PSG-1
Well-known member
A little additional reinforcement around the jet unit, to guard against any rock strikes, should I decide to venture above the fall line:
These are 1/4" aluminum plates, that bolt to the existing box around the pump that is also made of 1/4"....basically extending the unit on the sides (something I should have done to begin with!)
And then there's the ride plate on the bottom, made of 1/4" aluminum. I would have extended it farther, but the clearance to the reverse gate would have been really close, and it might have interfered with thrust power in reverse.
Needless to say, I made it as bulletproof as I could. Turns out that was a good thing. Last week at the ramp, I pulled a good one, the ultimate idiot move, in fact.
Since the bottom of my boat is coated with Line-X, it no longer slides very well on the carpet bunks. So, I went over the top of the bunks with Trex boards, which are very slick.
Normally when I launch at the ramp by myself, I unhook the bow strap and safety chain, then hook my 25 ft rope to the bow eye, and secure it to the winch post of my trailer, and I toss the pile of rope on the bow, so it pays out. When I back down the ramp into the water, the boat will float off, and I pull forward, which pulls the boat up to the ramp, then I unhook the rope, set anchor, and go park the truck.
Even with the TRex boards, I have been doing it like this, without an issue. But for some reason, there was an issue, and I think you can guess what it was. #-o Yes, when I got about halfway down the ramp, the next thing I saw was the bow of my boat straight up in the air, with the a$$ end of my boat firmly planted on the ramp!! :shock: :shock:
I quickly hopped out, and winched the boat onto the trailer enough to lift the transom off the ramp, which, fortunately, is just hard-packed oyster shells, and not concrete. Then I backed it down in the water. Once I got into the boat and cranked up, I fully expected there to be no steering or reverse, but to my surprise, they worked. I ran around for a bit, but I noticed at speeds above 8,000 RPM, it wanted to porpoise.
After hauling out, I did a damage assessment, thinking it was going to be horrible. Once again, to my surprise, the only damage was the ride plate, the back end of it had gotten bent upward from hitting the ramp, but it most definitely served its intended purpose of protecting the steering nozzle. I think the side plates probably helped a little bit, too, being vertical, not horizontal, they were able to hold a lot of pressure.
In any case, I unbolted the bent ride plate, and used my press brake to straighten it out. Then, I decided to weld that piece of 1/4"X1" aluminum flat bar down the center, as a stiffener, in case anything ever hits that plate again. Hopefully it won't, but it's sure nice to know that added protection served its intended purpose! I would say it passed the torture test....with flying colors.
This, in conjunction with the improved stomp grate, as well as the Line-X, makes me feel a little more confident about venturing farther inland.
These are 1/4" aluminum plates, that bolt to the existing box around the pump that is also made of 1/4"....basically extending the unit on the sides (something I should have done to begin with!)
And then there's the ride plate on the bottom, made of 1/4" aluminum. I would have extended it farther, but the clearance to the reverse gate would have been really close, and it might have interfered with thrust power in reverse.
Needless to say, I made it as bulletproof as I could. Turns out that was a good thing. Last week at the ramp, I pulled a good one, the ultimate idiot move, in fact.
Since the bottom of my boat is coated with Line-X, it no longer slides very well on the carpet bunks. So, I went over the top of the bunks with Trex boards, which are very slick.
Normally when I launch at the ramp by myself, I unhook the bow strap and safety chain, then hook my 25 ft rope to the bow eye, and secure it to the winch post of my trailer, and I toss the pile of rope on the bow, so it pays out. When I back down the ramp into the water, the boat will float off, and I pull forward, which pulls the boat up to the ramp, then I unhook the rope, set anchor, and go park the truck.
Even with the TRex boards, I have been doing it like this, without an issue. But for some reason, there was an issue, and I think you can guess what it was. #-o Yes, when I got about halfway down the ramp, the next thing I saw was the bow of my boat straight up in the air, with the a$$ end of my boat firmly planted on the ramp!! :shock: :shock:
I quickly hopped out, and winched the boat onto the trailer enough to lift the transom off the ramp, which, fortunately, is just hard-packed oyster shells, and not concrete. Then I backed it down in the water. Once I got into the boat and cranked up, I fully expected there to be no steering or reverse, but to my surprise, they worked. I ran around for a bit, but I noticed at speeds above 8,000 RPM, it wanted to porpoise.
After hauling out, I did a damage assessment, thinking it was going to be horrible. Once again, to my surprise, the only damage was the ride plate, the back end of it had gotten bent upward from hitting the ramp, but it most definitely served its intended purpose of protecting the steering nozzle. I think the side plates probably helped a little bit, too, being vertical, not horizontal, they were able to hold a lot of pressure.
In any case, I unbolted the bent ride plate, and used my press brake to straighten it out. Then, I decided to weld that piece of 1/4"X1" aluminum flat bar down the center, as a stiffener, in case anything ever hits that plate again. Hopefully it won't, but it's sure nice to know that added protection served its intended purpose! I would say it passed the torture test....with flying colors.
This, in conjunction with the improved stomp grate, as well as the Line-X, makes me feel a little more confident about venturing farther inland.
