I really can’t install any kind of structure. Even if I could I prefer having the entire rocky area as natural as possible. The rock ledges are steep in some areas and very off camber in others. A small trolley would not work. Damage could happen at any section of the boat. I think my system is going to work. It will involve tweaking but there is no rush. The cool thing with this contraption is how little it weighs, which is great when I need to store it…
You could just wrap and strap the Dagger in tarp or astroturf or something like that and winch it down without all that extra gear. It will do just fine. The covering will take the minor scratches you might get. Maybe want something a little better (like your sled) for the NDK.
Another Neptune’s Ranger video for you:
https://youtu.be/tt7nR9dZTsM
Check out at about timestamp 3:20 through 3:35 and you will see a spot where the boats are lined down off of a cliff to a beach. No covering on them. The boats do just fine (though keep in mind these boats are treated harder on the water than off the water - and they do just fine with that also, so long as you accept scratches).
Looks like you might want to make a rope ladder to help you get up and down.
Peter’s comments remind me that I’m just thinking about fairly loaded boats. Hzll, with unloaded boats get plastic and just throw them over the edge! Barring humour, get a long line and push them over and down with a paddle or whatever as you make your own way down. An unloaded plastic boat can take a beating and after 3 or 4 years, get another. With a covering that doesn’t grab the rock edges, the timespan could even be longer. With the 30% gradient of fairly shelving rock that you have it’d be fine.
Hmmm… Could give new meaning to “launching your kayak”.
Trebuchet!
https://www.google.com/search?q=trebuchet
Now for getting it back up the rocks… You’re on your own.
The thing is that my photos really do not accurately show the steep ledges and off camber shelves of this rock system. Just walking down there takes some care! I am building this using the Dagger boat for now but I also want to deploy my more expensive Romany Surf as well. Like I mentioned the tide swings and resulting north-south currents impact any launch point location big time…
steep ledges and off camber shelves of . . . rock. . . tide swings and resulting north-south currents impact any launch point location big time.
Sorry, didn’t mean to minimize the issue.
At some point you really need to think about which is best to do. You mentioned that there are lots of good launch sites on Orcas Island; really, how hard is to drive a short distance and launch at a good easy launch site?
I commend you for minimizing driving, but with all those difficulties, you might have to compromise: Use the sled for the plastic boat, and when you want to paddle the Romany, load and haul via automobile to a public beach.
For a few years, I lived where I could portage my glass SK on a cart about 0.5 mile to a sandy beach. It WAS great not needing to drive it at all.
Good points!
There are several (not tons) public kayak/boat launches dotted around the island, for both fresh and salt water. Most of the entire coast is private though. Orcas is a very attractive island and in the peak sunny months swells up with tourists; many are boaters. So, it is load boat on top of the car, drive to launch, carry boat to water, drive car to parking area, walk back and begin paddling. The usual routine. I will definitely be doing this as I want to explore different parts of Orcas and experience the other islands. It would get boring to do the same paddle 100% of the time.
But, this cabin, being so close to the water, just made me determined to find a solution that could get me into a safer routine for getting on the water while minimizing damage to the boat and myself AND not drawing any negative attention from the county officials. Time and testing will tell if my gizmo will work on the Romany and the Dagger, but if not I am ok settling with just using the Dagger for quick local paddles. The Romany can become my car trip boat.
Another way: Use a folding kayak from the cabin, or a short WWK (much lighter than a sea kayak).
I just scanned these posts, but am not seeing one thing. Would you be trying to land and get the boat back up those rocks at high tide? If so where would you land?
In bigger water you need to have bail out options if the weather suddenly changes on you. If your home point is somewhere you can’t run to and land in a pinch, you may want to rethink your base point.
@Celia said:
I just scanned these posts, but am not seeing one thing. Would you be trying to land and get the boat back up those rocks at high tide? If so where would you land?
In bigger water you need to have bail out options if the weather suddenly changes on you. If your home point is somewhere you can’t run to and land in a pinch, you may want to rethink your base point.
I was thinking the same thing. Low tide and high tide are different. And getting out and getting in different… Now I do understand if you come home to a pounding surf getting out won’t happen and you can go to a launch, exit, lock your yak and go get the car.
The other thing is personal safety… I assume you will be out of the boat during the slide down and also the rehoisting. Learn how to navigate wet rocks. Is there any seaweed like we have rockweed here?
Is your yard in sheltered water?
Great technical point. I have thought about this as well. Yesterday I did exterior house painting and then opted to take the Dagger up to Mountain Lake. Just a fabulous paddle.
My mentor (who I have become friendly with) owns the longest running kayak tour outfit on the island has given me three tide books and demonstrated how DeepZoom (awesome tide site focussing on the San Juan’s) works. I have watched our local tide patterns with great fascination: they fluctuate wildly. As you guys noted timing is everything.
The other thing is currents. Even calm looking water can have swift currents out here. When I exit our place I can head north(ish) or south(ish) if I want to hug the coast. I could head out straight for Cypress Island across open water but I have been warned that is for experienced ocean paddlers. I am not one of them. If I head left (north) I will run into Point Lawrence. The repeated warnings I get is “never go beyond Point Lawrence in a flood tide”. Some folks have lost control badly out there, partly responsible for the oft heard local phrase “blown out to Canada”. Heading south is nice, you can go quite a ways and then head into close open water and the current will carry you back home.
The actual launch and return will need to be timed just right but I think it is quite doable. The resort at Doe Bay is nearby so I can always land on their safe beach and walk home if needed…
Hi, PhotoMax, how did your sled work out? Thanks!