There might be room for the RIB

Apherel · 14 August 2006, 12:10

I'm trying to understand why we brought a beach house that is impossible to get a boat upto it. The drive way is too steep, there is no room to turn around at the top, you need a serious 4WD to back anything up it, and there is barely enough room to get a boat through the gates... until now.

This weekend I arranged a load of mulch (8 m3) for the garden and warned the delivery company to send a decent truck. First delivery ... the truck wouldn't backup the drive, so he had to come back with a half load.

Second delivery, he nearly made it up at full speed backwards, only to collect the gate ...

Third delivery with the balance, again backwards at top speed, he was so careful not to hit the other side that he finished the job, demolishing the gate post. Looked spectacular!

Anyway, now have the opportunity to build a new (wider) gate.

Hope photos are OK, only had the phone available.

codprawn · 14 August 2006, 12:16

Never mind the gate - lets see photos of your boat and where you launch!!! How far is it to the bottom of the slope? Have you thought of putting a winch at the back of your drive? For long distances a capstan is the best.

Looks like the lorry driver did you a favour though.....

Apherel · 14 August 2006, 13:32

This is the boat - and please no rude comments from the forum about med style craft!

This was a lovely day in early winter, low tide, the ramp is just out of sight to the right.

Other photos are taken a few weeks later when I was out alone with a front approaching - hence no-one at the helm - it was a case of do I run for cover, or stay for the photo op. - Artistry won.

codprawn · 14 August 2006, 15:33

No rude comments - with waters like that Med style is probably the best although I bet the sea kicks up from time to time???

You mention the tide - you should try living in the Bristol Channel - 14m - sometimes it's literally miles out!!!

eupa · 14 August 2006, 15:41

that gates was a nice bit of iron work. I thought down-under you did'nt go in for that kind of stuff.

Boat looks great...

Jonathan

Apherel · 15 August 2006, 00:28

We get a fair mix of weather - The summer pattern is typically calm mornings with a sea breeze - 15-25 kn developing in the later afternoon, winter tends to be settled weather between fronts, and spring and autumn can be quite windy.

The bay is quite shallow, with a small tidal variation mostly less than 2.5m, and the wind can whip up nasty short chop, with waves up to 2 metres or so.

The big danger is the storm fronts which move in from Bass straight and can come in very quickly. In the summer a southerly (antartic) front (cool change) can drop temperatures from 35 degrees c to 20 over half an hour and go from light northerlies to 45km squalls in minutes. Mostly you know they are coming from the forecast, but you don't see them until they hit.

But most of my water sport is in pretty benign conditions - hence the comment on low tide - it's not really a big problem.

Apherel · 15 August 2006, 00:30

Eupa,

Hard to find gates like that now... Date from the 50's I think. Doubt we'll replace them with like work! - but my wife was fond of them!