Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

[ssbgville]

My wife and I are thinking about buying a private island in a community neighborhood. It is .6 acres and ~100 yards from the shore. It is also like 4 feet of water around it. It comes with a strip of land on the shore that has a basic dock and another dock on the island. I am thinking of buying it only if I can figure out a QUICK way of traveling back and forth because we will still be working. There is currently just a floating platform with a 25 hp motor on it, that is nothing fancy. They used it as a vacation house for multiple guests. We are looking at it to raise a family.

Does anybody have any ideas of a quick reliable way of shuttling back and forth 100 yards in the water even if we were dressed for work and didn't want to get wet. The lake is 99% calm all the time unless it is storming.

I envisioned some sort of floating plastic shed that you step on that stays in the water (like for four people max). Hit a release mechanism on shore and troll over to the island. Then you kind of bump it into something that will auto latch it. I am open to ideas, somebody mentioned something about a roller coaster track to me? Also maybe just an electrical motor?

It has to be quick and my wife has to be able to use it.

Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated, as I would love to raise a family there but I want to figure this out first before anything happens.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

OK, Gilligan, build a bridge. if you want to live the island life style, be prepare to get wet. the problem is everyone has to leave at the same time, and return at the same time. or each member gets their own boat. then the kids friends want to come visit, the wife is still in house coat and has to go get the friends. not being negative, but sounds like a vacation home.

 

[ssbgville]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

I can't build a bridge. I am thinking of a pontoon boat or some sort of raft.

I think it can be done, the water doesn't even move 99% of the time.

 

[ssbgville]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

I forgot to say it is only 100 yards away. We would leave for work at the same time. It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes round trip unless I am being unrealistic.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

ugly, days take your work clothes in a water proof bag, and change at work. or build a changing room at the shore dock.

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

I would do it. You dont need to change at work if ya got a pontoon. I dont think you will get wet. Just make sure that you have a reliable motor and that everyone knows how to operate everything. I also like your idea about the shed on toons. You can make it so that it just goes back and forth like a elevator only it goes sideways on the water instead of up and down. That would be so sweet to live on a island!!!!! I would figure some kind of a way if i had money like that. Good deal man and go for it!!!

 

[ssbgville]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

It has a shed on shore (truck side not island side)that we could use for anything really. It is a nice structure that was built for a golf cart garage.

 

[QC]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

What's your budget for this device/thing/deal/stuff/boat thing?

 

[ssbgville]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

budget would be $20,000 or so. Depends on how cool the setup was.

I want to get across the point that this isn't like a mansion. This house has been on the market for two years in a retirement community. It is definitely priced to sell. It is really almost the same price as a lot on the shore side without a house on it.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

What would you do if one person wanted to leave at one time and someone else needed to leave later? You can't leave the island person stranded, and they would always have to drop you off and return to get you unless you had 2 launches.

 

[QC]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

I am thinking a cable guide system with a winch, so it could come across unmanned. Could be very small if you describe it right. A unpowered jon boat with a full enclosure would almost work.

 

[ssbgville]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

I am thinking a cable guide system with a winch, so it could come across unmanned. Could be very small if you describe it right. A unpowered jon boat with a full enclosure would almost work.

I didn't say this but other boats on the lake have to travel in between my two docks (island side/shore side). This would block them right?

On a separate idea, I found this http://www.sea-legs.com

I could get a small pontoon and do this. Only problem is this isn't anywhere near me.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

Do you have power at the island dock? If so, a small pontoon with a fairly large trolling motor would do the trick. It wouldn't be fast, but, as long as the batteries are kept charged, it'll always start.

The problem with the boat being on one side when someone wanted to use it from the other side isn't much of a problem, really, as long as you have cell phones.

Still, it's all going to be inconvenient at times, I'm sure. You'll also want to look at how your utilities are delivered to the island. I'm assuming that it's all going across underground. Very expensive to repair when it goes wrong, I'm sure. Also, do you have sewer lines or a septic system on the island? Septic systems are a problem, and there's no way for a pumping truck to get to the island.

I'm assuming you're in a place where you don't get ice on the water. That'll really slow you down, and snomobiles aren't that much fun when you have to get to work.

Finally, is this an excavated, man-made lake, or is it one made on a waterway with a dam? If the former, those lakes tend to get pretty foul after some time passes. Without the circulation from incoming water from springs or a stream, and outgoing water, they tend to get choked with weeds and silt up amazingly fast. They can be smelly, too, and not much fun. I won't even mention mosquitoes. In California, there have been a lot of these that ended up being drained and filled a couple of decades after being built. So much for lakeshore living, eh?

It all sounds pretty romantic. But, I'm betting that after a year, you'll be wanting off that island.

 

[ssbgville]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

Do you have power at the island dock? If so, a small pontoon with a fairly large trolling motor would do the trick. It wouldn't be fast, but, as long as the batteries are kept charged, it'll always start.

The problem with the boat being on one side when someone wanted to use it from the other side isn't much of a problem, really, as long as you have cell phones.

Still, it's all going to be inconvenient at times, I'm sure. You'll also want to look at how your utilities are delivered to the island. I'm assuming that it's all going across underground. Very expensive to repair when it goes wrong, I'm sure. Also, do you have sewer lines or a septic system on the island? Septic systems are a problem, and there's no way for a pumping truck to get to the island.

I'm assuming you're in a place where you don't get ice on the water. That'll really slow you down, and snomobiles aren't that much fun when you have to get to work.

Finally, is this an excavated, man-made lake, or is it one made on a waterway with a dam? If the former, those lakes tend to get pretty foul after some time passes. Without the circulation from incoming water from springs or a stream, and outgoing water, they tend to get choked with weeds and silt up amazingly fast. They can be smelly, too, and not much fun. I won't even mention mosquitoes. In California, there have been a lot of these that ended up being drained and filled a couple of decades after being built. So much for lakeshore living, eh?

It all sounds pretty romantic. But, I'm betting that after a year, you'll be wanting off that island.

It has water/power. Not sure about phone lines but cell phone signal is great. I haven't even talked to the seller how everything works. If I can't figure out the transport system, then I am not even going to ask about the other stuff.

This lake would never ice over.

this is an established lake and is spring/creek fed. (man-made) Its probably been there for 50+ years.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

the problem with a pontoon is the are hard to maneuver at slow speed. docking is not the easiest. being enclosed, and a windy rainy day, makes it worse. you have so much for the wind to catch.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

Well, then, the lake's likely to stay OK.

100 yards, eh? 300 feet. Not so far. You might look into an underwater cable system, then. Disney and other theme parks use these. A horizontal cable wheel on the bottom on both ends. This can actually be on shore, if you like.

Steel cable runs on these, across the bottom. Your transport is hooked to the cables with a swivel connector. Now, 300 feet would probably require idler wheels at 25-50 foot intervals. It would work great, and could be sent or recalled from either side of the water.

Great idea, but pretty expensive, I bet. I have no idea, really, but I can see how it'd work, and it wouldn't interfere with boat traffic, since the cables would run near the bottom.

 

[ssbgville]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

A simple bridge would be simpler and cheaper in the long term.

I can't build a bridge.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

i would look into any leagal issues, who actually owns the lake, and subsurface. some lakes the surrounding owners actually own to the center of the lake, like a slice of Pie.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_ferry

 

[ssbgville]

Re: Unique Boat Idea (I think) needed

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_ferry

that looks great but I don't know if I could find somebody to build one for me. I also don't know how the Home Owners Association would want cables there, but would be something I would have to check out.

The Sea Legs looked like a good idea for pontoon boats but im not sure.