HELP me get to the lake

[PJ73]

I have come up with an idea, the landing may be a bit tricky, but from the house she'll land in the water. The issue is landing back up to the house...

 

[Evildwarf]

While I do like PJ73's suggestion it seems a bit extreme...but what husband hasn't wanted at some time in the marriage to launch the wife into the lake with a catapult or trebuchet?

I would suggest a decent used donkey, sure footed and even tempered...

 

[rkluck]

As mentioned it depends on the grade. My lake house had about 100' to the lake with a bit of an incline. My wife didn't like the walk back up the hill and her parents couldn't do it at all. We used the riding lawnmower. It worked great with no extra cost. Even when it got dark there were headlights so all was good with the family.

 

[Jgorm]

Yamaha Viking. 4 low, lockers, seats 6. Mine was about 14k new.

 

[haknslash]

At the steeper lakes near me people have those rail systems. Otherwise it's a TON of wood and miles of stairs crisscrossing down to the water. Nobody likes stairs.

 

[swatski]

Boy, "a bit hairy" doesn't even begin to explain what I would expect gravel at that angle to be

That's the crazy thing about their "Crawl control"!
It is kind of hard to describe, and even harder to get used to - for me anyway. It just blows my mind.
Still harder to get over the noise - when operating it literally sounds like the chassis is coming apart...

The system works something like this, below, albeit this is their older version (but gets the point across)

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/crawl-mode-is-incredible.392358/

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[OrangeTJ]

Golf carts!

Unless it is steeper than 20% or so a golf cart will do!
Here a place we like on Bull Shoals Lake, a long approach and all gravel, gets even longer by another 50' at low water - no issue with golf carts
View attachment 84201

It is a bit hairy for launching, but doable
(a landcrusier is a beast for that)
View attachment 84202

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That launch looks dicey! But I agree - if there is ANY traction to be found at all, a series 200 Land Cruiser will find it! I love ours!

 

[OrangeTJ]

That's the crazy thing about their "Crawl control"!
It is kind of hard to describe, and even harder to get used to - for me anyway. It just blows my mind.
Still harder to get over the noise - when operating it literally sounds like the chassis is coming apart...

The system works something like this, below, albeit this is their older version (but gets the point across)

https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/crawl-mode-is-incredible.392358/

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The noise is crazy, right? First time I engaged it with my wife in the Cruiser, she was sure I had broken something.

 

[2kwik4u]

That Crawl control is pretty cool. It's a great implementation to work both in ascent and descent. How do you like the Land Cruiser as compared to your Q7 in terms of traction? Quattro systems are known for their grip, although typically in an on road setting. Did you ever launch from talhat sketchy ramp with the Audi? Better? Worse?

My Z71 has hill decent control, hill start assist and various traction control systems, but clearly not that advanced. The descent control sounds very similar to that. The ABS pulsing vibrates the whole truck and is a bit unnerving at first. Seems to work pretty well though. It's the first time I've had electronic traction doo-dads at this level. It's interesting to say the least.

I've had a couple "really sure footed" vehicles. The first was a '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Drove it around in 10in of snow with damn near bald tires one year. That thing never slipped regardless of conditions. The fully mechanical nature of the AWD system was cool. No wierd noises just traction for days. The second was my '06 Audio A4. Had Continental DWS tires on it, and it was a beast in foul weather. It was never a ton of fun in the dry, but the worse the weather got the more it handled the same. Super predictable car that I felt I could drive anywhere I had ground clearance to reach.

 

[Frank Marshall]

Has anyone suggested a winch on an atv?

 

[swatski]

That Crawl control is pretty cool. It's a great implementation to work both in ascent and descent. How do you like the Land Cruiser as compared to your Q7 in terms of traction? Quattro systems are known for their grip, although typically in an on road setting. Did you ever launch from talhat sketchy ramp with the Audi? Better? Worse?

My Z71 has hill decent control, hill start assist and various traction control systems, but clearly not that advanced. The descent control sounds very similar to that. The ABS pulsing vibrates the whole truck and is a bit unnerving at first. Seems to work pretty well though. It's the first time I've had electronic traction doo-dads at this level. It's interesting to say the least.

I've had a couple "really sure footed" vehicles. The first was a '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Drove it around in 10in of snow with damn near bald tires one year. That thing never slipped regardless of conditions. The fully mechanical nature of the AWD system was cool. No wierd noises just traction for days. The second was my '06 Audio A4. Had Continental DWS tires on it, and it was a beast in foul weather. It was never a ton of fun in the dry, but the worse the weather got the more it handled the same. Super predictable car that I felt I could drive anywhere I had ground clearance to reach.

The Q7 traction is nothing short of magical... going forward. On a highway it is nothing short of amazing. And pulling on even the most slippery ramps - never an issue, not even any hesitation, no need to switch to low range gear (it does exist) or anything just put it in Drive and go - again - moving forward. Q7 is fantastic for pulling out, but in reverse - in places like that unpaved "ramp" in picture - I would still need to use good old fashioned parking brake technique to minimize the slippage - when descending WITH the boat and trailer in reverse.

I have successfully launched and retrieved with both, and they are very different. The Crawl Control in LC is a completely different beast. Toyota's ATRAC is plenty awesome in all kinds of driving and the wheels are almost impossible to spin on any surface, but what separates those systems is how the Crawl works under extreme conditions (both forward AND reverse). There is really nothing else like it. Here is one discussion of the system. They keep it pretty real.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/faq-discussion-crawl-multi-terrain-optional-lockers-or-atrac-when-best-to-use-each.910184/

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[2kwik4u]

The Q7 traction is nothing short of magical... going forward. On a highway it is nothing short of amazing. And pulling on even the most slippery ramps - never an issue, not even any hesitation, no need to switch to low range gear (it does exist) or anything just put it in Drive and go - again - moving forward. Q7 is fantastic for pulling out, but in reverse - in places like that unpaved "ramp" in picture - I would still need to use good old fashioned parking brake technique to minimize the slippage - when descending WITH the boat and trailer in reverse.

I have successfully launched and retrieved with both, and they are very different. The Crawl Control in LC is a completely different beast. Toyota's ATRAC is plenty awesome in all kinds of driving and the wheels are almost impossible to spin on any surface, but what separates those systems is how the Crawl works under extreme conditions (both forward AND reverse). There is really nothing else like it. Here is one discussion of the system. They keep it pretty real.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/faq-discussion-crawl-multi-terrain-optional-lockers-or-atrac-when-best-to-use-each.910184/

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I won $50 off an uncle a few years back after he stuck his F250 in my grandparents backyard. We had about 20-some-odd inches of snow. I wagered I could drive my A4 around his, he countered with making me stop 1/2 way around, get out and wave, then get back in and continue, as he was convinced momentum was all I had going for me. So I drove around, getting out half way, and pulled right back to the cleaned off area of the driveway no problem. While I was out I checked the front of the car. Snow height (not counting the plow effect) was over the emblem in the grill. That Quattro system was amazing, especially since it had 3 open differentials and was all electronically controlled. I'm unsure if Audi has some sort of analog brake controller setup or what, but you never heard the "pulsing ABS" sound that most traction control systems exhibit. Whatever they did it worked exceptionally well.

I seem to remember reading an article years ago about Jeep abandoning lockers in the front of some of the wrangler packages when them implemented a traction control system. Thier proof to the doubters was to take the non-locker TC equipped Jeeps on the Rubicon Trail with no mods other than larger 33in tires. If I remember right non of them had to get winched, and they all made it home. These electronics packages always amaze me in the amount of traction and control they can give even the most novice driver.......Anotehr interesting annectodatal piece of information. The current crop of MotoGP riders are finding the same thing. The new riders (like Marquez and Lorenzo) are so used to being able to tune the throttle response, wheelie and traction controls from an electronics standpoint, that they simply whack open the throttle on corner exit, and let the electronics hold them "at the edge". It's always been this way for them. This is giving them an edge that is forcing older riders (like Rossi) to adapt heavily to the new packages. It amazing to see what happens in the rain though, the older "smoother" guys suddenly are right back at the front.

Anywho.....enough about traction aids, and back to the OP's thread about what truck to buy

*edit* fun side note.....this is my 1,000th post

 

[swatski]

I won $50 off an uncle a few years back after he stuck his F250 in my grandparents backyard. We had about 20-some-odd inches of snow. I wagered I could drive my A4 around his, he countered with making me stop 1/2 way around, get out and wave, then get back in and continue, as he was convinced momentum was all I had going for me. So I drove around, getting out half way, and pulled right back to the cleaned off area of the driveway no problem. While I was out I checked the front of the car. Snow height (not counting the plow effect) was over the emblem in the grill. That Quattro system was amazing, especially since it had 3 open differentials and was all electronically controlled. I'm unsure if Audi has some sort of analog brake controller setup or what, but you never heard the "pulsing ABS" sound that most traction control systems exhibit. Whatever they did it worked exceptionally well.

I seem to remember reading an article years ago about Jeep abandoning lockers in the front of some of the wrangler packages when them implemented a traction control system. Thier proof to the doubters was to take the non-locker TC equipped Jeeps on the Rubicon Trail with no mods other than larger 33in tires. If I remember right non of them had to get winched, and they all made it home. These electronics packages always amaze me in the amount of traction and control they can give even the most novice driver.......Anotehr interesting annectodatal piece of information. The current crop of MotoGP riders are finding the same thing. The new riders (like Marquez and Lorenzo) are so used to being able to tune the throttle response, wheelie and traction controls from an electronics standpoint, that they simply whack open the throttle on corner exit, and let the electronics hold them "at the edge". It's always been this way for them. This is giving them an edge that is forcing older riders (like Rossi) to adapt heavily to the new packages. It amazing to see what happens in the rain though, the older "smoother" guys suddenly are right back at the front.

Anywho.....enough about traction aids, and back to the OP's thread about what truck to buy

*edit* fun side note.....this is my 1,000th post

Well - congrats on your thousand’s post and many fine contributions to the collective!!!

Shit - that made me look at mine, I kinda wish I could hide it (embarrassing?) - borders on serious addiction!

We are gonna need a new subforum - Jetboaters Anonimous.


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[Julian]

@Keith Gray we seem to have lost you....

Some photos of the back yard would be helpful....seems like a side by side would be the cheapest and easiest (and perhaps the most fun) option.