handfulz28

Actually, the ramp itself wasn't all bad. I have no idea how they came up with that lumpy surface, but launching wasn't a problem. But at $10 a boat, you'd think someone would dredge AND mark a decent channel from the ramp to the ICW. The green painted PVC pole and 20ft wide "ditch" are a joke. By the time we got back to the ramp it was dark, and low tide. There's just not enough water to get through even if you find those PVC poles.

Ended up leaving the boat at a friends slip nearby and pulling it out at Lantana the next day. The ramp at Lantana isn't anything to brag about, but it's free, and easy to get to by water.

rchevelle71

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, that channel sucks, but we have run a few different 41 Apache's thru there with no problem, but yes, you DO need to find the center. I usually run the center on the way out, and mark it on the GPS, so I can find it on the way back in the dark. I dont like to pay the $10 either, but there is plenty of parking, if you go to the delray, or Lantana ramps, and there is no parking, your screwed, and HAVE to go to Boynton.

TeamTaboo

We always launch on Fri. and pull it on Mon. No fee's during the week, only the weekends and holidays. The $10 is not all the bad it is the parking.

DrFeelgood

As a boynton resident, I bought the $50 year pass, so it's essentially free for me now. I usually launch and recover alone, or with a useless drunk passenger, so the nice ramp is worth it... but on many occasions, I've gotten the skeg of the drive hung up on the bottom in that excuse for a channel from the ICW. It seems no matter where I go -- north, south, or right in the middle, the channel is just too shallow for easy passage.

Those of you (RICK )that feel that there is a "center" that is marginally deeper -- how far north of that PVC pipe and green can is that "center"?

Also, I know that dredging of the inlet is planned, but is the channel to the ramp planned to be dredged as well?

-Andrew

Baja_Bigdog

Hey Mike....I take it that's your 311 in the avatar...did you buy that new from Hi-Lift by chance?? It looks like the Laser colors from what I can tell, if so, I have pics of me looking at one at Hi-Lift back then.

Matt

rchevelle71

iTrader: (1)

[QUOTE=DrFeelgood;2406307]with a useless drunk passenger, so the nice ramp is worth it...

I resemble that remark


Those of you (RICK )that feel that there is a "center" that is marginally deeper -- how far north of that PVC pipe and green can is that "center"?

Trial and error, actually it has more to do with the tides, dont be afraid to trim the drive up, and there is more than sand there, be careful, there is a few rocks buried, ask me how I know.

I dont really like the channel either, but AMF uses the ramp, and my buddy from boynton also has the pass, so we launch the Apache there.

DrFeelgood

Haha :-)

I do have the drive trimmed all the way up when I go through there (not trailer-high, but trimmed all the way to the upper trim limit position). And I still drag along the bottom. <shrug>

[QUOTE=rchevelle71;2406410]

handfulz28

Hey Matt, I just bought it a little over a year ago from the original owner. HE bought it new at Hi-Lift I think in '92. But feel free to share pics. The previous owner was meticulous, plus I got all the original manuals and paperwork.

Andrew, I "think" the deepest water is if you run right next to the PVC pipe(s)...keeping them to your right as you exit the ramp...probably why they're painted green. I was seeing 6ft on the depth finder once I ran there. I might have been able to get through...if I had a good spotlight

DrFeelgood

Michael: yeah, that was the impression I got, that the southern side of the channel was deeper -- but I do know that it immediately gets super shallow just south of that, so there's not much margin of error there.

Baja_Bigdog

Michael, that is very interesting....it was a new leftover when I looked at it, I was down from Orlando for the Miami show and stopped by Hi-Lift to check it out. I always loved the 311 and came close to buying that one....I will try to dig out those pics.

Thanks,
Matt