Wheels on a 60hp Tender?

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Northern Progress, Apr 26, 2019.

  1. Northern Progress
    Joined: Apr 2019
    Posts: 3
    Likes: 1, Points: 3
    Location: New Zealand

    Northern Progress New Member

    Hi fellow boat design enthusiasts.

    Wheels in a runabout?!

    I have been given the 'opportunity' to learn more about fibreglassing and am subsequently going to be repairing a decent bit of hull damage to a 4.5m tender. At the same time, I'm going to put fibreglass cloth reinforced lifting points for the crane and am considering something RADICAL!

    Being a boat owner in a tidal area, I'm often stuck with the situation that I want to go to the shore on an out going tide to secure vital wine and rum but with an outgoing tide, I'm forced to either A) use a SECOND tender to get to shore from an anchored position, or B) swim in, or C) have the tender stranded on the outgoing tide, providing a useful test of my ability to find 10 strong lads in a hurry.

    Secondly, I've started to realise that I really shouldn't be dragging fibreglass boats around much.

    I've started to think about having some sort of wheels that operate similar to a SeaLegs albeit unpowered (Until I can figure a hydraulic PTO from a 60hp 2-stroke, which can't be TOO hard right?!)

    Ultimately, when you come into a beach on a low tide, you can hit the beach and then put an anchor down so when the tide comes in you are floating, so this is really useful for when its high tide and thus, with the desired motion being 'downhill' towards the tide, it should be fairly easy to push a 700kg machine on 3 pneumatic wheels to the water... right?!

    I was thinking they could be either recessed into the hull with 1/3 of the wheel under the flush of the hull, or swing down from the bow and transom like Sealegs.

    Please tell me I'm stupid and this would never work so I can give up NOW rather than $1000 and 4 days later.
     
  2. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
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    Location: Victoria BC Canada

    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    Skinny, large diameter, solid, fixed wheels recessed 90% into the hull would be my first thought.
    Two, side-by-side amidships should do the trick unless your seabed/shoreline is soft.
    Wider tires may be called for.

    Or, simply a wheeled cradle that you can throw into the boat once floating.
    Probably a better idea.
     
  3. Village_Idiot
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: USA

    Village_Idiot Senior Member

  4. Northern Progress
    Joined: Apr 2019
    Posts: 3
    Likes: 1, Points: 3
    Location: New Zealand

    Northern Progress New Member

    I thought this was a good idea too. I was thinking three, one on the bow. Pneumatic tyres so it won't sink in.
     
  5. Blueknarr
    Joined: Aug 2017
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    Location: Colorado

    Blueknarr Senior Member

    Have you explored a stretch anchor line? Made a few myself. Thirty or so feet of stretch cord inside of a hundred feet of polyethylene braid. Drop anchor in deep water, stretch the line as you continue on to shore. Tie a second line from boat to shore. Ease the shore line to allow the boat to rest in deep water. When you're ready to go simply pull her back to shore.
     
  6. Squidly-Diddly
    Joined: Sep 2007
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    Location: SF bay

    Squidly-Diddly Senior Member

    Go with Sealegs config rather than butcher up the hull with inset wheels. Bic(the French pen company) made a few kayaks with a little inset wheel on the keel, as did a mass market 8' plastic dinghy maker, but those were tiny wheels and a ground up design by big company.

    Rather than PTO from outboard, power the wheel(s) with 12V battery that is charged by an electric-start outboard. That way you can have a nice big battery for trolling motor, lights, recharging cell phones, etc.

    Lots of stuff being done with electric bikes, motorcycles, scooters, etc these days. If you take a motor that can use a 29" wheel to push a 300lb man w/bike up a hill at 20mph, and use 3 of them, and reduce wheel size to 10", and only plan on going 3mph, it might be getting close to what you need. But I haven't noticed any waterproof units, just maybe rain resistant.
     
  7. Barry
    Joined: Mar 2002
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    Barry Senior Member

    There are many many types of launching wheels on the market that are fixed to the transom or removable. You might have to improvise a front,
    Google Transom Launching wheels, images for a look

    Not sure how you could run a pto off an outboard, you lose cooling water then the leg clears the water

    Tires- round faced airless tires, they are available, might be a flexible foam fill, then you never have to deal with an air compressor. Round face for floatation like a sand buggy tire
     
  8. Northern Progress
    Joined: Apr 2019
    Posts: 3
    Likes: 1, Points: 3
    Location: New Zealand

    Northern Progress New Member

    Great ideas guys! I've always wanted to try the stretch line concept. It might be a good temporary solution.
     
    BlueBell likes this.
  9. Barry
    Joined: Mar 2002
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    Barry Senior Member

    Trade name Anchor Buddy in the US, probably an equivalent down under $50 USD for one that goes from 14 feet to 50, need more, obviously add more
     

  10. Village_Idiot
    Joined: Oct 2007
    Posts: 382
    Likes: 18, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 138
    Location: USA

    Village_Idiot Senior Member

    If you decide to go with wheels, try bicycle wheels with pool noodles wrapped/glued around the rims.
     
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