What a BAD day (rant)

[Jeff W]

Listen to me rant.

So I find a cheap 3500 lbs Shoremaster lift about 2.5 hours north of Minneapolis. I round up a flatbed trailer from a rental place and a couple of my good buddies and we decide to make a Saturday of it. It's only 60 degrees so we can't be on the water anyways.

To start off - the state of MN is doing bridge inspections on the main freeway we had to take. So a 10 minute stretch takes us an hour and a half. We're already behind. 30 minutes later - we stop for a beer and when we come back out to the truck, it won't shift out of park. We find our brake lights on my Pathfinder aren't working. So we spend 30 minutes trouble shooting and find it's a fuse. (3 fuse boxes on this truck - ridiculous).

We finally get to the lift. They have it out of the water (thankfully) and we get ready to load it. Oh great, it's steel. Not aluminum. Weighs maybe 1200 lbs or so instead of the 5-600 we were expecting. After an hour struggle - we finally use high jacks and some wheels and get it onto the trailer. Dang. It's already 4pm and we were hoping to be DONE by 5pm..

So we drag it back to Minneapolis no issues and head down to my lake. The slip that I have my boat on (private home) has the house WAY up on a hill and the land is down lakeside. THe next door neighbor has a completely flat property and shoreline right down to my boat. Well, since the lift is not 500 lbs but instead 1200 lbs - the plan to roll it down the beach is a big no go with only 3 guys. Plan B was to actually drive my truck and the trailer down the bitch (over neighbors beach) and drop it at my dock. Neighbor comes out (had previously discussed with him) and says that recently he had 4 loads of sand added to his beach. So we walk the beach and there is absolutely NO way the truck won't sink.

So what do we do? We're stuck.

Right now - we've got the lift sitting way up on the hill at the house, I had to return the trailer, we can't bring it down the hill due to the landscape and the trees in the way.

So we have 2 options. The first option is try to get 10 or so guys and actually lift and walk the lift down the beach. Problem is, I don't even know if I could round up 10 guys to help and get them all at the same time. And that's still a LOT of weight for everyone to carry (it's probably 200 yards). The second option is put the wheels back on the trailer, get 6 guys (one on each corner and 2 pushing) and lay down boards and just leap frog board all the way down the beach so that the lift wheels wont sink.

What the heck do I do? Argh. This boat has been SO much work already. I wish I could just enjoy it but all I'm doing is working.

Thanks for listening to me bitch. :o

[c.rix]

It didnt come with a wheel kit? I have 2wheels and 3 guys can get it done easy

But if you really need to bring the truck down get some sheets of plywood to drive on

how much was it for steel? I know a guy looking for one

[jmvotto]

try 4 hand carts with inflatable tires it may work if the terrain is right, one on each corner.

[wolfeman131]

Jeff,

Owning a lake place is always fun! Getting materials to the house and moving stuff is sometimes the biggest challenge of the jobs I take on. I find that I have to get creative to get things done.

Here's an idea that I've used to move heavy stuff with limited muscle power and $$. Get a couple of pieces of 4 in diameter PVC pipe from Home Depot or Lowes. Also get some 1/2 in or 3/4 in plywood and some 2 x 4's. Make a platform out of the plywood and 2 x 4's. Jack up the lift and get the platform under the lift. If you have a steep slope to your property, tie off the lift to a tree, your truck or something that will hold the weight if it all gets away from you during the next steps.

Jack up the platform and start to get the pipes under the platform. You'll be able to see-saw it up and get some more pipes under the platform, then the whole thing is going to start rolling. As you roll it forward, take the pipe that the platform rolls off and place it ahead of the platform so you can keep it all rolling along. It's like the game of leapfrog. It's also the way the Egyptians moved the massive stones to build the pyramids.

It will all go faster than you expect and you and 2 guys can get this done. A case of beer will also help.

[Jeff W]

It didnt come with a wheel kit? I have 2wheels and 3 guys can get it done easy

But if you really need to bring the truck down get some sheets of plywood to drive on

how much was it for steel? I know a guy looking for one


This thing weighs SO much with the canopy on it. Literally with me and 2 buddies - we could HARDLY even lift one end of it. It's an older Shoremaster - early/mid 90's and is a 3500 lbs model.. I picked it up in Brainerd for $950 but I honestly couldn't find anything similar within a thousand bucks of that price. I stole it - even though it's going to be royal hell getting it down to the water.

With the way the scum looked on the side of my boat today - I will fricking PAY someone if we can't get it next weekend.

The plan is to put the wheels on it, roll it down the gravel driveway, over to the neighbors beach and the play leapfrog with 10' x 2' pieces of plywood and just beast it.

If anyone in Minneapolis wants to come drink as much beer as they can - we'll be doing this next Sunday at Lake Marion in Lakeville. We'll be going out and floating around drinking some malt beverages afterwards ;)


Thanks for listening to me be a woman. It won't happen again (until the next issue).

[c.rix]

Ive got a bunch of 4x4 and 2x4 chunks of 3/4 plywood you could borrow if you want I live in savage right by renegades bar on hwy 13

I cant help sunday because im going to use my boat up in park rapids

I know how heavy these things are I picked up a shore station but in aluminum from my buddy that lives on spring and man that one is massive too but you will love it

[Jeff W]

Ive got a bunch of 4x4 and 2x4 chunks of 3/4 plywood you could borrow if you want I live in savage right by renegades bar on hwy 13

I cant help sunday because im going to use my boat up in park rapids

I know how heavy these things are I picked up a shore station but in aluminum from my buddy that lives on spring and man that one is massive too but you will love it

We just finished a complete remodel of the house so we've got TONS of extra scrap around. I appreciate the offer though!! :D

Let's hook up sometime in August and do some boating together. We're slipped on Marion but can come to Prior or wherever you are.

Have fun up north - my folks are on Detroit Lakes so I'm up that way a few times a summer.

[BensonWdby]

Consider disassembly. As a minimum take off the canopy. I got my lift at Vibo in North Branch and it came in 6-8 large pieces. Four sides plus the cradle. Granted it was aluminum so the pieces were easy to handle...once you get the lift reassembled down at the lake you may be able to help get it out in the water by tieing it to the boat and pulling it out into the water.

This fall you may need a come-a-long anchored to something solid on shore to help get it out.

On a separate note - I to skied on Lake Marion for many years - years ago. There was a slalom course across from the public landing that we used. We spent a lot of time out there. But it started getting pretty busy and my cousin moved off the lake... How is the water level this year?

[mmandley]

I was going to say use the Plywood also. You should be able to jack a corner up or something, slide it under then use some basic metal clamps to bolt into the plywood. Then it acts as a big ski.

If you need help pulling it down a hill then use a come along wench or something maybe? Not seeing your area its hard to see what would work but paying someone might be an option to.

Maybe renting a 4 wheeler to pull it down to the shore on the plywood?

[c.rix]

We just finished a complete remodel of the house so we've got TONS of extra scrap around. I appreciate the offer though!! :D

Let's hook up sometime in August and do some boating together. We're slipped on Marion but can come to Prior or wherever you are.

Have fun up north - my folks are on Detroit Lakes so I'm up that way a few times a summer.

yea september will probably be a bit better since I think I will bring the boat home for the winter then and my august is crazy already and its not here yet

Last year we went to o'dowd in early october so we have some time!!!!!
you cant beat a last minute 80 deg. surf

[lowdrag]

I'd personally consider finding an equipment rental company or a local contractor and see how much it would cost to get a backhoe for an hour or two. Use some lifting straps and attach it to the front bucket. Drive it down to your slip then attach it to the back bucket and set it in place.