Personal, portable dock??

[bergermaister]

Some of the places we go have zero beach or place to stop anywhere so we end up the whole day in the boat. Not bad if we don't have a ton of people along but it can get crowded. Especially when a tube gets aired up and then I'm stuck dragging it around, etc.

Saw this on a Bart's Watersports email and thought it looked pretty cool - anyone seen a floating foam dock (for people/gear) like that anywhere?

http://www.bartswatersports.com/images/082911-email.jpg

I'm thinking that could come in real handy sometimes. May be a pain in the butt to bring along and require some planning ahead, but for a weekend or more it could be worth it...

[lsvboombox]

seems like you can roll it up and strap it to the swimplatform to transport..

i wonder how heavy it is after its wet? it must retain some water

[saskyrider]

for 1500 bucks!!! no thanks! you'd be better off with one of those floating islands for about 1/3 the price. I'm not going to spend an extra grand just to be able to roll it up and put it on the swim deck to head back... I'd rather take the floating island out.. blow it up with my 12V pump while the kids are swimming and the ballast is filling and then at the end of the day deflate it to head back. my 2c

Now berg that may not work as well for u cause your ballast fills up to fast.... tsk tsk. haha

[lsvboombox]

for 1500 bucks!!! no thanks!

i thought it was 499... not that 499 is really a great price either..

http://www.bartswatersports.com/catalog/Pool_Floats/BART'S_WaterMat_TY5677/index.asp

[ian ashton]

That's pretty cool; there must be another (cheaper) version of those. I've seen a smaller one on our lake at the sandbar before, and it wasn't with a boat that looks like they'd spend $500 on a floating device.

[bergermaister]

Ah, I didn't even know they sold 'em. Spendy but would pay for itself in a few summers I think. Probably be great for getting the kiddos or newbies started from too. Strap on that kneeboard and go! Sit on the edge with wakeboard ready and you're half way up already. Maybe even a standing start?

Downside would be the 100-200ft of anchor line I'd need to go with it... At the places where there's no beach there's a reason for that - cliff walls. You can be 10ft off the shore and it's over 100ft deep!

[jester]

Downside would be the 100-200ft of anchor line I'd need to go with it... At the places where there's no beach there's a reason for that - cliff walls. You can be 10ft off the shore and it's over 100ft deep!

200 feet anchor line with a 40 lbs anchor on it no thank you. I hate pulling up 40 feet of line. Best bet would be two lines to shore in differnt directions.
A tube also works to help getting kids started and most boats already have one.

[KSmith]

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Aquaglide_Airport_Classic&i=38309&r=view&aID=512G5&cvsfa=2586&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=3338333039&cID=GSHOP_38309

I have an inflatable called an Aquaglide AirPort Classic that works pretty good.

[viking]

I'd never seen those before KSmith. Those are pretty versatile. Cool Gear!!

[08LSV]

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Aquaglide_Airport_Classic&i=38309&r=view&aID=512G5&cvsfa=2586&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=3338333039&cID=GSHOP_38309

I have an inflatable called an Aquaglide AirPort Classic that works pretty good.

Man that's pretty sweet. I may have to get one of those next year. How much space does it take up deflated, about the same as a tube?

[KSmith]

Man that's pretty sweet. I may have to get one of those next year. How much space does it take up deflated, about the same as a tube?

Yeah, a large tube, I can get it folded up into a large tupperware storage bin. I have it in a big canvas duffle and I also bought the bimini for it but haven't actually used that yet. The bimini is in two nylon zipper bags and doesn't stow well, but on the other hand if I took it I could put it up in the "dock" first thing and that would solve the storage issue.

I need to find a better inflator as it takes awhile unless I use my shop vac and inflate it before we go, which is ok as we only have a mile or so to go to the boat launch. Of course it may just seem that way to me as I am told I have no patience LOL

[bergermaister]

I think we have a winner! I see the option to add the cooler, wondering what the bimini option would cost. Doubt I'd use it as a towable but pretty cool.

[viking]

I see the option to add the cooler, wondering what the bimini option would cost. Doubt I'd use it as a towable but pretty cool.

I saw the same thing. I'd be interested in what the bimini costs although I doubt I'd see a need for it.

[cab13367]

Some of the places we go have zero beach or place to stop anywhere so we end up the whole day in the boat. Not bad if we don't have a ton of people along but it can get crowded. Especially when a tube gets aired up and then I'm stuck dragging it around, etc.

Saw this on a Bart's Watersports email and thought it looked pretty cool - anyone seen a floating foam dock (for people/gear) like that anywhere?

I'm thinking that could come in real handy sometimes. May be a pain in the butt to bring along and require some planning ahead, but for a weekend or more it could be worth it...

Berg, I know what you mean. What we have been doing when we have kids with us is, after we get done boarding and surfing, we will go to a no wake cove and throw out the anchor and hook it to the boat and attach a bouncy ball to the hook. That becomes our swimming spot for the day. We then air up our large three person cockpit tube and have the kids play on it, or we use it as a giant pool float. Then when it's time to pull the kids on the tube, we will just unhook the anchor line from the boat and leave the hook floating on the bouncy ball. After we get done tubing, we go back to our anchor line and hook back up to it. Then if we want to go boarding/surfing again, we just connect the tube to anchor hook and leave it there, floating in the water, secured but unattended. If someone really wants to steal it, I guess they can have it, but it hasn't happened yet. At the end of the day, we air the tube down, roll it up, and stow it in the boat. I have seen others just attach their tube to a no wake buoy while they are out skiing/boarding or whatever.

[viking]

we will just unhook the anchor line from the boat and leave the hook floating on the bouncy ball. After we get done tubing, we go back to our anchor line and hook back up to it. Then if we want to go boarding/surfing again, we just connect the tube to anchor hook and leave it there, floating in the water, secured but unattended. If someone really wants to steal it, I guess they can have it, but it hasn't happened yet.

Just don't go anywhere there are A-holes from Forsyth, MT. The hicks will steal your stuff whether they need it or not.
Nothing good ever came from that podunk town!!

[kaneboats]

You said it. That's why I always stay clear of Forsyth, MT, no matter where else we go. In fact I make sure not to get within 1000 miles of that place -- or is it 2000 miles?

[KSmith]

It's true, avoid Forsyth, MT at all cost... those buggers stole the tires off my truck last time I drove thru there... and that was while the truck was moving... we crawled our way out of town on the rims in a shower of sparks and swore never to return... it turns out it was good thing we had to drive slowly on the rims as we found out later they had stolen the brake calipers too...