Wharram Builders and Friends

A Photo & Discussion Forum for Wharram Design Enthusiasts

Help finding assembly/Launch site on the Arkansas river in OK or close by?

Took my T38 to the Three Forks Harbor Marina in Muskogee, Oklahoma three years ago for final assembly in their workyard and then to launch with their huge Travellift. Back then the facilities manager was welcoming, flexible and very helpful. Unfortunately an urgent health issue ended that attempt and I had to reload the boat and haul everything back home.

After waiting out the worst (?) of the pandemic, I'm now trying to get my Tiki in the water again. When I contacted Three Forks Marina this time, the new manager didn't even know they had a work yard let alone that a non-commercial boat could use the Travellift. He was not at all hopeful that they would or could allow me to assemble and launch the boat at their facility. While I'm now talking to the overall manager of the Port of Muskogee, it looks very unlikely that it's going to work out.

The Arkansas river at Muskogee is the closest ocean access for me in NM. (down the Arkansas into the Mississippi and then into the Gulf of Mexico) and it's a fairly easy towing trip with 600 of the 650 miles straight down Interstate 40 in some of the flattest country in the US. I'm hauling the hulls myself one at a time on trailers and with an additional trip for the beams, pod etc, that means three trips total.  So I want to keep the distance from NM to a minimum if possible. 

I'm looking for a space to unload the hulls and then to piece it all back together again. I will either rent a crane or big forklift to move the hulls off the trailers if there's nothing to hand. If that's not possible, I'll figure out some other way to do it. I would appreciate power and water but it's not essential. From there, some way to get a 38x20 foot boat into the water.... A wide boat ramp could work if there is no easy way to lift it into the water. Though I'd prefer the Gulf,  I was planning to get to the Pacific eventually, so a place in southern or central California might be workable.

At this point I'm loath to have to take the time to do another reconnaissance trip to find a new spot. If anyone has a suggestion for a suitable marina or boatyard I can contact, even if it's further away from NM, please do so. 

Thanks.

Views: 75

Attachments:

Reply to This

© 2024   Created by Budget Boater.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service