dinghy storage while trailering boat

[dennis]

We have a Achilles (Model LSI 230) 77" long hard bottom dinghy. We also have the Weaver davits. Our truck is a GMC Sierra with the short bed with the easyloader trailer. We just took our first road trip and I put the dinghy in the truck bed (which required a lot of lifting to get from the bed to the water (we had the boat put in via a travel lift and no ramp was available). Does anyone have an easy solution/suggestion for transporting/moving a dinghy? thanks

 

[knotflying]

Can you muscle it into the cockpit and just strap it down lengthwise (bow to stern) when traveling on the road?

 

[JamesTXSD]

Maybe I'm not getting it... the LSI 230 isn't a rigid hull. If your dinghy is a 230, can't you deflate it and store it rolled up in the cockpit?

http://www.achillesinflatables.com/boat ... i/LSI-230/

 

[dennis]

Your right, thank you. In my rushing I copied the wrong detail. I have an HB240 LX (7' 10" - 86#)

 

[JamesTXSD]

No problem, Dennis, and hope I didn't come across snarky. Now that we know what you're dealing with, I'm sure you'll get some responses. If moving the dinghy from the truck to the water when you can't get close to a ramp is the issue, we used something like this with a Porta-bote we used to have...

http://www.clcboats.com/shop/products/b ... dolly.html

If the issue is lifting the dinghy into the truck (and 86 pounds with an unusual shape is tough to lift by yourself), you could mount a lifting davit in the back of the truck, if moving the dinghy that way is going to be a regular part of your travels.

A less popular option would be to switch to an inflatable that you can roll up for travel/storage... but, that is such a nice RIB you currently have.

OK, after some thinking and searching, a rack like this...

http://www.castlecraft.com/truck_racks.htm

with rollers mounted at the aft beam could work.

Hope that helps.

Best wishes,
Jim B.