Any advice for cleaning leaves from shallow waterfront?

Brookfieldkingswood · 06-03-2014, 09:12 AM

Our waterfront was neglected for many years and there are loads of leaves and sticks built up. It's a beautiful sandy bottom under there, and I'd like to clean it up for swimming. I have a landscape rake and that works OK for making piles, but getting the leaves out of the water is a challenge.

Anyone have a better suggestion? Thanks!

jmen24 · 06-03-2014, 09:47 AM

A potato rake and some discretion. Someone is bound to take your picture removing debris from the lake bed.

surfnsnow · 06-03-2014, 10:00 AM

we rake them into piles then lift them onto an old inflatable raft

LIforrelaxin · 06-03-2014, 10:35 AM

My solution is much easier... let the kids play in the water... If you don't have any, borrow some from the neighbors.... they stir everything, up and eventually the currents take it away.....

I also use the jet ski and mill around in the swimming area to stir things up....

Phantom · 06-03-2014, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

I also use the jet ski and mill around in the swimming area to stir things up....

LMAO -

I was gonna say ... the neighbors probably won't appreciate it, but nothing beats running the boat to stir it up !

.

Actually LIforrealxin, be careful of that as the debris gets sucked into the impellar

tis · 06-03-2014, 11:59 AM

I agree-boats and people works. Ours doesn't get used a lot and we have a lot of leaves every spring. One year I hit a small rock with my prop (the two people that were supposed to be watching for that, didn't watch

. After that I stopped using the boat.

I thought the rule was you could remove leaves with a hand rake. You just can't use machinery. Is that wrong?

ishoot308 · 06-03-2014, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tis

I thought the rule was you could remove leaves with a hand rake. You just can't use machinery. Is that wrong?

The rule is you can do it with a rake as long as no one complains!

Coolbreeze · 06-03-2014, 01:01 PM

Do a little each time you are there. If you make a huge change at once in the appearance you may get unwanted attention.
Potato rake and a trash can with holes in the bottom to let out water and sand work best. Be discreet.

Steveo · 06-03-2014, 02:06 PM

I use a 2 ft wide heavy duty landscaping rake and attach chicken wire mesh to the back. I cut a 2 ft X 1ft rectangle out of the mesh. The mesh runs along the base of the tines of the rake and 12 inches up the pole of the rake. I drag the rake until I have enough leaves and then I follow through with the rake until the tines are pointing up thus catching the leaves in the mesh. I flip the rake over onto the dock and knock the leaves out.

RLW · 06-03-2014, 02:56 PM

Brookfieldkingswood, I just noticed that you have belonged to the forum for some time, but you are fairly new to posting. It's great and we're glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.

Not to Worry · 06-03-2014, 03:50 PM

There is no rule that I am aware of that prohibits the removal of leaves from the lake. I use to do it but finally the leaves won.

06-03-2014, 09:12 AM	#1
Brookfieldkingswood Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 3 Thanks: 8 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Any advice for cleaning leaves from shallow waterfront? Our waterfront was neglected for many years and there are loads of leaves and sticks built up. It's a beautiful sandy bottom under there, and I'd like to clean it up for swimming. I have a landscape rake and that works OK for making piles, but getting the leaves out of the water is a challenge. Anyone have a better suggestion? Thanks!

06-03-2014, 10:35 AM	#4
LIforrelaxin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Long Island, not that one, the one on Winnipesaukee Posts: 2,824 Thanks: 1,015 Thanked 880 Times in 514 Posts	My solution is much easier... let the kids play in the water... If you don't have any, borrow some from the neighbors.... they stir everything, up and eventually the currents take it away..... I also use the jet ski and mill around in the swimming area to stir things up.... __________________ Life is about how much time you can spend relaxing... I do it on an island that isn't really an island.....

06-03-2014, 02:06 PM	#9
Steveo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 523 Thanks: 47 Thanked 123 Times in 63 Posts	Home made water rake I use a 2 ft wide heavy duty landscaping rake and attach chicken wire mesh to the back. I cut a 2 ft X 1ft rectangle out of the mesh. The mesh runs along the base of the tines of the rake and 12 inches up the pole of the rake. I drag the rake until I have enough leaves and then I follow through with the rake until the tines are pointing up thus catching the leaves in the mesh. I flip the rake over onto the dock and knock the leaves out.

06-03-2014, 02:56 PM	#10
RLW Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Alton Bay on the mountain by a lake Posts: 2,023 Thanks: 563 Thanked 444 Times in 311 Posts	*Brookfieldkingswood,* I just noticed that you have belonged to the forum for some time, but you are fairly new to posting. It's great and we're glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends. __________________ There is nothing better than living on Alton Mountain & our grand kids visits.

06-03-2014, 03:50 PM	#11
Not to Worry Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 191 Thanks: 93 Thanked 84 Times in 55 Posts	Rule There is no rule that I am aware of that prohibits the removal of leaves from the lake. I use to do it but finally the leaves won.

06-03-2014, 09:47 AM	#2
jmen24 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,139 Thanks: 223 Thanked 319 Times in 181 Posts	A potato rake and some discretion. Someone is bound to take your picture removing debris from the lake bed.

The Following User Says Thank You to jmen24 For This Useful Post:
Brookfieldkingswood (06-03-2014)

06-03-2014, 10:00 AM	#3
surfnsnow Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 173 Thanks: 133 Thanked 52 Times in 29 Posts	we rake them into piles then lift them onto an old inflatable raft

The Following User Says Thank You to surfnsnow For This Useful Post:
Brookfieldkingswood (06-03-2014)

06-03-2014, 11:59 AM	#6
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,410 Thanks: 719 Thanked 1,381 Times in 957 Posts	I agree-boats and people works. Ours doesn't get used a lot and we have a lot of leaves every spring. One year I hit a small rock with my prop (the two people that were supposed to be watching for that, didn't watch . After that I stopped using the boat. I thought the rule was you could remove leaves with a hand rake. You just can't use machinery. Is that wrong?

The Following User Says Thank You to ishoot308 For This Useful Post:
jmen24 (06-03-2014)

06-03-2014, 01:01 PM	#8
Coolbreeze Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 332 Thanks: 0 Thanked 51 Times in 26 Posts	Do a little each time you are there. If you make a huge change at once in the appearance you may get unwanted attention. Potato rake and a trash can with holes in the bottom to let out water and sand work best. Be discreet.

The Following User Says Thank You to Coolbreeze For This Useful Post:
Brookfieldkingswood (06-03-2014)

The Following User Says Thank You to Not to Worry For This Useful Post:
Misha888 (06-04-2014)