Thank you Jim:

The 1st time I had a problem I was heavily ladened with pax and water and the engine was soaked. I know what they say about Lucas, but my motor kept going. The distributor and regulator looked like they were in a sauna. Soaked. Pax off and a draining bilge I was able to make it up the extremely steep ramp.

Thenext ramp was at low tide and was poor at best. Maybe that's why I was the only one there. The ramp dropped to maybe 60 degrees the lastcouple of feet as if to say 'there's no more'. It took a sharp 90 degree turn to hit the ramp. Less than 30 ft between the ramp and an apposing dock. Poor arrangement. I was afraid of wiping out the front end and made a cautious 1st approach. Found that the ramp didn't go 90 when it hit the water. I was able to back into an empty slip and get enough speed to get me up the ramp but not over the 'hump'. Interestingly enough, disengaging the props gaveme the umphh to get me over the hump and up the ramp.

I have to admit that the two ramps I had difficulty with were extreme. The 1st one were I unloaded pax and drained the bilge was long and steep with a wet motor that was running poor.One pax is an aero engineer and estimated the ramp at 40 - 50 degrees. I'm going back now in a better configuration and measure it with a laser. 45 is steep. That's half way to vertical. Maybe 40 degrees. I'm just glad we foundthe rampbecause it was uncharted and we were taking on bigwater from heavy swells with a failed bilge pump.

Still going to do a through examine of the motor. Haven't done that yet since I've had the car. It runs great. The vehicle hasn't had any problems on other ramps. Our ramps here are generally steep because the lakes are used for irrigation and ramps aren't usable late in the season like now; and we live on 2 rivers that are heavily reinforced with dikes to prevent flooding which makes boat ramps few, far and steep.

One of my goals this year was to take the Amphi thru the Oregon City locks. A 40' rise on the Willamette. The locks were closed today for the season due to low water and low traffic. Have to wait till next year. Rats.

I have one more leak to seal and we'll be making long trips down the Willamette next spring. There's so many great sites to see here. One ramp is only 2 miles from the Spruce Goose. Great wine country. Wonderful B&B's. It's an Amphi paradise.

Glenn in Oregon.

ps: my wife works with a Bihari. good people.

g

-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Bihari, James"

Speaking of backing up a ramp, I tried it this summer with the wheels and props in reverse. It was a
wide, not very steep concrete ramp and it was very easy. I would just worry about the rear bumpers
hitting if the ramp was steep. The only time I couldn't get out of a ramp was a couple weeks back.
Four of us in the car and did a big splash in down a steep ramp and there was water in the muffler and
water all over the engine and it sounded like it was running on 2 or 3 cylinders. Drove around in the
water for 10 minutes hoping the engine would dry out. Eventually made two attempts at the ramp but it
stalled each time. Let the 3 passengers out on the ramp and was barely able to make it outon a third
attempt. One minute after leaving the water, the distributor/wires had dried out enough that it was running
fine and I gave rides to about 30 other people that day. But I didn't make any more big splashes because
it was too embarrassing to not have enough power to be able to pull out of theramp. Those passengers were looking nervous. I have an 1147 and I often wish I had more power on hills but haven't had anyother problems on ramps as long as the engine wasn't wet.
Jim

        
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
GORDON IMPORTS INC.. The world's largest source of Amphicar parts and accessories. Visit our new website today.