Club Related Question Regarding Trail Maintenance Equipment

[mngolf4]

Question to fellow Club Officers or Members - our club is contemplating buying some trail maintenance gear rather than relying on borrowing these various items from club members. Items contemplated are a 4-wheeler, pull behind brush mower, chainsaw and pole-saw. Just wondering . . .

a. If most Clubs own this equipment?
b. If they do, how you've come to handle managing and maintaining this equipment. Have you assigned someone to be the "Equipment Manager"?
c. Any pros/cons and/or lessons learned would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

 

[dj2muchjunk]

Our club owns a Stihl pole prunner and a chainsaw, thats it. Trail signers use their own 4-wheelers and usually their own chainsaw. We have a no borrowing of club equipment rule.

 

[Deleted member 10829]

We own (2) 8 foot wide John Deere brush mowers that attach to our tractor and 2-3 chainsaws and 2-3 pole saws. We own no atv's and rely on members that use older pickups, including mine.

We have someone that is voted in and is in charge of trail maintenance and they are in charge of everything related to that. We have another person that is in charge of grooming, so they are separate jobs.

The main lesson learned I think is that you have to communicate and everything needs to go through the person in charge.

 

[ezra]

our club only own a poll saw it stays at the trail marking shed.
the larger trail club kind of the club overseeing the smaller clubs owns the groomer and the fine disk for smoothing farm field trails.
as far as a 4 wheeler have u talked to any oem?
guys bring there own 4x4 but Polaris will drop off a new side by side every yr for trail marking usually stays at the club trail boss house and then goes to next clubs trail boss and so on till every one done

 

[mngolf4]

dj2muchjunk, mspease and ezra,

I appreciate the feedback. Seems like it's pretty common for the club to own some gear but the line appears to be drawn at items that most individuals would not necessarily have a reason to own themselves.

Ezra - interesting comment about the OEMs. We have had dealers provide "loaners" in the past and we have a current offer from a local dealer that will solve the 4 wheeler demand.

 

[ezra]

we prob have a much more EZ time getting a oem to loan trail marking toys than most only because our trails are the closest ones to where a lot of big shots at poo and cat live.

 

[renegade]

Our club has a pull behind mower that really works well for us. I bought a tool box and mounted on the back and threw a battery in there so it is totally self contained with electic start and can be pulled behind anyones atv. We also have two pole saws and a chainsaw, three smaller trailers we use to haul signs in and also use them for a fund raiser in the summer. I don't think an atv would be worth the purchase price for the little amount of use it would get. At least for our club. But you could always buy a used one that might make it worth it.

 

[mngolf4]

Thanks everyone for your inputs - I have the feedback I need to advise our club how others handle these types of items.