launching with a 2wd?

[Old Ironmaker]

I have been launching my boats in the Erie Canal for 52 years. 51 of those years was with a 2W RWD "Car", not a truck. Half of those years the car had a 3 spd manual trans. The biggest boat weighed in at about 3000 pounds.

If you are talking about the Niagara end of the canal (Pendleton to Tonawanda) there are 4 ramps available, and none are steep and all are hard faced. If you want to use the Service Road ramp, just don't back in too far since the end of the ramp past the concrete is totally worn away from people power loading.

You won't have a problem.

Jim. My Uncle that still lives in N.T. towed, launched and retrieved his big heavy 18' cedar strip with a huge 80HP Johnson strapped to it on the river and the canal in the 60's with an AMC Rambler, rear wheel drive. I remember those huge bolt on side view mirrors he put on every time he hit the water. That was before it was mandatory in North America to tow anything heavier than a Tinny with a full size 4X4. Have ramps changed that much? I'm seriously asking how they did it then without 1/2 ton 4X4's?

Back when we had real winters in Ontario and the southern tier we hit the Ski slopes anytime we could. From Georgian Bay in Ontario to the hills in the Southern Tier (Western NY) in out rear wheel drive V8's, my old Ford Econoline van that had zero weight in the back and even Dad's VW Beetle. We got stuck a few times, that what shovels, old pieces of rugs, floor matts and Kitty littler was for. I knew no one that had anything close to a 4X4.

 

[JimS123]

Jim. My Uncle that still lives in N.T. towed, launched and retrieved his big heavy 18' cedar strip with a huge 80HP Johnson strapped to it on the river and the canal in the 60's with an AMC Rambler, rear wheel drive.

That was before it was mandatory in North America to tow anything heavier than a Tinny with a full size 4X4. Have ramps changed that much? I'm seriously asking how they did it then without 1/2 ton 4X4's?

I'm not sure if you are agreeing or disagreeing with me.

RWD full perimeter frame cars were always suitable for towing.

The ramps on the Erie Canal were always blacktop or concrete, so there was never a problem, and there has been no change.

Using a freekin pickumuptruck in North American was not and is not mandatory. The only people that may think that are youngins that don't have a clue.

Funny story....last year we docked at Gratwick with our heavy I/O bowrider and I walked to my car as a couple of kidlings sat on the park bench. When I opened my trunk lid they walked over and said they wondered who was pulling that big tandem trailer and how could it possibly pull a boat. I backed in, connected the power winch and with no effort at all the boat was out of the water and the car was up in the parking lot. All thee time they stood there with their mouths open.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

I'm not sure if you are agreeing or disagreeing with me.

RWD full perimeter frame cars were always suitable for towing.

The ramps on the Erie Canal were always blacktop or concrete, so there was never a problem, and there has been no change.

Using a freekin pickumuptruck in North American was not and is not mandatory. The only people that may think that are youngins that don't have a clue.

Funny story....last year we docked at Gratwick with our heavy I/O bowrider and I walked to my car as a couple of kidlings sat on the park bench. When I opened my trunk lid they walked over and said they wondered who was pulling that big tandem trailer and how could it possibly pull a boat. I backed in, connected the power winch and with no effort at all the boat was out of the water and the car was up in the parking lot. All thee time they stood there with their mouths open.

Jim I would never disagree with you even if I was right and you were respectfully mistaken. I agree with you that cars, nice big cars, can tow and launch a boat, even nice big boats. You just proved it. With the right car and a good ramp it can still be done. Heck it was done for years, My question has been answered. I'm coming over for Canal Fest this summer. I hope. I haven't been in many years. I imagine it has grown like everything else canal related. I won't bring the boat, most likely no spot for it anyway. I have not spent a night on it since I took the mooring cover off one morning and found a 5 foot water snake napping in it.

 

[JimS123]

I'm coming over for Canal Fest this summer. I hope. I haven't been in many years. I imagine it has grown like everything else canal related. I won't bring the boat, most likely no spot for it anyway.

The footprint of the Festival is exactly the same. However, there are maybe 1 or 2 vendor booths that are not there any more because their spaces were taken up by city facilities that have been built in recent years.

These days, parking is a problem. You might have to walk for blocks. Local stores (even Tops supermarket) rope off their lots and charge a parking fee. (I don't mind the walk)

The waterfront has undergone a remarkable upgrade. New docks, power / water poles, benches, restrooms, landscaping etc. have made docking a preferred place to be. Of course, during Canal Fest they are docked 3 and 4 boats deep.

We vacation the first week, so we hadn't been there in probably 10 years. We went last year. Still looked the same. My wife has a business and she sets up a booth on the last weekend. They close down Webster Street for 2 days for the Craft fair. There will be a sea of white EZUP pop up tents lining the street. The one with the blue top will be her. Say IBoats and you'll get a discount....

 

[Old Ironmaker]

We will keep our eyes open for her spot JimS123 . PM us with some details. I don't know what her business is but I'm sure my Lady will find something we may or may not need.

 

[matt167]

I've got a line on an '07 GMC 2500 classic at auction which I'll grab if it goes cheap enough.

 

[H20Rat]

All depends on the ramp... At my local ramp the only paved surface is the concrete slab angled down at 45 degrees. The rest is all pea gravel. It is amazing that you can actually get used to the boat sliding a vehicle down the ramp, but it happens nearly every time! Usually it is only about a foot or two until you run out of gravel. 2wd's would have a very hard time at this ramp unless it was a very light boat.

 

[JimS123]

All depends on the ramp... At my local ramp the only paved surface is the concrete slab angled down at 45 degrees. The rest is all pea gravel. It is amazing that you can actually get used to the boat sliding a vehicle down the ramp, but it happens nearly every time! Usually it is only about a foot or two until you run out of gravel. 2wd's would have a very hard time at this ramp unless it was a very light boat.

Design specifications for a boat launching ramp require an angle of between 12 and 15 degrees. The City Engineer in charge of your ramp should have been fired. With that kind of slope, I could foresee many accidents.

My local ramp used to meet all the requirements, but many years of abuse made the facility less than stellar. Finally, the entire ramp was upgraded because a cost analysis showed that the capital improvement was cheaper than the recent lawsuits.

(abuse = power loading; 45 degrees = wholly mackerel; mackerel = ****)

 

[matt167]

Power loading at the launches I would use are no bueno. They are monitored by park officers and an offense that can get you a ticket.. When tickets and fines pays for the park, you bet they'll write them.

 

[JimS123]

Power loading at the launches I would use are no bueno. They are monitored by park officers and an offense that can get you a ticket.. When tickets and fines pays for the park, you bet they'll write them.

I would happily launch at your facility. In my case, though, there are no "Park Officers". It is monitored solely by the police, who spend little time there, and their only concern is to ticket the trailers that don't have the proper launch permit sticker next to the licence plate.