How do you launch your shell?
Jason Yuan
I live on a water but I don't row as often as I like. Why? Without a
floating dock, (and having no beach area) it's impossible for me to launch
my shell all by myself, considering that my landing is two feet above the
water. What I need is to build a floating dock with low profile. I have
seen some ready to assemble type of plastic docks. However, they are very
expensive, and they do not look very apealing to me. What I am interested
is to build a multipurpose floating wood dock that can be used to lauch my
rowing shell, kayak and a future boat. One idea I have is to build a
multi-sectional dock with the small section that has extremely low profile
to launch my shell.
Does anyone have suggestions, tips on the dock to build?
Jason
Foster City, CA
Joe Tynan
for your uses, but the general concept could be modified probably.
Essentially, we have very large logs for the floating elements, with
bouyant material filling the spaces between the logs, we then have
long boards on top. I don't believe that this concept would be
difficult to make on a smaller scale. You could even modify it
somewhat and use some sort of heavy duty rubber air bladder to keep it
afloat, or you could use a displacement design.
Joe
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Jason Yuan
with one section have low profile to lauch a shell. It will be made out of
a frame, the frame will have floats attached to the bottom, and a bunch of
2x4s will be laid on top of the frame. The number of the floats will
determine how high the dock will be above water. The entire frame will be
anchored by some metal frames to the bottom of the lagoon.
How high does your dock stick above water, and is that a comfortable hight?
Jason
"NO***SPAMcaustic NO_SPAMseattleu.edu (Joe Tynan)" <@at> wrote in message
news:3c33aabc...@news.qwest.net...> Hmm....Well, what our RC has for a
Alan Shedd
since it is on a lake whose level changes a lot. The deck of the boathouse
is about 2 feet off the water. I made a lower landing that is about 3
inches above the water surface by having brackets made from 2x2 square steel
tubing. They bolt to the steel trusses of the floating dock and provide a
place to bolt pressure treated wood for a landing 2 feet wide by 16 feet
long at a convenient height for rowing shells, my kayak, swimming, etc.
Good luck.
-Alan
Alan Shedd
Lake Lanier, GA
"Jason Yuan" <yua...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
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Joe Tynan
is great height, since your riggers don't lean away from the dock :)
any lower and it would be too tippy to really stand on the edge
without getting your feet wet, and any higher would force your single
to tip away from the dock, which makes getting in a bit difficult.
Ken
joists, with 5/4 X 4 planking on top. I put one foam billet in each
end bay. Ran a diagonal 5/4 plank under the joists to prevent
wracking.
You launch on a side with a billet. It gets a little low (me 240
lbs.) there but does not submerge. I put flush rings on the boat side
and standard cleats on the other side (to affix to a fixed dock).
I haven't used it in years and you are welcome to it for $25, if you
can get a [submersible] boat trailer to Northport, NY (after the
harbor thaws a bit and I can tow it to the Village ramp).
Ken
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Jason Yuan
I still need to build a floating dock to accomodate the change (about 1
foot, I think). Up to now, I have been launching shells with 2 feet drop...
that was no fun.
After seen the posts on this thread, here is what I have in mind. The
floating dock would have two sections made out of presure treated lumber:
The main section is about 16'X10', and it rises 12"-18" above water (if my
math is right on the floats:). I probably anchor this section to the bottom
of the lagoon with a couple of aluminum poles. This sections is used to
launch a electric boat. I have also seen people putting some chairs and a
firepit on a dock which i might do as well. The other section is my rowing
shell and kayak launching pad. It will be 4'x10', adjacent to the main
section. It should (again, if my engineering skill proofs me right) rises
4-6" above water. Like the main section, it also rests on sections of
floats. I am considering attaching this section to the main section with
some outdoor hinges.
Jason
"Alan Shedd" <acs...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
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Sue Thomas
the water line ... not suitable for a rowing dock. To enable me to launch
my shell, we built a 6' x 8' platform. There are 3 x approx 18-24" dia.
cedar log sections that are 6' long. Three 6" x 6" x 8' long pressure
treated pieces run perpendicular to the logs to join them. Then a 2" x 6"
deck placed on top of the 6x6s. The weight of the deck and 6x6s floated the
deck about 5" above water line with no one standing on top of the deck and
at water line when someone stood on it so we also placed 2 plastic drums,
filled with air, between the logs. This floats the deck exactly 8" above
the waterline which is perfect for my Fluidesign.
The rowing dock is attached to the main dock with a simple hinge, made from
three eye bolts attached to the main dock and three eye bolts to the rowing
dock with a 1" piece of rebar running through the eyes ... and a pin on each
end to hold the rebar in place.
Despite the weight of the logs, the outside edge of the rowing dock bounces
a bit in skiboat wake, while the main dock sits absolutely still. But the
rowing dock works beautifully and is a perfect height. It is usually all
wet, in summer due to boat wake, and in winter due to rain.
Sometimes in winter the deck gets a little slippery, but a quick cleaning
renews the wood.
.............
sue
Jason Yuan wrote in message
June Kendrick
and some plans and suggestions.
June