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View Full Version : A boat loader for a camper trailer



jhovel
10th Jul 2016, 01:05 AM
Daughter and son-in-law are going for a few months' trip around the Western half of Aus with our grandchildren.
They wanted to take a tinnie, outboard and bikes.... Their trailer is a hard-floor folding type.
To to pack the boat on top, it would have to come off every night to fold the trailer roof down over the back.
Some research showed that (very expensive) boat loaders are available for the purpose and how they are constructed.
I got a good handle on the designs, forces envolved and mounting points on their trailer and designed a DIY solution.
The forces and weights are nearly perfectly counterbalanced with 4 gas struts of 1200N each and the whole thing is completely removable without any changes made on the camper trailer (suitable fixing holes happend to already be there on the RHS chassis cross members).
Once the boat loader was installed and tried out, we also found a way to mount the outboard next to it, so it would be at a convenient height for fitting and removal once the boat was folded down.
My daughter requested that we make a brace that could have the boat stored in the vertical up position if there wasn't sufficient space to fold it out at a campsite.
Next came some requestes to rearrange the gas cylinder mountings to make space for a new 20l bucket mount to use as a 'washing machine' (half filled with clothes, water and detergent while travelling on rough roads).
Lastly, we designed, made and fitted a socket for a quick-remove conventional bike rack under the back (for two kids' bikes).
Then came the realisation that the boat could not always be unloaded next to water - if you could even drive a camper trailer there. Carying a dolly seemed just one too many things to cart about. So I designed an aluminium draw bar with cross handles and fold-down and removable wheels fitted directly to the boat. That required one the floor ribs to be extended up the sides of the boat and a removable shallow channel section bolted on the outside and through the new side ribs.
I made all that out of aluminium and fitted a couple of plastic pneumatic wheels to properly socketed axles. I got some practice TIG welding aluminium at a friend's place and it all went together well.
The weight is such that the two grandkids can move the boat and outboard quite easily, even on rough ground. The front of the draw bar has a rose joint fitted so it can be hooked to the towbar of a car for further distances (at walking speed). The draw bar comes off with two clipped pins and the wheel 'legs' can be folded up and secured once in the water - or left on the shore altogether.
That was a much bigger project than anticipated and has occupied me for a few weeks. Steve (SIL) helped whenever he was free to.
They are leaving in the morning.
When I get photos of the contraptions in action, I might add them here.
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KBs PensNmore
10th Jul 2016, 01:35 AM
Are these the same ones you made the tinny's for? Nice work Joe, hope they bring you back some Barra for your effort. One thing I would suggest is that they put some corflute or similar on the back window to prevent breakage. Stones have a bad habit of bouncing up and onto/through the back windows. DAMHIKT.<br>
Kryn

jhovel
10th Jul 2016, 02:12 AM
Hi Kryn,
yes, I only have two grandchildren and they are water rats. The 'tinnies' are going with them.
Steve has already put that rubber matting stuff on the back window yesterday morning. He's on to off roading in a big way.
He did the Fink desert rally 4 years ago on a 450 Husaberg. So everything 'extreme' with engines in it is on the menu....

jhovel
10th Jul 2016, 11:25 AM
All packed up and off they go.... heading North....
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GuzziJohn
10th Jul 2016, 02:27 PM
All packed up and off they go.... heading North....


Looks like the sort of weather that sends people north for winter.

KBs PensNmore
10th Jul 2016, 11:12 PM
:whs: Hells bells, dismal looking weather to see someone off!!!
Kryn

jhovel
11th Jul 2016, 12:33 AM
:whs: Hells bells, dismal looking weather to see someone off!!!
Kryn

Bloody awful! The fog lifted around 11am and then it rained continuously until now. It never got over 10 degrees here today.
Had a text from them and they set up for the night in Renmark. 540km is a long way for one day with 2 small kids. But they want to get to a warmer climate fast..... They are going to the Alice then Darwin then turn West. Should be a great experience for the tackers.

Oldneweng
11th Jul 2016, 10:55 AM
Years ago, when I was a teenager I went on a trip with my family. We towed a caravan and finished up in Bundaberg. The first days travel was from Adelaide to Peterborough where we stayed at the caravan park. There were 2 car loads next to us who had also just done their first days run. They were from Perth.

I am considering doing a trip on my own, to Pukatja to visit my brother in the next couple of months. He says there is some great scenery around. For those who don't know, Pukatja was formerly known as Ernabella and is in the APY Lands.

Dean

simonl
16th Jul 2016, 09:17 AM
Nice work Joe, as always. I love camping with gear that, well, just works! Even better when it's made at home. They are in for a great trip!!

Simon