sink truck/launch boat

[moombadaze]

As some of you may know my local lake has been very low on water lately and some people had been power loading there boat when the lake was at normal levels, this caused a about a 15 foot deep hole to develop(this took years to happen), right behind that hole a sand bar developed. Any way when the lake was so low the hole filled in with sand and made launching a little fun, as you can see I had back way out across the sandbar to get the trailer in deep water to get the boat to float.
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc351/moombadaze/DSC00497.jpg

Well we have had lots and lots of heavy rain lately and the lake has come up and this is what im dealling with now.
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc351/moombadaze/DSC00750.jpg
those tires are oversized 35x12.5x20 truck is mildly lifted

here i am driving out
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc351/moombadaze/DSC00754.jpg

This is where i should be loading the boat-there is a good 6 feet of sand under the trailer tires
http://i527.photobucket.com/albums/cc351/moombadaze/DSC00755.jpg

The water was about a inch from coming in the drivers door and yes 4x4 was used as i did not want to get stuck and dig holes and sink my poor truck any lower. One bit of good news--we had the lake to ourselves

[RobertJ]

Cool pictures and I bet you will need wheel bearings in your rig before long.

[jester]

Wow. I thought the last pic's where bad. I guess it was good you got the lake to yourselfs. I know i would think twice about putting my boat in the water if i watched you back that far in.

[Guma]

Wow, is that Lake Padgett or East Lake?

I think Dave is on Padgett right? He has a nice ramp behind his shop, very steep and water level was perfect. I'm sure he would let a loyal customer like yourself use it every now and then.

[Membrain]

Good thing you have a Dodge!

[jester]

So since it is this bad this year are you going to install a snorkel on the truck and water proof the doors next year?

[moombadaze]

Wow, is that Lake Padgett or East Lake?

I think Dave is on Padgett right? He has a nice ramp behind his shop, very steep and water level was perfect. I'm sure he would let a loyal customer like yourself use it every now and then.
Lake Padgett -its the park right across from the dealership


So since it is this bad this year are you going to install a snorkel on the truck and water proof the doors next year?

Well that is something to think about:rolleyes: The lake is now at the correct level its just the sand on the ramp. There is another lake in the area and will just start using it-its just smaller and shallower so the surf wave is not real good.

[mmandley]

Same as last time i saw these pic, wow and crazy insane way to launch your boat. I can only imagine the peeps here in Portland having to do that. Id just sit on the tailgate with a camera and laugh.

As is i make it a point to hang out by the dock at least 30 minutes to watch the crazy people there. Even the people who know what they are doing make it a fiasco thats funny to watch.

Looks like you need to get a bigger lift, some 24s and maybe some diesel stack exhaust pipes LOL

[wolfeman131]

You're going to have to start filling the air bags on your truck to get it to float!

[Sled491]

Wild, I have to imagine keeping the interior of your truck is simple, just open the doors and let nature do it's thing. :)

[moombadaze]

Wild, I have to imagine keeping the interior of your truck is simple, just open the doors and let nature do it's thing. :)


not a drop of water got in--well except for what dripped off me.

[Sled491]

Yeah, I can imagine. Our lake has dropped 3 inches since monday. No one knows why. If this keeps up I won't be able to get my boat off the lift by the weekend. Praying for rain this weekend as we'll be away anyways.

[Jeff W]

I feel you sled - we're down around 9" for the summer in the Minneapolis area. I pulled my boat out of the water last night for a good bath and I had to back in significantly further than normal.. Hoping for rain the next few days.

[SEARK]

I'd rather be down 6-9 inches than the 5.5 feet we are down now. Can barely get in the lake and once you do have to be careful not to get to close to the banks (stumps). The only place we have that we can put in is a canal that at the deepest point right now is about 5' and then have to drive down it to the open lake. But before getting in main lake water level drops to 2.5' before finally getting to 8-9'. Deepest point on lake now is about 20'. Has not been the best summer so far. :(

[Sled491]

Our problem is the lake above us has a DNR regulated depth, so they can open and close there dam as they need. Our outflow dam has no controls, so as they raise there dam our water keeps leaving at the same rate.

These lakes that are down feet just blow my mind. How many of them are man made?

[SEARK]

Ours is a natural lake, but the level can be controled. The Game & Fish decided that it needed to be lowered this summer so grass could grow on the shoreline for "the fish". They do this about every 5-7 years. At least this time we can still get in the lake. On most years of the drawdown it gets so low that there is no way to get a boat in it. The upside is I'm going to get my seawall fixed.

[Razzman]

Awe quit cryin' in your blasted beer! Wah! :p

My home lake, while the fullest in the region, is still down 30'. Most of the lakes are down by 40-50 percent which equates to anywhere from 50-100'! Some aren't even launchable anymore! :(

Don't expect sympathy because you lost 3"! :p :p

[Sled491]

I guess this is the disadvantage of owning water line property, even on an Island :)