Putting a boat in the water with bus

[Singing Land Cruiser]

The Key to this Thread is "LAND YACHT". Only High and Dry need apply. Stay Safe, M&C

[niles500]

Gary - It's easy, get yourself a double pair of heavy (and tall with skid proof feet) wheel chocks with a yank rope attached and when you get to the point where you can float the boat have someone chock one set of drives - let the bus roll back completely on the chocks (where the wheels are applying down force on the toe of the chocks) then set your Parking Brake - after launching/retrieving the boat release the Parking Brake (if you've done this right the bus should simply be resting on the chocks) - Now you can walk the bus out without burning up your clutch (as you get rolling have your chocker pull the chocks with the aforementioned ropes) - HTH

[Hartley]

The correct answer is "DON'T" even think about getting near the water with anything the size
of a bus... Especially one with a manual transmission.

If you decide to try it make sure we all get to view the video as soon as they fish you out....
(Or put out the clutch fire!).

[boogiethecat]

Hee hee my first thought is to just do it but be sure you have someone standing nearby with a video camera so we can all see how busses float on youtube!
Seriously, the above ideas of using a winch and cable are probably the safest and would be my first choice.

[Don Fairchild]

Boggie;

After A trip to burning man I'm sure your crown could use a good bath .lol

Don

[NewbeeMC9]

That little manual tow dolly could never pull a boat out of a lake without a lot of help.  I have used one in an emergency to move an older Airstream trailer on fairly level ground. (Tree was about to fall on the trailer.)

Yeah, he said his boat wasn't to heavy but I bet it would get real heavy on the slope.


The more I think about it would be a winch with a remote control kinda like
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200330101_200330101




and make sure the trailer has a wheel at the tongue http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_150886_150886 except better. 
If you can get the trailer wheels started down the ramp and the keep the bus on the flat,  then let boat down ramp with winch in reverse and guide the toungue.


then do again with the trailer to pull boat back in.  Make winch versatile because you can always use a winch some where and you can keep it in the bay.


Just a thought, let us know what you come up with,

and post a video with cleverness or demise



I'm glad this came up, i may have to reconsider the boat thing some day.

[buswarrior]

So, what have you learned?

With an exception or two, this place seems to be populated with chickens, followers and naysayers?

What might the advice have been if you asked about driving into the shopping mall parking lot if there are cars parked in it...?

I am sure you mean to only use concrete boat ramps, gravel would be a non-starter in my book.

If your coach will pull away on a slope similar to the boat ramps in question, the only concern I'd have is whether the boat will float before the coach has to go into the water. By pull away, I mean a relatively small amount of clutch slipping to get it to roll, with the absolute minimum of revs. Don't make the mistake of revving the crap out of it and slipping for any distance, you will destroy it right there.

An auto tranny would make this a breeze, the manual just makes it more challenging!

Wheel chocks are a nice touch to help a taller geared coach pull away. Another trick is to attach the ropes on the chocks to the back bumper, just drag them along until you get on flat ground.

Get a friend with a half ton 4x4 and a recovery strap in case you need a rescue, and go try it out at a quiet boat ramp!

Let us know!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[RJ]

Gary -

As often as Buswarrior and I are on the same page, with this one I'll have to disagree with him.

This is based on the various boat launch ramps in my area, and the fact that you've got an MC5A with a 4488 gearbox in it.

Around here, most ramps are roughly 10 - 12% grades - perfect to smoke a bus clutch, unless you've got a stump-puller first gear.  Sadly, the 4488 doesn't.

One other thing - the drum brakes on your coach are designed for maximum stopping power when going forward.  It's in the geometry of the linkage that moves the shoes against the drums when they're applied.  In addition, the rear drums do roughly 60% of the braking - and chances are you're going to have the rear axle in the water launching the boat.  So now you've only got 40% braking capability operating in it's weaker mode backing down the ramp. . .

OTOH, it's your coach, and, as Fast Fred says: "Do it YOUR way!"

FWIW & HTH. . .

[TomC]

The only way I would use a bus for boat launching and retrieving on a steep ramp is if it either had an Allison automatic, or a 10 spd roadranger in it.  Maybe a 6 spd would work, but the 4 spd would NOT have enough startability to pull the boat and the bus up a steep launching ramp-period.  Good Luck, TomC

[niles500]

Wonders never cease to amaze me - Are we a bunch of hanger queens? - Gary I'm sorry if I assumed you'd actually owned a boat or used a boat ramp - I'm sorry if I assumed you knew the difference between launching from a gravel boat ramp at 20% grade as opposed to a concrete ramp that you won't high center yourself on - I read through tons of posts telling people how to handle brakes, steering, jacking, and a plethora of highly technical problems that if not properly executed could kill the poster and/or a multitude of innocent bystanders - And boat launching is such a monumental problem? Remember I'm from FLA, you learn to drive on a boat ramp, it's part of the road test.

Gary, if you follow my post, and your chock man pulls the chocks prematurely (before you've established your startability), I assume that before your bus rolls into the drink you will set the service brake, have them re-chock the wheels,and set your parking brake. At worst you'll have to get yanked out. You certainly won't kill anyone, and you aren't required to prove your bus is a flotation device. The worst thing that could happen is you get a tow - You do have a towing policy don't you?

For the rest of you naysayers, get out your "Earth Google", look at Kebler pass or the 'trail' to Marble in Colorado. If I can get my bus (approaching 25 tons) up those roads, is a boat ramp that big of a hill to climb?

[Bob Gil]

I would think that you might be safe if you can make the tongue of the trailer to extend the full length of the trailer.  And maybe you could stop the bus before the rear wheels drop off the slope of the last part of the ramp.  Or have a long winch to let it roll down and pull it back to that point so I would not have my bus in a bad spot.

But in all sound like one of those things I would not even try.

[Jeremy]

I'm amazed by how many people seem to think this simple operation is simply impossible. Unless the slipway is exceptionally steep or exceptionally long (due to an unusually large tidal rise-and-fall for instance) then the bus will never need to get into any sort of precarious position. Launching a lightweight boat from a heavy vehicle is the really easy way of doing things - try it the other way round and things can get interesting!

Jeremy

[Gary '79 5C]

As indicated here it is very possible and doable.

However, not to be a naysayer, the details is where many accidents are born.
"Hey this ramp does not look too wet. "
"It can be wet, hasn't rained in weeks, but 14 boats were launched to day with trailers dripping water over the ramp. "
"Is that nice green hue really moss on the ramp. Slicker that stuff."
And many more,

As BW and others said this is possible, but with caution, vigiliance, and good judgement.
Personally, I have launched with a bus, and lost it partially in the drink. A VW bus, up to the top of the carbs, Pulled out with a 4X4. Waved (Papal wave) to the crowd. I pulled plugs, sponged out distributor, cranked, reinstalled plugs and WD-40ed it. Started 20 mins later, ran for an hour after. Pulled starter 6 months later and drained 1/2 cup of water from starter body.
I will not be trying this with my 5C, but clearly with proper conditions it can be accomplished.

[FloridaCliff]

So, what have you learned?
With an exception or two, this place seems to be populated with chickens, followers and naysayers?
happy coaching!
buswarrior

Interesting!

So if you have a different opinion than BW's you are a chicken, follower or naysayer?

Come on BW.....This may call for a Molson intervention......

However, not to be a naysayer, the details is where many accidents are born.
"Hey this ramp does not look too wet. "
"It can be wet, hasn't rained in weeks, but 14 boats were launched to day with trailers dripping water over the ramp. "
"Is that nice green hue really moss on the ramp. Slicker that stuff."
And many more,

I will not be trying this with my 5C, but clearly with proper conditions it can be accomplished.

I agree and can add more, how busy is the ramp (this could turn into a real production) not all boat ramps offer pull forward and then back up space for a 35' bus plus trailer, how about just backing the trailer up...period.

Remember, its always easy to say go for it when we have nothing invested in the outcome.

I don't want you to be over confident that it will be easy and possibly without complications.

I hope you do it and are succesful and have a blast in your sailboat.

See ya on the road somewhere.

Cliff

[Len Silva]

My first thought in this thread was that if you can back a little boat behind a bus, you are a better man than me to begin with.  Chances are, you can't even see the boat in the mirrors.

Some of the best people watching in the world is at a busy boat ramp