaces even on gentle gradients. Of course the issue for many of us is beaches (especially many in the UK that are shingle/pebbles and steeply sloping) where that same rig seems like a small hatchback stuck in mud in comparison.

[jeffstevens763@g]

although i trailer my boat and always have done i found last time out the water was not deep enough to float off, so i took the trailer off the car and pushed it in which is some what of a pain on rough sea bed so i have fitted some new transom wheels 450 mm dia s/s legs 200 kg capacity, not used them as yet but feel with the wheels down i can lift the boat off the trailer at the bow and push back so only having to travel 4 m to clear, lift the wheels and we are afloat they can be left on or removed so i have the benefit of beaching when out, gives more scope and as you say you never know when they will come handy if the slip is crowded etc. i did wonder and time will tell if a harness of some sort would help leaving hands free and using the power in my legs as apposed to one hand, we will see.
one other thing and for the money the inflatable rollers that gurnard uses are worth looking at especially when wheels get bogged down

cheers

[Stigomery]

I think my issue is balance and packing. I've never moved it more than 100 yds or so on its transom wheels, as such I've only ever moved it set up as it would be in the water. So, with 10l of fuel as well as a 25kg leisure battery under the front seat, not to mention my sizable lunch and snack box and the aux motor (about 8kg) it's always felt more like that hatchback in mud than how Fenlander describes it...

Will experiment with stern packing next time!

[Max...]

Originally Posted by Stigomery

I think my issue is balance and packing. I've never moved it more than 100 yds or so on its transom wheels, as such I've only ever moved it set up as it would be in the water. So, with 10l of fuel as well as a 25kg leisure battery under the front seat, not to mention my sizable lunch and snack box and the aux motor (about 8kg) it's always felt more like that hatchback in mud than how Fenlander describes it...

Will experiment with stern packing next time!

That's the trick. With any weight in the nose all your effort goes in lifting rather than pulling. For moving it you want *all* the weight over the wheels - piece of cake then.....unless you're on the aforementioned shingly sloping beach the you have to send your young son up and down a few times with the Pelicase, fuel, bags etc, etc...

[jwalker]

If it's too heavy or you need a long distance pull, make a wee front cradle with a single wheel on it. Somewhere I've a picture, if I ever come across it I'll scan it and post it here.

[Fenlander]

>>>make a wee front cradle

I'm thinking of ending up with something like these (I like the Zodiac one but hellish expensive new and rarely seen used)...

[Fenlander]

But a DIY adaptation of this Rooteq folding outboard trolley so it's one less thing to carry in the car...

[Fenlander]

Thern there's Chipko's trailer moving dolley converted to also take an outboard which could so easily be made to hook the SIB bow handle...

http://www.rib.net/forum/attachment....2&d=1456243469

And Paddlers design as well...

http://www.rib.net/forum/attachment....7&d=1408962479

[jeffstevens763@g]

someone posted one off ebay about £29 as i recall with a tow ball on it?
what do you think using on sand/stone two more wheels to dig in or a great help it will do the job on roads/slips for sure.

ah you beat me to it cheers

[Fenlander]

This is the Ebay one you could mod to suit...

Metal Caravan Trailer Dolly Mover - H-Duty Black - For Boat - Jet Ski - Utility | eBay

[jwalker]

I used a single front wheel and it was under the keel at the front and worked as a caster. I also found that it needed to be well attached to the boat - roped on at each side - because you'll end up hauling it sideways to bump over rocks and when turning corners. When the front end was loose, the whole rig became a floppy uncontrollable thing, the front wheel having a mind of its own.

[chipko]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

what do you think using on sand/stone two more wheels to dig in or a great help it will do the job on roads/slips for sure.

We pull ours about 300 metres through these dunes, soft sand and over grass to and from beach fully loaded on this launch trolley and dolly. I think it would put too much stress on the bow fittings if we regularly pulled it through this terrain on only transom wheels and dolly.
Tend to only use transom wheels for launching/recovery when the surf is up!!
This set up works best for us as boat is left on trolley inflated (at half pressure) and covered over the summer.

[Stigomery]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

But a DIY adaptation of this Rooteq folding outboard trolley so it's one less thing to carry in the car...

If you're thinking of using this for the OBM then I think a 20HP is a little too big/doesn't fit... I was going to negotiate one into my SIB bundle but when I researched it the Honda was too big/it needed to be modified to fit.

You say "DIY adaption" so I'm guessing this is not an issue - but just flagging...

[adamv66]

Interesting thread! I've been looking for solutions like this. I live about half a mile from the slipway and have been carrying my sib down the road there and back since I got it a few months back. Do-able but not very comfortable! Its about 10 mins each way when fully loaded up. As previously mentioned - keeping all the load/fuel tank etc as close to the transom as possible is the key. The method I've recently started using is a strap which goes around my neck/shoulders and clips onto the eye at the bow thus saving my arms which helps somewhat but it is still heavy and awkward.

Any method of getting some sort of wheels up the front to take the load would be ideal so interested to see what methods others are using! Considered using a kayak trolley but the wheels need to be steerable to go round corners etc. So something like a kayak trolley would only be able to go in a straight line I think!

[Stigomery]

I just tried out my Canadian canoe wheels, they might actually just do the job perfectly...!

[chipko]

Originally Posted by Stigomery

If you're thinking of using this for the OBM then I think a 20HP is a little too big/doesn't fit... I was going to negotiate one into my SIB bundle but when I researched it the Honda was too big/it needed to be modified to fit.

I would second that. I have one for a 9.8 Tohatsu and they are not that stable even for this lightweight!

[Max...]

To pull ours up the beach we use an old bike handlebar with a rope threaded through and then this rope goes through the front ring and clips to the bridle rings further back - all tight so you're lifting and pulling - one person each side.

[adamv66]

Originally Posted by Stigomery

I just tried out my Canadian canoe wheels, they might actually just do the job perfectly...!

Attachment 111064
Attachment 111065

Does this setup only allow you to go in a straight line? looks like would be awkward to go round corners?

[Stigomery]

Originally Posted by adamv66

Does this setup only allow you to go in a straight line? looks like would be awkward to go round corners?

Yes... but...

- it cost me nothing
- if we're talking a 500m hike I expect most of that can be negotiated with the majority in straight lines

Cornering would just require lifting and realigning every so often