Outboard Motor and Dolly Wheel Carrier

A visit to Anchor Marine uncovered a pair of clamp on wheels like these from Dinghy World or the Tinnie Movers from Whitworths. These clamp between the gunwale and chine of a boat.

However, for the Porta Bote the lower chine rail of the clamp had to be widened and I did this by welding a length of 15 mm steel flat to each and painting with zinc chromate and then aluminium paint.

These clamp on wheels also have to be carried so the mounting brackets were extended to include them as well.

Mounting Brackets for Bote Accessories

The top and bottom rails are exactly the same as for the bike rack and are installed on the van nearside rear door in the same way.

The aluminium blocks that slide in the rails are visible in the pics, as are some of the attaching fasteners and the sponge rubber backing strips.

The outboard motor is mounted on a fabricated aluminium transom bolted to vertical columns running between the top and bottom rails. The columns were made by ripping 50 x 25 x 3 mm aluminium rectangular tube on a circular saw to make two lipped unequal angle lengths. These were further bent to match the curvature of the door. The transom was bent up from 3 mm aluminium sheet and 50 x 10 mm and 40 x 10 mm flat bar held in position with three M10 stainless steel countersunk head machine screws. The transom is bolted to the columns using M6 stainless steel bolts, spring washers and nuts. A lower bracket was also bent up from 3 mm sheet to hold a buffer block for the propeller. It is held in position with M4 stainless steel machine screws. After cleaning with acetone, all relevant threads received a dab of Loctite 243.

Finally, a couple of cross members were so placed on the columns that the Porta Bote's transom can be slotted into place for transport.

The top bracket for the clamp on wheels is very similar to one of the Porta Bote brackets. A wing bracket to keep the wheels in place bolts to the lower rail. Both brackets were bent up from 2 mm steel strip and welded and galvanised as per the Bote brackets. Sponge rubber backing strips are on each bracket, and sponge rubber padding blocks hold the tops of the clamp on wheels in position. The heels and soles of an old pair of shoes provided the sponge rubber.

A padlock holds together the two handles for the transom screws on the outboard motor when it is tightened onto the mounting transom. A padlock also secures the holding tang for the clamp on wheels. All padlocks share the same key.

Update

To make it impossible for an undesirable to remove the columns holding the outboard motor, I have lowered the motor mount 150 mm on the columns. When in position, the Porta Bote transom now covers the machine screws retaining the columns to the lower rail.

LINKS

• Anchor Marine http://www.anchor-marine.com.au
• Whitworths Marine http://www.whitworths.com.au
• Dinghy World http://www.dinghyworld.com.au

Outboard Motor Brackets

The rails for the outboard motor brackets in position.

First fitting of the motor mount to the rails on the rear door of the van.

The finished motor mounting bracket and the brackets for the clamp on wheels.

Showing all the brackets on the rear doors - for outboard motor, Bote transom, clamp on wheels, two bicycles.

The Bote bits mounted on their brackets. A blue cover is over the motor.

All of Porta Bote, outboard motor, Bote transom, clamp on wheels and two bikes aboard and ready for travel.