singlehanded dinghy loader

**swelleyman** · 11-02-2005, 00:19

I intend re-commissioning my 8' glass dinghy before the summer, when I get round to pulling it out of the undergrowth in the garden! I intend car-topping it on my Picasso.

I used to car top it on a Citroen Dyane so its not that heavy.
However I need to load and unload it singlehanded.
Does anyone know of a reliable mechanism that would let me do this without pulling any old, fragile muscles?
Or can someone design one?
Obviously it would also fit on the roofrack to be used at the slipway.
Great if it also doubled as a launching trolley!!
I use a pair of 10' oars which might form part of the loader

C'mon you marine engineers!

Just got this through google so it did exist before the war!:

The Dobler Rolon Cartop Carrier

Joe Dobler invented an ingenious cartop carrier system which allowed one person to load and unload a boat weighing up to 250 pounds. The system consisted of two parts, a car top rack and a boat dolly. Joe manufactured and sold the racks in the 1950s. The car top rack was fabricated from aluminum tubes with clever fittings to connect the tubes. The dolly used two rubber tired wheels about the size of wheel barrow tires. The dolly folded into a compact shape for storage. The dolly had legs which kept it upright. Once on the dolly, the boat could be rolled to the waters edge for launching. The lifting tube frame disassembled and the tubes snapped onto the car top carrier for transport. The pictures below are from an ad for the rack.

**poacher** · 11-02-2005, 09:41

Citreon Dyane Jesus Now U R Talkin Swell. Gearstik On The Dash Pull Push, Heehee, I Ad 1 Of Them, We Used To Call It The Pram. Funny Thow It Never Pikd Upany Women, Wonder Why, Lol.. As For The Dinghy I Dunno Myself M8. But Some 1 Might On Here, We R Full Of Brain Boxes.. Citreon Dyane, Well I Never,, Hee Hee,, Good Luk Anyway..

**swelleyman** · 11-02-2005, 19:36

Cheers poach bach! Didn't realise you admired the perfect car. Would drive UP stairs (incredible independant suspension), always breaking ground in thick snow (narrow bike tyres) for the so-called 'modern' cars, braking via discs on the drive shafts, VERY STABLE although always looked like it was falling over (just bodywork roll) car stayed parrallel to road, AND YOU could CARRY BOATS ON THE ROOF! Great for camping and fishing as you could drive it anywhere (legal of course) and if it got stuck you just lifted it out. Had one Dyanne and two 2CVs before I was seduced away by comfort, speed and motoring snobbery!

Yes it rusted (didn't they all then!) but have found a garage in Somerset that rebuilds them from £1000 using your own car to £9000 complete 'new' car using their own fabricated and galvanised parts. Plan is to have one as 'second' car just for golf and fishing! What it is to be retired! Using Premium Bonds to finance it! Don't be pessamistic - someone's got to win!

So what about the loader - not as strong as I used to be (shame!) so as I fish on my own most times need the help of technology through someone else's brain from this:

The FRIENDLY SITE, YOUR FISHING 'LOCAL',
WSF!

**poacher** · 11-02-2005, 20:52

hee hee good 1 swell, hope u get some help with the loading. i bet the dinghys heavier than the car ,,lol..

**VL1500** · 11-02-2005, 23:39

[FONT=Verdana][SIZE=3]'ello poacher, sounds like you could do with one of those new Hoover cars......they go round the streets pickin' up bits of fluff!![/SIZE][/FONT]

Originally Posted by poacher

Citreon Dyane Jesus Now U R Talkin Swell. Gearstik On The Dash Pull Push, Heehee, I Ad 1 Of Them, We Used To Call It The Pram. Funny Thow It Never Pikd Upany Women, Wonder Why, Lol.. As For The Dinghy I Dunno Myself M8. But Some 1 Might On Here, We R Full Of Brain Boxes.. Citreon Dyane, Well I Never,, Hee Hee,, Good Luk Anyway..

**blueskip** · 12-02-2005, 19:25

Swelleyman, not so long ago I saw John Wilson (god forbid) on Discovery Home & Leisure, demonstrate the very thing you are talking about, it resembled a ladder rack which slid backwards, creating a slide, down which this car top pram dinghy slid, ( & this was mounted on a Lada).
If I remember rightly he had wheels on the dinghy which he wheeled into the water like a wheelbarrow. Maybe Sky or Discovery Home & Leisure can give you a website to go to, or if you hang on 3/4 weeks it will be repeated (yet again)
blueskip

**swelleyman** · 12-02-2005, 19:36

Cheers! I saw it as well now you've nudged the disintergrating grey matter. It was a prefabricated boat wasn't it, or is that another prog. on another day??

I will get on the Disc. website and send them an e-mail!

I'm surprised no one has responnded from these flood-plain villages that seem to be flooded these globalywarmed days. Doubltless a car with attached boat will soon be seen on TopGear!