New boot on the block

[zubzub]

 Well I am not all that fired up about backing a 30000 pound bus down a ramp to launch a boat.  I see a disaster in the mix.  So how do you fellas get a run around/launch vehicle to where your going.  I'll be dipped if I can figure out a good solution.  My boats are way to heavy to hand launch. 
[/quote]
thers was a thread about this awhile back.  Seems to me a winch would do it.

[Busted Knuckle]

Even though this one sold already, it seems to me it'd be a perfect "toad" fer ya!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-F350-F450-Truck-Super-D-Towing-Hauler-Tow-Diesel_W0QQitemZ140351368269QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCommercial_Trucks?hash=item20ad97ec4d

Haul the boat up top, tow the toad with a tow bar. When ya get where ya going unhook let the boat down and back it in the water!
  BK 

[HighTechRedneck]

Now there's a cool concept.  

Taking it a step further find a pickup (or just chassis with cab) of sufficient weight capacity for your boat and remove the bed if equipped.  Build boat rails on the back (or scavenge them from a donor boat trailer).  Use the same approach as the extension ramps to make removable rail extensions to get it down into the water.  Then just winch the boat up and down the rails to get it in and out of the water.

Of course, the feasibility would depend on the size of your boat because obviously this wouldn't work:

[NewbeeMC9]

http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=11859.0


Had been discussed a little bit before, someone had a sail boat.


If your eagle bays are tall enough and in good shape, you could put a 4-wheeler in there to launch the boat with

[wal1809]

I do believe for now I will tow the Excursion and the boat behind it.  I know the length is a bit over legal but worst case I get a ticket and they make me unhook.  I can have a passenger finish off the trip in the Excursion.  For long hauls I believe I am going to have to get another boat.  I believe a 16' x 5' wide aluminum I can manhandle well enough to get it on top of the Excursion.  With a 25 horse motor and a couple of seats that I can take off easily enough.  I can mount the 25 hp on a hand dolly and wheel it from the bus basement to the boat with no problem.

[John316]

Wal,

Spoken like a true Texan. That is funny . I like the spirit in your posts .

God bless,

John

I do believe for now I will tow the Excursion and the boat behind it.  I know the length is a bit over legal but worst case I get a ticket and they make me unhook.  I can have a passenger finish off the trip in the Excursion.  For long hauls I believe I am going to have to get another boat.  I believe a 16' x 5' wide aluminum I can manhandle well enough to get it on top of the Excursion.  With a 25 horse motor and a couple of seats that I can take off easily enough.  I can mount the 25 hp on a hand dolly and wheel it from the bus basement to the boat with no problem.

[HighTechRedneck]

While I wouldn't personally want to try towing doubles, that is how Steve Daniel (pro bass fisher) does it.  His boat trailer is hitched to their Jeep and the Jeep is hitched to their Prevost.  When they come to a state that doesn't allow it, his wife drives the jeep pulling the boat.

Not something I would personally want to try, but it seems to work for them.

[wal1809]

I pull doubles all the time with the Excursion.  I pull the 16 ft flatbed with 2    4 wheelers and a 20 foot duck hunting boat behind the flat bed.  That is no problem at all.  I know that Detroit will have no problem.  The only problem is length and the Texas Department of Public Safety.  They do something to those guys in the academy.  Very professional with no sense of humor=I get a ticket .  I think it is 4 foot over the legal length.  Huh, go figure, the wife walked by and said who are you kidding .

[wal1809]

Wal,

Spoken like a true Texan. That is funny . I like the spirit in your posts .

God bless,

John

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, Or his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal.






And I like your spirit as well brother.

[DaveG]

Regarding fuel guage...my suggestion (no, I don't have a bus yet) would be to rely on miles traveled rather than fuel level indicated.

Take out the fuel guage and stick something else in the dash...maybe a nice clock or ambient temp guage.

Others may have opinions (ya think?)!

[John316]

Others may have opinions (ya think?)!

My humble opinion is to fix it, if possible. If it can't be fixed, get a new one. No doubt going only so many miles, is a good thing, and not just rely on the gauge. However, it is very nice to have a gauge. Otherwise you always have to log your miles, especially if you aren't using up tanks of fuel quickly. It would just make me nervous not having a fuel gauge that works semi well.

FWIW

God bless,

John

[robertglines1]

The fuel gauge is just a reminder..believe me I need it....cost me $185 for 15 gal of fuel delivered on I-65. fuel gauge is much cheaper..ck  wires mainly ground..

[wal1809]

The fuel gauge is just a reminder..believe me I need it....cost me $185 for 15 gal of fuel delivered on I-65. fuel gauge is much cheaper..ck  wires mainly ground..

I will do that first.  I am fortunate for I have a low fuel indicator.  The generator will stop working when the fuel is at 40 gallons in the tank.  The fuel line suck tube to the the generator is set higher than the bottom of the fuel tank.The big a/c units will cut off when the generator cuts off.  I live in Texas and there is no missing when the A/c cuts off.  The guy I bought it from was giving us a test run and was talking about it along about the time the air cut off.  He says"Well there you go" and we stopped and put in 75 gallons of fuel.

[belfert]

Regarding fuel guage...my suggestion (no, I don't have a bus yet) would be to rely on miles traveled rather than fuel level indicated.

I did the whole miles traveled thing and still ran out of fuel three miles from my scheduled stop.  I really need to get my fuel guage working again.  Lucky it was only 45 minutes or so to get the bus running agagin.

Part of my problem was finding out the bus can only use 130 gallons when the tank capacity is 150 gallons.  We dealt with some vicious winds and used the generator a lot on that segment of the trip which killed our MPG.

[HighTechRedneck]

Regarding fuel guage...my suggestion (no, I don't have a bus yet) would be to rely on miles traveled rather than fuel level indicated.

I did the whole miles traveled thing and still ran out of fuel three miles from my scheduled stop.  I really need to get my fuel guage working again.  Lucky it was only 45 minutes or so to get the bus running agagin.

Part of my problem was finding out the bus can only use 130 gallons when the tank capacity is 150 gallons.  We dealt with some vicious winds and used the generator a lot on that segment of the trip which killed our MPG.

On my trip to Florida last year, if I had been relying solely on mileage I would have been in a mess.  I average about 7 mpg normally, running at a steady 55mph.  On the trip to Florida, I was pushing it full throttle most of the time and was against a head wind.  My mileage dropped to around 5mpg for the trip.  If I had been counting the miles for fuel I would have been on the side of the road somewhere even if I had figured on 6mpg for a safety margin.

So I am always in favor of having a working fuel gauge.