CHEAPEST WAY TO BUILD LOADING RAMPS

Aussiebushman · Jul 18, 2017

The price of second hand roller conveyor is prohibitive and anything nearly right in size is interstate adding a couple of hundred for freight to the cost, adding up to over $1k - just for one-time use. I need 2 ramps each around 8' long and 8-12" wide and with strong side frames to roll close to a ton off the ground onto a trailer.

Obviously the sides can be steel channel or maybe even 1" thick X 10" deep plywood. The rollers might be 1" water pipe but each will need some kind of bearing plus an "axle" This all gets costly and a lot of work. I guess I might get by with a solid plate heavily greased or coated with sump oil instead of rollers. I can't think of any better solutions

Has anyone built or adapted anything similar for loading onto a trailer please?

texasranger556 · Jul 18, 2017

What are you loading? On to what?

Have you considered a hoist, forklift, winch, tilting trailer, etc?

Sysop · Jul 18, 2017

For a one time use, and for only a ton, it seems to me you are overthinking things and seeking complicated solutions to a simple project.
Jack whatever it is up, put some moving dollies under it, strap it to them, then use a come-along to drag it up some basic ramps onto the trailer. Jack it up, remove the dollies, tie it down, off you go...

pmsmechanic · Jul 18, 2017

Or even simpler just hire a cherry picker. (small folding crane) By the time you have something built to just use once and all your time you'll be money ahead to just hire the job out. Find a private guy who want to make a bit extra on an evening or a weekend and your done!

Renze · Jul 19, 2017

We moved my fathers garden shed a few weeks ago, the Egyptian way, by pushing it off the floor with a crowbar and putting six 1 1/2" pieces of pipe under it. Then we pushed it a yard aside and repeated in reversed order.

M5farms · Jul 19, 2017

a strong tree limb or tripod and a heavy duty come a long or chain hoist get it in the air and back the trailer under it

M5farms · Jul 19, 2017

Ive also lifted heavy tanks over 2000lbs with my backhoe . lift to clear and drive out from under it set it straight on the ground

flyerdan · Jul 19, 2017

Depending on the size / bulk of the item you need to get on the trailer, I'd second the shop crane idea, they can lift up to 2 ton and can be had for cheap on craigslist often. Or you might find someone with one sitting idle in the shop that would help out for a couple bucks. Once one end is up on the trailer it can be rolled on pipes or peeler cores into position while picking the back end up.

JerryK · Jul 19, 2017

Get a big enough tractor and lift it up with the FEL.... A ton is not a lot of weight, but you have not stated how big or awkward the thing you want to roll onto the trailer is... Unless those down-under tons are supper heavy... and we are talking apples and oranges

Aussiebushman · Jul 19, 2017

I was too embarrassed to admit earlier that this has been caused by a major F#%kup on my part. The "object" to be recovered is a 20' catamaran that was being put into the farm dam so I could complete some work on the trailer and get it inspected for registration.

This operation has been done before but this time, there was obviously prior damage causing a hole in the underside of one or both hulls, so when it came off the trailer, the stern sank leaving just the bows on the bank. With the hull(s) now half full of water, there is no way to get it out and back onto the trailer without winching it up a ramp.

This place is very far from town so hiring a crane would cost a fortune and it would never get in via the farm tracks
Yes I can drag it out with the tractor but that will not get it onto the trailer without ramps

With ramps, it can be winched up the incline until the water drains from the hulls. Then the holes will be visible and can be repaired before the boat is winched the rest of the way onto the trailer.

Back to the original question - maybe greased 10 X 2 planks plus sides to prevent the hulls slipping off might be the cheapest and most practical solution?

texasranger556 · Jul 19, 2017

Ahh the rest of the story! Three ideas come to mind. One is drag it up the bank with a winch/truck/tractor/combination far enough to let the water drain out. Then you still have to get it on to the trailer either with ramps like you are thinking or use a jack and work it up onto blocks high enough you can start it onto the trailer and winch it the rest of the way on.

Another option is find some old tire tubes to stick under the hull or tie to the sides then inflate to help the water drain out enough you can float it onto the trailer.

Third option is pump the water out enough that it starts floating so you can put some tape over the hole(s) and float it back onto the trailer.

I just think with ramps you're going to be going to be increasing an already steep incline.

How long did it take to sink that far?

handirifle · Jul 20, 2017

You might consider pumping air into the open holes (if hulls are otherwise sealed, ie like a pontoon), if you know where they are. The air will displace the water and lift it, but you have to be ready to drag it out of the water when it does come up.

Carlaisle · Jul 20, 2017

I have read this forum off and on for years with great interest. This post is my first, so hello. It sounds like you are in the position of being willing to spend more time than money. Given that, my first thought was to dig a trench in line with the boat and back the trailer into it. Then you can just drag the boat right up the bank and onto the trailer. Drive the trailer off and then you can fill the trench back in. Cost shouldn't be but a bit of fuel and some time. That obviously presumes you have a solid loader, backhoe, or other suitable earth moving equipment handy. This idea is significantly less appealing if the digging would need to be done with a shovel.

Aussiebushman · Jul 20, 2017

All good ideas and as usual, achieving the desired result is a process of considering everything, rejecting some and finally selecting what seems to be the best solution

Last post first - Yes I have more time than money and no I do not have a backhoe so a trench is not very feasible.

Next, although they let the hulls fill fast, the hole locations are not obvious.Otherwise I would have seen them when I was repairing some other damage The holes are very likely where the twin (removable) keels attach to the hulls. These keels are NOT fitted so the hulls themselves are now sitting in the mud. There is no way to get under them with inner tubes or anything else though it would be theoretically possible to put an airbag in the center between the hulls. I DO have an exhaust jack (big vinyl bag) but that has to be attached to a car to fill and anyway, I doubt it is big enough to provide sufficient lift.

Pumping out the water would require a seriously large pump to get the water out faster than it is getting in. Also both hulls would need pumping. This would mean moving both the pump and the generator down to the dam - a bast#rd of a job and running the risk of sliding the whole thing off the bank into deep water by climbing on board - even if tied to shore.

The incline of the bank is actually LESS above the dam water level because the dam sides fall away steeply, so dragging the boat out far enough the drain the hulls is the best option. By shaping the ends of the ramps they will slide far enough under each hull to get started with a chain block. Once I can get the forward ends of the hulls onto the trailer and the stern jacked up off the ground, the ramps can be removed and the repairs made before winching the boat right up onto the trailer.

Thanks - and keep the suggestion coming

tjkubota93 · Jul 20, 2017

You will be doing way too much work if don't get the water out first, no matter how you recover it.

JerryK · Jul 20, 2017

There are lots of sealers these days that can be used on a wet surface, have seen both spray and tape type on TV. These may get the holes repaired enough that you could pump out enough water to get the thing to float, then you could back a trailer under water under it. Then as you pull the trailer out the boat would be on top of it. There are a lot of ' if's '... if the bottom is not too muddy, bank too slick. If a big enough vehicle is avail to pull the whole shebang out of the water. etc...

Gils · Jul 20, 2017

Full of water will be very heavy for the boat, i would worry about breaking it more, slowly pulling it out and letting the water drain out at the same time would get rid of lots of weight. If holes are too high, make holes as low as you can so it drains, just two extra holes for you to fix. Thats a tough one to figure out. Get pics as you get it done, one of us might be in the same situation one day.

shadetree · Jul 20, 2017

Build your ramps of slick dirt (clay) coat with mud if you like.

boomer1025 · Jul 20, 2017

Get some old car or truck tires with out the rims. Lift the front of the boat and lay down a pair of tires. Pull the boat out slowly adding tires under the pontoons , Then let the water drain out as it comes out of the water. Get several oak 2x10's or 2x12's 8/10 ft long and pull it slowly on to the trailer.