Do I want a deluxe jockey wheel? :-)

[quentinsf]

I have a new boat, just a 12ft dinghy, on a standard Mersea combi trailer. The launching trolley has a 1" tube for attaching a jockey wheel, and I'm thinking of getting one.

Mersea sell two: a very basic one:



or, for not much more, a deluxe model with a longer handle:



I don't have experience of either and was wondering if the bigger one was worth it - not so much the cost, but the bulk of carrying it around when I'm on the road?

I thought probably not, though I can see it could make manoeuvres a fair bit easier, but then I wondered, as I considered the February water temperatures, whether this long handle might enable me to float and recover the boat more easily in my rather short sailing boots without getting my feet wet... in which case it would be worth it!

Any experiences or recommendations welcome!

I suppose I should admit that the dinghy is so new that I haven't actually launched it yet, so I'm inexperienced with it and this is still part of the early-purchase-accessory ideas while sitting on a comfy sofa...

 

[Alfie168]

If it is eminently nickable it will probably get nicked, sadly. That aside the handle looks very useful for toting a 12 footer about without giving your back a hard time, and being helpful for general manoevering, and as you say, launching and recovery with dry or drier feet.

 

[FairweatherDave]

I have never used the long handle one and get away with the normal jockey wheel. A Wayfarer is heavy and maybe I would benefit, but I try and make the car do the work. Really it depends on your back and the weight of the dinghy. The real weight of the dinghy is born on the axle so adjusting direction by slightly lifting the jockey wheel is not a big deal, even on a Wayfarer. You'll still get wet feet whatever I reckon! At one time I bought cheap waders just for launching.

 

[dunedin]

How heavy is your 12 foot dinghy? And is it a sailing dinghy or a tender?

Unless unusually heavy, few people would use any jockey wheel on a 12 foot sailing dinghy. Or even a much bigger one if got a crew.
The one with handle I have only seen on really heavy things like a Wayfarer, or even a small keelboat like a Flying Fitteen

 

[wwarw00]

I have very similar on my Wayferer and wouldn't be without it. It means that you are pulling without having to lift which is great.
Whether it is worth it for a 12 footer depends on how much weight you are lifting when moving the boat or, if not lifting, how much you have to stoop to use the trolley handles.

 

[quentinsf]

Thanks all -

She's a Tideway - not light, but not as heavy as a Wayfarer. Around 125kg, I think, and reasonably well balanced on the trailer so I don't have too much trouble heaving her around. My wife would find it more challenging, I think, but is unlikely to do so without me.

It sounds as if I should practice without any jockey before deciding whether I need one at all... unless my feet get too cold. ?

Q

 

[John the kiwi]

Jeez! if as you say its not much more for the better one then why not? Launching and retrieving and handling trailers on land are the least fun aspects of sailing small boats. This looks likely to save you a lot of sweat so why the hesitation?

 

[James_Calvert]

I have the short one for a 14 foot outboard dinghy, which we use as a tender. It's handy for keeping the boat level when you're not moving it about. This helps whilst loading it up before launch and to keep bilge water away from stuff on recovery. The axis of this one is aligned so that the wheel will automatically line itself up with the direction of travel, so you can push the boat along from the stern like a tea trolly if you want, without anyone at the handles.

The long handled one has its axis immediately over the wheel, and probably has to be steered all the time.

Both would have to be removed before loading onto the base of the combo trailer. The smaller one will be lighter and easier to pop into the boot of your car.

 

[quentinsf]

The axis of this one is aligned so that the wheel will automatically line itself up with the direction of travel, so you can push the boat along from the stern like a tea trolly if you want, without anyone at the handles.
The long handled one has its axis immediately over the wheel, and probably has to be steered all the time.

Thanks, James, that's a useful distinction that I probably wouldn't have considered in advance.