Launch Trolley

[m1taylor]

I have built a 7' 6'' wooden stitch and glue clinker style tender which is reasonably light, but awkward for single handed taking out of dinghy rack and lauching. I am reluctant to put dinghy dolly wheels on the transom as this spoils the look of the traditional design. However, launch trolleys seem to cost around £150 (and I can't find one locally second hand) Has anyone got a simple plan or design for DIY trolley - I have heard of people using golf trolley wheels and the like?

 

[mainmarine]

I have a simple trolley it consists of an axle with shaped top to line up with the hull and a piece of square section tube bolted at right angles to form the handle, If you let me have your e-mail address I will make you a sketch and send it to you.
malc@mainmarine.co.uk

 

[gjeffery]

I am building one at the moment. Wheels from Towsure at about £6.00 each.
Thin wall steel tube, at reasonable price, is still a problem.

 

[ex-Gladys]

As a piece of advice, solid wheels are a nightmare if you are having to push any distance. Pneumatic are far superior.

 

[Lakesailor]

I made a launch trolley from a garden swing frame I found in the beck behind the house. Two pneumatic trailer wheels for £22 (bit of haggling) and Hey Presto. I have an arc welder so construction was easy.

This is a 9ft grp tender.

 

[ShipsWoofy]

There are a few trolleys by our dinghy that have been built with plastic pipe using compression fittings.

They bend a bit but do the job perfectly and weigh next to nothing. If I was needing to replace mine it would be the way I would do it now.

 

[Gunfleet]

not across sand!

 

[DavidTocher]

The Oppies in our club use home-made plastic (PVC?) tubing stiffened with fat broom handles for their trolleys. The basic design is a rectangle with golf-cart wheels on one side. The upmarket ones use small pneumatic tyred wheels. The widest part (near enough the CofG) of the boat sits on the axle, the narrower bow falls through the rectangle enough to allow the other side (parallel with the axle) to be used as a handle. Padding on the side tubes near the bow protect the Oppie.

David

 

[m1taylor]

Many thanks for the replies - inspiring and helpful - I like the idea of the plastic tubes. My tender has a dry weight of 60lbs, so that should be fine?