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JebLostInSpace · 22-02-2022, 11:30

At this point I feel like you have a solution that will allow you to get the bike ashore safely (the plywood across a RIB, the aluminum deal with the fold-down bow, or a custom job). If you happen to be somewhere that will let you keep the dinghy on shore, you're golden. When you are not somewhere that allows this, you have to take two trips and use the inflatable kayak. This seems like a pretty solid solution. As I recall, you said you are cruising US East Coast, and particularly Maine. That is also where I have spent the most time cruising, and I would say that it is pretty usual to find a place that will let you leave your dinghy for several nights. They may charge a small fee, but it's an order of magnitude cheaper than buying a slip. It may still be obnoxious to use this scheme in the one particular favorite anchorage in Maine you described, but there are literally hundreds of great places up there. Maybe it would be worth it to simply choose a spot more conducive to the kind of shore access you are looking for.

Chotu · 22-02-2022, 17:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by JebLostInSpace

At this point I feel like you have a solution that will allow you to get the bike ashore safely (the plywood across a RIB, the aluminum deal with the fold-down bow, or a custom job). If you happen to be somewhere that will let you keep the dinghy on shore, you're golden. When you are not somewhere that allows this, you have to take two trips and use the inflatable kayak. This seems like a pretty solid solution. As I recall, you said you are cruising US East Coast, and particularly Maine. That is also where I have spent the most time cruising, and I would say that it is pretty usual to find a place that will let you leave your dinghy for several nights. They may charge a small fee, but it's an order of magnitude cheaper than buying a slip. It may still be obnoxious to use this scheme in the one particular favorite anchorage in Maine you described, but there are literally hundreds of great places up there. Maybe it would be worth it to simply choose a spot more conducive to the kind of shore access you are looking for.

Yeah. Not bad. These types of threads tend to draw out bad ideas and jokes, but this one stayed remarkably on topic and everyone had great input.

Around the corner (up a different river) nearby to that anchorage I like is a boat ramp. It’s a couple miles and fierce currents to get there. What’s why I’m still hoping for one trip and one blow up raft. For just that type of situation. I could never kayak it.

NevilleCat · 23-02-2022, 00:24

Man, I really wanted someone to say they built a framed trailer which, with the addition of two inflatable tubes becomes a boat and is designed so the frame can support the bike in an upright position with a drum under the rear wheel of the bike like a cycle trainer which drives a prop or paddle wheel thereby using the bike as its own motivation to get to shore!
Actually those little farm 4 wheel bikes with outsized wheels can probably do it if you have balls of steel!

Chotu · 23-02-2022, 03:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by NevilleCat

Man, I really wanted someone to say they built a framed trailer which, with the addition of two inflatable tubes becomes a boat and is designed so the frame can support the bike in an upright position with a drum under the rear wheel of the bike like a cycle trainer which drives a prop or paddle wheel thereby using the bike as its own motivation to get to shore!
Actually those little farm 4 wheel bikes with outsized wheels can probably do it if you have balls of steel!

That is EXACTLY where my mind went. I was going to build that out of my walkway running between the nets and between the forestay and the hull.

What happened was, the walkway was shorter than my motorcycle so, the idea was immediately thrown out.

I was going to have it winch up/down and use paddle wheels for simplicity. Rudder attached to the front wheel support of the motorcycle so you can steer.

A pair of wheels permanently affixed to the underside (may be incorporated into paddle wheels?) and you simply hook it up and tow it as a motorcycle trailer when you get ashore.

But, it just doesn’t work with my boat and bike.

I wasn’t about to add any more weight than the bike itself either. That’s plenty. So if it didn’t work, it was on to blow up rafts and other extremely lightweight ideas. Like this thread.

The ideas in this thread that don’t involve a trailer are also kind of nice for the riding ashore. A trailer is a bit of a hinderance and would remove any of the fun rides from the itinerary.

MicHughV · 25-02-2022, 06:37

give me some alcohol, and I'll swim ashore....have been known to do it...

Mad Multi · 25-02-2022, 06:44

So I have been pondering this exact scenario...

Inflatable paddleboard with my Oyama lightweight folding ebike, for now the ebike is in a waterproof bag throw it on the front paddle to shore deflate the Paddleboard and put it into its backpack which then sits on the back rack of the folding ebike with the straps around my shoulders.

Future... some way to click on a small propulsion system that runs off the ebike motor???

Talbot · 25-02-2022, 06:52

I had an ebike onboard for a while, but the weight was always a problem with handling, I have recently changed to a escooter, which has over 20mile range, even with my weight!
Much easier to stow as well

Chotu · 25-02-2022, 07:07

It’s true. Anything good enough to go inland 100 miles or 150 km or so and street legal is going to be heavy.

That’s why I’m just biting the bullet here to plan to move 300lbs.

rslifkin · 25-02-2022, 07:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chotu

It’s true. Anything good enough to go inland 100 miles or 150 km or so and street legal is going to be heavy.

That’s why I’m just biting the bullet here to plan to move 300lbs.

Yeah, any solution for what you want to do will definitely involve some weight. But some weight is useful enough to be justified. And then you either live with it or find somewhere else to save some weight.

As much as your boat is meant to be lightweight and high performance, it's big enough that it should be able to carry the weight of something like this just fine, provided you do a good job of not loading up the boat with every item you can fit onboard (like I see way too many people do).

Ionlydream · 25-02-2022, 07:10

I could not help answering you question correctly. While I've own an inflatable kayak, they are not something I would want to carry around. An inflatable toy would be light ie a kids raft or a large rubber ducky.

The real answer though is 2 arms and a bathing suit. It's a good swim but it can be done. Iron man is 10km.

M

Chotu · 25-02-2022, 07:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Yeah, any solution for what you want to do will definitely involve some weight. But some weight is useful enough to be justified. And then you either live with it or find somewhere else to save some weight.

As much as your boat is meant to be lightweight and high performance, it's big enough that it should be able to carry the weight of something like this just fine, provided you do a good job of not loading up the boat with every item you can fit onboard (like I see way too many people do).

Definitely. I have other places I am saving thousands of pounds. So the 300 pounds I think will be OK. And then there comes my personal effects and stuff. I do not like having a lot of stuff. And I am ruthless when it comes to keeping the boat lightweight. I even do it on monohulls. It’s nice to see the waterline go up several inches when you buy a boat and get all of the junk off of it.

Every pound counts has been the theme of this entire build. I’m going to spend 300 of them. So I don’t have to just give up on boating. I think that’s a fair trade. And I will just make sure to get rid of 300 pounds of other stuff that I think I wanted on board.

pelagic4005 · 25-02-2022, 07:22

Try a folding kayak or dinghy, Easy to carry onyour back, light and will row well, no need to carry a pump either

atnjoly · 25-02-2022, 07:40

It all depends on the volume of what you need to bring back from shore. If it can fit in a backpack, the solution I adopt is a bathing suit and a waterproof backpack. If shore is really 2 miles away, you can add a pair of small flippers to the lot, and if the water is a bit chilly a shorty wetsuit. Stick a small towel, a T-shirt and a pair of flip-flops in the backpack (or a black-tie suit if your name is Sean and you have to meet Q ;-) and off you go.
Trust me, it works, and it's good for your fitness too !
And it's amazing how much shopping you can fit in a 50 liter backpack ! When mooring on anchor in the summer, we do a lot of our shopping like that