My PT Spear is nearly finished and I need to figure out how to get it to the harbor about 4 miles away. I have a Ford Maverick pickup. If you know the Maverick you know that its bed is only 4 1/2 feet long. I do have a Yakima lumber rack. If I’m by myself I’m not sure I could get the boat up on the racks with damage (myself and the boat)
Maybe I could come up with a sliding rail to push the boat up on the rack? Ideas? Of course then I’m going to need a dolly to get it to the water. I suppose I could find a used trailer but that’s another hassle in itself.
Anyway, I’m open to ideas, what do you think?
For my Brand X dinghy, I made a set of wheels that strapped to the transom. The wheels were inflatable wheelbarrow replacement wheels from the big box hardware store. They connected to the ends of 2x4s with lag screws that acted as axles, The 2x4s were attached to a frame that fitted over the top of the transom. The whole assembly was ratchet strapped to the boat.
Once it was attached, the boat was rolled bottom up (this is a step you’d probably want to do on a tarp, grass, etc.). At this point I could just pick up the bow and wheel the boat around to my truck.
At the truck I raised the bow and leaned it against the rear ladder rack, hooking a line to the bow eye so that the boat couldn’t roll away from the truck. Since the transom is resting on the wheels on the ground, it’s only a 40-50 lb lift. I remember Eisenhower as president and can easily make that lift, so most folks should be able to handle it.
Then, with the boat secured to the truck and leaning on against the rack, I walk to the transom and push the boat forward and up. I deadlift the transom until it’s high enough to transition to an overhead lift up onto the racks. Again, most of the weight is being supported by the racks so if you can do a 45-lb deadlift and overhead lift you should be fine.
When I’m done I tie everything down and I’m off to the ramp where I do everything in reverse and roll the boat to the water.
This method has some drawbacks, mainly the requirement to roll the boat and to slide the gunnels along the racks. If you’re worried about scratches it’s not for you. I’m also doing this on a Tacoma with a 6’ bed and ladder racks so your geometries may not work the same way. The easiest option would be a trailer. There would be no rolling of the boat or sliding on the gunnels and no need for deadlifts and overhead lifts, especially after a long day of rowing.
Is it too late to cut the bow off and make it a nester? Then it’d fit with the tailgate down.
Laszlo