Beach Roller's

yes all good ideas, If you can get the plastic rims barrow wheels are best. As for heating up some PVC for hull cups great idea, Let us know how you get on. Most people are useing fibre glass cups from Boyer or Goodalls.
The axle is heavy wall Alloy tube about 50mm to 60mm Dia.
Peter

Hi Ben,

I would seriously recommend investing is some Eurotrax wheels. You can purchase them from Sydney based A Class sailor Glenn Brown (Blue A Class from Pittwater / Kurnell) and build your rollers.

Yes the wheels will set you back a few hundred $$$ but your back will thank you. After years of using wheel barrow tyres and those lager plastic rollers, I purchased a set of Eurotrax for the Capricorn and will NEVER go back. I can tell you now that my 180 kg F18 will be easier to move around the beach solo than your 65 kg Mossie with wheel barrow wheels. The A Class sailors that use them can move their boats around gripping with the fingertips of one hand.

As for cups, use your hulls as a mould and lay fiberglass over the mid point (ballance point) of the hulls. This will give you the right shape and then line with carpet.

I am not a fiberglasser but I believe you wax up the hull so the glass does not bond to the hull. Seek advice from someone who has worked with fiberglass.

http://www.intocom.com.au/ic/eurotrax.htm

Hi Ben

You can get those plastic rimmed wheel barrow wheels that are about 5-6 inches wide, punch out the bearings and file the taper out to slide in an aluminium axle (50mm dia) an put a couple of keepers each side to hold it in place, and attach the cradles to the axle.

I was what Alive is showing, I saw in Melbourne recently, looks like they would be good for soft sand type beaches especially, better than the barrow type wheels.

But the above is a cheaper alternative, when moulding cradles, wrap some glad wrap around the hull where you're working, lay a thickish layer of newspaper on the hull, this will allow for the padding on the cradle, another wrap around with glad wrap, and glass up your cradles with chopped strand mat. You can get from your disposal type store or toyworld foam mat squares that clips together, its blue or green, a pack of 4 mats about 2ft square cost about $25.00.

Just some ideas, or just buy the cradles from AHPC/boyer, thats what the apprentices get to hone their skills on, and you sometimes get seconds.

Regards

Matt

Ben,
I have put together a home built set that are not quite as good as some of the more expensive types I have seen but for 100$ they still work amazingly well. The design is different with two separated strap on wheel sets so I can single handedly pull the boat of the trailer with the wheels preattached. The wheels arn't as big as most cat haulers but there is 4 wheels instead of two giving enough weight dispersal for moderatly soft sand.
I haven't had a chance to test them in very soft sand yet. The Wheels are 10$ each with bearings from Super Cheap. The Axles 40$ from a steel Company.. The Hull Shaped supports cut out from a large White Bucket 17.50$ from Bunnings which is then coated with a 5$ rubber carpet from Para Rubber. The axle passes through a aluminium square tube 10$ which the bucket mouldings rivit onto... 2 adjustable straps with clip in buckles 10$ A few Split pins and washers to position the components on the axle 5$..
Because the axles are only 2 feet long they are light weight and fit happily inside your sail bin. You can check them out next weekend or at the Bullets Regatta if your interested. PS Ben my Username has changed to the name of my boat (Bandit). The late Zeflyguy username is now pushing up HTML Daisies..
Catch you later Cam..

hey Ben, you've seen how well mine work and they were home made

Do you have some photos of your setup? Would be fun to see..

Hi Ben,

Next time you are at Kurnell, you can try out Eurotrax rollers under your Mossie. Then you can try Will's and a few others at the club.

This way you can make a more educated descision. If you are happy with cheaper units then go for that. If you like the feel of the Eurotrax and are willing to spend a bit more for less strain, then I can point you in the right direction.