SmoCo Sailingvideo
Project Mini-sode 3 | Dinghy Wheel Installation on Highfield CL290
October 5, 2025 · 10 min · 567 views · Mexico
What this video covers
Installing Denard Marine inflatable dinghy wheels on a Highfield CL290 transom requires a custom spacer because the Highfield's transom lip blocks the wheel bracket slot.2:40 Armand fabricates the spacer from a cutting board — chosen over Starboard, which ran roughly $100 per piece — cutting it to fit and drilling quarter-inch and three-eighths-inch bolt holes through it and into the aluminum transom.4:13 To prevent galvanic corrosion between the aluminum transom and stainless steel hardware, plastic washers separate the two metals.8:35 Bolts are bedded in 5200 sealant for a watertight seal; Armand also had to source shorter bolts on day two because the original hardware protruded too far and prevented the wheels from dropping.8:16 The finished bracket mounts flush to the transom, and the wheels slide in and out of the track, locking in place when pushed down.8:59 Inflatable tires float the wheel up into the locked position automatically.8:55 On soft sand, the inflated tires outperform hard tires, which sink; Liya can ride in the dinghy while Armand pulls it up the beach alone.10:20 The wheels store in the lazarette when not in use and clear the outboard motor when deployed.8:48
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