CHEAPEST WAY TO BUILD LOADING RAMPS

[TomSeller]

I have to admit your dilemma has left me speechless, I don't know what I would do, it's a tough one. Please keep us posted.

 

[zzvyb6]

I do not believe the solution is very hard to implement. Make a bridle out of stout rope (so you don't scratch or dent the hull) and secure it at the stern. Pull from the front. The significant weight is the water in the 'toons'. Pulling slow and incrementally will allow the water to drain out the same way it came in.

A couple of come-alongs pulling one side at a time just a few inches will drag the craft up the incline. The problem is not the total weight of the boat, just the weight of the water that is above the lake level. You could punch a hole in the stern tanks to increase the drainage flow and you could stand the nose up a bit to drain more water, but this is just a force problem, not a stuck problem.

 

[square1]

Pump down the water level of the pond to a level that allows to water to drain from the hulls.

 

[Aussiebushman]

I have to admit your dilemma has left me speechless, I don't know what I would do, it's a tough one. Please keep us posted.

Exactly.. There are many possible solutions, but some are more feasible than others

I think ZZ (and a few others before him) are closest to the answer and the winches built into the decks (for sail control) would be strong enough to hold ropes near the stern of the boat. These ropes led forward to a chain block would certainly pull the boat forward and will be much safer than trying to affix them to the cross beams.

Lowering the dam level is not feasible - it would only make the recovery more difficult - the solution is to raise the stern before starting the forward pull. As shown in the original picture, the bows are resting on the bank and the boat trailer cannot get far enough under them at the current angles That will be solved when the boat is actually floating again but I WILL need to make the ramps to go between the bows and the trailer ( a 2 foot lift over about 8-10 feet distance). As the boat comes up the ramps, the water will drain out - also allowing me to see where to repair the holes.

To raise the stern, several guys have suggested pumping air into the hulls but this is near impossible because they are not sealed. However, I have now located three used tractor tire inner tubes- One will go under the main deck and one each around or under each hull right at the aft. As discussed earlier, the compressor and a generator will have to be taken down to the dam on the box trailer to feed air into the tubes.

I'm awaiting delivery of a diver's dry-suit. My current wet-suit is not adequate for the temperature and I expect to be in the near freezing water for a hour or more, placing the tubes, affixing the ropes etc.

I'll get all the bits for the ramps through the week. Wish me luck

 

[shadetree]

I wish you luck and safety. I keep remembering all the things "I used to could" (do). There is no shame in paying help. None of my best friends that would come when needed are here any more. Think of all that can go wrong and be sure to stay out of their way. Have some one that will send help if you don't call them 'on the hour' to tell them you are all right. Good luck, be safe.

After more thought: I disagree that lowing the water in the pond would not help. It would make it safer and easier to walk around the back of the boat. It would allow you to drill holes in the hulls to fully drain them. You could pile blocks to jack the back of the boat up. It would be much safer and easier than wading in and diving under the water. Help me sleep at night - drain the pond.

 

[sandman2234]

I like the idea of using tubes to float the back end of the boat, however I am afraid raising the rear is going to add another problem. As the rear is raised, the front tips of the pontoons are going to want to dive into the bank, so you might want to consider putting a couple of old tires under the nose to keep them slightly above the ground. Be a good idea to coat the tires with a layer of grease also as was mentioned. Pushing them as far under the tips of the pontoons is going to be a chore, do the best you can. Also, I would seriously consider tying off the boat to a tractor or bulldozer before starting to inflate the inner tubes. Moving the back end of the boat changes the angle of the pontoons, in the wrong way for what you are trying to do, so support the fronts before starting on raising the back. When raising the back, it will lessen the amount of contact with the ground, and since gravity will take over, the boat will want to go deeper into the water. Whatever you plan to haul the boat out with, have it hooked up before starting to raise the rear of the boat.
Another thing, and something I am not completely familiar with, is using a tube for a flotation device. Seems somewhere I saw a net, that wraps around flotation devices to "contain" the rubber inner tube so that when it was inflated it would not bulge out in places that was not supported and want to "pop". Not sure if this makes sense, and surely doesn't suggest that I think adding a net to contain the tube, but if you happen to have access to old fishing nets, and a little bit of time, might be worth considering. Whatever amount of inner tubes you decide to use under the center deck, have you considered tying two of them together, one on top of the other? Putting them under the deck un-inflated, and then inflating them will give you more height than a single tube, something it seems you need.
Best of luck, keep us posted, and try not to tear up this beautiful boat!
David from jax (who also looked at your location to see if you were in driving distance to come and help!)

 

[triptester]

When inflating the inner tubes be careful not to over inflate. The tubes without being encased in a tire may only withstand a few pounds of pressure.

 

[Aussiebushman]

Yes -Re inflation pressure, the tubes will not be inflated until they are secured to the boat and they will only get enough air to perform the lift

Doubling the tube height under the deck is an excellent idea because even when floating normally, there is only a couple of feet clearance above the waterline and this may provide all the lift required. Before starting, I will certainly secure the boat to the tractor with the twin ropes from the sheet winches (see earlier post) AND secure the tubes so they cannot slip out.

I do not think I could get tubes under the bows due to the lack of clearance, but shaping the ends of the ramps will get them under the bows. Actually, raising the stern is less likely to dig the bows further into the bank than to make the boat float off - due to the steepness of the dam wall. The ropes/tractor will control that and any movement away from the bank will make it easier to get the ramps under the bows - just a foot would be enough.

Thanks again

Alan

 

[sandman2234]

Anxiously awaiting a picture of the newly inspected trailer... with the boat sitting on top of it!
Keep us up to date!
David from jax

 

[zing]

I was too embarrassed to admit earlier that this has been caused by a major F#%kup on my part. The "object" to be recovered is a 20' catamaran that was being put into the farm dam so I could complete some work on the trailer and get it inspected for registration.

This operation has been done before but this time, there was obviously prior damage causing a hole in the underside of one or both hulls, so when it came off the trailer, the stern sank leaving just the bows on the bank. With the hull(s) now half full of water, there is no way to get it out and back onto the trailer without winching it up a ramp.

This place is very far from town so hiring a crane would cost a fortune and it would never get in via the farm tracks
Yes I can drag it out with the tractor but that will not get it onto the trailer without ramps

With ramps, it can be winched up the incline until the water drains from the hulls. Then the holes will be visible and can be repaired before the boat is winched the rest of the way onto the trailer.

Back to the original question - maybe greased 10 X 2 planks plus sides to prevent the hulls slipping off might be the cheapest and most practical solution?

Hundreds of fishing boats much bigger than that are landed every fall with log rollers to haul them up on the beach and for some reason I can't find any good pictures online. Look at the rollers under these boats though to get an idea. These two pictures are of boats already landed on the beach, but picture using the log rollers to roll the boat out of the water and up the beach to it winter resting place first.

If it was me I would cut 5 or 6 trees about 3-4 inches diameter and a foot or two longer than your boat is wide, and then strip off the limbs to create rollers. The logs go perpendicular to the keel and then you roll your boat up the beach instead of dragging it. Start by jamming one as far back as you can under the bows (you can dig a bit and bury the first one in the mud some so that it is easier to get the bows on the first roller) , then the next one a foot in front of it. continue laying logs a couple of feet apart as your boat pulls forward. As the boat pulls forward, pick up the rollers that come out from behind and lay them down in front again. Let it drain and do your repairs. Then lay down some planks as ramps (four is better than two) and continue using the rollers to roll the boat up them as you winch it onto the trailer. If you are confident about the traction on your truck, then dig a trench for each trailer tire first and back the trailer down into the trenches so that you can lower the trailer deck before you try to roll the boat on.

I agree you need to raise the stern first to get the boat on an even keel bow-to-stern. The inner tubes full of air idea seems to be a good one. Every inch you raise it will let some water flow out and that will raise it even more.