Launch ramp

[Bob Maskel]

Can anyone that has been to Hales Bar advise how close a launch ramp is to the actual place we will be meeting?

I just emailed them asking if I could leave my van/trailer there a couple days while I ran up to Knoxvillle prior to G4. They said the launch ramp was actually "down the road" but that I could make arrangements to leave the vehicle.

I am curious how far "down the road" might be and how that may work with our launches and staging...as well as any first launches or assisting the inboards if it is windy.

[kens]

they told me a 1/2 mile down the road

[Bob Maskel]

I didn't think to ask them if it is an improved one with concrete and docks or a dirt/gravel landing. I am looking at Google Earth and think I see a gravel one nearby but that is all I see. If that's the case maybe we'll be giving that big ol' diesel pickup of yours a workout puttin' us in and takin' us out!

[kens]

they said that people pull yachts on the ramp.

[upspirate]

I think Ray Macke posted some ramp pics on here somewhere

[Bill Edmundson]

The ramp is not far at all. Just a few hundred yards.

Bill

[upspirate]

Here's Ray's link:

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=10210&p=73629#p73629

[Bob Maskel]

Here's Ray's link:

Thanks Pirate, somehow I had missed that. Looks like a big ramp with docks. Looks to be a little south of the cabins. Thanks for the responses!

[upspirate]

Where are we having the in-water stuff? By the cabins?

Is that where everyone will keep their boats in the water overnite?

I guess I'll just see when we get there.

[Lewis Barrett]

I was there the other day and I don't remember there being much parking at the ramp. There is a small dock to help with launching but that is it. I think the idea is to launch your boat and have someone drive the short distance back to the marina to park your car. There is a big grass parking lot at the marina. So, those of us who are alone will need someone to help park their cars.

Also, the dock in front of the floating cabins is wide enough for viewing and sitting. Also, each cabin has a little porch.

One other thing I noticed, there are not many cleats along the docks in front of the floating cabins to tie to. I think they are about 30' apart.

David

[Fabricflyer]

I guess we can bring some C-clamps and make our own cleats.

[upspirate]

It looks like concrete or some sort of poured docks in the photos,so tying between boards or C-clamps won't work.

If anyone has any extra line, we can run a continuous line from cleat to cleat,and tie each boats dock lines to the long one between the cleats

I can bring a few long pieces

[BayouBengal]

A problem that I've often experienced and I'm sure other Squirt owners have also, is height of dock as compared to water level. If the dock is floating, it's typically not a problem. But, if the dock is built in place and water level is low, then a low profile boat like the Squirt can't be docked there because it can drift under the dock; and then a wake can cause it to rise up striking the deck upon the underside of the dock. I expect a Zip might have the same problem.

Are the docks floating docks? If not, we'll need to an alternative docking station or set up something for docking some of the smaller boats. Looking at the picture, an ideal docking place for a Squirt would be tied off between two of the floating cabins. Is there enough room between the cabins and is this allowed?

[upspirate]

I would bet the docks are floating....it looks like it from the photos

[Lewis Barrett]

Jeff,

They are floating. The lady told me we could tie up to the back of the cabins. I can't remember if there is enough room between them.

Maybe we can tie to the webbing underneath.

I just noticed the picture. It looks like the cleats are between the posts, so we can tie our front to a cleat and the rear around the posts.

David