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Newly laid hardwood skid ramp running down over the water beside a sandstone boulder, with a boat shed under construction behind

Skid Ramp Construction in Sydney

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What is a skid ramp?

A skid ramp is a fixed, sloping deck that runs from your land straight down into the water, usually built from timber or FRP mesh. You slide the boat’s hull over the deck. It’s ideal for launching and retrieving a tinnie or kayak, and it’s the easiest way into the water for a swim.

It’s also the most affordable way to get onto the water. A skid ramp costs a fraction of a full jetty, ramp and pontoon, and it’s a good option where the water is too shallow for a pontoon.

Is a skid ramp cheaper than a jetty and pontoon?

Considerably, and that is usually why people choose one. You get practical access to the water without the cost of a full jetty, hinged ramp and floating pontoon. If your frontage cannot support a pontoon anyway, because you do not have 600mm of water at a zero tide, a skid ramp is often the most sensible structure you can put in.

How far the ramp has to reach comes down to your tide. Deep water close in needs a short ramp. A shallow, gently sloping bank needs a much longer one to reach usable water at low tide, and that drives both the design and the cost.

Freshly oiled hardwood skid ramp running down into the water beside a boat shed and sandstone boulders

Why turpentine is the only timber that lasts

This is the one thing to get right. Because the ramp is fixed rather than floating, the bottom of it sits permanently in the water, and there are worms in the rivers and the harbour that eat away at timber. Use the wrong stuff and the ramp will be gone inside twelve months.

We build in the highest grade turpentine we can get, which is the timber that stands up to it. Built properly, expect ten to twenty years out of a skid ramp before it needs serious attention. Cheap timber here is a false economy and you will see it very quickly.

Kingtide Marine crew laying new hardwood boards on a skid ramp from the work punt alongside

Do you need approval for a skid ramp in NSW?

Yes, and it catches people out, because they assume something this simple would not need consent. As soon as you go out over the water you are on Crown land, which is government owned. That means council approval and a lease on the space your structure occupies. It is the same process as any other marine structure, just for a smaller build.

We take care of that side through our planning service, so the approval and the build are handled by the same people. If you want the vessel right out of the water instead, that is a slipway and cradle.

Completed turpentine skid ramp crossing the sand from a seawall gate down towards the water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a skid ramp?

A fixed, angled ramp running from your land down into the water, a bit like a jetty on a slope. There is no cradle and no winch. You slide the hull straight over the deck, which makes it ideal for tinnies, dinghies, kayaks and jet skis, and it doubles as an easy way into the water for swimming.

How long does a skid ramp last?

Ten to twenty years, provided it is built from the right timber. The bottom of the ramp sits in the water permanently and marine borers will go through inferior timber quickly, which is why we use the highest grade turpentine available. Built with the wrong timber, you could be looking at replacing it within twelve months.

Is a skid ramp cheaper than a jetty and pontoon?

Considerably, yes. That is usually the reason people choose one. You get practical access to the water without the cost of a full jetty, hinged ramp and floating pontoon. If your frontage cannot support a pontoon anyway, a skid ramp is often the most sensible structure you can put in.

Do I need approval for a skid ramp?

Yes. Anything extending over the water is on Crown land, so it needs approval and a lease on the area it occupies, as well as council consent. It is the same process as any other marine structure, just for a smaller build. We handle it for you.

Simple from the start

How It Works

  1. Free on-site look

    We check your bank, the gradient and how far the ramp needs to reach.

  2. Approval sorted

    A skid ramp still occupies Crown land, so we handle the approval side.

  3. Built in turpentine

    Fixed to your foreshore in the right timber, so it lasts the distance.

Kingtide Marine

Why Choose Kingtide Marine

20 years of experience

Twenty years in the trade and around 100 jobs a year on the Port Hacking River, the Georges River, Sydney Harbour and the South Coast. Nobody knows these tides, beds and foreshores better.

Our own fleet of vessels

No waiting on subcontractors. We run our own fleet of operating marine vessels and do the construction ourselves.

Five-year warranty

We warrant our work for five years and come back at three to six months to check it over, tighten it up and put it right.

Reviews

What our clients say

5.0 from 16 Google reviews

  • Mick and his team delivered outstanding service and work quality in the refurbishment of our concrete jetty and slipway. Communication was excellent and the end product was of a very high standard, considering the original state of the structures. We definitely felt we received excellent value for money and will always use Kingtide for future waterfront projects.

    Stephen Smith

  • Mick, Sam and the team were fantastic to deal with from the onset. Easy to deal with and awesome workmanship. Nothing was a problem and great advice given. I highly recommend Kingtide services.

    Paul Gentile

  • Mick and his team worked with us from the day our old jetty was damaged in a storm. They made it safe and patiently waited while we planned for a new one. They kept us updated with progress, checked we were happy and we now have a beautiful new jetty. Would highly recommend them..thanks guys. Drummoyne NSW

    Jules OK

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