Multipurpose boat

I'm moving to Port Stevens, about 250m (of flat paved road) from the boat ramp. I want to have a boat that I can push down to the ramp and back on temporary wheels. The boat will mainly be used for fishing inside and needs to carry two people. I'm in no hurry so a small outboard will do but I would like to have a sail as well, because I hate petrol and sailing is just so bloody
pleasing. I have seen a little 10 footer from WA that does all of the above but I think it's too small. Any tips?

 

are we talking "hand push" and pull UP the ramp? Or would you tow the boat

boat with a car, nice and slow, with the temp wheels (even though that might bend a few traffic laws).


Because having experience pushing even mid-sized broken down motorcycles a few hundred yards(when I was a 20yr old, 220lb footballer) I can say any 10ft boat with motor for 250m is going to be an effort.

Not saying it can't be done, but I'd fear it would discourage use.

All the "temp wheels" I've seen for non-kayak/canoe boats mount at transom, so to make it workable for more than 50m I think you'd need some extension to help your body carry the weight, while you walk.

Have you considered a large kayak? Their narrow bow works great with stern mounted temp wheel, and lets you walk holding the bow handle in either hand, and the wheels will fit inside a large hatch.

 

How about a lightweight double ended rowboat and a folding kayak trolley? There are some examples at http://flo-mo.weebly.com/two-sheet-boats.html
I have an Adirondack guideboat which carries 1,2 or 3 people and at around 25kg is easy for one person to handle. Sailing would probably be limited to downwind only but they move so nicely it is easy to row upwind.

 

I modified an old golf cart (2 wheeler) that folded up to carry an Old Town
16' canoe. I had a small sail rig and put the mast under the back seat forward and straped it down. Lifted up the mast and pulled it like an extended handle. All my stuff was in the boat....worked fine!

 

Gee...the choice is endless !!! and 10ft is a bit small for two, she wont float on her lines. ...12 to 14ft and lightweight would be my favorite

 

HI

Before I had my car, I lived about 300m from the water. I moved my boat to the water on a small trolley. When I got to the water, I just chained my trolley up to a tree or a post

The effort needed to move a rowboat was minimal, on flat ground I could use one finger to push it. Going up the hill was hard work, though I suspect you do not have that problem.

I have built three trolleys. The first one had tiny wheels, the second was more complex, using a truss frame and 2 27inch bike wheels. My third trolley used bmx wheels. It is good.

The first trolley was simple, but had wheels too small, the second trolley had big wheels (probably too big) and was over complex. The 3rd trolley was just right.

I dont have a photo of my 3rd trolley on my website just yet, but if you can wait a while I can add it.

As to what boat to use. I nice simple rowboat, between 12ft and 14ft, about 4ft wide. I recommend a normal skiff type. Dories are good if you are going into rough weahter, but if your not doing that I think a general purpose skiff is a great boat.

One example, I have plans for Otter 15 from Bateau.com, google this. Am example of a nice rowboat. But there are heaps others out there. 10ft is a fraction too short for it to go well. 12ft will be heaps heaps better. I think Jim Mikalak has some very simple and easy to make rowboats.

In terms of weight, the 70kg dory was easy to push on a trolley. The most I have ever had on a trolley was 140kg, technically doable but very very hard work. A 12ft rowboat in plywood would be under 50kg, so using bmx wheels which have a fraction more rolling resistance than racing bike wheels in no big deal

I found having the boat about 20 inches above the road was the ideal height. Too high and it angled too much when I took it off the trolley and it slipped down. So I lowered the trolley.

Even my first really simple kayak trolley could take the 70kg dory.

For bmx wheels, just buy a clapped out old bmx bike from a garage sale.

Serioulsy a trolley is simple, easy cheap. My last one took about 5 hours to make. Make it simple, use radiata pine from hardware store. Note that each wheel needs 2 pairs of vee struts, so eight in total. You need 4 metal plates, the ones with 3 holes in them. You convert one hole to a slot using an angle grinder.

You can also buy kayak trolleys, look at eBay. They should take the load of a 45kg rowboat no problem,

http://www.tacking-outrigger.com/photos1.html

down the bottom of this page is a sketch of what a simple trolley shoudl look like, but in reality it can be simpler still. No need for it to be so long, My latest one is only 2ft long. about 4ft wide, about 20 inches high.

hope this helps

 

sorry to repeat myslef, but just to reiterate, on flat ground, paved road, and using 27 inch bike tyres, I could push my 70kg dory with one finger, no joke. The resistance is minimal. Done it scores and scores of times. That makes me an expert at pushing boats on trolleys.

Also you want the boat located at midpoint on the trolley, you just push it back and forth. You hold onto the boat, and push the trolley with your foot. Note that you dont need any ropes to secure the boat, it just sits there.

Remeber dont build your trolley too high, a few inches higher than bmx wheels is the ideal. When you put your boat on, the transom is just at waist height, meaning hardly any strain at all

 

here are some simple boats in the 12-13ft range
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/jim/mixer/index.htm
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/jim/qt_skiff/index.htm
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/jim/sealcove/index.htm
http://www.bateau.com/proddetail.php?prod=FL12&cat=11
http://www.bateau.com/proddetail.php?prod=OT16 (a bit big)
http://www.bateau.com/studyplans/SD11_study.htm?prod=SD11 (a fraction small)

http://www.bateau.com/studyplans/V12_study.htm?prod=V12 - LOOKS ABOUT PERFECT!!

 

Check out that micro builder Yarvind's (sp?) site, he had his Bris on two wheels aft and built a unicycle that attached to the bow, sat in front and pedaled the unicycle pulling the boat through city streets!