Recently, inflatable boats have gained great popularity in comparison with the usual, made of duralumin. There were many reasons for this. First of all, such products are much cheaper, among other things, for their storage does not require a separate room or garage. When transporting, it is not necessary to use additional equipment. With all this, a rubber boat will deliver its owner to any point of a river or lake, if this is desired, especially when the device has a transom. The statement is true even in the presence of a motor whose power is 3 horsepower. However, remembering the need for a transom for mounting a motor, many fishing enthusiasts forget about the wheels for PVC boats. This omission is serious enough, which is why it is recommended to fix it.
The need to use transom wheels
If you decide to make transom wheels for PVC boats with your own hands, then it is worth remembering that it will be quite simple to transfer a triple rubber boat in an inflated condition. Any middle-aged man can handle this. Drag the device a few tens of meters is not difficult. It will be much more difficult to cope with such a task if the boat is filled with equipment and fishing accessories. The task is complicated when the outboard is mounted on the transom. If you remove the motor and transfer all the equipment separately, then the work will stretch for a long time. That is why many fishermen today use transom wheels for PVC boats; with their own hands they can be made quite simply.
Of course, on sale you will also find various wheels. They may vary in size and width. Experts advise choosing wheels that have an average size and a fairly impressive width. Thanks to this addition, you can easily roll the boat around the site with dense soil. Wheels will help on sandy beaches. It is important that such wheels, as well as all fastenings, are made of materials that are completely not afraid of moisture.
Preparation of necessary tools and materials
If you decide to make your own transom wheels for PVC boats, you can save several thousand rubles. However, at the same time, you can make wheels with such mounts that will have certain parameters, namely width, length and size. To perform the work, it will be necessary to prepare two wheels, the diameter of each of which should be 35 cm. As for the width, it can vary from 60 to 80 millimeters. Prepare a square profile with a side of 25 millimeters. In order to realize the fastening of the wheels, you need a tube of a certain diameter. Cotter pins, nuts, washers and bolts will act as fasteners. The mounting profile should undoubtedly be made of stainless steel. In this case, the master will have to overpay a little, but the wheels will last not one season, but many years. In addition, you will need a hacksaw designed for metal work, as well as a wrench or pliers and an electric drill.
Specialist advice
If you decide to make transom wheels for PVC boats with your own hands, you will need to turn to an experienced welder for help. There will be work for a few minutes, so there is no need to overpay. The total cost of materials will be approximately 1,500 rubles.
Technology of work
After all the tools and materials are collected, you can proceed to the practical part. The instruction will not involve any particular difficulties. Initially, it is necessary to determine the place for fixing the wheel profile on the mounted transom. The master must remember that they should not interfere with the operation of the engine, otherwise it will be possible to say goodbye to the screw. After the fixation point is determined, you need to postpone the segment down, and the wheels need to be positioned slightly below the lower edge of the transom by the length of the radius, to which you need to add about 5 centimeters.
This will provide the necessary level of safety and reduce resistance when driving. The bracket for fixing the wheels can be straight or at some angle. The first option can be considered quite durable and easy to manufacture. It involves less work for the welder, among other things, the monolithic bracket will undergo an impressive impact. If the bracket is welded at a certain angle, then the wheels will be located under the bottom of the boat and will not interfere with the operation of the engine.
Installing the wheel bracket
When transom wheels are made for a PVC boat with their own hands, the bracket can be positioned at a certain angle. To do this, at the initial stage, 4 segments are cut from the profile. In this case, you should use dimensions that are suitable for a particular boat. To the lower part with the help of a welding machine, it will be necessary to attach tubes on which it is supposed to fit rings. A small through hole should be made in the tubes. In it with the help of a cotter pin to strengthen the ring. Among other things, you will need to weld a nut of the desired diameter to the inner ring of the tube. This will eliminate the pressing of the wheels to the mount.
Wizard Recommendations
If you will make transom wheels for a PVC boat with your own hands, you can make drawings yourself or borrow them from the article. It is recommended that the lower end of the tubes be closed with plastic or rubber plugs. This will protect the interior from water. Yes, and the item will look better.
Methodology
Using a drill in the upper part, you need to make two through holes. Through them, later it will be possible to install wheels on the transom. Now you will need to connect the two parts of the mount by welding. The angle between the elements can vary from 35 to 45 degrees. The ends will have to be trimmed somewhat so that they fit closer to each other at the selected angle.
After the welding work is completed, you will need to put the wheels on the tubes and fix them with a cotter pin and washer. On this, it can be assumed that the transom wheels for a PVC boat with their own hands, the photos of which are presented in the article, are completed. If there is a desire, then fastenings can be painted using waterproof paint.
Wheel mounting
Fixing wheels on a transom is considered a more difficult step compared to what was described above. That is why the approach to carrying out these works should be as serious as possible. Initially, you need to attach a mount on a wooden transom. Marks are drawn along the holes, and then, using a drill, a hole of the required diameter is made in the transom. At the next stage, you need to use a small sheet, which is made of PCB, aluminum or duralumin, and then make exactly the same holes in it. A perforated sheet is applied to the inside of the transom, and then a hole is made in it, as in a tree. When installing the bolts, make sure that the caps are located on the side of the boat. When making homemade transom wheels for PVC boats, the use of a metal sheet allows you to distribute the load as evenly as possible over the area of the boat. Whereas if you place the bolt caps inside, this will guarantee that the side of the boat will not be damaged on the ledges. A washer of the correct size is mounted on the bolts. At the next stage, the wheels are installed on these bolts, and then fixed with a nut and washer.
The nuances of the work
If you are thinking about how to make transom wheels for a PVC boat, then when performing the above work, you must ensure that the wheels are under the transom. This is true when using a system for fixing wheels at a certain angle. The described procedure must be repeated with the second wheel, only after that we can assume that the work is completed. The master can install a mounted transom on a rubber boat to comfortably roll it along the shore, mud, stones and sand.
Home-made transom wheels for a PVC boat, the drawings of which you can easily draw up on your own, are made quite simply. Any fish will be able to cope with this. However, before doing this, you must make sure that you have the skills to work with iron, tools, and wood. As a result, it turns out that the cost of new wheels is 3 times lower compared to those that can be purchased in a specialized store.
Conclusion
Drawings of transom wheels for PVC boats will allow you to eliminate possible errors. Do not assume that carrying out the above work is an impossible task. It is enough to just start the process, as it will continue by itself.