I made a maiden run out to Amber today to give it a try. It works quite well and sure saves on the back.:thumright
New Pontoon Loading System
- Marc Martyn
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New Pontoon Loading System
With the long weekend and a couple of my fishing cronies involved with family functions, I decided to tackle an issue that I have been dealing with for the last couple of years.
You see, since I am not getting any younger each year and my pontoon boat seems to get heavier each year, I thought that I would take the time to deal with the problem.
I made a maiden run out to Amber today to give it a try. It works quite well and sure saves on the back.:thumright
I made a maiden run out to Amber today to give it a try. It works quite well and sure saves on the back.:thumright
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- 2000subaru
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RE:New Pontoon Loading System
Darn smart Sir! What a great way to tackle the problem, and take the pain out of a long path to some lakes. Bravo!

RE:New Pontoon Loading System
Nice! Watch out for those copper thieves though. May want to switch to galv pipe for the production model.

Last edited by Anonymous on Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
"I got my swim trunks, And my flippie-floppies
I'm flipping Jigs, you at Kinko's straight flipping copies"
I'm flipping Jigs, you at Kinko's straight flipping copies"
- Gringo Pescador
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RE:New Pontoon Loading System
Nice job Marc! One question tho.. what is the different between your Right and Left ramp?:-k
I have a suggestion for your next upgrade, figure out a way to replace the wheels with some that have some type of electric gear system (like the ones on those little electric scooters), put the controls on the handle of your you cart, hook your trolling battery up to it and WhaLa! No more need to push/pull!:cheers:
I have a suggestion for your next upgrade, figure out a way to replace the wheels with some that have some type of electric gear system (like the ones on those little electric scooters), put the controls on the handle of your you cart, hook your trolling battery up to it and WhaLa! No more need to push/pull!:cheers:
I fish not because I regard fishing as being terribly important, but because I suspect that so many of the other concerns of men are equally unimportant, and not nearly so much fun. ~ John Volker
- Gisteppo
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RE:New Pontoon Loading System
You crack me up Marc.
Looks like you are up near 5 mile? Kinda where the city has been trying to annex for a while now?
E
Looks like you are up near 5 mile? Kinda where the city has been trying to annex for a while now?
E
- Marc Martyn
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RE:New Pontoon Loading System
I took the two ramp kits and cut them in half, making four ramp transitions. Each had two hole drilled in it for pins. Cut in half, the holes are off centered. So the ramps are lined up with the bed grooves, I marked them for quick reference.Gringo Pescador wrote:Nice job Marc! One question tho.. what is the different between your Right and Left ramp?:-k
I have a suggestion for your next upgrade, figure out a way to replace the wheels with some that have some type of electric gear system (like the ones on those little electric scooters), put the controls on the handle of your you cart, hook your trolling battery up to it and WhaLa! No more need to push/pull!:cheers:
I thought about electrifying, but that gets into a whole lot more money. On most ramps, parking facing the lake reduces the ramp angle greatly, making it rather easy to push the boat up into the truck. I may in the future make up a double pulley system to reduce the force needed by 1/2.
I may change the wheels to pneumatic tires which would roll over rough ground easier.
Still refining the idea. So far the principal works great.
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RE:New Pontoon Loading System
I was thinking about that (I love this kind of stuff, and it is a slow day at work).Marc Martyn wrote:I may change the wheels to pneumatic tires which would roll over rough ground easier.
What about this...
Take the bottom out of your cart, put an axel from one side to the other and mount a couple small bicycle tires INSIDE the box. That way they wouldn't stick out and rub the toon when rolling, and you can mount them to the height needed to still fit under your canopy.
Then remove off all 4 casters and take two of em (the ones that turn, not the fixed ones) and mount one front/center and one rear/center. But mount them a little higher up than the bicycle wheels so when level the bicycle tires are holding the whole works up, but the casters are dangling. But when tilted or left alone one caster or another are keeping the works from tilting too far.
(Kind of like those metal plywood carts you see at Home Depot or Lowes).
That way you have the benifit of bigger diameter tires over the gravel and rough stuff, but still maintain your low clearance. You only have two wheels on the ground in rough stuff and use balance as your friend. Because you can spin the whole thing 360 in one spot, you increase your maneuverability, and the casters enable you to roll it as is when you are in your garage or driveway!:cheers:
I fish not because I regard fishing as being terribly important, but because I suspect that so many of the other concerns of men are equally unimportant, and not nearly so much fun. ~ John Volker
RE:New Pontoon Loading System
Copper handle?? Must be rich, lol. Copper is pretty spendy now a days. Just asking, why not pvc?
Somebody just back of you while you are fishing is as bad as someone looking over your shoulder while you write a letter to your girl. ~Ernest Hemingway
Calling fishing a hobby is like calling brain surgery a job. ~Paul Schullery
Calling fishing a hobby is like calling brain surgery a job. ~Paul Schullery
- Marc Martyn
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RE:New Pontoon Loading System
Materials on hand from years past.delyakguy wrote:Copper handle?? Must be rich, lol. Copper is pretty spendy now a days. Just asking, why not pvc?
Last edited by Anonymous on Tue Sep 02, 2008 2:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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RE:New Pontoon Loading System
Is this clever or what? Stuff like this makes the task parts of fishing easier so you want to go more often - cool! 
RE:New Pontoon Loading System
nice job marc. this is what happens when General conrtactors have to much time on there hands. this is what happened to me the last time i had "extra" time on my hands. i made a toon toter.
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Last edited by Anonymous on Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Stan.
Enjoy Your Days & Love Your Life' Because Life is a journey to be savored !!!! GO FISHING
As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.
Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health.
Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of poop
There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service.
Enjoy Your Days & Love Your Life' Because Life is a journey to be savored !!!! GO FISHING
As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.
Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health.
Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of poop
There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service.
- Marc Martyn
- Rear Admiral Two Stars
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- Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2007 1:01 am
RE:New Pontoon Loading System
I saw that in one of your earlier posts. Very cool! I was wondering how that handles on the road at 60 mph.
- racfish
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RE:New Pontoon Loading System
My toon has a wheel that came with it.But I like your to help get it down from my PU.I dont have a canopy on my bed so I dont like carrying much that tweekers can walk away with.I agree Marc the pontoons get heavy with age.(my age not the toons)I like your idea cept I think I'll need wider ramps to unloadit.Very cool Idea.
When youre up to your rear end in alligators,its hard to remember that the initial plan was to drain the swamp.
RE:New Pontoon Loading System
60 mph? thats the speed limitMarc Martyn wrote:I saw that in one of your earlier posts. Very cool! I was wondering how that handles on the road at 60 mph.
:viking:
Stan.
Enjoy Your Days & Love Your Life' Because Life is a journey to be savored !!!! GO FISHING
As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.
Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health.
Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of poop
There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service.
Enjoy Your Days & Love Your Life' Because Life is a journey to be savored !!!! GO FISHING
As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.
Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health.
Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of poop
There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service.
- Marc Martyn
- Rear Admiral Two Stars
- Posts: 4100
- Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2007 1:01 am
RE:New Pontoon Loading System
What are the dimensions of the trailer deck. Where did you get the trailer and how much?
RE:New Pontoon Loading System
the deck is at the outside width of the toons.harbor frieght for 189.00 and about 100.00 in steel pltwood and carpet and paint.
there is a box down the middle for battery,,trolling motor, tackle box, fishin buddy, waders and boots. there are some refinements that i want to make, but the one thing i did thats cool is the retractable hitch. its a 9' peice of 2" light weight tube that sticks out 8' when deployed and when retracted is no longer than the boats them self. no triping on a tongue. the whole package is no bigger the the toons them self.
p.s. harbor freight has a big sale going this weekend. :thumright
:viking:
there is a box down the middle for battery,,trolling motor, tackle box, fishin buddy, waders and boots. there are some refinements that i want to make, but the one thing i did thats cool is the retractable hitch. its a 9' peice of 2" light weight tube that sticks out 8' when deployed and when retracted is no longer than the boats them self. no triping on a tongue. the whole package is no bigger the the toons them self.
p.s. harbor freight has a big sale going this weekend. :thumright
:viking:
Stan.
Enjoy Your Days & Love Your Life' Because Life is a journey to be savored !!!! GO FISHING
As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.
Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health.
Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of poop
There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service.
Enjoy Your Days & Love Your Life' Because Life is a journey to be savored !!!! GO FISHING
As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.
Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health.
Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of poop
There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service.
- TroutCowboy
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RE:New Pontoon Loading System
i do have to say "prop's" (check with your kids) marc if i had a closed bed truck i would like something like that.TroutCowboy wrote:VERY clever, Mark! nice job.
:viking:
Stan.
Enjoy Your Days & Love Your Life' Because Life is a journey to be savored !!!! GO FISHING
As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.
Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health.
Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of poop
There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service.
Enjoy Your Days & Love Your Life' Because Life is a journey to be savored !!!! GO FISHING
As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.
Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health.
Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of poop
There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service.
- Marc Martyn
- Rear Admiral Two Stars
- Posts: 4100
- Joined: Sun Apr 08, 2007 1:01 am
RE:New Pontoon Loading System
I have discovered that there will be a lot less wear on the pontoon skins also. The bed liner is rather rough and has been scuffing up the material. So far after several trips, I am pleased with the system.

