I'm trying to find an alternative to dipping my Tornado tilt trailer, which is non-galvanized, into the ocean every time I want to sail.
I'm thinking about modifying a set of standard beach wheels into more of a trailer-like dolly that I can tow with a car across the street to my launch ramp. I thought I could attach 2 lengths of 1 1/4" sq. gal. steel (or alu if suitable) bar to either side of the beach wheels, and angle the bars in a "V" arrangement. Put a trailer hitch at the vertex of the "V" and add a cross bar with cradles at a suitable distance forward of the beach wheels to act as a bow support.

With this, I will be able to launch & recover single handed on the ramp. The ramp is only 500 yards from where I store the boat, so it's not like it's gotta be road legal or high speed capable.

Boat would be stored on this dolly between sailings, just like a real trailer.
Ideally it would be completely dismantled for traveling & returning to the standard beach wheel setup if necessary.
Anyone done something like this before?

I saw a trailer that one guy built that had only one plank, which was located right under the shrouds, at the balance point of the boat. The trailer had a clamp that grabbed the front crossbar. He trailered his boat (Dart18) around like that for many years, and claimed that it supported it well.

He used to use an ATV to pull it across sand down to the beach for launching.

While using this design as a road trailer is questionable, it sounds like it would make a nice short haul trailer or dolly.

By the way, what kind of tilt trailer to you have? I have been trailering my Tornado flat, since I usually only go about 5 miles and the lanes are 12 feet wide. I am looking to build one of the trialers that carry the boat on its back.

I was able to witness the beauty of a tornado on a tilt trailer today. Its really amazingly simple. I know of a person who has plans available for constructing the tilt trailers, but I'm not sure he wants to have international fame (and a bunch of tornado sailors knocking his door down for plans). I'll ask if he wants to share (or if he reads this).

Hmmm, that sounds like it might work for me. I could use the beach wheels that will come with my boat ("CatTrax") and put a single length of tube or square bar forward from the center point to the towhitch. A brace or bracket could support the forward beam like you stated for the dart setup.

My tilt trailer is pretty simple...a tilt bed sitting on a wide wheel base trailer. The bed is offset about 2 feet while down, so I have to take care while passing through gates, parking it etc. I raise and lower it using a 2 ton cable winch mounted on a post positioned just in front of the fore beam, cable connected to the tilt bed cross beam. Once raised, I attach a couple of steel posts under the high side of the tilt bed...these take the load while traveling, not the winch. I've pulled the whole thing quite easily with my VW Rabbit!

The problem I have with the overturned boat type tilt trailers is they cannot be used for launching...something I may not actually be needing soon if I get this dolly thing sorted out.

There is a page at SailCRAC.com that says Greg Scace has tilt trailer plans.

SailCRAC.com Greg Scace Tilt Trailer