Assuming the platform is a floating platform, the height of the
platform above the water level should be somewhat constant. What if on
one side of the platform you drop two or three "L" shaped boards,
tubing, etc., padded, with the lower leg of the L about 3-4 inches
submerged, sticking out about 18-24", parrallel to the water surface.
Then you paddle broadside to the dock, pull your boat up on the legs
and slide yourself sideways up to the chickee, tie off, and unload.
You could shape the L's with a little dip in the middle so the boat
would "cradle" in it a little for stability.
Scotty, from SmallBoats.com

Hi Scotty!

Thanks for you suggestion! But these Chickee's are located in
The Everglades National Park. They are a fixed platform like a
dock, not floating. And tidel change can be as much as + or - 4 ft.
Here is what they look like, you can view them on this page.
Just check out the different campsites to view the chickee's:
http://www.evergladesdiary.com/index.html

I will figure out something, Others have camped on them out
of kayaks. I just haven't meet anyone who has that I could talk to!

Carl
Clearwater, FL


(Backyard Renegade) wrote in message . com...
Assuming the platform is a floating platform, the height of the
platform above the water level should be somewhat constant. What if on
one side of the platform you drop two or three "L" shaped boards,
tubing, etc., padded, with the lower leg of the L about 3-4 inches
submerged, sticking out about 18-24", parrallel to the water surface.
Then you paddle broadside to the dock, pull your boat up on the legs
and slide yourself sideways up to the chickee, tie off, and unload.
You could shape the L's with a little dip in the middle so the boat
would "cradle" in it a little for stability.
Scotty, from SmallBoats.com

Try to arrive at high tide ?
Avoid leaving the boat under the chickee if tide is rising?

Carl Buehler wrote in message
om...
Hi Scotty!

Thanks for you suggestion! But these Chickee's are located in
The Everglades National Park. They are a fixed platform like a
dock, not floating. And tidel change can be as much as + or - 4 ft.
Here is what they look like, you can view them on this page.
Just check out the different campsites to view the chickee's:
http://www.evergladesdiary.com/index.html

I will figure out something, Others have camped on them out
of kayaks. I just haven't meet anyone who has that I could talk to!

Carl
Clearwater, FL


(Backyard Renegade) wrote in message
. com...
Assuming the platform is a floating platform, the height of the
platform above the water level should be somewhat constant. What if on
one side of the platform you drop two or three "L" shaped boards,
tubing, etc., padded, with the lower leg of the L about 3-4 inches
submerged, sticking out about 18-24", parrallel to the water surface.
Then you paddle broadside to the dock, pull your boat up on the legs
and slide yourself sideways up to the chickee, tie off, and unload.
You could shape the L's with a little dip in the middle so the boat
would "cradle" in it a little for stability.
Scotty, from SmallBoats.com

(Carl Buehler) wrote in message . com...
Hi Scotty!

Thanks for you suggestion! But these Chickee's are located in
The Everglades National Park. They are a fixed platform like a
dock, not floating. And tidel change can be as much as + or - 4 ft.
Here is what they look like, you can view them on this page.
Just check out the different campsites to view the chickee's:
http://www.evergladesdiary.com/index.html

OOOPs... Sorry. How about some kind of sling? It looks like most
kayaks would span at least two posts and with the sling just hooked
over the edge of the dock you would have a "little" more stability, or
at least leverage points. Have you ever crossed a log, just by holding
a tiny branch knowing that the branch would not support your weight,
but just give you a little extra balance, one more point to spread the
load?
How about a short rope with a light hook, or the type of fixture a
mountain climber would use to hold a crack, the boards on these
chickees do they have small spaces in between them? A short knotted
rope, (maybe two feet, two to three knots) hooked on the chickee floor
and hung over the side would give a quick handle that again would give
you one more good place where you could contact(hold on to) something
for balance and recovery in case you start to flip?
Anyway, I will keep working on it, Scotty

I will figure out something, Others have camped on them out
of kayaks. I just haven't meet anyone who has that I could talk to!

Carl
Clearwater, FL


(Backyard Renegade) wrote in message . com...
Assuming the platform is a floating platform, the height of the
platform above the water level should be somewhat constant. What if on
one side of the platform you drop two or three "L" shaped boards,
tubing, etc., padded, with the lower leg of the L about 3-4 inches
submerged, sticking out about 18-24", parrallel to the water surface.
Then you paddle broadside to the dock, pull your boat up on the legs
and slide yourself sideways up to the chickee, tie off, and unload.
You could shape the L's with a little dip in the middle so the boat
would "cradle" in it a little for stability.
Scotty, from SmallBoats.com

Carl Buehler wrote:

Hi Scotty!

Thanks for you suggestion! But these Chickee's are located in
The Everglades National Park. They are a fixed platform like a
dock, not floating. And tidel change can be as much as + or - 4 ft.
Here is what they look like, you can view them on this page.
Just check out the different campsites to view the chickee's:
http://www.evergladesdiary.com/index.html

I will figure out something, Others have camped on them out
of kayaks. I just haven't meet anyone who has that I could talk to!

There was a group of Folbot kayakers that went on a kayak-camping tour of
the Everglades early this year and is planning to return in January. They
stayed on some of the Chickees. You can read the trip descriptions at the
'Folbot User's Forum' at www.folbot.com. Check in the sections on the 2003
and 2004 'Flamingo Flotilla.' Posting questions requires that you sign up
and login, but I've never gotten any unwanted email from that site.

(Backyard Renegade) wrote in
om:

(Carl Buehler) wrote in message
. com...
Hi Scotty!

Thanks for you suggestion! But these Chickee's are located in
The Everglades National Park. They are a fixed platform like a
dock, not floating. And tidel change can be as much as + or - 4 ft.
Here is what they look like, you can view them on this page.
Just check out the different campsites to view the chickee's:
http://www.evergladesdiary.com/index.html

OOOPs... Sorry. How about some kind of sling? It looks like most
kayaks would span at least two posts and with the sling just hooked
over the edge of the dock you would have a "little" more stability, or
at least leverage points. Have you ever crossed a log, just by holding
a tiny branch knowing that the branch would not support your weight,
but just give you a little extra balance, one more point to spread the
load?
How about a short rope with a light hook, or the type of fixture a
mountain climber would use to hold a crack, the boards on these
chickees do they have small spaces in between them? A short knotted
rope, (maybe two feet, two to three knots) hooked on the chickee floor
and hung over the side would give a quick handle that again would give
you one more good place where you could contact(hold on to) something
for balance and recovery in case you start to flip?
Anyway, I will keep working on it, Scotty

I was also thinking of something along those lines. Some sort of rope
ladder that could be attached to the end posts would allow you to pull
yourself out of the cockpit so that you could swing your legs to the bottom
"rung" of the rope ladder.

That water can't be *that* cold in the everglades so even if you did capsize
climbing up the ladder from the water shouldn't be a big deal.

John Fereira wrote in message ...
(Backyard Renegade) wrote in
om:

(Carl Buehler) wrote in message
. com...
Hi Scotty!

Thanks for you suggestion! But these Chickee's are located in
The Everglades National Park. They are a fixed platform like a
dock, not floating. And tidel change can be as much as + or - 4 ft.
Here is what they look like, you can view them on this page.
Just check out the different campsites to view the chickee's:
http://www.evergladesdiary.com/index.html

OOOPs... Sorry. How about some kind of sling? It looks like most
kayaks would span at least two posts and with the sling just hooked
over the edge of the dock you would have a "little" more stability, or
at least leverage points. Have you ever crossed a log, just by holding
a tiny branch knowing that the branch would not support your weight,
but just give you a little extra balance, one more point to spread the
load?
How about a short rope with a light hook, or the type of fixture a
mountain climber would use to hold a crack, the boards on these
chickees do they have small spaces in between them? A short knotted
rope, (maybe two feet, two to three knots) hooked on the chickee floor
and hung over the side would give a quick handle that again would give
you one more good place where you could contact(hold on to) something
for balance and recovery in case you start to flip?
Anyway, I will keep working on it, Scotty

I was also thinking of something along those lines. Some sort of rope
ladder that could be attached to the end posts would allow you to pull
yourself out of the cockpit so that you could swing your legs to the bottom
"rung" of the rope ladder.

That water can't be *that* cold in the everglades so even if you did capsize
climbing up the ladder from the water shouldn't be a big deal.


I thought about suggesting a ladder, but then thought about how much
more room it takes than a short piece of rope. I was thinking about
solid rungs. I suppose though if you are going to have to in some
instances go up 3-4 feet, a ladder might be good. even something soft
like a cargo net with a couple of simple hooks that you could place
with a paddle.

On 21 Oct 2003 09:59:24 -0700, (Backyard
Renegade) wrote:



I thought about suggesting a ladder, but then thought about how much
more room it takes than a short piece of rope. I was thinking about
solid rungs. I suppose though if you are going to have to in some
instances go up 3-4 feet, a ladder might be good. even something soft
like a cargo net with a couple of simple hooks that you could place
with a paddle.


Pole with holes. Insert pegs about one human foot wide on each side.
Pole can be used where you don't want to push off with the paddle.
I've seen the pole ladders somewhere, but years ago. Sensible looking
things. Might have been for phone linemen to get up to the permanent
pegs in phone poles? Or farmers to get to the loft. Whatever one I
saw had the pegs fixed permanently, though.
--
rbc: vixen Fairly harmless

Hit reply to email.
Though I'm very slow to respond.
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