Boat Forum / Building / August 2006

Per sandy:

Any idea how the surface will be down here?

Hard wheels sink into soft sand - making them extremely difficult to manage.

Take a look at the various big/soft tire solutions at
http://www.roleezonline.com.

The PWC dolly has the square feet, but the one I use is
a 20+ year-old version of the RZ-CKT Canoe Kayak Tote.   On it, I carry a 30-lb
surf kayak, medium-sized picnic cooler full of food/drink for 3-4 people, a
beach chair, and various odds-and-ends over extremely soft New Jersey beach
sand.   It just floats over the bumps/valleys

If you can fit the boat on something like this, I'd think it would be preferable
because it folds up into a reasonably compact size.

Sandy,

I think the narrowness of those wheels will give you trouble on soft beach
sand. Better to use the big 'Buggy Wheels' that they use for launching
Lasers, Sunfish, etc.

However, since you have what you have . . . try this.

With sticks or string, 'lay-out' a 'T' shape that the inflatable will 'fit
on'. Get some steel rod {Stainless would be best, but EXPENSIVE}the same
size as the axial hole in the wheels. This will be the 'wheel axle' so take
into account the width you laid out, the thickness of BOTH wheels, plus at
least an inch per end for threading a nut, or other method of attachment.
Really simple would be a couple of heavy washers and a cotter pin.

Get appropriate lengths of Schedule 40 PVC pipe . . . at least 2in size. . .
. for 'axle support tube' and 'handle'. Also get one 'T' in a LARGER size
that will slip OVER the 2in pipe, and one 'slip fit' end cap. You'll also
need some Stainless 'wood screws', a couple of pieces of hardwood or heavy
polyethylene, or Nylon, etc.

Drill a hole, transverse, through the rod, about an inch back from one end.
Deburr it and put on a large, heavy, flat washer, then insert a cotter pin.
{OR drill the hole, thread the rod, put on the washer, screw on a nut, and
insert the cotter pin}.  Now put on one of the wheels, plus another washer.

Cut a piece of the PVC to the 'between the wheels' length plus a half-inch
or so. Make some bushings . . . O.D. to fit the pipe, I.D. to fit the steel
axle. Insert in the ends of the pipe and use at least 4 screws to hold in
place. Mark the center of the pipe. Now put two more marks so that the 'T'
can be centered.

Put this PVC on the axle, drop on the 'T', add another washer, the other
wheel, two more washers. Mark for hole, take apart as necessary, drill &
deburr hole, re-assemble & insert cotter pin. Center 'T' and secure with at
least 4 screws per 'leg'.

Insert PVC pipe in 'T' measure for a comfortable length, and cut. Attach one
end to 'T' with screws, and Cap to 'hand' end.

This is your 'basic Hand Cart'. You can add 'slings' or 'centering pieces'
to prevent the inflatable from getting rubbed by the wheels, or just make
the 'cart' wide enough to have extra space between the wheels. Obviously, it
is also easy enough to assemble 'on-site' so transporting it is equally
efficient.

Regards & Good Luck,
Ron Magen
Backyard Boatshop

Fill it with Helium....

First, search Google for "canoe dolly" or "sunfish dolly". You'll see
lots of ideas. The PVC ones are kinda neat. I fancy that the tires you
have, or even a pair of wheelbarrow tires, would work fine.

J.

What you want is this product.  The "Snap into position feature" is
particularly valuable.

http://www.adventuremarine.net/dinghy-accessories.cfm

We travelled in Baja in 95 and summer of 96 and saw a lot of bigger
dinghies with this type.  You need the large diameter inflatable
wheels for softish sand.

Evan Gatehouse

Might check out making something like the "Beach Wheels" that are used by
Hobie sailors.
http://www.hobiecat.com/support/pdfs/06_36.pdf
Need to be wide to displace the weight and float on sand.
With these, a single person can push or pull a rigged Hobie accross soft
sand, without- it takes a crew.
MMC