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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Bikes on a boat?

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/26/2010 : 11:44:50

Rita & bought some nice bikes last summer, and I'd like to figure out a way to attach them to the boat where they'd be securely out of the way, but reasonably easy to get to, and reasonably easy to raise & lower into the dinghy for transport to the beach & back.

Has anyone done this?

David
C-250 Mainsheet Editor

Sirius Lepak
1997 C-250 WK TR #271 --Seattle area Port Captain --

Edited by - on

jbkayaker
Captain

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USA
299 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 13:33:33

With a sturdy rack the bikes could be stored over the side. Or you could hang them off the bow where some people keep anchors. If you have a fractional rig then run them up to the top of the mast using a spinnaker halyard. Or put them on the backstay. My choice to get them completly out of sight is at the end of a 20 foot line trailing from the stern. If you take any of these suggestions please post a picture.

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islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4024 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 14:11:45

Ive been thinking about this and really can't come up with a good idea. Lets face it, Our boats are just not that large. For deck? Not if you want to risk a torn head sail. Midship? Maybe leaning against the cabin and it doesn't interfere with any lines or in the way when docking or going forward and you don't mind scratching up the gel coat. Cockpit? No. Cabin? No, Think about that one. This could be accomplished with a folding bike. They fold up very small and fit into a carry bag. Something like this.http://www.citizenbike.com/catalog.asp?product_category_id=1& product_id=10 When folded they measure only 26x11x20. Might fit in the sail/dumpster or under the V-berth. Oops,Sorry I forgot you have a 250.

Edited by - islander on 02/26/2010 14:33:21

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 14:50:57

Bikes are lighter than dinghies with outboards, and the best place for a dinghy is on its own davits off the stern. A pair of davits would be an elegant, but pricey, solution for bike storage on your boat.

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DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 15:15:33

Little foldy guys. In the cabin when you're topside, topside when you're in the cabin. Little electric scooters might be a better solution, and they go quite a ways before needing to be recharged too.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 15:52:22

I thought about the folding bikes, but we got a good deal on closeout bikes from REI, and they're both full sized. I think they could be suspended off the back somehow, but I'm not sure how yet. I think the real trick might be getting them back & forth on our inflatable, w/o puncturing it, but maybe some sort of rack velcroed into the V at the front. My Avon has a sturdy set of velcro straps for attaching a bow bag with that could be pressed into service, dunno. If it were going to be calm enough, the bikes could just stay on the dinghy, but that sounds like an accident waiting to happen to me.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 17:02:03

I've thought about this too. I think I would secure the bikes well in our dink (WB 10) as we tow it behind our boat.

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5371 Posts

Response Posted - 02/26/2010 : 17:22:48

I brought my 26" Approach 15 speed bicycle with me two summers ago when I soloed eastward along the CT coast. I have quick release axles on the front and rear tires, so I took the bike apart and bungied the frame and the tires all together.

I put the whole thing into a big green plastic yard-leaf bag (7 mil thick) to prevent the greasy chain from staining the cushions and put it up in the V-berth.

On Passage I only keep a few items in the Vee berth: my change of clothes in a few duffle bags, spare life jackets, some spare line and my woolies, so I had enough room for one bike in there.

Once I fill it up, I wedge a board in the opening between the bulkheads to close off the space. That keeps everything securely in place up in there.

It was kind of a pain pulling it out and putting it together, then later, reversing the process to put it back, but I had use of the bike at the Marina, which made it quite handy getting around town.

Worked OK for one, but I don't think I'd have enough room to store two bikes, and two peoples' clothes up up in the Vee berth though.

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 02/27/2010 : 05:09:51

We have two folding Dahons on SV Lysistrata - and even for a 39 foot boat, they take up a lot of space. They are stowed down below unless we are in port, but they still rust like crazy. The Dahon Mariner has a stainless chain and a few other parts are stainless, but even so - everything is stiff and needs constant lubing et al... I see no problem hanging bikes off of the stern rail on a C25, provided the stanchions are nice and tightly affixed - but getting access to the swim ladder and the engine would be a problem and if you ever encountered rough weather, ouch!

sten

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ruachwrights
Captain

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USA
258 Posts

Response Posted - 02/27/2010 : 11:30:39

If you have a hard dingy you might just want to stick them in there and tow them.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 02/27/2010 : 13:06:59

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ruachwrights
 If you have a hard dingy you might just want to stick them in there and tow them.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">...increasing the odds of flipping the dinghy from 1:3 to about 5:1.

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 02/27/2010 : 15:38:09

Right! Flipping the dinghy would be disastrous. It's a shame that your nice new bikes are gonna rust!

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