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need outboard dolly ideas...

T

tws

New member
greetings,

i'm retiring and getting a new skiff with new honda 9.9 4 stroke outboard. on long drive to mountain lakes and while over nighting in parks i want to stow my outboard in the back of my canopied pickup truck. does anyone know of a decent outboard dolly/trolly?
this bronco thing is nice but it's not sold in this country...

http://www.nauticexpo.com/prod/brunco/outboard-motor-trolleys-37258-284092.html

and this aussie contraption is perfect

http://www.almactrailers.com.au/motortrolley.php

but again not sold here...

i need something i can roll off and on the truck and wheel into my garage when i get home...

i'm looking at this dolly and trying to figure out how to convert it to my needs...

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/m...066d4q3kZUyuUMoeBGec9O-YztWx3nV33saAt6x8P8HAQ

maybe someone here has already confronted and solved this engineering problem... if so could you send me to a link or show me how to proceed?

thanks for a great forum.

tws
 
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HOLY COW! I just looked it up and those things weigh nearly 100 lbs. That's crazy! I could lug my old Evinrude 9.9 two-stroke around all day. I doubt if it weighed more than 30 lbs.

Anyway, think about turning the engine around so that the transom sleeve is facing out. Line the upper part of your dolly with a thick rubber foam to support the back upper part of the engine and bolt on a short piece of rolled foam rubber to cradle the narrow section above the anti-cavitation plate. Then ratchet strap the motor to the dolly. Just thinking about how I would attack the problem.
 
Going on what chawk suggests....

The 9.9 is made to be stored vertically or laying down on one side.....not with the mounting plate down with the engine horizontal like the one picture shows.

If you go with that dolly that you are looking at....the video shows an optional carpeted aluminum deck . You can lay the motor down horizontally on the little feet that the motor has...and then ratchet strap the motor in two different places...putting some foam or whatever under the straps to protect the engine.

That would probably work ok with no modifications. That would also keep it low to put into your covered pickup.

It looks like you could shorten the swing away wheels to allow it to go into your truck. Maybe you could cut the tubes then move the wheels and the brace up.

Just the first thoughts out of my old head. It might stimulate someone else to come up with something brilliant!

Mike
 
thanks mike and chalk,

i didn't know the honda 9.9 needed to be cradled on its side... well i have a couple of weeks before my skiff motor comes in so i can sus out a solution to this problem... here is a picture of the dolly i ordered off amazon... good price considering the shipping and it's weight... it has the necessary 4 wheels... so all i have to do is come up with the attaching solution. preferably one that i can remove if i want too. maybe something like chalk suggested... more later. thanks again for your valuable feedback.dollyfix1.jpg
 
Just had another thought, as we were unpacking a motor today. The motor comes in a cardboard container, with Styrofoam molded to the shape of the engine upper (hood, etc) and the lower unit.

If you are ordering a new motor, ask the dealer to same at least the upper pieces for you .

If you take something like a 2 x 6 and cut a slot (maybe with a router) that the skeg can fit in and not move all around and attach it to the bottom of the dolly...then put the Styrofoam around the upper part of the motor, then strap down the motor around the styrofoam.

The slot in the 2 x 6 should hold the bottom in place and the strap will hold the top in place.

.....just throwing some ideas your way.

Mike
 
I would be very careful of this site. I do not know anything about it, but if you go to the "contact us" tab, you will see that the company is located in China. They say there is a 5 year warranty...but do you have to take it back to China for the repair? The reason I say that is....if you buy a Honda Outboard in Canada, the warranty is not valid in the USA.....and vise versa.

So...is it too good to be true? I don't know...but that price does seem too good to be true.

As I said...I have nothing to base it on....just a very cautious nature.

Mike
 
yes... i agree honda dude...

anyway i'll probably go with the dealer i'm involved with who is one of very few who sell the particular skiff i want... he is also a honda dealer and it looks like i'm unlikely to find the 9.9 under $2650.00 his asking price... the trick is i've not dealt with new purchase dealers ever - car or boat - and am reluctant to accept their price at face value, thinking (perhaps incorrectly) that i can negotiate down...

i've been vacillating between the yamaha and the honda because i'm old and retiring and don't want some outlandish outboard repair bill in a couple of years time... honda has it's 5 year warranty but does that cover a new water pump or whatever? yamaha is no doubt a good engine, even lighter but i'm tired of susing the two brands out and the yamaha is no cheaper and the local dealer is rather oily and unpleasant.

i've never been a binge buyer and want the best value for my hard earned dollars...

as it stands i think i'll go with the honda 9.9 and hope for the best.

cheers and thanks for all the feed back.

it's very valuable to me.
 
No warranty covers items like impellers, spark plugs, fuel filters etc....wear items....unless there is a true manufacturing defect.

Yamaha makes a good motor...but all being the same, I would go with the dealer in which you have the most faith.

Depending on what 9.9 (long shaft/short shaft/electric start/power tilt etc) that you are buying, that price seems pretty good. If you are getting a short shaft pull start, that price is only about $100 over the Honda base price. List price is $3164.

If you are adding any features etc, the dealer's margins go down even further and the list price goes up.

Your dealer should also have serviced the engine, inspected it and run it in a test tank. We, actually put two hours of breakin time on them....that is not a requirement from Honda.

The dealer is also supposed to go through the PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection) list with you and review the manual and go over the motor, so that you are comfortable with it.

It is a nice add on, if they put it in the test tank for you and let you start it. And...most importantly, show you how to drain the carburetor.

Let us know what you decide and how it goes.

Mike
 
thanks Mike,

again your information is excellent.

i've never bought a new outboard and this is the material/info i need. Once i committed to purchasing the skiff and trailer the dealer has been very good about communicating with me. i explained my need for a motor and size and he immediately recommended the honda brand, tho he carries others. he further explained that he would help me get familiar with the outboard, much like you describe above.

it's interesting this marine dealer is a couple of hundred miles away on the coast not far from where i grew up... where as the local yamaha dealer is selling the same trailer for several hundred dollars more and more for the yamaha outboards as well...

i'll post a follow up with pic's when i complete this transaction if the forum likes...

a week or two i reckon.

thanks again.
 
got honda... got skiff.

375 mile road trip to pickup.

loaded outboard in the back as planned, rode like a charm

the aluminum skiff and trailer came to only 480lbs - i've never had such a light tow. i drive a nissan 4 cylinder pickup w/canopy and this combination of skiff/trailer is perfect... no load and hardly any extra fuel consumption.

but i know the oregon coast and the winter winds will have to be reckoned with.

some pics:
i-MG6ghCg-X3.jpgi-gs227t7-X3.jpgi-H7PmGbD-X2.jpgi-h3D45Lw-X2.jpgi-5TB7hcN-X3.jpg
 
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Nice outfit. You had a vision and you made it work! Very creative.

That should give you many years of enjoyment.

Thanks for sharing.

Mike
 
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