How do you get boat off trailer and on dolly?

[jklaus]

Just wondering how the dealers get the boats on/off the trailers and on/off those dollies they have floating around the showrooms. Also any ideas how I could build myself one of those dollies?

Cheers, Jeff

[Tequilasun]

They usually use a fork lift, or at least that's what I've seen before.

Probably want to get a good metal fab guy to build you one, doesn't seem like a do it your self kind of project

[jklaus]

Alot of the dollies i've seen are surprisingly made out of 2x4s and plywood. I kinda shocked me when I first started looking - especially when they had $50k and up new boats on there weighing 3,000 lbs and up...

Do they have special fork attachments - would they lift from behind presumably?

Cheers, Jeff

[Tequilasun]

The fork attachments that I have seen are really long, and covered with carpet.

I haven't seen a dollie made out of wood, I'm a bit surprised by that as well.

I suppose you could make something, but I'll let you try it first!

[mtnsmith]

Here is a company that makes the dollies. I have seen both large forklifts that essentially have bunks on them instead of just forks and then one of the dealers here uses a hoist system to pick them off the trailers with the lifting rings and place them on the carts.

http://www.oldinc.com/pwc_boatcarts.htm

[lee]

We use two "A" frames to lift a boat. One to lift the front and one for the rear.

[jklaus]

Hey Lee, just trying to picture what an A frame might look like to lift the boat off the trailer. Can you give a quick description. Would you lift from the top side or push up from the underside. If lifting from top side what hooks/rings/positions do you attach for lifting.

Cheers, Jeff

[mtnsmith]

This is what I imagine it to be like. Probably with some reinforcement. The white box in the middle would be some sort of hoist with a strap that goes to the bow eye. I picture a second one at the stern going to the stern eyes.

[Lucky 275]

you imagined correctly, right down to the color.

[lee]

Originally posted by Lucky 275
you imagined correctly, right down to the color.

Almost. Our "A" is red but the hoist is orange and the chains are silver. We do have a cross member that ties them together. On the front we use the bow eye and on the rear we use the lifting rings by running a webbed sling through the eyelets and then connecting the sling to the chain that is part of each 3 ton hoist.

[Matt Garcia]

Originally posted by lee
Almost. Our "A" is red but the hoist is orange and the chains are silver. We do have a cross member that ties them together. On the front we use the bow eye and on the rear we use the lifting rings by running a webbed sling through the eyelets and then connecting the sling to the chain that is part of each 3 ton hoist.

Wow lee, you used more than one sentence!

[balair]

At work we use a hoist system to lift boats off of stock trailers. In order to use a forklift, it has to be on a work trailer with tall runners so the forks can get between the boat and trailer.

[lee]

Originally posted by Matt Garcia
Wow lee, you used more than one sentence!

I have. Done it. Before. But just. Once.