Boathouse Siding Dilemna

8NTX · Dec 27, 2003

We recently had a boathouse built at our lake home; I am now putting up cedar siding. It is an open boathouse - no sides (more like a carport), but the overhead gable ends need siding. The problem facing me now is - how to put the gable siding on the "lake" end of the boathouse. I have built a catwalk out of 2x6's that I used for putting up the roof trusses. It weighs about 80 pounds or so and I weigh in at 240. What I was thinking is: cantilever out over the water by attaching a couple of 10 ft. 2x8's, screwed together on each side, attached with several lag bolts into the sides of the boatslip (also 2x8's). And just slide the catwalk onto these cantilevered beams and place the ladder on the catwalk. The boatslip opening is 10.5 ft. The catwalk is 12 ft. long so it's plenty wide. I think about 6 ft. attached to the sides of the slip, with a cantilever extension of 4 ft. over the lake in front of the slip should work. Is this too risky? Will these doubled 2x8's (treated pine - 2 each side) hold?

chim · Dec 27, 2003

Any chance of posting a pic? How deep is the water there? What is the bottom like?................chim

Junkman · Dec 28, 2003

Skyhook...... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

MossRoad · Dec 28, 2003

Maybe use 2x12s instead of 8s for a cantilever of 4 feet if you have any doubts.

Just have someone around watching you while you do it. Freak accident could lead to bump on head, which could lead to you unconscious in water, which could lead to you drowning. I know it sounds obvious, but you'd be amazed how many people work around water that cannot swim or don't wear a flotation device when alone. Also helps if the person watching you can swim as well. If they can't, it won't do any good /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I'm not a safety nut or anything like that... I just grew up around a lake and spent 6 years as a lifeguard on flat and moving water and saw many people drown doing stupid things like walking on thin ice, riding in a boat with no floatation devices, and going out on the water alone with no life jacket on. I've succumbed to stupiditis several times in my life(almost went through the ice last year) but was fortunate to get out uninjured.

Sounds like a great project. I'd love to see a picture of it, when complete. Good luck. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

wroughtn_harv · Dec 28, 2003

The first thing that came to mind was doing a forty five degree cantilever scaffold. It'd be slick.

When you do a regular cantilever all the weight is at the last point of contact. With a forty five degree one you turn that pressure from shear to compression. Plus you have an incline to make into a ladder. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

8NTX · Dec 29, 2003

( Any chance of posting a pic? How deep is the water there? What is the bottom like?................chim )

I probably won't have a chance to get a pic posted - gonna try for doing it next weekend. But I will take a pic of the finished project and try to get it posted. The water is about 6 ft. deep at the end of the boathouse; the lake is moss-bottom and soft sand.

Harv - interesting concept with the 45 deg. angle cantilever. Are you suggesting to tie it into the header/beams and secure to the cantilevered beam at the bottom?

tc35dforme · Dec 29, 2003

If you wait til the ice is about 6" thick, you can just use staging or ladders with planks set on the ice /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

MarkV · Dec 29, 2003

I think Harv has the right idea for this project. I would cantilevered one 2x8 from the inside of your open wall and one from the outside of the wall, then run diagonals at 45 and tie them to the wall also. Cut a half sheet of ply at a 45 and nail it to the right triangles you have made as a big gusset. That should be plenty strong to hold your staging.

MarkV

Junkman · Dec 29, 2003

( If you wait til the ice is about 6" thick, you can just use staging or ladders with planks set on the ice /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif )

I don't believe that they get much freezing weather in Texas... well, not enough to put ice on the water........ /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

wroughtn_harv · Dec 29, 2003

I'm not sure how far Steve is wanting to go out on his walkboard. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif But heck with some two by fours angled down to the deck you don't need much because all the weight is going down to the deck and not being supported by the two by six, eight, ten, or twelve in shear.

I'd think the whole thing could be made with two by fours and still be strong enough.

As for the walk board, heck a two by twelve with a two by six two feet shorter on edge underneath would be more than enough for one man. That two by six being the up leg of a T with the two by twelve being the horizontal is one strong member. And you don't need the two by six to go all the way either. I'd think a foot to two feet short on each end wouldn't make difference that Steve would notice, unless he thought about it too long. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I would wear a flotation device though. Water won't freeze but that don't mean extremities don't!

As for ice in Texas. We have it any time we want it. Whatcha think freezers were made for?