Customised Boat Loader Plans

[Joe Lighty Member Find all posts View Profile Close Joe Lighty]

Howdy all,

I'm in the process of planning the transport arrangements for a dinghy that I'm yet to purchase.
I've been impressed with the look of the Finn Sharky moulded plastic dinghies - the shell weight of their "car-topper" variety is just 55kg and is manageable for my wife and I to lift onto the camper trailer, as shown. The top of the camper trailer is the best place to transport the dinghy over long distances - less wind resistance and I don't fancy all that weight on the roof of the Prado for an extended period...

The problem is, when the camper trailer is set up, how do you get the dinghy down to the beach? You don't want to have to pack up the camper trailer to use it as a boat trailer!
So, I checked out this:

And I thought, it can't be too hard to rig up my own boat loader (the commercially available ones are MEGA bucks!)
See here for my rough plans...

Note that I have to use a spacing frame (correctly called a fulcrum plate)to keep the dinghy off the spare tire - I plan to use this to double as a outboard mount for short distance transport.

The big issue is finding an appropriate roof rack that goes ALL the way back (slightly past the wind deflector thingy) - I'm worried I may need to get a custom one made.
Anyway, that's the plans at this stage - advice or suggestions are well appreciated.

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

Joe when I was in WA I bought an inflatable boat and used my trailer to move it and the motor around (motor on a bracket on the tailgate). At camp same issue as you so I bought a little bulldog folding trailer. It mounted externally to the trailer too. Got to camp and made up the trailer, pumped up the boat and all good. Easy to do the reverse. I didn't fancy having a salt water covered boat on the roof, dripping into the gutters. Though that happens occasionally these days with the kayaks.

http://bulldogfoldingtrailers.com

[QUICKY Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close QUICKY]

Check out this link http://www.mangrovejack.com/ it's one of the trailers I am considering when I get my tinnie soon.

[derek11 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close derek11]

Check out this link http://www.mangrovejack.com/ it's one of the trailers I am considering when I get my tinnie soon.

This is what I have, it takes me less then 10 minutes to put together and so light I can carry it around, it is strong and registrable, I have driven it some distance with boat on top here in Tassie with no problems. The hub/wheels are mounted on the back swing away arm with the boat motor on my Cub Brumby Camper.

Cheers Derek

[Joe Lighty Member Find all posts View Profile Close Joe Lighty]

Cheers for the suggestions. My goal is to minimise weight and extra "stuff" I need to carry around. I'm still trying to picture where you guys put the fold up trailer when it is not in use? The other issue is manufacturing a good mount somewhere on the camper trailer to put the outboard for long distance travel. If you've got any pics to share, I'd be grateful!

[Guest Close Guest]

The big issue is finding an appropriate roof rack that goes ALL the way back (slightly past the wind deflector thingy) - I'm worried I may need to get a custom one made.
Anyway, that's the plans at this stage - advice or suggestions are well appreciated.

You can buy Rhinorack Pioneer Platforms that are 2128mm x 1236 or 1426mm and drill 6 new holes to reposition the 3 crossbars such that you move the entire platform backwards.
You can then attach a ladder roller to the rear edge of the platform

You can then add some Wrap pads to stop scratching the deck of the platform
http://www.rhinorack.com.au/products...h-straps_43150


Or some C-channel
http://www.rhinorack.com.au/products...1220mm-_43137b


Alternatively, if you don't need a platform, you can buy a 3-bar HD roof rack set, then bolt on 2x 2m (or whatever length you need) of the same HD bar in the north-south direction (blue bars in the image below). Then bolt a 4th crossbar (green bar) above the spoiler for the tinny to rest on. A ladder roller can be bolted to the 4th crossbar too.

[Joe Lighty Member Find all posts View Profile Close Joe Lighty]

Alternatively, if you don't need a platform, you can buy a 3-bar HD roof rack set, then bolt on 2x 2m (or whatever length you need) of the same HD bar in the north-south direction (blue bars in the image below). Then bolt a 4th crossbar (green bar) above the spoiler for the tinny to rest on. A ladder roller can be bolted to the 4th crossbar too.

This sounds like the way to go for me, I hadn't considered the option of "extending" and adding a forth crossbar. I'll just have to make sure it's pretty strong - the initial force on this rear bar would be considerable in the early lifting/pulling phase. Have already run up a quick quote for myself with all the necessary parts on the Rhino website. They have these things called "ladder slides" which look great, with a set on every bar, the boat would be secured for any left/right movement and they are apparently very hard/slippery plastic which would be perfect.
I appreciate you taking so much time to discuss some options!

[Guest Close Guest]

Those HD bars are very strong. You can join the north-south rails to the crossbars using these brackets available from places that sell Unitrut/Ezystrut.


What width is the boat? Ideally, Toyota has the cheapest set of 3 bar HD racks around and the cross bars are 1250mm long. So the boat would want to be less than this. Then add the extra 4th crossbar and 2x 2m bars.
Yes the ladder slides is another option. Just need to make sure that the boat is tied back so that it won't slide forward under heavy braking.

[AussieAndy Find all posts View Profile Close AussieAndy]

Using rhino h/d crossbars along the sides as extensions and an extra crossbar as the rear bar should be strong enough. The rhino h/d is quite stiff and should do the job nicely. Plus you could take it off and leave the three crossbars behind for the rest of the time.

[Joe Lighty Member Find all posts View Profile Close Joe Lighty]

Those HD bars are very strong. You can join the north-south rails to the crossbars using these brackets available from places that sell Unitrut/Ezystrut.

What width is the boat? Ideally, Toyota has the cheapest set of 3 bar HD racks around and the cross bars are 1250mm long. So the boat would want to be less than this. Then add the extra 4th crossbar and 2x 2m bars.
Yes the ladder slides is another option. Just need to make sure that the boat is tied back so that it won't slide forward under heavy braking.

You've read my mind - just picked the car up from a Toyota service (only $407) and had a chat to the parts department - yes, the 3 bar HD cross bar pack is the cheapest option BUT, you guessed it, 1250mm is just a tiny bit narrow - boat is 1260mm wide... (You know, Toyota didn't have the dimensions, so I'm really impressed you did!) Also, someone previously mentioned you could get the foot packs from Toyota for a steal - the Toyota parts bloke kindly printed out the fitting instructions which details each part no. Yippee, I say, can I order those parts individually? He looks, but the code was NLA (No Longer Available...)
Might have to spring for the Rhino stuff and make up a custom kit to get the width I need...
Thanks, Andrew and AussieAndy!

[Guest Close Guest]

You will find that buying the 3 bar set is still cheaper than getting the individual legs and feet from Rhino, or you can at least offset the cost by selling the 3 1250mm HD bars. So get the Toyota set, then buy 4x 1375mm and 2x 2000mm.

[Guest Close Guest]

Here's another idea. You can buy this Unistrut/Ezystrut bracket to extend the Toyota bars. Being 184mm long, you would have half the length on the cross bars and the ladder slider on the overhanging part. So with 1 bracket at each end, the total length is 1434mm. You can of course slide it inboard so that it is at the perfect width for the boat.


You might want to check if the ladder slide will fit over the "extension". Rhino makes 2 models REGLK (HD bars) and SEGLK (Vortex bars).

[Joe Lighty Member Find all posts View Profile Close Joe Lighty]

You will find that buying the 3 bar set is still cheaper than getting the individual legs and feet from Rhino, or you can at least offset the cost by selling the 3 1250mm HD bars. So get the Toyota set, then buy 4x 1375mm and 2x 2000mm.

This probably sounds like the way to go. Excuse my ignorance, but are the Toyota bars pretty much exactly the same as the Rhino bars? Eg, all parts interchangeable?

[Guest Close Guest]

This probably sounds like the way to go. Excuse my ignorance, but are the Toyota bars pretty much exactly the same as the Rhino bars? Eg, all parts interchangeable?

Yes they are rebranded Rhinorack parts.

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

I would have thought a fold up boat would be cheaper, lighter, easier to handle and take up less room?