While that river is low, I would take an excavator down that road and have it dredge a basin close to the shore that could accommodate a boat ramp and a dock.

I used a excavator and a multi-terrain skid-loader to make that road, Notice how I stopped at the vegetation line/river rock/river bed edge. If I went any further that would of been considered disturbing the river bed with heavy machinery without the proper permits would of cost me more in fines then the properties value and to get the permits and the studies and engineering fee's for such permits would cost even more.

Couple miles up river they replaced a bridge pillar, Found a endangered freshwater clam colony living on and near the old pillar and where they wanted to put the new pillar, Cost 100's of thousands of dollars to do the studies on how/where to transplant these clams a 1/2 mile up river and remake there colony with all the proper people and there proper education, Last week I saw where the otters where pigging out on the very same clams, But the otter restoration program cost more then the clam restoration project and the otters eat the clams on my rocks I'm pretty sure I don't wanna apply for that permit.

Oh BTW, The dredge basin would fill up with gravel, sand and silt the very next winter thaw/flood so all that would be a waste of time and money anyway.   RR

I like the idea of rollers connecting the ramp to the docks, I will incorporate that into my plans.

I want to connect the ramp to the ground about 1/2 down the stairs in my first pic, I was going to connect them to the stairs but I don't want to ruin the stairs by a constantly twisting/pulling/rocking dock.

I can't use the poles pile driven into the ground like that, It's illegal here because that is considered a permanent structure in a public water way, The first time a law dog boated by I would get a notice to stop construction and remove or be fined. Sucks cause I would love to build it with them, I'm lucky I have those boulders to cable/rope tie to.   RR

how much does your river level fluctuate?

With normal heavy Thunder storms it will rise 3 to 5 feet a couple times a summer, It has got to storm for day's for it to rise higher and I would winch the docks/ramp up on higher ground before it rose over 6 to 7 feet. I have huge truck size boulders to connect the docks to it's just the ground/ramp connection I'm not sure about.... Roy.

I grew up about 3 miles from the Allegheny River and I was disobeying my Mothers rule of "Never go near that dirty death trap of a river" as soon as I was able to ride a bicycle that 3 miles, I'm guessing around 8 y/o. We use to build rafts and docks with forts next to them on the shore. Fished for carp and catfish the only fish that could live in the polluted water back then.

My Father took me boating there before that, that's how I knew how to get there by 8 y/o. My dad let me use his boat when I was old enough to drive/tow it there at 16 but I was going to the river with older buddies before that in there or there fathers boats, Around 13 or 14 I'm thinking.

 Bought my own first boat in the 80's.

Hey Ray take the engine out of Moo and tell RJ when he's able to put it back in and get it running on his own and old enough to legally tow it to the water he can. That's what my Dad did.   Roy.

The Johnson Commercial is 1/2 way threw the video but the whole video is funny, I subscribe to Ray William Johnson video's he makes me laugh every couple day's or so...RR   

We did not feel the guy we hit (short version)..(full Story) 2 buddies and I partied all day on a 35' Cabin Cruiser with twin 350 I/O's at "The Point" in Pittsburgh, The boat owner knew of a Land Party that night, I stayed behind to crash on the boat them 2 went, Came back hours later with 3 girls and all where trashed and wanted to party at the Point, I told owner that I just woke up and was straight enough to drive (knowing it was best) and he was to f@cked up, He said "I'm the Captain and driven this f@cking ship" As he grabbed a Captains hat that was on the dashboard and put it on his head, the other dude released the dock ropes and we idled into the river center. When we got in middle river the Captain hit the throttles and we took off, well so did the Captains hat, right off his head and into the river behind us. Captain pulls back on throttles and stops, puts it in reverse and starts backing up, up river towards the hat, Radio cranking, Hot drunk girls to impress so this other drunk dude that I knew since grade school see's the Hat and say's there it is, we are backing up, up river and the hat is coming down with the current but Yet this drunken ass say's I'll get it "AND JUMPS OFF THE BACK OF THE BOAT" I could not believe it, I look up and the Captain was not even paying attention, He was looking at tits. I run and dive on the ignition switches/key's and kill the engines, The captain actually started to yell at me until I yelled "Matt jumped off the back and I think you hit him" we run to the back swim platform and no Matt, Then the Bandana that was around his head came up to the surface, remember it for the rest of my life, Thinking he was gone, Then he popped up right in front of us Screaming "I'm Hit, I'm Hit Bad I'm hit"..And he was, both legs mostly on the inside of his legs, Big long curved cuts to the bone from his ankles up a little past his knees, I jumped in grabbed him, pulled to the swim platform, when I pulled him on the platform one girl fainted and one puked, we pulled him in and took off for the dock, we ran it aground next to the launch, I ran to my truck, backed it down the launch into the water next to the boat, floated him in and I was gone, Drove as fast as I could to the hospital that was only about 6 blocks away, he was losing concheneise (spel?) when I left the ramp, he was out cold when I ran up on the emergency room curb with the horn blairing, there where people with a stretcher coming out the door when I got to it, guess they saw my entrance and knew something was up, Blood rushed out when we open the door, it was swishing on the floor when I was driving, Well he lived, Bairly, They told me That another minute or 2 and he would not of, He kept both legs but will never walk normal again, needs 2 funky canes or a walker but he buy's me drinks every time I see him and thanks me for saving his life so I guess all is cool, But to answer your question, No, we did not feel or hear "The Hit".

If going forward on calm water yeah you would hear/feel the Hit, Real choppy water, bouncing, loud engine and radio noise, coolers and gear bounce noise, I could see not knowing a hit..    Roy

I have a chair, plate and glass waiting for you, This is the view this past w/e. PM sent.. Roy.

Does it have a vacuum gauge?   One other thing a friend told me to try...  have your wife
or girl friend hold a plug wire while you crank it over.

If she screams and chases you two blocks spark is good
If she curses and walks away check for weak spark

 

Did that way of spark testing with my little sister and a mini-bike 35 years ago, She still remembers and is still mad about it. ...RR

I start the w/e with a big dinner and my first drink of the week every Friday, Last Friday was steak, Cod, Zucchini and a Baked Potato, The Drink, Pink Lemonade with fresh cut pineapple, a cherry licorice strip to stir and eat, There is 5 shots of Potato vodka per mug with the crushed ice so it's not so pink but they work well. Looked so good I took a pic.       .. Roy

There is a small very old cemetery at the end of my driveway that has civil war people buried in. Every Memorial day at 9.20 a.m a school bus loaded with the oldest area veterans and the local legions firing squad line comes bouncing down the back river dead end road to this old cemetery to file out, line up with one empty chair for the MIA soldier, empty except for the MIA flag draped over it, They say some words for the MIA soldier and the soldiers that are buried there and all others all over the world, Nothing Political Just words of thanks, not many either, they start at exactly 9:30 and there pulling out by 9:45 and that includes the Bag pipes solo with a 21 gun salute and the playing of Taps, Makes me proud to be a United States Citizen and that feeling is seldom felt these day's so I video'd  some of it to share with my neighbors and thought that maybe some of you would enjoy, I hope so. http://www.youtube.com/user/TheRiverRoy#p/a/u/0/s2jKZ7IfgzA    Roy

Anyone use this stuff or have any info on it?? http://www.bottompaintstore.com/Silver-Bullet-Friction-Reducing-Coating-QT-400-Series.htm  Thanks..   RR

Tom from JBP is instructing me in rebuilding the pump, looks like where going with a SS AA Impeller (Maybe cut smaller later) Bronze wear ring with a A.T bowl and a new Race Shaft with inducer cut but no inducer at first, Want to see the #'s before inducer, loader, and with larger impeller. Pics of the build will be posted in a couple weeks, working on making/saving cash for parts atm.

Tom also told me to fix the bottom with Seagoing Epoxy, So it will be done. But I now need to know what's the best paint to spray the bottom with over the epoxy, I want something strong for the beach landings but I don't want anything that will restrict speed #'s, Black/Silver or grey. What's most the people using these day's??? I hate calling/disturbing Tom for every step I take even tho he's great and A HUGE help I don't want to become a PITA so your help is appreciated.   RR