How to Launch Rowboat: Options?
 

This may be a dumb question, but besides a standard trailer or carrying, are there any (easy) ways to launch a rowboat with/without motor? An awesome forum member reached out to offer a rowboat for my 9-year-old's first vessel, but there's no trailer so I'd need to come up with a solution to bring it from the storage area of my camp to the boat launch.

Thoughts? Thanks!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

Depending on the size/weight, you may be able to mount wheels on the transom that extend just below the bottom. I’ve seen this done for dinghies at marinas. You move the boat by lifting the bow and rolling it into the water.

??
 

Need more info. How often> Once a year>? Daily?
Do you own a pick up? Too many questions without back up info.

I've got a 4Runner with hitch. I'm guessing once every week or two. Storage area is ~1/4 mile away. Launch is down a slight hill.

Obviously, trailering would be easiest, but if I need to buy one, the value of the free boat becomes a diminishing return.

Anyone got a trailer for a 12' rowboat they wanna donate?!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

google boat beach wheels

lots of options to buy or to get ideas for DIY

+1

There are a lot of options. If you are just going 1/4 mile, some form of a caddy/set of wheels will be fine. We have one for our canoe and it works great. Just get the widest wheels you can. The skinny tires have a tendency to dig in versus the wider tires roll over things.

Do you then move it by hand? Given the hills, I'd be very inclined to not ever launch it!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

There are some examples of boat dollies at https://wheeleez.com/shop/products/d.../boat-dollies/

Wheeleez also sell the wheels separately if you want to build your own.

For the price of a couple wheels, I'd be close to a trailer?

Anyone know if the trailer place in Tilton has old trailers like what I'm looking for? I won't be taking it on road, so it can be bare bones.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

Affirmative. You put the wheels on one end of the boat, pick the boat up at the other end, and them roll it down to the lake. Hills will make it a little more of a challenge...….

Here's an example:

https://www.wholesalemarine.com/garelick-boat-dolly/

Ok, thanks--given the situation, I'm not sure that would work. When we had Dad's camp, which was much closer, we might have been able to do that, but the storage area is a fair distance with some rough terrain and hills.

Sounds like I'd need a pickup or trailer...

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

You could use the transom wheels and attached the bow to a trailer hitch on your vehicle. The boat IS the trailer!

Interesting idea--just looked and hard to find pricing.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

Here's a suggestion for transom wheels

There are lots of utility trailers listed on craigslist. You could use one and muscle in/out of the water. Alternatively, you could mount a trailer winch to the front of the trailer to get the boat out of the water.

Build a row boat dolly by using a 48"x2"x6" piece of construction lumber, assuming the width of the stern is 48", two 10" plastic garden wheels with rubber tread, a 1/2" x 56" black iron pipe for an axle, two large screw eyes, one large rope cleat, and 12' x 1/2" rope line.

This gets roped to the stern, held by tight rope friction, either right side up, or upside down ...... either way will work ...... so you can move the boat like a wheel barrow.

Also, suggest you get two #10x4" pan head, stainless machine screws and stop nuts, drill a hole through the long wood oars, and through the two oar lock wings on each oar lock, to permanently pin the oar to the oar locks for the correct angle and position while rowing ..... which makes rowing a whole lot easier to do ..... for anyone ..... any age. Is important to get the angle, and location, and drill holes all perfectly correct for holding the wood oar in correct rowing position. (You need a vise to do this correct.)

Very long wood oars ..... about 72-76" ...... that are light weight, work the best .......about $75/pair at Parafunalia in Gilford which has a big selection of oars and oar locks. Getting the right oar locks and oars is important for making it a happening row boat.

There's no insurance, registration, or gasoline needed ...... so's you can spend on some quality wood oars ..... plus a non-engined row boat is covered by the standard home owner's policy ..... just like a bicycle ..... for liability.

Pinning the oars also makes it go much better and easier for the novice to advanced rower. One rower, sitting in the center of the boat and slowly rowing, makes it very stable in waves a lot bigger than you would think ..... like in wakes as big as 36" high .... for both the 11' jon boat or 12' vee hull ..... sitting in the center seat makes it very stable.

A nine year old can easily row from Meredith to Wolfeboro on the windiest day of the year ..... with no problem! ...... (well, maybe not)

two of these and a couple 2x4.

https://www.harborfreight.com/10-inc...ire-67465.html


Or something like this, but I would do it upside down.

Maybe check the town dump for something small and repairable. Four years or so ago I took an old trailer that wasn't worth fixing (to me) to the dump, and they had me park it next to a few others in sad shape. Someone with welding ability was going to grab it, maybe sell it on Ebay for a few quick bucks. When I dropped off an old, broken JD snowblower there a couple of years back, it wasn't there but a couple of hours before someone took it away. You never know.

Diy?
 

A bicycle shop may have used large balloon wheels/tires that can be either attached to the boat or used to build a cradle. I have a Sandusky Garden cart that I've used to carry 100's lbs of stone. The bigger 26" wheels are easy to push, fully loaded. Even at just 1/4 mile to be able to go uphill, it sounds like you should be able to attach it to the car, especially if you add a motor later, adding weight. Used boat trailers are hard to find, I think, but you may find a used flatbed landscapers trailer. M & M Boat Salvage in Meredith might have something.

Bicycle wheels are a great idea. Large diameter, easy to roll and easy to find.

Interesting idea. I called and they took my name and number in case they hear of something. [emoji1696]

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

For thirty dollars, someone in Gilmanton NH has a boat dolly for sale in nh-craigslist/boat parts that looks like it could work good on a 12' flat transom row boat.

My links to craigslist never work and it does have a good photo so maybe someone who knows what they are doing could post a link.

Small Boat Dolly
 

There is a small boat dolly with a For Sale sign on the side of Rt. 109 in Melvin Village near Senter Cove Road...I should say it was there as of Tuesday. Seems like it would be just the ticket. If you're in the area it might be worth a ride by.

Ok, dolly--how would I hook that to my 4Runner? As I mentioned above, if we have to hand wheel it, it won't be used.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

You may be able to mount a regular light duty trailer tongue over the handle of a dolly enabling attachment to your vehicle hitch. This could potentially work if the height of the hitch puts the dolly and boat at a workable angle when attached.

Amazon has this from Rage Powersports for 56-dollars ..... it weighs 10-lbs ..... overall length at wheels is 26-inches.

https://www.harborfreight.com/1195-l...ler-62648.html

Something like this would work, you can likely even find something on Craigslist that is similar.... You might need to increase the width a bit with a 2x4 or two going across the width.... but just flop the boat upside done and away you go.......

We all have a big emotional investment in getting this to work. I hope OP will report back with the result or I don't think I could stand the suspense.

:D

What if you hire some sherpas to haul it to the water? ;)

Do you have a riding lawnmower?

If so you can easily rig an attachment point for the bow.

With the $10 transom wheels the boat will travel upside down.

A heavy duty angle bracket sticking out from the rear of the mower can support the bow via a length of rope and a carabiner.

You will be going slow enough for this to work IF you take the corners at dead slow.

If you awaken the local constabulary, plead ignorance and promise to rehabilitate yourself!

Ha! The problem isn't pulling the boat, it's stopping it!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

I have not looked closely, but this is close to my house so I've driven by many times. I thought the dolly had a trailer hitch? I can check next Thursday unless Winster beats me to it

I think your best option of all the ones offered, is the 30.00 boat trolley on CL. You flip the boat upside down with this dolly on the transom so you can put the bow over the ball of your trailer hitch somehow, like someone else mentioned, and just tow it down to the launch with your vehicle. I think that's probably the easiest, and cheapest way to solve this dilemma. I would buy, or use an old dock line, cut it to length, (to use specifically for towing this boat), and tie a loop in one end, and use the existing loop in the other end to tie to a cleat, or the bow eye of the boat, and then just put the loop on the other end over the ball of the hitch. If there is no cleat on the bow of the boat to tie the loop to, then I would get a "D" ring and put the "D" ring on the loop of the rope to use as a quick connect / disconnect to the bow eye. Simple.

.....that's right ..... a deal at $30 ..... could be a steal at $20 ...... just show up in an old, clunky car and wear some old clothes and mention how you missed out on lunch today cause you was too broke to eat ......so's "is there any chance you can be a buddy and sell this here boat dolly for $20 ........ buddy?"

Consider Trading...
 

At a flea market, I bought a bunch of counterfeit Chinese silver dollar coins, minted in 1927.

You'd be surprised at how readily someone will trade something big (and in the way) for something that appears valuable but can be slipped into one's pocket.