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Putting in a boat ramp
Last November I was Blessed and purchased an 11 acre parcel about 30 miles out of town. It has river frontage and I am planning on digging a boat ramp and constructing a small dock. I am about 3 miles upstream from where this river flows into the Tennessee River. In the last 6 months the water level has varied from 5 feet below the bank edge to 8 feet over during the spring flood. Current is pretty slow most of the time. The river is fairly straight in this area.
What angle should I dig the ramp to the river? My neighbor to the north is straight in 90* angle, neighbor to the south is about 45* angle where you would be backing in against the current.
The spot where I am currently thinking of putting mine in I would like to go in at 45* backing in with the current. Does it really matter that much with the slow current? Would one be better than another in how it would effect bank erosion?
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I am in and out of public boat ramps all the time and my greatest concern is steepness of the grade and room to maneuver the rig onto and off of the ramp.
I hate those straight up and down ramps with no traction.
I can generally idle the boat into the trailer even in a slight current but my rig is small and I could probably toss it onto the trailer if I got mad enough.
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The reason I was leaning towards the upstream angle is so when I pull down to the river I can make a loop, then be lined up to back in. I think I can do this and only have to take out 1 tree. Guess I'll have to hook up a trailer and make some practice runs. I don't have a trailerable boat now, just kayaks, but have in the past and a couple of my buddies have aluminum bass boats.
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How fun though to have your own access! Make sure to take before and after pictures.
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just keep in mind that facing your launch upstream will allow the river to cut into your launch as the river decides to do. It could be an advantage or disadvantage. The river will likely wish to erode or drop sediment to make the bank much like it was before you placed the launch and may need to be dug out or need rocks concrete etc to prevent erosion.
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Over Memorial Day weekend we cleaned up along the bank and I sat around and reevaluated. Right now I have good solid road to with in 150 feet of the bank. Then I have a 120 foot low section that is a rutted out gumbo swamp hole. The last 30 feet to the bank is solid. I am trying to get my ducks in a row so when I bring in the digger I can get every thing done at the same time.
I had originally thought of making a loop, but now I think I will fix the road straight to the river with the boat ramp 90* to bank and make a 40 foot stub road about 50 feet above the ramp to pull in and get turned around.
I also have about 2.5 acres of what they call a duck swamp. I am going to have to do some repairs on the dams and dig 2 170 foot drainage ditches.
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You don't need a boat ramp, you need a freekin' hoovercraft!
I sold my small boat this weekend. I did not use it at all last year and someone made me an offer I could not refuse. The boat money is going toward a nice new German air gun for inside the house shooting.
I still have the 16' foot runabout to fish out of and it is easier to use close to the house since the state put in a nice boat ramp about 1/2 mile down the road.
They did that for me for free and paved the road right down to the water line, so I do not have to build it myself.
I guess it really was not for free since they more than doubled the cost of H&F licenses this year. My old geezer permit cost me $12 this time. That covers everything but the duck stamp.
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The boat ramps I have found easiest to use on rivers or other flowing water have been set up to launch with the current and load against the current. You don't ever want to put yourself in a position of having the river decide to move the boat toward you. The rope can break and you can get your boat back someday, but if the river pushes it on top of your while trying to to launch or load, that day may be your "someday".
I have used ramps perpendicular to the flow and found them hard to use especially in cold weather when getting wet is an issue. Again, while you are launching or loading the river is going to be pushing against the boat at an angle that is not helping you. When loading against the current the natural shape of the boat is going to help in guiding the boat onto the trailer.
When you are building the ramp, depending on how much you want to spend of course, you could cut into the bank a bit and leave a levee of sorts to block the full force of the current. You would be launching/loading into still water. You may have to build some bulkhead and the "levee" would serve as your dock as well.
Alan
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Good points Alan. I've got till late fall to make the final decision when they drop the water level to winter pool.
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