Launch wheels suitability - Page 4

IanH · 22 May 2013, 19:51

Just rolled the boat up into its bag. Wheels didn't seem to add any noticeable bulk nor look as if they will damage tubes

The only slight negative may be that the centre of gravity of the bag has shifted, making it want to be carried on one side. But that may have been caused by packing the oars and seat in the bag. Just a minor niggle if it is one and only a problem when it took us by surprise lifting off the ground and then having to roll it over when putting it on a bench.

JCW · 22 May 2013, 20:12

Fitted mine last week, I mounted them about 20mm lower than the installation instructions show. The bracket is flush with the bottom of the transom. This does give extra clearance between the wheels and bottom of the boat. My Honda 2hp Skeg does not contact the ground in the lowered position. The wheels appear robust and well made. I have the covers fitted to the tyres and the boat still fits in its bag. I will be trying them out in anger next month when I go on holiday.

gotchiguy · 22 May 2013, 21:25

Looks good

Going to fit mine next week with a liberal amount of sikaflex added into the mix!

gotchiguy · 24 May 2013, 08:46

What size drill bit did you use? Is 8mm fine despite the thickness?

JCW · 24 May 2013, 09:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

What size drill bit did you use? Is 8mm fine despite the thickness?

I used a pilot drill first to make a small hole, then with the 8mm drill I drilled a few mm in on one side (to prevent any break out) then from the other side went straight through with the 8mm wood drill.

gotchiguy · 24 May 2013, 09:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCW

I used a pilot drill first to make a small hole, then with the 8mm drill I drilled a few mm in on one side (to prevent any break out) then from the other side went straight through with the 8mm wood drill.

Ok good idea, I will do that then.

IanH · 25 May 2013, 14:41

Took boat on maiden voyage this morning and found a problem with the wheels

Because you don't take them off and clutter up the inside of the boat, or they are not big and ugly and stick up above the transom, its all too easy to forget that you have not raised them up

if anyone has seen the episode, all I can say is Mythbusted

Other than that minor hiccup, they were great although the boat still needed quite some lifting at the front for the 100 meters to the slip. May need to come up with a dolly to take some of the weight off the front.

I earlier made a comment about weight of wheels potentially putting bag off balance. Well, our attempt today we left out the bench seat and no problems with bag being out of balance so I think I can say that the wheels add no noticeable bulk or weight to the bag.

It may just be a lowly sib, but put it attracted a fair bit of attention and I think admiration for its ease of launch and recovery by hand. So much so that someone who saw us launch waited till our return to ask us questions on the wheels he was so impressed.

IanH · 27 May 2013, 08:31

Wheels also coped with pulling across the mud of the riverbed as tide was below level of slip when we returned.

Do need to find a way of pulling boat the 100+ meters to/from deflation point. Thinking of either dolly wheel or harness.

Another minor negative. Having spent best past of 3 hours motoring and floating up river with the tide accompanies with masses of floating reeds and seaweed, at slow speed or when drifting the space between wheel and back of transom can collect the reeds.

gotchiguy · 28 May 2013, 12:33

Each of the bolts has two washers on my new wheels. Can't see these anywhere in the instructions. I think it would not help the waterproofing to have them either side of the transom surely?

Fitting on thursday.

IanH · 28 May 2013, 19:20

Just use the single washer between nut and the plate on the inside of the transom.

I didn't use any sikaflex as I believe that the gasket is more than up to the job of sealing water out and the holes are way above the waterline.

gotchiguy · 28 May 2013, 19:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanH

I didn't use any sikaflex as I believe that the gasket is more than up to the job of sealing water out and the holes are way above the waterline.

I think that's a bit brave!

IanH · 28 May 2013, 20:08

The lowest hole is 100mm above the waterline, the wheels protect the area from and splashing and it a very substantial gasket that runs the whole length of the fitting so will be very evenly compressed. My transom is also perfectly flat to no less than 50mm from the lowest hole so the gasket will only be sealing flat surfaces within the areas of the holes. No mention of sealant in instructions either.

Bit like a head gasket on an engine that is fitted with no sealant - will last 100000+ miles and is under far greater pressure. But then some people will still use a sealant just in case.

gotchiguy · 30 May 2013, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanH

The lowest hole is 100mm above the waterline, the wheels protect the area from and splashing and it a very substantial gasket that runs the whole length of the fitting so will be very evenly compressed. My transom is also perfectly flat to no less than 50mm from the lowest hole so the gasket will only be sealing flat surfaces within the areas of the holes. No mention of sealant in instructions either.

Bit like a head gasket on an engine that is fitted with no sealant - will last 100000+ miles and is under far greater pressure. But then some people will still use a sealant just in case.

I would have disagreed with you simply because of how easy it is to dab a little sika around it but having now fitted them I completely agree with you. No need for sealant, everything you say is right I would be very surprised if they let any water in.

Transom wheels - YouTube

prairie tuber · 01 June 2013, 18:27

In any application where I need a bolt to go through the transom which will sustain any significant load (such as outboard mountings and launching wheel mountings), I use a bronze sleeve.

The length of the sleeve is ground to precisely match the thickness of the transom and the inner diameter provides a snug fit for the bolt (always use stainless steel bolts!). The wall thickness of the sleeves are ~ 3-4mm.

The diameter of the hole through the transom is drilled so the sleeve fits snugly and needs to be lightly tapped in (have a cheap bolt within the sleeve while doing this so you are striking the bolt head rather than the sleeve edges). Prior to tapping the bolt in, line the hole through the transom with a proper marine sealant such as 3M 5200 (my preference - this is the permanent version) or sikaflex 291 (do not use just any sikaflex or it will eat away at the plywood). Prior to bolting up the launching wheels (or outboard) line the sleeve with a non permanent marine sealant such as 3M 4200.

Using this set up only adds about 10 minutes of extra work (if that) per hole and will ensure that the through transom bolt will not induce transom rot and will drastically reduce the mechanical load at the edges of the hole. Any abrasion due to vibration will occur between the bolt and the sleeve rather than from the bolt grinding directly against relatively soft edges of the hole in the transom, (which would continually widen the hole). No matter how many times you pull the bolt out or put it back in, it will not affect the transom.

IanH · 01 June 2013, 19:51

I had previously read that you don't use bronze fasteners with stainless steel fittings due to galvanic corrosion.

Metals in a Marine Environment

The stainless steel in these wheels are specified V4A 1.4571 (316Ti) - assuming that salt water use was specified when ordering. As a result, the wheels are more noble than the brass and the brass would corrode.

prairie tuber · 01 June 2013, 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by IanH

I had previously read that you don't use bronze fasteners with stainless steel fittings due to galvanic corrosion.

Metals in a Marine Environment

The stainless steel in these wheels are specified V4A 1.4571 (316Ti) - assuming that salt water use was specified when ordering. As a result, the wheels are more noble than the brass and the brass would corrode.

Excellent link. You may want to double check for yourself, but it It says that stainless fasteners are fine with bronze (but not brass) fittings.

IanH · 01 June 2013, 20:35

Irrespective of my bad swapping from bronze to brass mid post, the stainless is still more nobel than the bronze and the bronze will end up corroding. Ok, maybe it won't be for a good few years, but being an ex Landrover owner, I've learned the hard way what happens when different metals are in close contact with each other. The link clearly shows stainless steel fittings with stainless steel (or Monel) fasteners. 316 stainless to wood is pretty good corrosion wise, as long as the sea water does not get too warm.

prairie tuber · 01 June 2013, 21:40

No argument from me against using a 316 stainless sleeve with stainless bolts.

JCW · 22 June 2013, 15:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCW

Fitted mine last week, I mounted them about 20mm lower than the installation instructions show. The bracket is flush with the bottom of the transom. This does give extra clearance between the wheels and bottom of the boat. My Honda 2hp Skeg does not contact the ground in the lowered position. The wheels appear robust and well made. I have the covers fitted to the tyres and the boat still fits in its bag. I will be trying them out in anger next month when I go on holiday.

Thank you to the guys recommending these wheels. I have used them for the first time this week. They are robust, so easy to use, sit very smartly in the retracted position and do not rattle when underway.

headdamage · 23 June 2013, 07:18

Not sure if these have been posted but they look like something that 007 would use:

Sealegs Patented Amphibious Technology