How to get my boat on the water

J. Overland

J. Overland

Active member
Lots of creative minds on here so figured I'd see if anyone has some ideas. There's a local creek that I'd like to get my boat on. It has public access but no boat ramps or anywhere that a trailer could get to the water. The best/most likely spot is shown in the pictures below. I can back my trailer up to the edge of the creek where there is a 2-3' drop down to the water. While the pictures make it look like there was a launch there in the past, there certainly never has been. It's primarily a shore fishing spot and hangout spot. It's tight but big enough to fit my boat. The boat in question is a Roy Schellinger Low Boat so not overly heavy but nothing I want to try lifting by hand. I've had two ideas so far:

1: Planks that I can bolt to the back of my trailer with rollers or carpeting on them and an extra long winch. This might require some welding and general redneck engineering.

2: Two strong loops of webbing around the entire boat to a common masterpoint with a swivel. Put an anchor on an overhanging tree branch and set up a 3-1 or 5-1 pulley system with a progress capture device and controlled lowering device. This might also require some sort of boom mechanism.

I'd like to figure out something to try and fine tune it in the warmer weather to be ready for next season. Conventional or wildly unconventional ideas welcome.

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I would just drop my truck into 4x4 low and back her in slow.

2 to 3 foot drop isnt enough too stop me, done it several times dropping my boat into back road canals to go frogging.
 
If that is dirt and not tar, I would take a shovel and make the lading a little more useable for a boat and trailer

Mark
 
Excellent ideas so far. Has got me thinking. Can't just drop my trailer down into the creek as it would destroy the trailer and my vehicle is not up to the task of pulling it back out regardless. I have a whole fleet of canoes/kayaks/smaller boats but the best hunting areas are a few miles up the creek. I also need to hunt from a boat blind and buying another boat that will work for that is not in the cards right now. Improving the area has crossed my mind and with enough work and a few friends would be possible in a day. Unfortunately this would attract attention and also make the spot usable by other boats, which would cause the DEC to likely install a gate or other similar obstacle. I need to be low profile as much as possible.

I'm a rock climber and Steve's beach roller idea got me thinking. In climbing sometimes an edge protector is used when the rope must pass over a jagged edge at the top of the cliff. It's a flexible multi-part metal tool (picture below). If I had one of these that was 6' or so long and 4' or so wide it would be perfect. The cost to fabricate something like this is likely a non-starter for me. Still, it has me thinking.

View attachment edge.jpg
 
I might build a portable roller ramp. You may not need it to be so robust if the distance is short enough. I'd use the winch on the trailer.


https://www.homedepot.com/p/Multinautic-Boat-Ramp-Kit-for-craft-up-to-2-500-lbs-19226/203676809?g_store=&source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&pla&mtc=Shopping-VF-F_D29A-G-D29A-Multi-NA-Feed-PLA_LIA-NA-NA-MinorAppl_Special_Buys&cm_mmc=Shopping-VF-F_D29A-G-D29A-Multi-NA-Feed-PLA_LIA-NA-NA-MinorAppl_Special_Buys-71700000042813121-58700005464629311-92700067963002094&gclid=CjwKCAiAtdGNBhAmEiwAWxGcUoVqCyeRkA7qL6n3BU0DApWvvRwaX9qckdQ-9q1vOqbLolKYuJAuDRoCJPoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#product-overview


You could fab a couple of hooks or straps to attach the ramp to the end of your trailer, then winch the boat up onto the trailer.

View attachment Multinautic Boat Ramp Kit for craft up to 2,500 lbs.-19226 - The Home Depot.mhtml
 
Good morning, RD~


Your ramp is exactly what I plan to build for our cobbly shoreline on Lake Champlain. Thus far, I had only designed it in my head.


All the best,


SJS

 
Assuming that you use a bunk trailer can you take 2 pieces of scd. 40 pipe and slip them over ends of your bunks about a ft. or so . Lenght of pipe would extend out into water and down embankment to a point that would allow you to use trailer winch to ease boat off and recrank on. May need to drill pipe and attach a keeper strap and tie pipe off to trailer temporarily on the off load to keep resistance from causing slippage of pipe off bunk. Simply store pipe in boat while trailering to & from spot. You would need to back down embankment just enough to facilitate a decent angle application unless you have a swiveling rear bunk used occasionally on older small boat trailers.
 
Steve Sanford said:
Good morning, RD~


Your ramp is exactly what I plan to build for our cobbly shoreline on Lake Champlain. Thus far, I had only designed it in my head.


All the best,


SJS
Click to expand...

I used to use a set of 2x4 tracks (2x4 on edge with cross brace) to beach launch an aluminum 14 footer without motor. A little wax on the skid and it moved really easy. Were a winch involved for recovery and if the boat had a motor and decoy weight I feel like topping a 2x6 with UHMW plastic would be outstanding, but rollers would certainly be easier to launch and recover (but more expensive). My set of skids nested and a single bolt linked each side it could pivot up and down.

For the OP, I would make sure the bunks on the trailer were sturdy, probably make custom 2x6 ones and make a way to extend them. To mount the extensions, if you had something like heavy duty hinge hardware and bolted half to the bottom of the rear of the bunk and then the other half to an extension with a pin that could be easily installed. Back in as far as possible and then add the extension. For a Roy boat, I'd think a good 2x6 (or 2x8 for sure) would be plenty strong to extend into the water. Top the extension with something like UHMW plastic and I'd think you would be in business. If a 2x8 wasn't strong enough, just carry blocking to support mid way along the extension.
 
Steve i,ve seen similar to RD,s built and used all summer at Deep Creek Lake in western Md. They actually put wheels on them and back them over during warm months and leave in place . The wheels allow them to take out prior to ice up during winter months. Some surprisingly large boats are launched there from similar builds. Ones i,ve seen there are built from steel so as not to float .
 
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How about a pair of ramps like you would use to load an atv up in the bed of the truck not sure how big of boat your looking to launch maybe the trailer needs to be set up so you can winch the boat off
 
If I was you I'd borrow a dump truck and get a load of gravel and make my own unimproved launching area. Around here a load of gravel is about $100. If you can't find a dump truck to borrow you could pay someone to dump it. That'd would be about $400 here. Got an duck hunting buddies that work in construction? How about checking with the county to see if they are interested in putting in a launch area? Can't hurt to ask.

Eric
 
How about using an extension ladder? Don't recall how heavy your boat is but could be an idea if the boat is light enough.

Mark
 
Maybe a long aluminum ladder as a ramp.

I have a seawall out back and have to throw my boat over it, so we drape a fluffy acryllic blanket as a slidable surface to slide the hull over. It works.

If those ideas don't jive, maybe some 2x6 wood planks painted with gluv it or a similar product.

If that is too spendy, just mount some plastic on the sliding surface and blast it with armor all... It'll be so slippery..
 
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