tdem

I like boats.

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Lifting Boat Wheels

Some crazy guy (joke) on the Woodenboat forum wanted to build “airplane style lifting wheels” into his mirror-like dinghy. Couldn't resist the challenge.

It's made pretty much entirely from plywood. The lid keeps the wheels both up and down, as well as closing off the top of the well.

Things I haven't really figured out:

  • How to close the well with some kind of cover. It can probably be done automatically, with a bungy connected to the cover and the lid (I've got an idea but too lazy to draw it).
  • How to keep the lid in the locked down position, preventing the wheels from coming up.
  • The nitty gritty construction details, like how to keep this waterproof, integrate into the hull shape etc.
  • Placement - You could use the inside buoyancy tank wall as part of it, or put them as wide apart as possible.

At the front, I'd cut a couple of nice handholds in the mirror bow, with a stand that retracts into the hull or folds up against the bow.