too shallow ramp?

[KurtG]

The rollers on the trailer I have need to be replaced and the ramp I'm thinking of using this weekend (near house) only has a slope of about 1" for every 1' (measured previously with a stick)

The boat is a 19' bowrider. I don't want to dunk my tow vehicles rear wheels (newer vehicle). The trailer is about 21' from the tongue to the rear rollers and there is about 3' from the rear wheels to the hitch. (so, am looking at about 24-28" of water at the rear rollers)

Is it worth trying? I might just be able to get the rear rollers wet. It is a lot of work to drag the boat down there if there is no chance to get the thing off. The ramp is only used about 2-3x day so not busy and I have the new rollers to swap if I can get it off, but it is just me and no helpers this weekend. I've always been able to get enough water not to worry other times/places I've launched and this set-up is relatively new to me. I've never tried this ramp with this pair.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: too shallow ramp?

I haven't seen many ramps less than 10 degrees. Of course, I know it is possible to do the math using the slope intercept method, and possibly pythagorem thereom. I just don't exactly want to. I am not sure that you will be able to get that boat off, or back on. It is a pain in the butt to get our 12 footer off at some ramps, as the bunks are still sticking out of the water completely. Our trailer has 12 inch wheels, and used to have overslung springs, giving it about 24 inches from ground to bottom of boat. Many trailers are that high, but they are longer, so the back half of the boat is wet. Mine is just illproportunately high. I cannot imagine doing it with a 19 footer.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: too shallow ramp?

I just did a ROUGH ESTIMATE of the math. So, if it is wrong, don't blame me. But, it is about 4 degrees. That doesn't seem right. shallowest around here is 10 degrees. Maybe it was shallow where you measured, and gets steeper farther down. Some ramps around here are like that so you don't lose your trailer in the mirror backing down. Or maybe you didn't have the stick level. If you weren't using a level, that may be the case, as it is hard to hold the stick level when everything around you isn't level.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: too shallow ramp?

don't launch. lower the tongue of the trailer to the ground, now block up the transom. raise the tongue as high as it will go. block the keel. lower tongue, boats in the air. and you can crawl under and change rollers.

 

[burroak]

Re: too shallow ramp?

don't launch. lower the tongue of the trailer to the ground, now block up the transom. raise the tongue as high as it will go. block the keel. lower tongue, boats in the air. and you can crawl under and change rollers.

If you go TD's route, go by Northern Tools. They have lots of Styrofoam blocks in excess of 14" cube (they are used as packing for piggybacking trailers during shipping.) They make great support for boats w/o trailer.

 

[KurtG]

Re: too shallow ramp?

Thanks. I didn't get a chance to try anything. Wife was recovering from a broken foot and then I broke two bones in mine over the weekend. I might try to get in the water this weekend or take a day off during the week and change the rollers when the ramps are slow.

fwiw, it is a community (private) ramp and at the time I measured it. We saw some monster boats (25-35', most folks have jon boats) being backed down the ramp on rollers as shallow as it is. I checked from the shore to out about 35' feet (still was concrete below, but I knew I couldn't begin to back anything that far back). I measured the depth at about 2-4' intervals along the ramp bottom. I was looking for a drop off or broken rubble more than how shallow it actually ended up being.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: too shallow ramp?

stop dropping things on your feet. dropped a battery once. ouch.