Boaty toys !!

[Refueler]

Some asked me why I bought the mini truck with Hiab ... and I said - it will come in handy ...

Its moved my lighter pontoons ... its lifted all the wood to reapir my pontoons this winter .... its lifted tree trunks after cutting .... lawn tractors .... in fact its already been extremely useful - even the Wife says so !!

Lady Lu is a 5m Kormoran twin drop keel sailboat ... she has just had repairs to keel boxes .... upper hull strake where she took a hit and cracked ... riveted hull-deck joint where also damage from a hit ... so now she can have paint to cover the GRP repairs ... Van lining inside cabin ... new rubbing strake fendering .... ready for fun on river next year.

The matter was that she was sitting on my launch trailer and I need to do some welding repairs to trailer ... as well as use it for the Soviet Progress 4 motor boat I have .... I have an old high road trailer - totally illegal now of course !! but it fits the Kormoran. I could go the usual route and jack off one trailer and then on to other - but that old trailer is really high ..

Of course - Mini Truck to rescue ....

Trailer for repairs pulled away and off to barn waiting welding ...

The Hiab is capable of lifting the Progress motor boat as well .... so that will be an advantage ... lift and plonk on trailer ...

with my old Volvo seats in !

 

[rogerthebodger]

Interesting

I fitted a front tow bat to my Toyota Fortuna 4x4 to allow me to launch my motorboat or dingy by driving front down out launching ramp winch being very stiff its much easier then trying to twist round to see when reversing and with the ball hitch directly in front of the driver is easy to judge the side gaps.

I also fitted a round hinge at each end and made an A frame that would fit into the front tow bae and using my front winch to lift any equipment I wish to move.

Lifting equipment aways make it easy to fit or move heavy items around the marina.

I used a scaffolding tower and chain block to remove and refit my engine to allow me to take it home for rebuild

 

[Bouba]

You are so lucky ! I have always wanted a crane…things like removing an outboard or lifting stuff….yes, I can never think of a reason to have one every time the wife asks why ?
Like you I resort to saying that one day it will come in handy

 

[rogerthebodger]

I have one of these in my garage for lifting and equipment at home they are easy to take apart for transport

 

[Bouba]

I have one of these in my garage for lifting and equipment at home they are easy to take apart for transport

I have an engine hoist as well….but it is the feet in front that get in the way which makes it not a true crane

 

[rogerthebodger]

I have an engine hoist as well….but it is the feet in front that get in the way which makes it not a true crane

If the front legs get in the way on mine, I can pull the back and put some weight on the backend to counterbalance what is Being lifted

 

[Refueler]

My other toy ..... Trencher that can lift over 300kgs as long as between outrigger arms .... 150kgs at extended ...

I am allowed to tow it on Latvian roads at max 40kph, dayl;ght hours only without need for registration.

Original reason for purchase was to rig on a pontoon for channel dredging ... but pontoon builder backed out of the deal .... said he had full work schedule on standard pontoons and no time to design for this .....

 

[Bouba]

You have all the toys!!!
Can I come over and play some time ?

 

[Refueler]

You have all the toys!!!
Can I come over and play some time ?

Jokes apart - no problem.

I have worked hard all my life ... now that I can really afford the toys - I indulge ! My Accounts Mgr gives me stick sometimes but in the end I get what I want ...

I'm presently considering a Hydraulic Boat Lifter ... there's one for sale in Riga ... mmmmmmm ... would need a tractor with hydraulics ...... which funny enough I am also considering because I want side arm grass cutting for my channel banking.

 

[Boathook]

Just buy it and then build a ramp for it to use at home.
For the"dgger" why not design and build your own pontoon.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Just buy it and then build a ramp for it to use at home.
For the"dgger" why not design and build your own pontoon.

Thats what I would do as I designed and built my own pontoon at my holiday home for my mobo dingy launching trollies and all kinds of lifting equipment

 

[Bouba]

People who can’t afford hoists had pits….you’ve already got an excavator

 

[Refueler]

It was supposed to be a joint deal ... I provided the excavator (4000 quids worth) ... he would create the pontoon with outrigger floats. We would then offer it out to clean up boat channels .... sharing the profits. But then he backed out.
When we discussed and agreed - there was only one company in Latvia doing such work ... and they had so much work that they couldn't cover all.
Since then two other company's have started up - I even had one in my channel ...

TBH - I have so many ideas floating around ...

Pontoon .... I can get empty barrels easy enough ... and I can design it as I'm au-fait with flotation / displacement / righting moments etc.
Size would be 6m long, 2.5m wide (so it fits a truck bed) with detachable outrigger arms to counter heel when machine working. Would need 12 200lt barrels.

 

[William_H]

Nice photos Nigel as always. Yes it is nice that you have space for all the toys. I note all the photos of big mobo on 3 axle trailers. Relatively common around here with many big public ramps so practical to launch for a days outing then retrieve to store at home. I se them trundling past the end of my street on Sat mornings. Not too hard with power winch and big towing vehicel. ol'will