Abstract: A mobile straddle-type boat dolly (10) for use in rapid on-loading, overland transport, and off-loading of commercial fishing boats and the like, and having spaced, parallel port and starboard frame members (15P, 15S) supported on multiple axle, dual wheel running gear (16P, 16S) and including port and starboard, fore and aft, fluid actuated, vertically reciprocable lift pad assemblies (25P, 25S, 26P, 26S) and flexible tensioning means extending between each of the forward lift pad assemblies (25P, 25S) and each of the aft lift pad assemblies (26P, 26S); and; wherein the flexible tensioning means comprises fore and aft flexible straps (31, 32) formed of nylon webbing or the like extending from take-up/pay-out reels (34) mounted on one of the frame members (15P) over the pivot rollers (35) and idler rollers (38) associated with the port lift pad assemblies (25P, 26P) and over the pivot rollers (35) and idler rollers (38) associated with the starboard lift pad assemblies (25S, 26S) and releasably interconnected