Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

[shrew]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

Is there enough space on the spools to accomodate extra cable? The spool is going to have a Max. Capacity as well.

 

[EricJRW]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

View attachment 196631

Undo the crimps at these 4 locations and add a section of chain? There looks to be a foot or more of cable wrapped around the post.

I think this has the most potential with the minimal amount of work. In fact I'm thinking of adding some type of hooks/shackles at the top so that when I need to go all the way up (hopefully again someday) I can unfasten the extra length added at the top. Thank you for this idea.

Can you float and motor out with the lake at that level?

That is something I need to check. I'm fairly certain I have enough water (today), but that would be a very good thing to check.

If the center pin is removable on the strap pulleys you could move it to a second pulley which would attach to the original pulley with a length of cable. Attached is a crude drawing of what I mean.

I'll have to look at that. Good alternate idea.

Is there enough space on the spools to accomodate extra cable? The spool is going to have a Max. Capacity as well.

That's a good point. It doesn't seems like it is winding too far, maybe a foot either side of where the cable passes through the pipe. Luckily, the solution of adding (temporary) length to the four ends won't affect this.

 

[captain zac]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

can you not raise the boat all the way up
get 2or4 6x6's to put under from walkway to walkway
lower boat
put new cable on

 

[EricJRW]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

can you not raise the boat all the way up
get 2or4 6x6's to put under from walkway to walkway
lower boat
put new cable on

I actually thought about that idea (supports from walkway to walkway), but I was unsure if that would be too much weight on a relatively small area. I'm note sure what the pontoons can handle. But I did think about the idea of adding bunks to them. I'm also not sure of just how many 6x6s I would need, but I was thinking the cost would be prohibitive. I'm also not sure of the loading on the walkway... So it just seemed like too many unknowns. It would be great if I had a second set of straps, then I could just hang the boat in the second set and work on the first set. I'm not quite sure the u-bolts on the 4 corners are designed to hand the boat from, so I think I still need to solve the problem of how to hold the boat while I work on the cables.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

Originally Posted by Maclin
Can you float and motor out with the lake at that level?


"That is something I need to check. I'm fairly certain I have enough water (today), but that would be a very good thing to check."


Yup, I would hate to hear about you getting the cables modded and then drop the lower unit or toons right onto some rocks

 

[EricJRW]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

So true... I'm all for due diligence, hence I did not want to seem overly confident on that point. To be honest, I have not even gone for a swim yet this year... But I likely will in the next week. It's looking like I need to extend the intake on the irrigation pump too!

 

[colbyt]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

I would need more detail to confirm but I think Snowman hit on the correct solution. I was in the process of trying to figure out where the return was after I saw the pulley on the bottom.

Don't forget to keep some tension on the line while making the addition.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

If the water is deep enough, how about this? Walk the cable clamps up the cable. Loosen the lower clamp and move the clamp and cable up a couple of inches, tighten it and loosen the upper clamp. The boat will drop a couple of inches until the slack is out, then tighten the upper clamp and repeat as needed at all four hangers. It looks like the cable has enough extra length to do that.

 

[captain zac]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

Well then If you think that the walkways would no hold then
Bolt a piece of 1/2 inch angle iron to the upright posts
then run 2 2x6's or double them if you think you need to
the cost of 4 2x6's would have to be under 100 dollars

 

[salty87]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

Don't forget to keep some tension on the line while making the addition.

is this step really necessary? the boat is coming out of the slings with cable still on the spool whenever the water height is higher with no issues.

 

[hostage]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

Why not lower the dock? :smile:

Though in all honesty with the lake that low I would hesitate to take my boat out at all. Having lived in Texas and knowing that every lake save 1 or so are all man made, I would be worry about running into a chimney or a forest of stumps that you didn't know existed previously. I know they didn't clear out a lot of trees and buildings in Lake Livingston there is even a sunken bridge. Also with all the sediment brought in by the river can create numerous sand bars.

It is fun to talk about ways to modify your hoist to lower your boat, though with summer approaching it will get worst before it get's better. There is not only the risk of damaging your skeg, prop, or even your whole lower unit when boating, but also it could end much worst if your boat fell off the lift or you could even get injured really bad by a snapping cable.

I doubt anyone here is a structural engineer, though something that none of us would consider a problem can go very wrong, such as in the case of the Hyatt Regency accident. Hyatt Regency walkway collapse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

When I was a kid and the water was low, I enjoyed walking the shoreline seeing what treasures I could find. Never felt upset when I couldn't go out in my grandfather's 70's trihull. With such a short boating season up here in NY compared to TX both have pro's in con's. Sometimes it is to cool of a summer to take the boat out and we get a shorter season. Though on the other hand I have yet to see such a drought hit NY like Texas. We also don't get bath water up here. So what I am trying to say, don't feel upset, just enjoy the fact that you get a long boating season. Granted you might not be able to go out every season.

I am not trying to be a troll or a party pooper, I really didn't see anyone playing the devils advocate here and if you are able to go boating this summer, please do it safely.

-Hostage

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

We'll probably be glad to send you some water from Oklahoma, lol. We're having a fantastic year for rain so far, especially considering the past 2 years of drought. Almost all of our lakes are a few feet above pool.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

Because of snow load up here, everyone just puts bunks across from walkway to walkway in the winter and lowers the boat onto that so the boat weight isn't pulling on the building all winter.
Get 6 or 8 (or 20) boards to spread the weight.

Of course we build our boathouses for that - you'll have to decide if the walkways are strong enough.

 

[EricJRW]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

Hi all, sorry for the late return... Lake level is so low it's had me a bit depressed, but I have not given up on this project.

At first I was going to use about 10' of chain at each corner. I was going to use the chain to hang the boat, then move the end of the cable to the chain via a grab hook. This seemed to give me a lot of flexibility, but it was rather expensive.

So I decided to do the same thing, only with 1/4" wire rope. I went and bought all the stuff I would need, cable, clamps, thimbles, shackles, etc. Added up to over $100. The 100' of 1/4" cable was a reasonable $37.

As I sat on the dock with my two helpers (neighbors and boat owners for many years), explaining the process, it was noted that I have to reverse the process when the water comes up. And if it comes up quick, I'll have to hustle down to Granbury or risk my boat being too low.

That's when we started measuring, and lowered the boat all the way down and measured water under the boat... And determined I'd only need to lower 6' max (before the rear of the logs would touch the bottom of the lake if the water were to lower even more - right now there's 5' of water under the back of the boat and about 4' at the front). Thus adding 12' to each corner (single pulley on strap so 6' x 2) would be just 50' of cable (total). With an existing cable length of about 120 feet total, buying a new longer 3/16" cable (~170 feet) would still be less than all the new bits of hardware I would need with the extra length of 1/4" (since during the process it would support all the weight on the end of the 3/16" cable is reattached) wire rope on the corners. It looks like an extra 12 to 16 wraps of cable along the shaft won't be a problem either. There's about 30 now and the angle looks OK. I know this is perhaps not 100% ideal, but it means the boat can always go all the way up and all the way down, without messing with an intermediate "hanger."

So captain zac, you called it.

To get the old cable off and the new on I plan to lower the boat, clamp the two cables (above the pulley) together and temporarily hang the boat from a single strand (then end attached to the dock via clamps) and cut the cable that wraps around the shaft. With a load limit of 840 pounds on the 3/16" it's enough for the transition until the new cable is installed, which I plan to slip through the pulley, on top of existing cable... Once everything is tight and snugged up, I will cut the old cable near the pulley and just let it (old cable) squirt out during the raise/lower process.

Thanks for all the help.

Eric

PS. If I'v missed some fundamental aspect, please let me know. Oh, and hostage, that's a very good point about dangers. We do have a well marked channel and I would stay in it, but also I'd just like to be able to start the motor periodically. I don't have a hose bib near the boat, so muff's are not really an option.

-ew

 

[hostage]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

Hi all, sorry for the late return... Lake level is so low it's had me a bit depressed, but I have not given up on this project.

At first I was going to use about 10' of chain at each corner. I was going to use the chain to hang the boat, then move the end of the cable to the chain via a grab hook. This seemed to give me a lot of flexibility, but it was rather expensive.

So I decided to do the same thing, only with 1/4" wire rope. I went and bought all the stuff I would need, cable, clamps, thimbles, shackles, etc. Added up to over $100. The 100' of 1/4" cable was a reasonable $37.

As I sat on the dock with my two helpers (neighbors and boat owners for many years), explaining the process, it was noted that I have to reverse the process when the water comes up. And if it comes up quick, I'll have to hustle down to Granbury or risk my boat being too low.

That's when we started measuring, and lowered the boat all the way down and measured water under the boat... And determined I'd only need to lower 6' max (before the rear of the logs would touch the bottom of the lake if the water were to lower even more - right now there's 5' of water under the back of the boat and about 4' at the front). Thus adding 12' to each corner (single pulley on strap so 6' x 2) would be just 50' of cable (total). With an existing cable length of about 120 feet total, buying a new longer 3/16" cable (~170 feet) would still be less than all the new bits of hardware I would need with the extra length of 1/4" (since during the process it would support all the weight on the end of the 3/16" cable is reattached) wire rope on the corners. It looks like an extra 12 to 16 wraps of cable along the shaft won't be a problem either. There's about 30 now and the angle looks OK. I know this is perhaps not 100% ideal, but it means the boat can always go all the way up and all the way down, without messing with an intermediate "hanger."

So captain zac, you called it.

To get the old cable off and the new on I plan to lower the boat, clamp the two cables (above the pulley) together and temporarily hang the boat from a single strand (then end attached to the dock via clamps) and cut the cable that wraps around the shaft. With a load limit of 840 pounds on the 3/16" it's enough for the transition until the new cable is installed, which I plan to slip through the pulley, on top of existing cable... Once everything is tight and snugged up, I will cut the old cable near the pulley and just let it (old cable) squirt out during the raise/lower process.

Thanks for all the help.

Eric

PS. If I'v missed some fundamental aspect, please let me know. Oh, and hostage, that's a very good point about dangers. We do have a well marked channel and I would stay in it, but also I'd just like to be able to start the motor periodically. I don't have a hose bib near the boat, so muff's are not really an option.

-ew

Up in NY we do have to use antifreeze in our boats. When we start the engine up we have short hose attached to the muffs. I then have someone poor containers of antifreeze into a funnel that is in the hose that is attached to the muff. You could always do something similar with just water. Some places sell a 5 or 10 gallon container that you can fill with a liquid that has a hose attachment so you don't need a second person. That would help with running it every so often. Don't have a suggestion for the channels other than good luck and safe boating.

-Hostage

 

[EricJRW]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

Interesting. I would definitely be taking it very slow if I take the boat out. It's not too bad if you keep an eye out.

 

[bad coffee]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

Adding distance to the 'dead' end of the line would be the easiest, since you can't remove the strap from the pulley.

Most likely the cable is attached to the ibeam with a clove hitch, and the crosby clamps (wire rope clips) are 'holding the tail.'

Since it looks like a double-purchase system, you'll need to add 2x the cable for the distance you want to drop the boat. That beam looks like it's 4" square, so you have about 32" of cable, plus the tail. Will a 16-18" drop make it work?

The easiest way would be to undo the clove, put a thimble, add one crosby, making an eye on the end of the cable.

Then either add chain or a cable "sunday"to go around the beam.

Put in a shackle to connect the chain/sunday around the beam, then put the new eye from the existing boat lift through the pin of the shackle.
Don't forget to 'mouse' your shackles. (giant pic, didn't want to put it inline)
http://www.polarfocus.com/wp-conten...medias/family/16/shackle_safety_technique.jpg

Just make sure all the new hardware you buy is rated for the size cable you have.

Hope this helps.

 

[EricJRW]

Re: Lake is low, cables don't reach water. Solution?

Thanks for those pictures... I'm familiar with the expression to "never saddle a dead horse", meaning don't put the saddle of the clip on the dead end of the wire rope... But the few people I've talked to can't agree on what part of the clip is the saddle...

Anyway, I decided against the extension solution for two reasons: 1) And I know I'm being lazy, I just did not want to deal with holding the pontoon boat up while I worked on the cables... And I was a bit worried about uneven loads on the logs/dock if I supported from below. 2) All previous "extension" solutions prevent the boat from going all the way up and away from the water when (if) it ever rises. My biggest fear was that I would not get back quick enough to remove the extension. That would be a mess.

I found a place, on-line, that sells the 3/16" galvanized cable (7x19) for 20 cents per foot. This means total cost, cable, new/extra clips and shipping is going to be less than $60. That seems reasonable to me. So in a couple weeks I'll be running new cables!

BTW, Your information was definitely helpful! I liked the tip on "mousing"... Had I gone chain I would have known to do that.

Thank you