CHEAPEST WAY TO BUILD LOADING RAMPS

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.