Versadock

[UKPOWERBOAT]

Well today I took delivery of my Versadock. 5 pallet loads were delivered to the slipway at Port Solent. At first I was a tad concerned there was too much, but the installation guys assured me all was ok.

Anyway we started building the system at the slipway at Port Solent, when we were suddenly aware of 4 Gobby 8-10 year old kids climbing all over the floats, then they thought it funny to start walking over the line of floats that were assembled and just touching the water. We politely asked them to leave the stuff alone and get off the dock, to be told by one of the little girls to F*ck off you can't make us, which then followed loads of verbal abuse from them. Next thing they decided to push the floats into the water, and as quick as we could get them out the little F*ckers thru them in and with an off shore wind blowing they quickly floated away from the shore, which meant we got quite wet retrieving them.

SO, seeing as we could not control them and did not dare touch the little sods, had no choice other than to call the Police, who eventually turned up, took down the names and told them to go away. The Police Lady came down to us and advised us to get as much floating as possible as it was very lightly they would turn up again and there would be a lot more of them. So what started off as a 3 hour assembly ended up being an all day affair, we piled as many as we could onto what we had built, towed it over to Port Solent Marina and assembled it on the water, which increased the install time by 5-6 hrs as the whole idea was to build it on the slipway and float it off and straight onto my mooring.

I have to say it is brilliant system, boat goes up and onto it easily, my concerns were that the nose would rise really high then drop forward, but that is not the case, simply nudge the nose into place, apply a little throttle which pushes water up onto the dock, then a quick blast and up and out she pops, getting the rib off is easier, just a sharp blast backwards, then you end up engaging forward drive to brake the speed in which the rib glides off, as engaging reverse sends a load of water under the rib freeing the rib from the dock. Genius.

[Hightower]

I'm glad my kids and their mates were of assistance Richard

I did tell them to help, perhaps I should have told them to cause havoc and swear a lot

If you hear reports of a whale in Port Solent, it'll be me catching up on my suntan

[Pete7]

What a brilliant bit of kit, bring it across to Priory Bay and we can all sit on it and be towed about, much better than an ringo We could even have a BBQ on board mid solent

[UKPOWERBOAT]

Originally Posted by Pete7

What a brilliant bit of kit, bring it across to Priory Bay and we can all sit on it and be towed about, much better than an ringo We could even have a BBQ on board mid solent

Ha, it is really great, and very very stable, no flexing, you can walk all over it. Sarah has already earmarked it for when I am out on the rib and using it as a Sun Bathing platform. just hope she is a quick mover when 3.5 tonne of rib is about to dock onto it.

[codprawn]

Wonder how well it would cope in the swell our harbour gets - I suspect my boat would end up on the pontoon which it almost did once!!!

[UKPOWERBOAT]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Wonder how well it would cope in the swell our harbour gets - I suspect my boat would end up on the pontoon which it almost did once!!!

Can't see any reason it won't be fine, there is another set of buoyancy floats running down the centre of the dock, they're used in the states in open marinas all the time and not had any issues. As long as the rib is tied down to it then all should be fine.

[Bigmuz7]

Any issues regards scratching the gel coat on the RIB Richard?

[UKPOWERBOAT]

Not so far, think mainly cost there is such little friction between the dock and they rib as the water lubricats the dock so the rib just slides up. I think all should be fine as long as when the rib is driven up you don't hit it at ramming speed, just nudge the dock and push up. There is sort of a ramp up. I am going to try and do a small movie showing it coming onto the dock, to demonstrate it.

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by Nauti Buoy

Not so far, think mainly cost there is such little friction between the dock and they rib as the water lubricats the dock so the rib just slides up. I think all should be fine as long as when the rib is driven up you don't hit it at ramming speed, just nudge the dock and push up. There is sort of a ramp up. I am going to try and do a small movie showing it coming onto the dock, to demonstrate it.

If you'd like some help with the Movie Richard, I've a steady hand

[UKPOWERBOAT]

Originally Posted by Hightower

If you'd like some help with the Movie Richard, I've a steady hand

Yes please if you don't mind that would be much appreciated. Thank you.