CHEAPEST WAY TO BUILD LOADING RAMPS

[aczlan]

Regarding the holes... both hulls look to be equally submerged.

Is it possible that you forgot to put the bungs in when you put it in the water?

That was my first guess, and if you fed a pair of quarter inch air hoses into the bungs in the back then put air in there at say 5 PSI (leaving enough room around the hoses for water to get out you might be able to displace the water in there with air) and get them to refloat with nothing more than a small air compressor.

Aaron Z

 

[handirifle]

I have helped lift a number of submerged boats and displacing water with air is by far the easiest way. The hull will not withstand being full of water and pulled by a vehicle. Something will break.

They lift ocean liners with balloons. Just takes a lot of them.

As was mentioned it will not take much air pressure. Also the auto air lift would be almost ideal. Just don't be in a hurry. Lift a little and let it drain then lift more. You can use shop vac hoses as extensions if need be.

 

[bard]

The attachment point on the boat for the rope may not have been designed for the additional weight of water in the hulls, so be cautious pulling it too much with the water still inside.

I would go with the idea of using some air bags, bladder etc to lift the boat as much possible to drain water and put some patches on the hulls before pulling it on to a trailer.

You didn't mention the distance from the top of the dam to the boat, but multiple trips walking back and forth on the slope can be tiring. Maybe you can find a metal cage from an IBC tote to use as a carryall for your ropes, air bag, air compressor, tools, lunch, water bottle etc. Lower the metal cage down the slope with a rope or towing strap or chain attached to a tractor or truck. When you have finished with the work, put everything back into the metal cage and pull it back up the slope.

 

[shadetree]

Did you back your trailer into the water to get the boat off? Is that the location? Do you have a picture of the trailer? A picture of the boat loaded on the trailer?

Pictures showing the slope and all approaches will help. List what you've got to work with... Tractor how big. Jib pole... hoist... winch... portable generator... air compressor... drill ...

Look at some of the video showing delivery of sheds. And roll back recovery trucks. They can go almost anywhere.

One Man Show - Delivery & Set up of 12x2 Amish Shed - YouTube

Old hickory shed delivery. Awesome Job - YouTube

Pine Hill Trailer Sales - Shed Trailer - YouTube

Rotating Flatbed Recovery part 2 - YouTube

26ft Low Loader for Phil Powers - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY9iAGjB0ME

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaBD4YtY11o


I looked to see what state you were in and ... well I won't be driving down to lend you a hand.

 

[bigdeano]

Dig a couple of angled trenches for the trailer wheels so the boat can be pulled onto the back of the trailer, which would be almost on the ground. Cost: zero. You may have to do something to lighten the boat as others have said.

I loaded a tractor on a trailer that way once.

 

[Aussiebushman]

All good but:

There are NO bungs so I did not forget to install them

I have a 65 Hp tractor with a jib, an 8 KVA generator, air compressor with a long airline, 3 4WD vehicles, 2 heavy chainblocks and yes, they could all be taken down to the dam in the box trailer.

Digging trenches for the trailer wheels might work using the rear scraper blade but I do not have a backhoe or FEL However, the slope is minor so it would be far easier to get some water out of the boat to raise the stern - then the loading angle will not be excessive.

The stern is too far off the bank to reach with the tractor jib and there is the added danger of losing the tractor into the dam too!

The stern sections of the hulls cannot be sealed to use airlines, but yes, inner tubes (that I do not have) could be placed inside or under each hull. An inflatable air bed under each hull might be better However, the water at the stern is around 5 feet deep and the temperature this morning was minus 5 degrees C. I might be a wimp but getting in there to place the inner tubes/airbeds then connect them to the air lines etc is not my idea of fun, even wearing a wet suit. Al up though, this is starting to look like the best option. Once the boat is moved as little as 6-8 feet forward the hulls will probably start to drain naturally, depending where the holes are located

 

[shadetree]

Guess you can tell I know nothing of boats. I'm thinking what you call a hull is a pontoon? Is it partitioned or open from end to end. I'm thinking drill a hole high up at the front insert a catheter and fill with air. Bubbles should generally locate the problem. This could displace enough water.to float your boat. Still don't know if your trailer is up to the job of backing into the water? Maybe you could rent one that could?

The 65 HP tractor should be able to move trailer and boat. 3 point could raise front of trailer making the trailer into a ramp if it is shaped for that.

 

[crazyal]

I watched Mythbusters use ping pong balls to raise a boat. Not that it's practical but if you have any old air filled balls around maybe you can stuff a few inside the hulls to help displace the water. If you look around maybe you can find other things that would displace the water.

 

[cat fever]

I agree with putting air in the pontoons and forcing/displacing the water with air.

 

[Aussiebushman]

Discussion with a neighbor today pointed to an answer for my original question about cheap ramps. Small round-section treated pine logs (about 4" diameter) are cheap and readily available from landscape materials sellers. Cut into 12" lengths they can be fixed between 1" thick ply sides with washers and long coach screws so they will revolve. The sides would sit say 3" above the level of the rollers to keep the keels from slipping off. These sides will be strapped together with steel plates. Total cost around $50

Re Shade tree's question about the hull construction, they are open inside from end to end so yes, it is conceivable that air pumped in at the bow could identify where the holes are located but as stated previously I'm sure they are right at the bottom where they will be impossible to access and/or repair until clear of the water.

It looks though my wet-suit will have to get me into the literally freezing water to get tire tubes or whatever under the aft ends of the hulls. That will mean getting the generator and compressor right down the the edge of the dam but I can't think of any realistic alternative As the aft ends lift the boat can be winched up the ramps progressively and slowly to let the water drain out as the angle changes.