fuel tanks and batteries

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by rasorinc, Jul 5, 2012.

  1. viking north
    Joined: Dec 2010
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    Location: Newfoundland & Nova Scotia

    viking north VINLAND

    101 in. is an improvement --every inch you can gain is a big payback in stability. If you didn't want to replace the axil for a wider one, load rated deep dish rims or extention adaptors could give you an additional 6 inches. If that route is taken be sure to install a good set of air shocks and maybe add a leaf to the springs as the springs and shocks are then that much further inboard and subject to the resultant lever effect acting on them transversely. In addition any weight reduction in the boat is worth it's weight in stability gold. You're in the ball park on weight, from quick research 20ft. open bare hulled alum. boat is around 800lb to 1000lb depending on construction method. Thats alot of weight 8 to 9 feet in the air so dual axil,fight for as much tire outside to outside width as possible and pack the heavys down low. Hey sounds like we're into boat thinking :)
     
  2. hoytedow
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

  3. philSweet
    Joined: May 2008
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    Location: Beaufort, SC and H'ville, NC

    philSweet Senior Member

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sm9KUQ9rR0s

    R, what you are trying to do can be done, but not with the type of trailer you are considering. The above shows the sort of thing that we get in the RV park where I work. That is what it takes to carry a bit of load centered seven foot high. Most are for race cars, but we get some with a minivan and a pair of harleys on the bottom and quads and bikes and other toys on the elevator. You would need a minimum of 6 tons of trailer plus low load, and perferably a lot more, down low to lower your cg. And you need a ton or more tongue weight capacity since the weight transfer when braking will be huge. You also need specialized suspension systems unless you got a whole heap of weight down low.
     
  4. viking north
    Joined: Dec 2010
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    Location: Newfoundland & Nova Scotia

    viking north VINLAND

    Yup-- those axils will measure between 110 to 120 in. outside to outside tire width. 120in. by the way is max. allowable here in Canada. Dual axils offer excellent stability while tri axil will improve on such they are generally employed for load carrying. Nice shiney toy haulers, bet they rival the cost of the toys or gear they haul. :)
     
  5. rasorinc
    Joined: Nov 2007
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    rasorinc Senior Member

    I want to thank everyone for their replies and guidance. I will continue on with the trailer build and when complete consider doing some hi loading tests. Boat plans on hold for now unless I can figure how to put an axle thru a boat and put on tires to tow it. Thanks again to all, Stan
     
  6. fredsnotdead
    Joined: Jul 2012
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    Location: illinois

    fredsnotdead Junior Member

    A simple question that I have, and just how are you going to flip a 20" boat over to load it, and then flip it upright when you unload it?

    Aren't you going to risk, or actually incur a lot of damage to the boat doing that? And, what are you going to use to flip it upside down, and back over again? People? Crane? Forklift? I get the jist of why, but just how are you going to even try that without some equipment, or sustaing some serious damage?

    Why not buy another boat, or even just rent or borrow one?
     
  7. rasorinc
    Joined: Nov 2007
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    Location: OREGON

    rasorinc Senior Member

    Hi Fred, see my post 10 on this to Gonzo and click on the website. I was going to try to design a beefed up version of this boat loader.
     
  8. tunnels

    tunnels Previous Member

    You dont want to seal any tank either because of temprature changes and the exspansion and contraction thing if you worried about height try a low loader and get the boat lower to the ground . rolling a boat seems a lot of wasted effort for little gain!!:D
     
  9. fredsnotdead
    Joined: Jul 2012
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    Location: illinois

    fredsnotdead Junior Member

    If I could offer some friendly advice mainly because I wish that somebody had given me some in the past to squash my bull-headedness would have saved me from some major headaches.

    Will that loader with the boat be too high for any bridges or overpasses or things of that nature? How about spending the money towards a more practicle boat? What about a hitch mounted boom that is supported by a couple of legs to hoist the boat, with a battery run winch to do the lifting? Instead of trying to worry about the tanks and batteries, why not lift them out in one poke, mounted all together like on a pallet?

    I can understand what you're trying to accomplish, and obviously you know where your travels are headed, not me. But, is that really a feasible plan and an efficient use of your money only to be committed to it regardless of the level of your satisfaction?

    I know that you can relate to this in one way or another. Have you ever come across a deal of a lifetime that had to be acted upon on the spot? You say to yourself that if you have to come back "it" will be gone, so you try and make do with some bent flat bars and ratchet straps and a tangle of rope 8' too short. A couple of hours later and you're unloading "it" very easily and you amaze yourself by how easy it went. This is one of those things and I don't know if you'll be loading/unloading the boat by yourself but what if you can't?
    I guess that I'm saying to think it through a little longer and to work smart not hard, and keep it as simple to build because then it's simple to fix. I'm not trying to be a kill-joy but it doesn't look like a well thought out plan, as is. Don't get me wrong, my list of embarrassing and downright stupid ideas would surprise you if I had the guts to tell you some of them and that's why I'm chiming up now.
     
  10. FAST FRED
    Joined: Oct 2002
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    FAST FRED Senior Member

    The advantage to flipping the boat would seem to be that it would not load with rain water if upright.

    Sounds like a lot of work to save pulling a plug?

    FF
     
  11. Wavewacker
    Joined: Aug 2010
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    Location: Springfield, Mo.

    Wavewacker Senior Member

    I've seen many small boats upside down on campers, light ones. What's the ultimate goal? I was going to do something similar, trailer and boat, but it just makes more sence to be to have a boat I can camp in, even on the trailer.

    I like the RIB idea as well, it would likely perform better, have less draft and weight than the boat mentioned, use a canvas/nylon tent cover for a shanty on the water.....just wonder what the overall goal might be....
     
  12. fredsnotdead
    Joined: Jul 2012
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    Location: illinois

    fredsnotdead Junior Member

    Just to clarify, because maybe I read too much into your idea and assumed something other than what you are trying to accomplish.
    You mentioned building a trailer, do you mean a camper-"trailer" because sometimes they are called that, or are you building a boat trailer? I got the impression that you were making this loader to put on top of a "trailer", as in the camper scenario so you could pull a camper and boat at the same time with the same truck.
    Is that what you're trying to do or is it just a boat trailer to haul your boat?
     
  13. rasorinc
    Joined: Nov 2007
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    Location: OREGON

    rasorinc Senior Member

    See my post # 20 I'm building a travel trailer but no longer building a boat as all advise says no. Thanks to all for your input.
     
  14. Tungsten
    Joined: Nov 2011
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    Location: Canada

    Tungsten Senior Member

    I guess depending on your local rules,but where i am i can tow a 5th wheel trailer(min 2 axles) and tow a boat behind.Max length of 20M,60'

    i think your idea is sound and have seen those types of boat loaders but there always on the truck never the trailer.they load and unload with just a push of a button very handy.Scale down your boat and you'll be on your way.
     

  15. WestVanHan
    Joined: Aug 2009
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    Location: Vancouver

    WestVanHan Not a Senior Member

    I guess it's too late as you've started building the trailer...but fold down tent trailers are ideal for hauling boats as they fold down to about 4-5' high.

    Someone out there builds a fold down hard wall trailer.
     
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