Dinghy trailer, trolley whatever

[DoubleEnder]

We live on a very quiet single track road that slopes down to a sort of launching spot on the upperThames. The distance is almost exactly one mile, and the house is about 35m above the river, so it's a gentle slope. I am thinking of getting a small rowing boat for messing about on the river, but I am wondering whats the best way to move said boat up and down. I would rather avoid fitting a towbar and getting a road trailer if possible. It seems overkill, and expensive, for a small trip like this.
I wonder if there are any alternatives? Can I do something clever with a lightweight trolley? Any likely rowing boat would probably be too heavy for a roofrack

 

[veshengro]

You could do a casual tour of any local Dinghy Sailing Clubs. I can't be the only one who has seen apparently abandoned Dinghy Launching Trailers. There's 2 in my local yard. one minus a wheel and both with accompanying Brambles... An enquiry about owners or a contribution to Club funds might produce results..

 

[dunedin]

How are you intending to pull the boat on its trolley? A mile would be quite a long way to pull by hand. I have seen a Moth being towed by somebody on a uni-cycle but the Moth is super light - and Moth sailors both fit and mad.
If it is a public road you would not be legal pulling a launching trolley behind a car without proper mudguards, trailer board and towbar. And somebody might be inclined to report you if they object to somebody doing this regularly? So depend on your risk appetite.

 

[Wansworth]

Dragging a dinghy and trolly up a long slope sounds like hard work,can it note kept afloat ?

 

[neil_s]

I would suggest a launching trolley would be the simplest and perhaps the most pleasant. 15 - 20 minutes either way. It's not a heavy load and not a steep incline. You could equip your trolley with wheels with good bearings - such as those fitted to bike trailers. Indeed - perhaps that's the avenue to explore?

 

[Thistle]

An e-bike and (adapted) trailer? See, for example, Tow a Boat With a Bike (though I'd recommend lighter materials.)

 

[B27]

I do know people who've towed things behind bicycles on the flat.
With an e-bike it should be do-able.

Many dinghy launching trolleys are stupidly heavy.
There are a few aluminium ones.
Add the odd stainless one.

However, personally I think you'd be better off looking for a light rowing boat which would go on the roof rack.

I have seen dinghies toed short distances without having a proper towbar, including having someone sat in the boot of a car holding the trolley. I don't recommend this.

Walking with it is possible, but gets painful if you keep stopping for traffic.

You will soon find out why most of us pay actual money to store small boats close to the water's edge!

 

[Refueler]

I have various boat and trailers ... for the smaller boats - the trailers are hand yard jobs ... but my land is mostloy grass and soft. So I need to use a vehicle of some description.
All my vehicles do have towing balls ... but if I didn't then I would use the screw in towing eye. Simple yard style trailer with long arm ... tie that to the towing eye and just take it easy when moving ...

To launch - length of rope tied to trailer arm ... and let her roll in ... having made sure of course you have a rope to the boat !! Boat floats off ... pull trailer out. Please don't use the car still attached ... it can get embarrassing when car gets stuck or up to its sills !!

 

[FairweatherDave]

Nice problem! How much space do you have for storage outside at home/garage and budget? If the dream is a proper rowing boat then you want whatever is designed to transport it. If there are two of you always with good upper body strength then a car roof rack is good, plus there are clever loader attachments for certain roof racks that could mean you could do it on your own. Combi trailers and towbars are good and if you value the boat bouncing it around on a trailer without suspension/suitable tyres..... I certainly would not tow anything a mile each way by hand, asymetric forces on your back etc etc. I don't know if there are inflatable dinghies specifically good for rowing, but we use an Avon inflatable usually with an outboard, also inflatable kayaks and SUPs. They may not be for purists but for practicality and portability and storage they should not be ignored. So determine the best boat and follow the implications. Canadian canoes might be good, but if you really want to travel backwards a nice light rowing boat might be a rather classy activity requiring a bit of cash to match.

 

[footsoldier]

How about towing it with an electric trike - apparently they are now a thing.

 

[Daydream believer]

I normally tow my Avon redcrest dinghy with my bike hooked to the saddle with a large hook . The trailer consists of a length of 50*50 softwood & a piece of 150 * 50 softwood screwed at right angles one end to form a "T" . The wheels are 150mm fixed ball bearing castors. The towing eye is a piece of metal strap bent in a loop at the end of the 50 * 50. It is big enough to hook over the ball on my tow bar. Provided I do not go fast over the speed humps & I put some gear in the front of the dinghy to weigh it down I can tow it at up to 20 MPH for short distances.
I can carry the trailer up the ramp in one hand & it stores on its side against my fence at home. A rope fitted to the cross beam ties the back of the dinghy & the dinghy painter ties to the front bar.
Complicated trailers are unnecessary & it took me 20 mins to make & cost me 2 wheels & some scrap wood. I have had it for 20 years.
The Avon makes a great dinghy.

 

[FairweatherDave]

I normally tow my Avon redcrest dinghy with my bike hooked to the saddle with a large hook . The trailer consists of a length of 50*50 softwood & a piece of 150 * 50 softwood screwed at right angles one end to form a "T" . The wheels are 150mm fixed ball bearing castors. The towing eye is a piece of metal strap bent in a loop at the end of the 50 * 50. It is big enough to hook over the ball on my tow bar. Provided I do not go fast over the speed humps & I put some gear in the front of the dinghy to weigh it down I can tow it at up to 20 MPH for short distances.
I can carry the trailer up the ramp in one hand & it stores on its side against my fence at home. A rope fitted to the cross beam ties the back of the dinghy & the dinghy painter ties to the front bar.
Complicated trailers are unnecessary & it took me 20 mins to make & cost me 2 wheels & some scrap wood. I have had it for 20 years.
The Avon makes a great dinghy.

Avons are brilliant dinghies. I used to row back to the hard and then roll mine up and strap it to an old golf trolley, tow it through town and come back on the train from Emsworth to Hove. Little possibility of problems bouncing inflatables about on trailers. But what sort of rowing does the OP want to acheive?

 

[B27]

Avons, like all rubber boats, are OK as tenders but for rowing on a river they are a poor substitute for a proper rowing boat.
A mate has a 14ft fake clinker dinghy which is really nice to row.
The down side is, anything which is nice to row and doesn't weigh a ton, is going to be a bit tippy, because that's what you get with light weight, long water line and low wetted area.

It's why they invented sails!

We've had a little go at exploring our river, even the slowest sit on kayak is way better than a rubber boat, if you want to go anywhere. And that's on a tidal river where we sensibly go up with the tide and come back with the tide.

 

[DoubleEnder]

Interesting. Thank you everyone. I’ll do an update if it happens, fingers crossed

 

[William_H]

I have solved the problem with a mobility electric scooter (Shoprider) with tow hitch. The aluminium 10 ft dinghy has wheels attached to the transom on 2 struts each side with wheel between. Such that the dingy can be towed upside down. A simple hole in the bow drops over a pin on the tow hook. The scooter has 2 holders form oars vertical. I just leave the scooter on the beach. No parking problems. have used the system for about 10 years every Sunday of the season. Scooter batteries (lead acid) have needed replacing and have replaced the motor. But no problem up a fairly steep path from water to home about 400 metres. ol'will

 

[Pump-Out]

'Ere you go:

 

[DoubleEnder]

Should have said this will be a small hard dinghy. Not an inflatable. Probably no more than 10 feet long. Possibly just 8 feet. And likely clinker wood

 

[wombat88]

Or ...but I think it might be painfully slow

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[Refueler]

Should have said this will be a small hard dinghy. Not an inflatable. Probably no more than 10 feet long. Possibly just 8 feet. And likely clinker wood

Not a lightweight anyway .... so a small yard trolley is a good idea.

|If you consider a small outboard as well - this adds quite a few kilos as well.

Trailing it ... as \I said earlier is easy ... people do make a big deal of it ... but as long as the frame and wheels can support the weight - away you go. The main factors really are recovery and launching of the dinghy ... and this means putting whatever trailer you decide INTO the water ......
The LOWER the frame / bed - the better to avoid having to find deep area to get boat on / off.

DB's wood spar wnd T section is good ... wheels just outside the dingy width so dinghy can sit low on the frame ... a small leg and wheel up front so it can roll on its own into / out of water by use of long rope ... saving getting the car wet....

If the track is not rough ... then a set of wheels clamped to transom could work ... with a pad eye low down on dinghy stem for shackle to tow eye on car ............go slow and careful - why not ?

 

[Refueler]

Its funny actually because I have two Lawn Tractors ... Jonsered LT2114 ... and I often use one as a 'utility' with small trailer behind ...

I'm now looking for an electric quad bike that has chunky tyres to do a better job ... such as pull my small boats around (about 600kg each). Thought about gasoline powered but want to keep noise down and think E-Power would be better.