homemade shore ramp?

[1979checkmate]

hello all,

I am considering building something like this.. http://www.overtons.com/modperl/pro...ore_Docker_1200&str=shore+docker&merchID=4005
in a portable version to use at waterside campsites. (use regular old stakes hammered into the ground to hold it still and put the winch on a good solid tree (with a winch strap of course!). Has anyone done something like this? It will be for my 16' checkmate, so it is a relatively light boat. I am trying to decide whether to use casters like the link, or cut a groove out of pvc pipe and running it down the 2x6, and lube with liquid roller or silicon lubricant. What do you guys thing? The pvc would be quite a bit cheaper and would also have more friction to keep to keep some stress off of the winch. That friction could be a downside also, although its a light boat and i am not worried about pushing it back off.

 

[blifsey]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

What is you reasoning for this? I ask because where we camp the lake bottom has lots of medium/large rocks and I didn't want to damage bottom of boat by beaching. So, I use an anchor buddy that keeps the boat out in deeper water. When we want to board boat, the anchor buddy stretches to let me pull it closer to shore. Some info on their website. Our lake bottom is also mostly red clay mud which can ruin the interior of boat. I do carry some 2X6s and large PVC to keep boards suspended off lake bottom. We walk across these if boat can't be pulled fully to shore for boarding. It keeps mud off our feet and out of the boat.

Here's a pic from our last camping trip. You can see the 6' 2X6 we walk on. I built a set of legs from 3/4 EMT conduit and use a piece of 3" PVC about 2.5' long to keep from sinking into lake bottom. With previous boat, a 20' I/O bowrider, I would bring multiple boards that I can connect end-to-end. I only brought the one board this trip since I figured the new Tidewater with OB drafted less. Because of low lake levels and low depth increase, we had to make use of a pallet we found along shoreline to extend the board a few feet.

 

[blifsey]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

I'll add that I have previously look at the link you have to Overton's and several other similar systems. The anchor buddy seems to be the simplest, easiest to transport way I've found short of just beaching boat and letting the bottom get all scratches/gouged up. The rope you see from shore to boat is also tied to a tree to keep boat securely attached to shore. The other end is connected to the end of the anchor buddy. I tie two loops into the rope to connect to boats bow and stern dock cleats. When we take boat out, I just disconnect from the cleats and leave the anchor set. I put two small orange ski buoys onto the loops with about 2' of small line to mark the anchor rope. After 6 or 7 years of doing this, I've never had an issue.

 

[joed]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

A few comments about that system.
It's wood. The part in the water will float.
The winch should be attached direct to the track otherwise you might pull the whole track up instead of the boat.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

With a light boat, it should work just fine. If you use the PVC idea, leave the pipe whole. Cutting a groove out of it would allow the remaining portion of the pipe to gouge grooves into your gelcoat. I still think the rollers are a better idea because of the lack of friction. The winch should be mounted to the ramp, not a tree as stated.

 

[1979checkmate]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

The reason i am thinking about this rather than an anchor buddy as recommended is my boat has a very low freeboard, and i am afraid of it getting swamped from the rear if large boats come by.

 

[blifsey]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

With the low freeboard of a jet, I can certainly understand that! I have used anchor buddy in bow out position when not camping in a protected cove but it is a little more hassle. Plus, with an I/O, I wasn't able to pull boat into as shallow of water for boarding.

I've seen some campers use scraps of carpet for beaching boat. I guess it helps with big rocks on bottom but dirt and smaller rocks would wash up onto carpet from wakes. Plus, many seemed to not be decent enough to pull the wet, nasty carpet out of lake when they leave.

If you come up something you make or buy/use the one from Overtons, post some pics back here

 

[jeeperman]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

I think you are talking about using the pvc pipe as a top cover and slide rail over the 2x6?.
I think it would work with lube but not so much without lube.
Hauling around anything will be a real hassle though.
Going camping with that boat.............how many trips back and forth you planning to make in order to do an overnighter?

 

[1979checkmate]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

the ramp would probably be 16' long, hinged in the middle, throw in the bed of the pickup truck.

And yes, the pvc would be to cap the 2x6's

 

[blifsey]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

Couple of other ideas...
- bunk slides
- bunk carpeting heavily sprayed with silicon spray
- Keel rollers between 2X6's with some type of outer bunks to keep boat balanced

 

[64osby]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

I have a different take on how to approach your problem. I am assuming you trailer your boat to the campsites, and it is not always the same site. I'm also assuming you have a gentle rise at the shore line, not a sea wall or big drop.

My thought on this would be to come up with a something like a 12" tire that could be attached to the front of your trailer. Get an ATV winch that could be attached to a tree or your truck. Roll the trailer w/ boat into the water, pull the trailer back out on shore and then when returning, trailer goes back in the water, loaded and pulled back out. You might even be able to avoid going to the launch.

My .02

 

[1979checkmate]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

I have a different take on how to approach your problem. I am assuming you trailer your boat to the campsites, and it is not always the same site. I'm also assuming you have a gentle rise at the shore line, not a sea wall or big drop.

My thought on this would be to come up with a something like a 12" tire that could be attached to the front of your trailer. Get an ATV winch that could be attached to a tree or your truck. Roll the trailer w/ boat into the water, pull the trailer back out on shore and then when returning, trailer goes back in the water, loaded and pulled back out. You might even be able to avoid going to the launch.

My .02

Hey that is a great idea! i might look into that!

bingo! http://www.harborfreight.com/10-inch-pneumatic-swivel-caster-38944.html

 

[er8791]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

Hey Checkmate. Attached are a couple photos of what I put together several years back. I am currently looking at the next version to make it lighter and easier to move (along with getting it long enough to mount the winch directly to the top side of the ramp). If you were to transport this at all to your campsites, you would want to have the ramp a bit lighter in construction. The boats are each over 17 feet long and in the case of the fiber glass one shown, pretty heavy. The pvc is just covering sections of steel pipe.

 

[seaboo]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

I have done exactly what you described (minus the winch) for a jet ski. It works but really is kinda a pain (if there is any wake at all you are kinda fighting it, if you are a little off on your lineup, you have to react fast. What I did was just carpet the bunks (splash some water to lube it up). just one piece of advice, your "light" boat will become amazing heavy when you are pushing it off. 16' is a long run with 2x6's (heavy, ackward to handle, and you would probably want several "legs" on it to prevent sag).

I finally wound up putting a mooring up and using a system like an anchor buddy (but I have the luxury of use of a section of lake front land too so a more "long term" solution was ok).

 

[Bondo]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

The reason i am thinking about this rather than an anchor buddy as recommended is my boat has a very low freeboard, and i am afraid of it getting swamped from the rear if large boats come by.

Ayuh,... Tie it up, Bow Out,....

Problem solved...

 

[1979checkmate]

Re: homemade shore ramp?

or in the pickup bed, most likely on the floor of the boat, yes. I am considering using the trailer as the shore ramp though, i have a very low trailer so it wouldnt have to go in far.