Seaplane dolly
Moderators: GAHorn, Karl Towle, Bruce Fenstermacher
Seaplane dolly
I just finished my first float season with the 170 and it is now stored for the winter. I had been keeping it tied to a dock but the floats got pretty dirty so i've been looking for ideas on how to make a dolly to pull it out of the water when not in use. I have however been unable to find any pictures or plans for dollys on the internet. Anyone know where I can get more info on these dollys or are they all one of a kind rigs dreamed up by their owners? What do you guys in Alaska use to pull it out of the water? Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
There is some information at http://www.seaplanetrailersecrets.com. When you give the site owner some money, you get to a page where you can download a PDF booklet on how to build trailers for floatplanes. It's not expensive, and there might be something there that will get you thinking.
Here's what I use:
The red frames with wheels are individual dollies, one for each float, that came with the floats when I bought them. They've been hand-made for EDO 1400s by someone who apparently had some old aircraft landing gear parts available. On the front of each dolly is an aircraft tailwheel. On the rear are two Cleveland 6" wheels with aircraft tires. The wooden slats are 1x3 lumber. The whole thing is welded together out of mild steel or 4130 tubing. Here's more detail on the dolly construction:
The previous owner of the floats used these dollies for takeoff from a hard surface runway each spring. In the fall he'd land on grass and put the floats away for the winter. I had someone fabricate a frame and a trailer hitch to convert the pair of dollies to a trailer, so I can keep the plane hangared and easily put it in the water and take it out again. If you were going to do something like this, I'd recommend using boat trailer wheels, because the bearings will be built to go in the water.
The rope hanging from the prop is very important. I tie the other end of it to the trailer hitch, and that prevents the whole rig from tipping backwards as it goes down the slope to the water.
A friend of mine built a narrow steel frame on wheels with a hitch that has a frame that lifts up under the spreader bars. That also works well, but I think it took him quite a bit of time to build it.
Good luck!
John
Here's what I use:
The red frames with wheels are individual dollies, one for each float, that came with the floats when I bought them. They've been hand-made for EDO 1400s by someone who apparently had some old aircraft landing gear parts available. On the front of each dolly is an aircraft tailwheel. On the rear are two Cleveland 6" wheels with aircraft tires. The wooden slats are 1x3 lumber. The whole thing is welded together out of mild steel or 4130 tubing. Here's more detail on the dolly construction:
The previous owner of the floats used these dollies for takeoff from a hard surface runway each spring. In the fall he'd land on grass and put the floats away for the winter. I had someone fabricate a frame and a trailer hitch to convert the pair of dollies to a trailer, so I can keep the plane hangared and easily put it in the water and take it out again. If you were going to do something like this, I'd recommend using boat trailer wheels, because the bearings will be built to go in the water.
The rope hanging from the prop is very important. I tie the other end of it to the trailer hitch, and that prevents the whole rig from tipping backwards as it goes down the slope to the water.
A friend of mine built a narrow steel frame on wheels with a hitch that has a frame that lifts up under the spreader bars. That also works well, but I think it took him quite a bit of time to build it.
Good luck!
John
John Renwick
Minneapolis, MN
Former owner, '55 C-170B, N4401B
'42 J-3 Cub, N62088
'50 Swift GC-1B, N2431B, Oshkosh 2009 Outstanding Swift Award, 2016 Best Continuously Maintained Swift
Minneapolis, MN
Former owner, '55 C-170B, N4401B
'42 J-3 Cub, N62088
'50 Swift GC-1B, N2431B, Oshkosh 2009 Outstanding Swift Award, 2016 Best Continuously Maintained Swift