How far do you move your SIB on transom wheels?

[jeffstevens763@g]

hi David

i use lobster pot hooks the ones they use to keep the door shut about 20p each made from ABS plastic very strong got kind finished curves got a large hole in the top and you could put a number side by side bolted through the hole making one big hook the width of the handle. google lobster pot accessories their about 4" long.

cheers

[kaman]

Hi Fenlander.
I have the exact same engine trolley as yours in your earlier post for my Tohatsu 20hp.
At around 52kg the Tohatsu is a fair old lump.
The trolley is rated to 60kg - I never trusted it so I set about strengthening it earlier this year as it flexed quite a bit when i was moving the engine around.
Firstly I cut a 5mm steel plate to go over the wooden engine mount.
I then welded a strengthening bars from the handle to the transom mount upright bar.
I also welded the metal bar that goes between the upright legs in place so that the trolley can't accidentally collapse.
Not pretty but I have a lot more confidence in the trolley now.

[Fenlander]

Jeff like these... yes I could see several on a bar doing the job... thanks??

Plastic Creel hooks for Lobster and Crab Pots


Funny you should mention that Karman I have a plan to strengthen it but I have to keep it folding. Going to put on a larger thicker pad and upgrade the pivot bolts.

[Neil Harvey]

If it were me, but I also have trailers to move around, I would leave ball in place, find an old hitch, and fabricate a metal tubular bar into a sticking up angled forward v shape. Handle can then locate over that. Front of boat swivels on ball. Its what the ball is designed for, so why not use it?

[chipko]

Fenlander,
I cobbled together this 'strap on' bow support to pull boat with the dolly. Pulling strain is taken on the D rings and top carpeted to protect tubes.
No photos I'm afraid but quick fag packet sketch to give an idea hopefully🤔

PS....clips on boat fittings with ss carabiner snap springs- not drawn.

[Fenlander]

Now that's a great alternative idea Chipko.... near genius standard!

The dolly arrived today and it's far larger and heavier made than expected. Brilliant value but just a bit more bulky than expected so I'm planning my first mods to narrow the axle track so if ever modded to carry the outboard it will easily fit through house/shed doors.... and cut down the handle.

[chipko]

Yes they are rather large and heavy. Bizarrely, there are scaled down versions which are considerably smaller and lighter, but look identical on flea bay. The only clue is they have smaller wheels and silver wheel rims, often more expensive also. This is a smaller one I think;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291488932425
Shame to cut yours down.

[Fenlander]

>>>Shame to cut yours down.

Well yes and no. It's rated to 600+lbs and I reckon it will carry no more than 50lbs (SIB) or 100lbs if modded to carry the outboard so happy to alter to suit. To be honest at just under £40 delivered it's peanuts beside something like the genuine Zodiac/Bombard article which is more like £300.. so don't feel too guilty about cutting it about.

[chipko]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

the genuine Zodiac/Bombard article which is more like £300

Can you still get the Zodiac Bow Trolly anywhere? I looked to no avail a while back.

[Fenlander]

Funnily enough I watched one on Ebay over the last few days.. with a pair of Zodiac transom wheels it made £310!!

Forgetting the price as far as I know it doesn't fold at all which would be a problem for me.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ZODIAC-CAD...p2047675.l2557

[Fenlander]

So assembled the dolly. Had to file a couple of holes out to get the bolts to line up but fine at the price. Definitely too big for my purpose so axle and handle will be cut down.

Surprised how well it sits crudely hooked under the bow handle. However this only gives me about 4" ground clearance so I need to end up with the bow held about 4"-6" higher.

If the images bring any further thoughts to mind apart from Jeff's and Chipko's be interested to hear them.

Whatever raises the height of the dolly-bow interface needs to easily come off for car transport.

[Nick Hearne]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

So assembled the dolly. Had to file a couple of holes out to get the bolts to line up but fine at the price. Definitely too big for my purpose so axle and handle will be cut down.

Surprised how well it sits crudely hooked under the bow handle. However this only gives me about 4" ground clearance so I need to end up with the bow held about 4"-6" higher.

If the images bring any further thoughts to mind apart from Jeff's and Chipko's be interested to hear them.

Whatever raises the height of the dolly-bow interface needs to easily come off for car transport.

7/8" Long Ball Hitch Pin - 50MM 1250KG Trailer Tractor Towing Hitch Universal | eBay

How about this to give you the exta height, will stress the fram more but recon it will work 👍

[Fenlander]

Interesting idea/link Nick thanks. I've made up a "replica" of where that would bring me and the height is perfect. The more I think about it for our use I'd like to try and replicate my hand in the way it pulls the bow handle... in the same way the highly expensive Zodiac bow dolly does.

So I may get a length of M20 threaded bar and nuts to replicate the height of that extended ball which just leaves me the "hand" to find which can can go on top of the bar.

The blocks are setting the dolly at the height I'd pull it.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Jeff like these... yes I could see several on a bar doing the job... thanks??

Plastic Creel hooks for Lobster and Crab Pots


Funny you should mention that Karman I have a plan to strengthen it but I have to keep it folding. Going to put on a larger thicker pad and upgrade the pivot bolts.

That's um the large ones I have some on my small fenders just hook them through the life line on the boat at the double eyelets saves tieing on.

Cheers

[adamv66]

Fenlander,

Here's my solution using the exact same (unmodified) dolly you have:

- Nylon strap (garish orange optional) between the 2 front D rings.
- Fabric/carpet/curtain (I used curtain but your preference may dictate otherwise) over the tow ball. I secured using a zip-tie. Other methods would be equally good.
- Plonk bow of boat onto tow ball and hook under the nylon strap.
- Tow.

It works a charm. I can easily tow my outfit (boat+outboard+fuel+gear etc) over half a mile singlehandedly almost effortlessly as all the weight is borne by the wheels. The ground clearance is pretty good too. My only slight concern was wear to the pvc where the towball is in contact/rubbing during turns etc, however I have been keeping a very close eye on it and having used it many times already there is absolutely no rubbing/damage apparent at all. If it starts to look like it might be doing some harm I will glue a small rectangular repair patch where it makes contact to protect the fabric of the boat (I may do this anyway as a precaution). The beauty of it is you can adjust the length of the nylon so the bow is supported by the tow ball wherever you wish it to be.

Hopefully the pictures clarify my poor description.

[adamv66]

As an addendum, I originally tried hooking the towball onto the front ring as you are but found that it kept slipping to one side or the other and making the bow rather unstable/wanting to fall over. On the honwave it also looked like it was putting an awful lot of strain on the pvc/patch where the handle is attached as it was forcing it upwards beyond where it wanted to be. Admittedly, on your rig it doesn't look quite as awkward.

[Fenlander]

Cheers Adam. That gave me the enthuiasm to rough rig how you have it and I have to say instant result. Easy to move and turns corners well.

The way it sits under the Aerotec would probably encourage me to go at least part way to a similar idea to Chipko's stool seat with a boss under to take the ball. But just trying it with the existing ball and rope through the D-rings has moved my ideas forward thanks.

[Fenlander]

Progress has been a bit slow as I'm considering swapping to a different sort of transom wheel with a longer leg which might change things re the height of the trolley arrangement. I've some alternatives arriving before too long and then I'll decide finally on how the trolley holds the bow.

However I have modded the size of the trolley as I'd planned as it was too large and gangly for our needs.

First as the wheels were too far apart to pass though a doorway I found it was possible to grind off the collars (just tacked on washers) so the wheel hubs could slide right up to the A-frame. Then I cut off the excess "axle" each side and re-drilled the holes for split pins/R-clips.

This has lost 6" of the width so it will pass through a door now and is still wide enough to be very stable.

This is how it was as supplied...

[Fenlander]

I also found the handle was longer than I needed and by chance the way it was made there was a section that could be removed to lose 10". It's the U-shaped part on the ground in these images of the finished job. It only needed one extra hole drilling to shorten like this.

[chipko]

As number one son has been abroad this year and off to Uni next, I'm finding most of the pulling and shoving the sibs across the site, through the dunes etc. is now down to yours truly.
So to make boating life a little less stressful I've replaced him with one of these. 😀