Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 11:50 am

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Built a Dolly for my AI
PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:31 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 4:55 pm
Posts: 84
Location: Pensacola, Fl.
My lawn mower broke and I had to buy a new one. My old mower had large 16" wheels on the rear and I figured I could use them to make me a dolly for my AI. I took them off, along with the axel, before I threw it away.

Bought six U bolts, a section of ¾ PVC pipe, (one inch outside diameter), a 3 foot ½ inch threaded rod, (cut into two 14 inch lengths), one 1x 8six foot pine board and one 1x4 six foot pine board and some fiberglass resin which I already had.

For the center support I put two 14 inch lengths of the 1x8 together to get double thickness there then bolted the threaded rods exactly 11 inches apart to it. Then I put on each rod a five inch section of 1 inch outside diameter PVC pipe, leaving the rods about a quarter inch below the top of the PVC pipe. Taped the top of the PVC pipes, turned them upside down and filled almost full with fiberglass resin then sank the threaded rods into them.

I put two tapered 20 inch sections of the 1x8 on each side for braces and placed a 22 inch length of 1x4 above each. This is the result.
Image
Image

When installed, the PVC sections extend about half inch above the top inside of the hull. I don’t transport the entire AI on these wheels, only the hull. I probably could but I usually park within 50 yards or so from the water so it is no big deal. To install them or remove them I simply roll the hull onto its side. Simple and quick. I never put the wheels into the water. I just nose the hull into the edge of the water, roll the hull over and remove the dolly.

I did not keep receipts for everything but the total cost was somewhere around 20 bucks, not counting the wheels and the fiberglass resin which I already had.

Ron P.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:48 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2007 8:12 am
Posts: 441
Location: Florida
Ron. What a marvelous cart! Especially using recycled parts.

The only improvement I could suggest is a little carpet tacked onto the boards which contact the hull. Some indoor/outdoor carpet but not the "astroturf" looking stuff. It will act as a cushion and reduce any scratching of the hull.

Good work. I had to modify my Hobie trax cart to withstand hauling the AI to the water. So creations like yours all always of interest.

8)


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:05 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Fri Nov 21, 2008 3:39 am
Posts: 858
Location: Bairnsdale, Victoria Australia
Good stuff Ron but check it for floatation first if you are thinking of stowing it on board. I would like to have seen a pic of the lawn-mower as I don't think I have come across one with wheels like those....Pirate


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:26 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 4:55 pm
Posts: 84
Location: Pensacola, Fl.
Yakaholic, I might tack some carpet to the boards, haven’t thought of that. Thanks for the suggestion.

Pirate, I don’t stow the dolly on the AI, I leave it in the car. Where I launch is pretty hard and rocky so I need it but otherwise the beaches are soft sand. If I stop for any reason, or camp, I just pull it up on the beach, don’t need a dolly.

Large rear wheels were more common about 15 years ago when I bought the original mower with those wheels. I bought another about 8 years ago with small wheels in back. I just pulled the new motor and mounted it on my old frame because I loved those large wheels, they make the mower much easier to push. But this time I bought a mower with 12 inch rear wheels, the largest I could find. Not as good as the old wheels but much better than those small 7 inch wheels most mowers have.

Ron


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:33 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2008 2:10 pm
Posts: 18
Location: Germany;Formentera (Spain)
Some days ago I had the idea of constructing a 2'nd axis for the cart. I thought about something with a controllable wheel inserted where normally the mirage drive is inserted.

The reason for my thoughts was that I have to cover a distance of nearly 1 km (0.6 miles) to get my AI to the beach along a dirt track and that the weight of the hull, akas, amas, mast etc. seems to increase during the way ;-)

Anybody any experiences?

Axel (2 weeks to bypass until the next trip can start, already enjoying)


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Oct 23, 2009 5:19 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Captain

Joined: Sun Jun 11, 2006 11:29 am
Posts: 93
Location: FL Panhandle; Western MD; Mandeville, LA
I did very much the same thing, but used the two large wheels off a neighbor's discarded pull-behind golf cart.

_________________
joanie / Hobie enthusiast: 4 H-14Ts, 2 Waves, FloatCat 75, 4 Adventure Islands, and my DUNE Tandem Island!
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What can I say? I never met a Hobie I didn't like . . .


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group