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Cycle Towing of Boats


Jen-in-Wellies

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56 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

There is a much easier option. It would be a bit warm in summer but ideal in winter. Light multi fuel stove and place eco fan on top blades facing to stern of boat with rear boat doors open. The massive thrust developed could be reduced by opening and closing gap between doors at arse end of boat and an anchor could be rigged to throw over the back to stop the boat.

No to stop you just turn the ecofan round.

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Strikes me as slightly more sensible to fix your bike on your boat, connected to a paddle wheel. Might even be a bit more efficient.

No probs with getting past moored boats, bridges, locks, weed beds, etc etc.

And it can be done single handed whilst controlling the steering.

With a fixed gear, you would also have a braking mechanism in situ.

Blimey!! I'm almost getting enthusiastic  ......

..... better get the Patent documents filled in !

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Husky type dogs have get very popular over the last couple of years, they like to pull things.

I have seen owners on bikes pulled along by these dogs (which looks dangerous) and also some owners fix the dogs lead their belt and get pulled along by the dogs. I reckon Husky owners might even pay boaters to provide the pulling exercise that these dogs like.

 

..............Dave

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4 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

You may have noticed that so far I've been saying cycle, not bike, or bicycle. This is because I think that three wheels will be required. Firstly, two driven wheels at the back will give more traction on the tow path to help start a heavy boat moving.

Most tricycles with two wheels at the back, don't have a differential so only drive one wheel, this being the nearside wheel on all tricycles. The offside wheel being fitted to a stub axle. Therefore you have to go down the custom build route

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16 minutes ago, nbfiresprite said:

Most tricycles with two wheels at the back, don't have a differential so only drive one wheel, this being the nearside wheel on all tricycles. The offside wheel being fitted to a stub axle. Therefore you have to go down the custom build route

Yes it would need to be custom built just to get the ridiculous low gearing and clearance for big tyres. Not to mention a strong point for attaching the tow rope, plus a quick release mechanism. There are ways to do two wheel drive for trikes, but as you say, many drive to just one wheel.

Edited by Jen-in-Wellies
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1 hour ago, Rebotco said:

Strikes me as slightly more sensible to fix your bike on your boat, connected to a paddle wheel. Might even be a bit more efficient.

No probs with getting past moored boats, bridges, locks, weed beds, etc etc.

And it can be done single handed whilst controlling the steering.

With a fixed gear, you would also have a braking mechanism in situ.

Blimey!! I'm almost getting enthusiastic  ......

..... better get the Patent documents filled in !

Look at 6:50 onwards.

 

Off the Cut - YouTube

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2 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Yes it would need to be custom built just to get the ridiculous low gearing and clearance for big tyres. Not to mention a strong point for attaching the tow rope, plus a quick release mechanism. There are ways to do two wheel drive for trikes, but as you say, many drive to just one wheel.

theres an old bloke comes up our hill on occasion on a fat e-trike, if i ever manage to catch him ill get the details for you ;) 

Edited by Hudds Lad
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2 hours ago, nbfiresprite said:

Most tricycles with two wheels at the back, don't have a differential so only drive one wheel, this being the nearside wheel on all tricycles. The offside wheel being fitted to a stub axle. Therefore you have to go down the custom build route

I think you need to have a set of rails laid on the towpath, and use a railway bogie as seen in Buster Keaton films to great effect, needs two man power, which equates to one pit pony power, only thing is men will tire easily, but they can have a break at the locks.

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11 hours ago, LadyG said:

I think you need to have a set of rails laid on the towpath, and use a railway bogie as seen in Buster Keaton films to great effect, needs two man power, which equates to one pit pony power, only thing is men will tire easily, but they can have a break at the locks.

that's OK - get the women to do the (wo)man-hauling - let the men do the tiller work.   a bit like they do at locks.

Edited by Murflynn
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12 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Yes it would need to be custom built just to get the ridiculous low gearing and clearance for big tyres. Not to mention a strong point for attaching the tow rope, plus a quick release mechanism. There are ways to do two wheel drive for trikes, but as you say, many drive to just one wheel.

Front wheel drive then

By the way has anyone here ridden a proper adult trike. I assure you you would be in the cut in seconds. A road camber will put you on the pavement.

You corner left  by lifting the right wheel, you corner right with luck.

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42 minutes ago, roland elsdon said:

Front wheel drive then

By the way has anyone here ridden a proper adult trike. I assure you you would be in the cut in seconds. A road camber will put you on the pavement.

You corner left  by lifting the right wheel, you corner right with luck.

very true, FiL got one for my MiL as she said it was the only way she'd cycle again, we were at a family BBQ for some reason or other and it came out of the shed.

Oh how we laughed as one of my wife's sisters wobbled it straight into the hedge ... until we all had a go.

FiL sold it a month later :D 

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2 hours ago, Murflynn said:

that's OK - get the women to do the (wo)man-hauling - let the men do the tiller work.   a bit like they do at locks.

Dutch Barge Canal High Resolution Stock Photography and Images - Alamy

2 hours ago, roland elsdon said:

Front wheel drive then

By the way has anyone here ridden a proper adult trike. I assure you you would be in the cut in seconds. A road camber will put you on the pavement.

You corner left  by lifting the right wheel, you corner right with luck.

A friend has an electric one, front wheel drive. I tried that ONCE!

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18 hours ago, Ewan123 said:

I think this might be one of the more problematic elements - one would probably need a seconday propulsion source for passing anything much more than a single boat. Having the line high enough to get over a normal boat (let alone some with things stacked on top... or even extended antennas!), I think it would be difficult to exert any useful pull on it.

Maybe the pilot can punt it for a stretch!?

That has been an issue for any form of towing including by horses. In some places where a horse drawn trip boat regularly operates there are warnings (as if towing had a priority!)

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