"shoes" for my cat.

I had another idea......

So where I sail I can launch from the beach alright but unless its high tide its a P.I.T.A to get the boat up the beach and onto the trailer. There is a ramp at the beach but its real tight, lots of goboats and, worst of all concrete decking (road/ramp). Not terribly conducive for beaching. I'm not sure I can dump enough speed for the girlfriend to be able to catch the boat and save it from grinding into the concrete ramp. here is the idea.

What if I made "shoes" for the cat.

I was thinking of cutting some thick carpet to fit over the first four feet of the hulls to act as a cusion. then just beach as normal on the ramp. I would go out sailing without them then beach on the sand put the "shoes" on the cat and take it to the ramp............is this a farfetched idea or does it sould like it could work?

Would sailing over to the ramp with just a jib help the speed/power issue? I know it would but what I ment to ask is. Is it the jib or the main I would leave up?

T. I. A.

--Chris

OK...by your description I take it that you have an onshore wind ands are worried about crunching into the concrete ramp. I'll assume you are sailing in a lake, since you didn't mention surf. Here's a suggestion: I used to sail off of a beach that had a pretty steady onshore breeze, and had some submerged rocks a little ways off the sand. We would always sail parallel to the beach, then we would just head up until the boat was in irons, pull up the rudders, and drift in to the beach backward.

Should work in your situation too. Sail in close, face teh boat dead into the wind and drop the sails. Then when you drift closer to the ramp, bail off the back, spin it around and push it up onto the trailer.

there is a jetty protrudeing from shore and wraping 3/4 of the way around the ramp so there would have to be ideal go boat traffic and winds.

I do understand what you are saying though, that would ba a sweet move !!
I'll keep it in my mind should the situation arise. man that would be a tight move.
thanks
--chris

If you're trying to come in slowly you'd definately want to drop the main and come in on jib alone; of course be aware that with the boom and sail covering the tramp your steering ability will be degraded considerably.

I like your idea of some kind of carpet shoes for the boat. You mean basically having two 1' x 6' pieces of carpet with a line coming off each corner and then tying these onto the bows to protect them from the concrete? It might work but I think you'd go through the carpet rather quickly. You might be better off getting some 6" PVC pipe and cutting it in half the long way, then filling the halves with spray foam, molding it a little and putting carpet over *that*. The PVC would hold up much better to the concrete. I dunno; it'd be an interesting project. Good luck!

(P.S. - early on I sailed straight into a concrete boat ramp with main and jib up. YOW that sucked. AND it's embarassing.)

_________________
Warm regards,

Jim

P V C! Excellent Idea. I'd drop my boom and main on the beach though.

But I'll put the pvc on my list of things to do..
thanks

-Chris

How would you keep the "shoes" from slipping off once contact is made with the concrete?

That's why I'm saying he'd need some holes drilled in the PVC with lines securing it in place. But I haven't given it more specific thought than that seeing as how I usually check this forum at work these days.

What about cat wheels an avoid the ramp altogether?

You might be able to roll some old carpet and attach it to the bows with a string holding them rolled. (like one of those paper party kazoo things)

Before you get to the concrete, tug the sting and let the carpet unroll into the water and under your hulls.

Sounds a little "Rube Goldberg" now that I see it typed out...

_________________
Dan B
http://www.skidweeb.com/

I would think that if you are going from the shore to the rampand don't have to carry it on your boust while sailing, the PVC would be your best bet. Use a 2.5 or 3" dia. cut a 2' long piece and then cut it in half. These two halve could be hinged at the ends with 1" alum bar and carriage bolts. That way it will unfold to a 4' length to better contour the hull. Make the front rope connect to the bow tang and the other end to the endcap/pylon. Then you can glue carpet and/or rubber sheet to the inside radius of the PVC to protect the hulls. You can leave these with your gear on the beach then your on the water. Not as compact as just using carpet but they would hold up so much better. Put a little time into it and they could look good too.

Just my quick thought after reading the ideas above.

Buxton

I imagine the PVC is tough enough by itself... can't you just let it scrape and call it expendable?