The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum

MooseMan

Hi all,

My new boat is just under 4ft long, quite heavy and needs to be kept fairly horizontal......I'm 6ft3 and as bendy as a broomstick.

What I'm looking for is an idea for a launching trolly or cradle that will let me gently deposit the boat into the water, which is a 20cm drop or so.

Any ideas much appreciated,

Odilon
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steamyjim · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:39 am Post subject:

On my boat (albeit smaller) i have the little cradle with 2 loops of strong thick string. You could drop the boat in with it and slide the cradle out from underneath.

I don't do it as my boat can be picked up easily but could be possible

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mogogear · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:47 pm Post subject:

Glued together PVC (white plastic piping) with foam to give grippiness!!

then lower with cording--just a quick thought of something I have seen- it also acts as a nice stand pond-side-

I'll look for a photo
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regards,

Mo

This week I are His Most Noble Lord Mo, the Apocalyptic of Old Tonbridge Wafers

H2o vapour · Junior Member Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 282

Hi Moose,

I have made both the above ideas, the copper cradle is expenxive and cumbersome the stemyman idea is just great. I would recommend you look at this idea.

A pole or piece of wood same length as the boat and then two loops fixed at the ends to act as a slip cradle front and back of the boat. Allot of our club members use car safety belting fixed at the top. You will need to weight this either side the bottom on the belting so that it will slip on and off the boat when it is the water.

This is the bast way, no doubt in my mind, i have loaded a couple of pictures of my duck on a launching trolly at Papplewick Pumping station.

[img]

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[img]

The last pi is a random shot of a Launch that turned up at a regatta I attended, very nice two.

H20[/img]

mogogear · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:29 pm Post subject:

Ahhhh- shows what I was thinking was way too low tech-- a real trolley- great!! Learning all the time!
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regards,

Mo

This week I are His Most Noble Lord Mo, the Apocalyptic of Old Tonbridge Wafers

Les · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:29 pm Post subject:

Oohh thats nice!!
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Atticman · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:57 pm Post subject:

Think a trolley is a neat idea, but would possibly be quite heavy. The "real " ships were launched as H2Os duck, or sideways rather that bow or stern first.

But a sideways launch may cause her to capsize, unless like H2O the rope was kept in good check as the trolley goes into the water

Spose aluminium would give strength corrosion resistance and lightness as a frame.

The ropes under her would be the fastest whilst you build a trolley launch

Just a few meanderings.

Like you Moose I Cant wait for her first sea trial

MooseMan · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:06 pm Post subject:

This is great guys - keep em coming!
_________________
Stands the glass half empty,
Or stands the glass half full?
Blast your Buddhist mantra, man,
I'll take another pull.

bessytractor · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:29 pm Post subject:

you want to see the boat I found today in Nauticalia.

a six foot long Illustrious class aircraft carrier!

you'd need a forklift for that

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Griffin · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:21 pm Post subject:

Moose, This is going to be hard to discribe in words.

But, how about making a frame a bit like a sack trolley that has two rubber coated hooks for the boat hull to sit in. If you then put a dog leg in the frame work (making the handle directly inline over the boat) the boat will stay level when you pick it up. Also with two wheels added to the bottom, this would allow you to not only "wheel" the boat, but also aid in launching as well, as the wheels will steady the trolley against the bank of the lake.

Ideally length's of alumininm angle profile would be a good source of material to make the trolley with, as they are light, and can be bolted or pop riveted together with ease.

I will try and fathom my scanner out, and post a sketch of what I am trying to describe up on here.

A picture speaks a thousand words, excuse the roughness.

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johnreid · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:43 pm Post subject:

A good pair of hip waders might do as well too

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Les · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:46 pm Post subject:

MooseMan · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:50 pm Post subject:

Steven, your plan looks just about perfect....I'm going to have a toy around with that idea.

John, I think that the sight of yours truly in a pair of waders in the middle of a rather genteel part of Cardiff would probably be enough to get me arrested, or at least locked up!

_________________
Stands the glass half empty,
Or stands the glass half full?
Blast your Buddhist mantra, man,
I'll take another pull.

Griffin · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:57 pm Post subject:

Odilon, Roughly how heavy is the boat?

I would suggest keeping the weight of the trolley down to a minimum, as it will be more to "lug" around. At the end of the day it has to be convenient to use, and not a hindrance.
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Make time to take a step back, and appreciate what you already have.

mogogear · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:39 am Post subject:

There are a lot of luggage type little collapsible carts- very small and quite light!
_________________
regards,

Mo

This week I are His Most Noble Lord Mo, the Apocalyptic of Old Tonbridge Wafers