have you had a look at northern tools,
i have used some of their 6" castors on my engine lift
well worth a look
gerry
http://www.northerntooluk.com/

Thanks for that Gerry... will defo take a look ! Need to know the s.w.l. of these things and work out tolerances etc and what will be best for the job

All the best, ian

Ian,
i'm sure that they will have something you can use,
always the trouble when you are doing a project! spend on gear or struggle and save money for the boat
i been through it a few times with different boats and i have found that it pays to spend a bit on getting set up
otherwise you struggle and you start thinking what am i doing, after all it's supposed to be hobby and enjoyable
hate to think how much i have spent on tools etc,
on thing which is a must is a set of steps up to the boat, it's amazing how many times you spend going up and down,
i will post some gen on my project as soon as
above all enjoy it and keep going at it
Gerry

How about some nice long 6" logs and move it the same way they did with the rocks at stonehenge, Pyramids & my 280 when it was in the crate - crude but works

You're right of course... I need to lay-out on a few necessities (got 2 angle-grinders, 5-tonne bottle-jack, jigsaw etc) 'cos I still need a decent trolley-jack, circular saw and cordless drill (cheap ones expire too easily!)

Ya gotta speculate to accumulate! (not quite the right context, but you get what I mean..)

I did think of using poles (biting lip at this point and avoiding anything that could be construed as racist..) as three of us moved a 2 tonne site-safe into a barn using iron bars and lengths of scaffold tube (nice and slippery!) ..don't know if the wooden cradle would have stood-up to it though. But you're right too, it does work!

Thanks for the interest and encouragement.. Ever onward...!

Ian,
You really need a stair case ! and a landing ! but I've got to tell you I think the cradle is fantastic

Hah! You could well be right, Martin.

I have some access platforms at the ready, in order to make a "raised walkway" around the boat... I'm going to need to reach the topsides and deck, etc.

But hopefully the height will be useful for getting underneath and I can jack it up even higher on blocks if needed - there's a scary amount needs doing to the hull too...

Glad you like the cradle, come and have a look! At the very least it will make you feel that your boat is just about complete (compared to mine, it is!!)