Hi paddlers, I hope some of you have some creative ideas or solutions for this one. I live on a tidal pond that has restrictions over what can be built. I can’t have a permanent structure beyond the high tide mark. I need a ramp to manuver my kayak over the berm down to the water. I suppose I need about 8 feet of ramp. but the kicker is I have to be able to drag it out to the high tide mark when I’m done using it, so it has to be fairly light. Any suggestions? IS there a product on the market? Should I make it? Thanks
How high is the berm?
And would a cart work?
Jim
got a thought
okay I live in Ohio and there is only one river in my county, so I am totally talking out of my as here. what about a few pool noodles and a few 2x4s. Since I have never seen a Tidal pond, and can’t picture this it is makeing it alot more fun for me.
maybe if i had a drawing. but picture 4 noodles and 3 2x4s assembled like a raft…
well why don’t you just look into a Yak-Launch they advertise on here. it is a tempory launch for a kayak.
Liveoutside
Split PVC drain pipe
– Last Updated: May-24-06 4:16 PM EST –
used as guide to slide boat into water? or short aluminum ladder, plywood insert, cover with outdoor carpeting?
PVC tube?
Thats an interesting idea, though a ladder might be too narrow for my boat. I like the flotie idea with the outdoor carpet, that’s a good idea, I am not sure about what to use on the base because I need it to be wide enough for me and for the kakak. I’m thinking 5 or 6’ wide.
My berm is about 7 feet high.
Yak Launch
Where oh where is the Yak Launch to be found on this site? I’m looking but I’m not finding it. What is it??
A Sheet of Plywood?
???
Please excuse my confusion/ignorance over needing anything to launch from, but could you provide some more info please:
How exactly do you launch?
Can you post a picture of this spot? Describe it better? What’s your tide range? How different is this spot low vs. high?
Are you one of those “dry feet” types?
Do you have any special physical needs relating to age, fitness, disability, etc.
My usual put-in is tidal with a gradual bank slope (where an old sea wall caved in decades ago), is a bit tight between seawall and trees for long boats, has larger overhanging limbs, and the bottom is a mix of coral/shell blend rock and fragrant black muck. I’m fortunate to have warm waters, and don’t mind getting my feet wet. I normally float the boat and get in from shallow water. Occasionally I’ll go somewhere that requires launching from a dock, or has a sandy beach, but no special hardware or devices are required.
I’ve seen people use everything from carpeting and bar floor mats to rather elaborate floating jet ski docks they seal launch from.
Runner of Astroturf
Now I have no idea how bumpy or uneven the terrain is but this would allow you to have something to alunch your boat off of yet be able to pull uot and take with when you’re done paddling for the day…
Works really well on those damn concrete boat launches.
PVC PIPE LADDER
build what essentially would be a pvc pipe ladder out of 3" Schedule 40 PVC PIPE, and cap all the open ends to ensure it will float.
make it look like the hand rails on a stairwell, spaced just far apart enough to set the kayak down on, (Width of a Kayak cart…).
Lean the pipe ladder on the berm, and slide/lower the kayak down the ladder with a rope, leaving the ladder clear for you to climb down to the water…
recovery is the reverse…climb the ladder with loose end of rope…haul up kayak…
Pad the rails as needed, (Glue and thin carpet).
Beauty is, you can make the ladder cheaply(and as wide as you want it), and the 3inch pipe will be strong, and Float if the tide comes in while you are gone…(Just remember to push a stake and tether the ladder to the berm when it’s sitting there…wouldn’t want it to float away at high water…).
How about???
A couple or three shipping pallets?
While paddling back to the put in at my local lake which has sketchy launch spots, I noticed that at the two new put in spots, someone had placed pallets.
One spot had one pallet in the water somewhat which isn’t too cool.
But, they are fairly easy to move. You could hinge two togeether perhaps.
I found it
I know where we all saw that launcher at…in the sweepstakes prizes!
http://www.paddlepamlico.com/
there it is the yak-a-launch
Liveoutside