Storm 17 launch Trolley?

Started by Ged, 22 Mar 2016, 10:18

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Ged

Hi All
As my boat is light enough to shove about I thought I might convert my road trailer into a combi trailer.  Does anybody else have their Storm 17 on a launch trolley?

Cheers

Ged
Ged
Storm 17 'Peewit'

garethrow

Not me Ged

I suspect this will depend on what sort of beach / slip you normally want to launch and retrieve. Although I probably could pull my S17 up the slip if 2 or 3 'willing' volunteers were around to push - it is a lot easier to hitch onto the car and tow her up the slip behind the car. If you are a beach launcher though without access to tractor - then manpower may be your only option and a light weight launch trolley is most desirable.

The combi trailer obviously extends your road trailer bearing life - but mine have lasted 10 years before requiring replacement - so I consider that a small price to pay for not having a combi. Mind you, when launching I try not to get the wheel hubs into the water and I keep the hubs regularly pumped up with grease.

Regards

Gareth Rowlands
Gwennol Teifi S17

Ged

I'm not going to have a normal slip for this boat as I plan to take her to as many different places as possible, I was thinking that a combi trailer with a tow hitch on the launch trolley would give me the most options.
Ged
Storm 17 'Peewit'

Michael Rogers

My rather smaller scale experience may not be relevant (?).

With my 14 ft Storm Petrel, I launched from the road trailer - the Swallowboats way (they were called that way back then), which no-one seemed to question, so why should I? It was usually a pain: as the weight of the boat didn't merit faffing about with the car, I was effectively using the trailer as a (rather heavy) trolley. It was nearly always obvious that going further into the water would make launch/recovery VERY much easier, but I didn't because of those dratted bearings.

For my 12 ft Trouper I was determined to go combi and have not regretted it under any circumstances I have met with. I'm usually launching/recovering solo. I can usually float the boat onto the trolley. I have two jockey wheel arrangements for the trolley, one with a useful longish handle, and the other without. Slipping the trolley onto the road base has never been a problem.

For a boat the size of mine, it really is a no-brainer. I appreciate that 17ft is quite a bit bigger. I think your idea of a simple tow hitch on the trolley would mean you could tow most (if not quite all) the way out with the car, and I really do think using a trolley makes life SOOO much easier. I would go for it.

Michael R   (Trouper 12 'Cavatina')