CHEAPEST WAY TO BUILD LOADING RAMPS

[zing]

Because of my confusing description, I decided to draw a crappy picture. If you try to drag the boat up greased planks it is going to slide off the sides, just use log rollers to defeat friction. You still need to float the stern and get as much water to drain out as possible so you don't damage the boat with all of that extra weight, but once you lighten it up it should roll quite nicely.

 

[sandman2234]

Zing, picture isn't coming in for me, but I was wondering why log rollers would be any different that anything else as far as allowing the boat to slide off the ends. If the boat gets out of position, as it comes up out of the water, then the tractor pulling it isn't centered.
PVC would also work as a roller, not as cheap as Zing's suggestion, but they do offer more of a slick surface to pull across in the case of the logs getting stuck in the sand.
David from jax

 

[zing]

Zing, picture isn't coming in for me, but I was wondering why log rollers would be any different that anything else as far as allowing the boat to slide off the ends. If the boat gets out of position, as it comes up out of the water, then the tractor pulling it isn't centered.
PVC would also work as a roller, not as cheap as Zing's suggestion, but they do offer more of a slick surface to pull across in the case of the logs getting stuck in the sand.
David from jax

Normally log rollers have several feet in every different direction from the keel on a center keel boat, so there is lots of room to move without sliding off. In his case since it is a dual hull pontoon style there is less room to move, you are right. I would have said to make the a lot longer than his boat is wide, but the boat ramp makes a little gulley so there isn't enough room to lay down a really long pole. The advantage of a log roller over a greased plank or one foot long rollers for each hull like he is describing is that as the boat moves closer to the edge it will not dig one edge into the ground and/or flip over. With a plank or skinny ramp you have to keep both planks totally straight with the keel of both hulls as the boat travels up the hill and even going a few inches to one side can cause them to flip over or twist sideways. Log rollers are much more stable and if one gets twisted sideways a bit it doesn't matter because the next one will be straight again as you pull the boat up onto that one. The other advantage of course is the cost and simplicity, you can make them for free from the materials on site. He could also make some longer ones for once he gets up a bit higher out of the gulley if the land flattens out a bit.

I'll fix the picture link in a couple of hours, when I get to work. ****EDIT*** Link to crappy image fixed above.

 

[shadetree]

Aussiebushman's last Activity was 07-30-2017 08:41 PM

Not like him to not even check to see what was said about him.

 

[jaxs]

Aussiebushman's last Activity was 07-30-2017 08:41 PM

Not like him to not even check to see what was said about him.

I hope the reason he didn't check back wasn't because he run into more than he could handle. Didn't he say something about 75? At any rate,I wanted to post so that I would get emails when posts were made. To gearheads, this is better than dinner playhouse drama.

 

[shadetree]

Me too. Maybe his computer failed.

 

[TomSeller]

I hope Aussie pulled it off. Good luck to him, he seems like he would be a great TBN member from down under* and I hope he posts again.

*or up above, depends on how you view the rock we live on.

 

[Wagtail]

Say wutt?

It's a 'stealth poster' and I've already reported it.

They've been happening over the last few months: usually a weird 'tractor' listed and a nonsensical posting. It will add some advertising links into its signature block after the third posting in order to defeat the "no posting of links for newbies until after a certain number (I guess 3) of postings".

 

[Wagtail]

Aussiebushman's last Activity was 07-30-2017 08:41 PM

Not like him to not even check to see what was said about him.

shadetree & jaxs... I'll ring the NSW Police at Oberon and ask them to do a 'welfare check'.

Fortunately, Aussiebushman's actual name is in his profile, which will help a lot!

 

[Wagtail]

Just got off the phone with the NSW Police, who gave Aussiebushman a call.

He's OK and will pop back on in a while.

 

[jaxs]

Glad to hear it,thanks Wag.You da man

 

[dragoneggs]

Just got off the phone with the NSW Police, who gave Aussiebushman a call.

He's OK and will pop back on in a while.

Nice work, Wag!

 

[aczlan]

It's a 'stealth poster' and I've already reported it.

They've been happening over the last few months: usually a weird 'tractor' listed and a nonsensical posting. It will add some advertising links into its signature block after the third posting in order to defeat the "no posting of links for newbies until after a certain number (I guess 3) of postings".

Yep, please dont quote them though, the spam removal tool will remove their posts, but wont remove when someone has quoted them.

Aaron Z

 

[Aussiebushman]

Yes Zing - agree with all you said, except that 3" treated pine round logs are so cheap here it is not worth the trouble of cutting and peeling your own. The same applies to heavy planks - sold as "sleepers" 250mm X 55mm and 3 m long for only $19 each - I just purchased two

Got two very large tractor inner tubes in used good condition as per earlier posts, these will go under the boat deck close to the stern where they will have little trouble lifting the aft ends of the hulls to regular floating level. Then the ramps will go under the bows.

The diver's dry suit I purchased went from the seller in country NSW to the mail exchange in Sydney, then back to the seller because "the scanners read the bottom line of the address first" Ain't technology wonderful?

 

[Aussiebushman]

Sincere thanks to all who got concerned. I have sent a PM to Wagtail.

It was mostly a matter of not having the various bits needed to go the the next stage that meant I did not check for new posts. I now have the ramp materials and heavy tractor inner tubes - just waiting for the diver's dry suit to arrive plus the arrival of a neighbor to assist. Positioning the tubes, ramps, starting the generator and compressor, then pumping air into the tubes could be done by me alone, but a lot safer and easier with a helper.

When all the components are in place and the stern lifted, the boat can be slowly pulled up the ramps. Because the trailer will be attached to a car on the center line, I suspect 2 4WD vehicles (one on each side of the trailer) will give better control over the direction of the pull.

 

[jaxs]

Good hear from you bushman,I could almost invision you all blue,chilled,caughing and shaking from the dip in your "dam". I have a suggestion that might let you do most of it from topside and save time spent in the water. Here's the materials and method,you should have spare stuff laying around that can be adapted to your cause. 2 truck axles minus break drums,back plate,shoes and other unnecessary parts,but including hub,lugs and wheel(no tire). xx feet of oilfield pipe and 2 come-a-long cable pullers. If water isn't much deeper than axle lingeth,drop them in so they rest on wheels and slip pipes over axles. Drop puller hook over top of pipe,other hook to sunken boat then ratchet-ratchet-ratchet. If water is much deeper than axles you'll need to attach a bouy and rope to wheel before dropping into water so they can be retrived afterwards. Water should drain as pontoons come up but if bottom of "dam"is mushy,I'd take it slow to limit weight wheels must support and avoid driving wheels deeper in mud than necessary.

 

[jaxs]

By the way bushman,us yanks will barrack for you until you reach the bitumen but a shellacking is waiting when it's over.:drink:

 

[Aussiebushman]

By the way bushman,us yanks will barrack for you until you reach the bitumen but a shellacking is waiting when it's over.:drink:

I admit I'll deserve what we Ockers would call a bollocking. Remember what Churchill said about the British and the Americans "two nations separated by a common language"

Made the ramps today - opted for greased slides instead of rollers due to far less work - think they will be OK because the angle is not very steep - or will not be when the stern rises. As noted earlier. two 4WD vehicles, one on either side of the trailer will have more than enough grunt. Note the raised sides on each ramp - to keep the keels from slipping sideways. A cross beam bolted between the two ramps will also stop any unwanted sideways movement

Here is a picture of the rig - The struts at the extreme rear end (seen here folded flat) are raised with a hydraulic jack to level the boat on the trailer rollers. The high roller in the center supports the deck when travelling. It does not affect the loading or unloading.

 

[bard]

Is there going to be a third person there so somebody can be an observer and keep the pull in synch?

The two vehicles will be put into forward gear for the pull or will they serve each serve as an anchor point for a come along or winch to do the pull?

 

[Aussiebushman]

There is already a winch on the center-line of the trailer but it is only a hand winch designed to work when the boat FLOATS onto the trailer It will not be strong enough to do this job. I considered a come-along or chain block but the pull needs to be along BOTH sides of the boat via ropes running from the aft sheet winches along the sides to get it lined up with the ramps and stay that way as it comes up.

It might be possible to use TWO chain blocks but the use of two vehicles seems more practical. I propose to have both of the "pull" vehicles FACING the boat.and pulling in reverse gear. That way both drivers can see what is happening and adjust accordingly.