• If You Are Having Trouble Logging In with Your Old Username and Password, Please use this Forgot Your Password link to get re-established.
  • Hey! Be sure to login or register!

Dock/ramp ideas

jadebons

FRIEND
Southern MD
The owner of the spb I'm using is going to invest in dock and ramp improvements. We are in brackish water. There is currently a concrete ramp that doesn't go much deeper than the water line and is a bit narrow. Instead of pouring more concrete, I am thinking that a composite or pressure treated wood ramp would be a better option to simply ramp my straight float PA12. Then I could easily get the picker under it to get it back to the hangar.

Please post ideas and pictures of what you're using or think would be an improvement.

Thank you,
Jeremy
 
Well make it big enough to hit it in difficult wind conditions, a 16'x16' works good for Edo 2000's; as long as your Lake bottom drops off fast enough?? An 11/12 degree Angle should be about right; if you are planing on driving
on and then being able to simply push it back in by yourself? (Adjustable legs work perfect for that)A lesser angle to the ramp will make getting back off the ramp,
a "2 man operation". "Chickenhawk" just built one for his
Cub, and its a beauty. He has an 6' extension he can add on because his shure has very little taper to it in super lowwater here.20180810_073844.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20180810_073844.jpg
    20180810_073844.jpg
    149 KB · Views: 283
Last edited:
That's pretty sharp. Our Creek is tidal, as well. I think the extension and adjustable legs would work quite nicely. Is that secured to the beach through the eye-bolts and is the water-side weighted or fixed at the 11-12 degree angle?
 
ChickenHawk does nice work!
The ramp is adjustable from the front via two adjustable legs, so you can make the deck angle anything you want it to be regardless of the taper of your beach. He estimates the ramp weighes 1500/1800 lbs when wet. So simply putting two 4" rachet straps across the floats for n aft the spreader bars would normally be enough.(Up to 25) But for big winds ( over 30) he will have 8" duckbills with 6' of 3/8" Cable driven out by end of wings; to tie each wing to, that are rated to hold at 3500lbs EACH. So should be pretty sweet for holding in about any wind. As long as the spar to strut U channel pieces does not Tear out at the lower bolt hole; and wing comes off! This has happened many times in Alaska! (80 plus knot storms)
Atlee Dodge's kit 3192; will fix that design flaw....... And saved alot of Cubs with " no insurance" :oops:
IMG_5993-150x150.jpg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_5993-150x150.jpg
    IMG_5993-150x150.jpg
    2 KB · Views: 782
Last edited:
I built a wood ramp made from the pressure treated planks from an old bridge that the local highway department was replacing. These were spiked to many telephone poles. It made a beautiful ramp until it worked loose and floated in fresh water. I had to weight it down with triangular concrete street fencing posts. Make sure that the lower end if firmly anchored to the bottom.
 
I made mine out of pressure treated 2X8's. They got slippery when in the lake for the summer. If you could find "roughsawn" planks I think you would have better footing.
 
I made mine out of pressure treated 2X8's. They got slippery when in the lake for the summer. If you could find "roughsawn" planks I think you would have better footing.
I use rough sawn full cut 2"X12" hemlock and they will eventually get slippery, but it takes a few yrs. I usually get about 10 yrs out of a ramp. By it green and get it down before it dries or it will twist and then will split when you fasten it. Good to work with and last a long time. I use three 6X6 hemlock for underpinning and it only takes a few hrs. to build one. I like 16' by 16'
 
Thank you all for the inputs. Based on our tides, I may need a 20-25 ft length, which will also account for some slope on the shore. Is it necessary to anchor the water-end down? Or does the geometry between the shore and weight hold the ramp rather securely?
 
Thank you all for the inputs. Based on our tides, I may need a 20-25 ft length, which will also account for some slope on the shore. Is it necessary to anchor the water-end down? Or does the geometry between the shore and weight hold the ramp rather securely?
I leave the 2nd plank from the bottom (down in the water) off, which leaves a vacant spot to throw a boom chain or 2 over the 6x6. By the second season the chains can be removed and the lower end stays down; at least it does at this location. You could just as easily drive an L-shaped stake in the bottom the lake in the same place and accomplish the same thinkg.
 
Thank you all for the inputs. Based on our tides, I may need a 20-25 ft length, which will also account for some slope on the shore. Is it necessary to anchor the water-end down? Or does the geometry between the shore and weight hold the ramp rather securely?
Mine seemed to be secure until the ice moved it during the winter. After that it floated and I had to weight it down.
 
I had plastic dock sections turned sideways with a third of structure in the water. Worked well!

73938638e8e0619cd8244b28.jpg


7ceb602c979e2dbcee800f1b.jpg
 
Would anyone have ideas, pictures, ect. of a dock designed for a river? Most of what I've seen looks like they were made to float in still water.

Thanks

Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk
 
Mine was on a lake. For a fast river current I would make the ramp a little wider and use cables on the lower end to keep it in place.
 
I'm a bit constrained on width, but I think I can build a 10x16 platform that will work. It will be interesting to figure out how to secure it on/over/around an existing concrete ramp in tidal waters. I wont have much room for lateral drift at 10ft wide, but can probably figure out a way to use pvc pipes to funnel me in.
 
Back
Top