Dual wheels for launching on pebble beach

dmfox · Aug 7, 2018

I've got a little 700kg 4WD hydrostatic Kubota that I'm hoping to use to launch and retrieve a 12ft tinny off a pebble beach

Without the boat attached, the tractor can get up and down the beach fairly well, but it wouldn't take much towing drag for the thing to just sink into the pebbles. The tractor would get stuck if I tried to tow the tinny up the beach as is

I'm planning on attaching dual rear wheels for the added floatation

So I'm wondering if anyone has experience with how much of a difference dual wheels on the back makes. In my mind it will nearly double the floatation and towing capacity as there will also be a solid spacer between the rear wheels

Can anyone attest to the improvements made by dual wheels for beach launching? Any general advice?

Thanks in advance

Wagtail · Aug 7, 2018

G'day Cobber and welcome to TBN from Tassie.

I say this as you reference a "tinny", which is a (predominately Downunder) slang word for, in this case, an aluminium boat.

I believe that you are trying to increase your footprint in order to reduce your chances of sinking into the pebbles. That may put too much weight towards the back end, defeating the purpose. You need to counter-weight the tractor so that both the front and rear tyres engage.

Two initial questions come to mind; 1) does your tractor have a Front End Loader (FEL), and 2) what type of tyres does your tractor have (R1, R4, Turf)?

Enjoy the site.

Wagtail · Aug 7, 2018

Oh, and under-inflating the tyres would help too.

1stDeuce · Aug 7, 2018

Pebble beaches are tough... They never pack down, and once you start digging in, it's generally over. The key is getting the tires to keep you up on top.

Dual rear ag style tires may help, but not as much as running turf style tires at a very low pressure. Regardless of which tires you run, you want them at the lowest possible pressure to better distribute any load, and so they conform to the surface, rather than being hard and cutting through.

You should also consider your trailer tires. The more contact area you can get, the better the trailer will float over the pebbles, rather than cutting in. If it's a single purpose trailer, you could consider fitting large wide ATV style tires. Or add a 2nd axle. Lowering the tire pressure so that you see a good bit of flex in the sidewall when the boat is loaded would also be very beneficial.

Gary Fowler · Aug 7, 2018

Dual rear tires will give you double the floatation capability. Lowering the tire pressure in all tires including the boat trailer will help you stay on top of the pebbles rather than digging in. If you have a FEL, take it off so as to remove the extra weight on the front end which might cause the smaller front tires to sink into the gravel.