IHDiesel73L
Silver Member
- Joined
- May 13, 2010
- Messages
- 167
I've checked around and there are plenty of threads on stone boats here, but I have some questions that are somewhat specific to my conditions. First, I've seen stone boats both with completely flat bottoms that fully contact the ground like a toboggan, such as a 3/4" sheet of plywood with a frame bolted around the edges, and I've also seen boats with two (or three) runners made from 4x4s, etc...similar to the old steel runner snow sleds or sleighs. Obviously the first design spreads the weight out more and probably allows the entire assembly to float over softer ground, but the greater contact area probably also creates more friction or drag. The second design has much less contact area and perhaps more friction, but definitely much more ground pressure on the two narrow runners. In my particular case I am looking to pick boulders from a stone row that runs along our mostly flat gravel lane in order to build a small boulder wall along the part of the driveway where we park next to the house as I plan to pave it with asphalt next year. I'm going to set the boulders in the ground a bit so that the asphalt can run right up against them with the goal being that the edge of the pavement is supported so that it doesn't begin to break up over time. None of the rock I'm planning to move is particularly large but TBN standards :laughing: The largest rocks are probably in the neighborhood of 1,500 to 2,000 pounds (4' long, 2' wide, 2" thick average), so they could be moved in an FEL bucket, but I am currently tractorless. I can borrow my neighbor's pretty much anytime, but this way I don't have to bother him, and I'm sure I could find other uses for the boat. Which brings me to my next question-how well do you think my 2012 F-250 4x4 6.2L gas would do pulling a stone boat? I Googled a bit and found pictures of old school truck and tractor pulling with stone boats which is still done in some parts of the country where they basically just load up a boat with increasing levels of concrete weights to see who can pull it and how far. I'm currently running nice wide 305/70/17s which I will air down.
Here is a picture the lane:

Here is a picture the lane:
