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PostPosted: Sun Mar 31, 2019 5:44 pm 
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Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2019 5:20 pm
Posts: 10
I'm a new user here on the Hobie forum. I'm currently Hobieless but looking to purchase a Tandem Island. I think I may have a unique situation in need of a solution and hoping to get some suggestions / ideas here. We live in the northeast USA and would likely be in need of a trailer to keep a TI on at home for use locally and for outside storage. So far this is pretty normal I suppose. In the winter for the past few years we have traveled to Key West, Fla and would be planning to bring the TI along. To do this it would need to be car topable since we tow a RV trailer behind my truck. This is also pretty normal and should require nothing special but once we are in KW things may require some "Out of the box thinking". We will be camping on a Navy base there for several months with nearby gulf water access. What I'm interested in doing is to come up with some method of transporting a rigged TI from campground to waterfront ( or nearby boat ramp). Here I'm looking at about 0.5mi to boat ramp and from perhaps 100' to 500' from campsite to waterfront. The water access here is coarse coral / shell rubble ( consistency of loose gravel). I've been looking at some of the plug in wheels or maybe a dolly for short distance movement but not sure if these are suitable for my needs. I would also like to think about some way to connect the TI, in the front, to my truck so I can tow it from the RV site to the boat launch nearby. The trip to the boat ramp is good blacktop paved road and the launch is a good solid surface ramp. The campground waterfront access would be over grass and coral rubble. I was thinking maybe I could choose one of the wheeled dollys ( suitable for hard surface) and fabricating some sort of a "V" socket where I could insert the nose of the TI and use the tow hitch to move it when needed. Here at home a simple trailer would work nicely but when traveling things get challenging.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Hoping that others have contemplated something like this.
Roger from central NJ :?



Spring is coming and the water will get warmer.


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 6:14 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 6:43 am
Posts: 202
Location: Chalfont Pa
In a similar situation, pulling a travel trailer with the pickup. I am in the process of making a ladder rack with a removable rear crossbar and using an aluminum ladder to hold the boat. So far I put PVC tube on one half of the ladder to support the boat and it works great. I use it in the winter to support the hull. Did a trial with the rest of the design, put a ladder rack on the pickup and mounted the other half of the ladder. The idea works but needs refinement to make it more user friendly. Bought a bigger truck so now I am starting over and need a new ladder rack.

This could work for you, once you have the ladder set up to hold the boat it would not be tough to mount some wheels too. This is a very inventive group and I am sure you will get lots of encouragement.


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2019 12:01 pm 
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Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2019 5:20 pm
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I like this and it could be a good starting point. You say the C-Tug didn't hold up too well but how much towing did you give it ??? I agree that the plastic wheels can't support too much towing but perhaps there's better solution. The cradle on your tug looks like it will only support the main kayak hull and not the outriggers. Can it manage the unit rigged for use ????

I'm not in immediate need. I haven't yet obtained the Hobie so just trying to get my ducks in line so I know what direction to go when I do. This part of the plan will be needed for the winter in Key West and movement locally around the campground and marina.

ThanX, keep the suggestions coming :?:

Roger from NJ


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 1:34 pm 
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Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2015 8:32 am
Posts: 7
Location: Southeast Michigan
I used to use a t-bar extender in the 2" reciever hitch to haul my AI in the bed of my old Ranger. The TI is longer & heavier, but I used my setup for freeway trips of 100+ miles (not with the mast up, though!) so you should be fine for a few hundred yards around the campground. While you're hauling the trailer, the t-bar comes off the extender and it can all lay flat in the bed of the truck.
https://www.harborfreight.com/truck-bed ... 69650.html

Image


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 5:42 am 
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Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2019 5:20 pm
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Now that's an interesting way to transport a kayak. For what I'm looking to do it looks like it just might work so long as I can empty some stuff from my truck but out on the highway, not so sure. But, that's not what I'm interested in. Anyway, in any case thanks for the suggestion it might just have some merit and I might need to give it some thought.

I have a friend that made something along the lines of DOMR but the axel & wheels was a bit more robust and better suited to road use. Not distance by any means but just slow pulling around the campground to & from the marina ( 0.5 mi. +/-). He pulls it with a golf cart and found inflatable tires with plastic wheels so it can get dunked in the water. The wheels run on a no bearing solid axel and he just has a couple of grease fittings to keep some lubricant in there. Nice configuration and suitable for what he uses it for. I just need something compact enough to assemble and use and pack away for travel.

Keep 'um coming. ThanX all

Roger from NJ :mrgreen:


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