A good, durable set of transom  dinghy wheels can be transformational for anyone who regularly needs to beach their dinghy. It can make the difference between being able to beach it like a Baywatch pro or getting stranded and cold as the tide ebbs away.

The gold standard has long been the New Zealand made Beachmaster wheels. But they are not cheap and take time to ship (direct orders only).

I looked at many copies and alternatives before finally coming across this new practical plastic design from Railblaza. The 10in puncture-free wheels are made using fibreglass reinforced plastic which is UV resistant.

I have been a fan of this innovative company’s boating accessories for years but was still pleasantly surprised at how seriously robust they felt on unboxing them. Sturdy enough to use on any boats up to 3.6m with outboards up to 15hp or a static weight of 120kg, they are also comparatively light at 4kg per pair.

I estimate our dinghy is on the weight limit with its outboard, yet the wheels proved perfectly capable over the season and a variety of surfaces. They allowed me to cheat the tide on many occasions, stay out longer than normal and still be able to pull the boat up the foreshore single-handedly.

They’ve tackled mud, stones and sand with relative ease. And when landing on a beach with swell, you can quickly pull the dinghy up rather than having to anchor it or leave it exposed.

Assembling and fitting the wheels was relatively straightforward. They come with a mounting template to help you drill the holes correctly (and instructional videos on the company’s website) – although the stainless steel screws supplied were not long enough for our (admittedly chunky) transom width.

The wheels use a pin fitting which makes it easy to lock them in certain positions, and there are multiple wheel positions. As they don’t hold air like most wheels, it’s also a doddle to submerge them before beaching. If you need the additional turning circle space for the outboard, are stowing the dinghy or are towing anything and don’t want the wheels in the upright position while underway, then they can also disconnect from the brackets in around 30 seconds.
A brilliant investment.

Buy it now from Amazon

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