Dock Cradle

G

GregP

New Member
We just got a Laser for my daughter. We live on the water, and I am planning to build a new ramp dock section (one end floating, the other hinged to the fixed dock) to launch/retrieve/store the laser on. Our shoreline is steep (30-45 degree angle) and all rip-rapped (rock), has a 1 to 2 ft tide range and the bottom is much to soft to allow for any type of launch dolley, so it will have to be launched and retrieved from a floating dock segment.

I've read most of the old threads on cradles for trailer/transport. Does anyone have a cradle design to just store the Laser in, preferably one that will be easy for a single person to slide the boat in/out of to put it into the water with a single person.

Thanks - Greg
 
GregP said:
I've read most of the old threads on cradles for trailer/transport. Does anyone have a cradle design to just store the Laser in, preferably one that will be easy for a single person to slide the boat in/out of to put it into the water with a single person.

Thanks - Greg
Click to expand...

I use my Seitech dolly to launch and retrieve from a floating dock. I do this alone all the time I also store the boat on the dolly, which has flip up thingies that support the boat under the gunwales, as it should be.
 
I'd be curious how you do that. Once the wheels drop off into the water does the cradle float? The new dock will be 6 ft wide (any wider and it will get in the way of the other slip), what is the wheel width of the cradle?

-Greg
 
GregP said:
I'd be curious how you do that. Once the wheels drop off into the water does the cradle float? The new dock will be 6 ft wide (any wider and it will get in the way of the other slip), what is the wheel width of the cradle?

-Greg
Click to expand...

The wheels add about a foot to the width of the boat, and the boat is suspended on a sling of webbing after you flip up the gunwale supports. I don't drop the dolly into the water. The end of our floating dock has a nice layer of carpet on it. Also, the dock is only a few inches off the water. It's a special Laser dock. :D I back the wheels to the end of the dock and tip the boat up and push it off the dolly, sliding it over the carpet. To get the boat out of the water I pull it up over the carpet and mostly onto the dock, then lift the bow of the boat and scoot the dolly back under it. You do have to be strong enough to lift the bow of the boat 3 or even 4 feet to do this the way that I do.

Here's the dolly:
http://www.seitech.com/product_deta...DDiv=1&riIDDept=1&riIDItem=1377&riIDClass=109

And here's a link to our Laser dock. Scroll to the bottom of the page. That's a homemade dolly on the dock, not the lightweight Seitech.

http://d18.laserforum.org/?District_Fleets:Leatherlips_Yacht_Club
 
i'm not sure on exactly what you're building but i do know that the best way to support a laser is by its gunwales (probably didn't spell that right) i heard that from a very reliable source and it makes sense to me. Good luck and perhaps my advice might help
 
GregP said:
I'd be curious how you do that. Once the wheels drop off into the water does the cradle float? The new dock will be 6 ft wide (any wider and it will get in the way of the other slip), what is the wheel width of the cradle?

-Greg
Click to expand...

The back end of the Seitech dolly floats when there is no boat on it. You can add flotation or weight to the rear beam to make it support more weight or sink depending on what you need.

Wheel width is about 66"

You can make cradles to store in - the front one should be under the mast step, the rear one under either the back end the cockpit or the transom. Bunks on the cradles should be 9" to 12" wide for enough support on the hull.
 
Thanks. I'm going to take a look at what they use at the sailing school when I go by tonight. I'm thinking I might install a set of permenant gunnel lifts on the dock, and then just slide the boat up the carpet and lift it onto them.

-Greg
 
GregP said:
Thanks. I'm going to take a look at what they use at the sailing school when I go by tonight. I'm thinking I might install a set of permenant gunnel lifts on the dock, and then just slide the boat up the carpet and lift it onto them.

-Greg
Click to expand...

That sounds like it would work just fine.
 
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