A cheap boatlauncher - how to build one.

launcher - © Frank Ellinghaus -

building the hull

Accessories

The "sailplan"

"taping" the sail

launcher

This boat launcher gets the job done. I am able to get my sailboat alone from the rack to the dock and into the water.
When I had built my boat in spring I found out, that it was to heavy to carry it on the roof of my truck. There were two options - buying a trailor or store it at the marina. Having it at the marina on a rack was the less expensive way, since for trailoring I had to buy a trailor and updating the truck. And it was more comfortable too.
But how could I get the boat floating? How to avoid the high cost of ready made "slip wheels" which sell for about 200 $?

My solution is the launcher I built from a hand cart for less than 50 $. Besides being cheaper it´s much more convenient to launch a small boat as a single person than the short conventional slip wheels. Because the handles are very long you steer boat and launcher from the launchers end handle at the bow of the boat.
When lifting the handle and give the boat a little push it glides into the water. I was already in the situation to lend this launcher to a fellow boater because it was easier to handle for him than his own custom made slip wheel.

This is a hand cart built by Harper bought at Home Depot for hauling things of up to 600 pounds with two wheels and with axle and a plastic-frame. (I don´t get commission neither from Harper nor from Home Depot.) It´s easy to fit two peace of construction wood on that frame. It came handy, that this cart was not a welded frame. Handle and carrying platform were easily unscrewed. If you look at the last picture of this page you´ll see that the handle found a reuse as launcher-handle. The wheels are only 10 inch but still air-filled and roll comfortable. Because this carts are very light weight you can transport them in your car or - when the construction wood is on - on the roof.

Launcher slanting To get a better glide the inside frame edges get cut slant in the slope of the boats bottom.

Launcher montage
Bracing the cart onto the woodframes and fixing it with screws. I screwed some ledges on the woodframes too to get more stability. The carts plastic frame had already predrilled holes.
The woodframes got some upholstery from carpet tape so the boats bottom couldn´t scratch so easily.

bigger

Boat and launcher ready to launch

new

I am glad to present the first reader of my page who did build his own launcher.

Rhett Davis writes " ... I was inspired and eternally grateful to you for sharing your hand "Launcher" online. It saved my back and paint job." and

"I went to Home Depot and found exactly the hand truck (dolly, cart) made by Harper that you pictured on your site. I was using it to launch my overly heavy 16 ft pirogue (I used 3/8 BC Pine plywood instead of the 1/4 AC Fir recommended, and then glassed inside & out using too much epoxy resin).

As much as I love the boat, it weighs about 115 lbs and is too cumbersome to haul the 900 meters through my woods to the creek and then launch over oyster shells without scratching the paint horribly.

So when I found your site, I was excited. All the other suggestions seemed to use wheels either much too small for cutting through the woods or too complex (bicycle wheel contraptions) or too expensive. I have since made 3 other small boats and sold the pirogue, but I continue to use the launcher.

Once I get the boat to the water, I just slide the boat down the carpeted bunks safely over marsh mud, oyster shell, and brush, into the water. Like having a ramp I can take with me. It's just the thing.

I attached a few pix of my latest, a Bolger Skimmer, one atop the launcher in the back yard. It is a weird boxy little boat, but it is perfect for a small outboard and for fishing the salt creeks around here. I'm definitely keeping this one."
"I kept the wheels near the front instead of centering them under the load--requiring more lift during travel, but making my shove-it-over-the-side, steep mudbank launches possible. I covered in with indoor carpet (I found at the dump), and built a crude handle--using the whole thing more like a looooong wheelbarrow than a trailer."

Rhett Davis
ravenous@GABooks.com http://www.GABooks.com

And here is the picture Rhett attached.

For another launcher (or should it say dolly?) on David Beedes site click here it´s not only cheaper you can transport it with your boat too, even in a kayak.

building the hull Accessories The "sailplan" "taping" the sail "taping" the sail launcher

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