First Rock Delivery!

[ATP]

I'm in the same situation here, having to move some two-man boulders around by one person (a 60 year-old grannie with an attitude). I've found a couple of tools to be indispensable for this: 1. A come-along (manual winch), plus some sturdy trees to attach it to; 2. several good quality 2-ton towing and lifting straps; 3. a 2-ton endless loop for strapping the rocks; 4. a couple of pieces of old underlayment to put under rocks to drag them across the ground.

You can also make a sledge using straight round branches on the ground with boards laid across them. As you drag the rock, you move the end pole around to the front.

The main issue will be getting the rocks placed just so on top of your liner, where you don't want to be dragging them across the liner and damaging it. In my case, I'll be rolling/dragging the rocks into place just above their intended placement, then wrapping them in underlayment and rolling them into place with some sturdy boards placed under them to direct where they go. But I've also thought of building a tripod (see this video for one example: ). I've seen these used to good advantage in Japanese garden making, where access is tight.

This tripod idea is interesting! I was able to move some of the big rocks around using my hand truck. I may try and place a ramp with boards down into the excavated hole and try and move the rocks in that way. Those around the edge shouldnt be too bad. I like the idea of the "come along" I could tie it to my truck...no trees. Luckily most of these i can at least roll.

 

[addy1]

When there is a will there is a way.

 

[GBBUDD]

a 60 year-old grannie with an attitude)

That's an understatement .

another material that's great is cardboard for sliding objects .

From my basement it looks like the grey underground feeder wire was used and I dont think there is a GFCI in line, so I would need to add one. I will just splice it and run more wire to where I decide to mount the receptacle. I kinda like the idea of having the pond right up against the walkway and the pond will have lights.

They also have gfci breakers check with your local codes.. any power going outside should be protected...

Food for thought you might want to stay further away from your walk until you have the rest of the pond DONE fold the liner in . take out the rest of the soil, to where you want to be as finished, lay the rubber back down. this way you won't loose the walk ... i was thinking asphalt, your lucky its pavers but your still better off not disturbing it. Though having a rock cut into the walk preferably flush and where it comes out from the walk its a destination spot to feed or have the rock stick up this will tie the walk in with the pond. at 1:38 is a example of what im talking about . there are other views as well

 

[ATP]

That's an understatement .

another material that's great is cardboard for sliding objects .

They also have gfci breakers check with your local codes.. any power going outside should be protected...

Food for thought you might want to stay further away from your walk until you have the rest of the pond DONE fold the liner in . take out the rest of the soil, to where you want to be as finished, lay the rubber back down. this way you won't loose the walk ... i was thinking asphalt, your lucky its pavers but your still better off not disturbing it. Though having a rock cut into the walk preferably flush and where it comes out from the walk its a destination spot to feed or have the rock stick up this will tie the walk in with the pond. at 1:38 is a example of what im talking about . there are other views as well

I was actually worried about the paver walkway and was going to follow the line of the walk but stay around a foot away. I was also planning on leaving some soil there to run a line from the pump for a a spillway bowl and the lights. How much space should I leave to ensure it doesnt lose its support?

 

[GBBUDD]

That depends on your soil , but if you stayed a foot away with the wall of the excavation or more depending on the size of the rocks you want to use along the walk way i'd have the shelf lower than the water level and fold the liner against the pavers . You can also take a termination landscape strip and screw it into a couple of the pavers to keep them in line . use tap cons pretty easy job but drill gently so you don't split the paver.

 

[Lisak1]

I came to add the "underlayment as a rock sling" suggestion. We used this method almost exclusively after we broke three pot lifters. The nice thing about the underlayment is you can just leave it under the rock once you get it in place. Just trim off as much as you can and leave it there.

 

[GBBUDD]

Just trim off as much as you can and leave it there.

If rocking the whole pond / gravel ... my vote is to cover the whole liner in and out,