FLOAT PLANE PLT TAXIES HIS C206 AMPHIBIAN INTO A PARTIALLY SUBMERGED WATER RAMP. THE FRONT WHEELS; PARTLY EXPOSED; LIFTED THE RAMP INTO THE PONTOON; ALTERING THE OPERATING CAPABILITY OF A CABLE PULLEY THAT LOWERS THE GND SURFACE WHEELS.

Narrative

WHILE PLANNING MY APCH AND TAXI UP A WATER RAMP THAT I WAS TOLD I COULD USE; I FLEW OVER THE BAHAMIAN ISLAND AND NOTICED THE TIDE TO BE HIGH. AFTER MAKING A WATER LNDG; I TAXIED TOWARD THE RAMP WITH THE WHEELS IN THE UP POS. AS I APCHED THE RAMP; I PULLED THE MIXTURE TO STOP THE ENG. I COASTED TO THE NEW WOODEN RAMP. I NOTICED THE RAMP TO BE FLOATING APPROX 2-3 INCHES BELOW THE SURFACE. THE RAMP WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE BAY BOTTOM. THE 2 FRONT WHEELS ACTED TO LIFT THE RAMP ABOVE THE WHEEL AND INTO THE FLOATS. UPON INSPECTION I NOTICED THE FLOATS TO BE SLIGHTLY DAMAGED. MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS CONCENTRATED TO THE RUBBER BUMPERS AND APPROX 1 INCH INTO THE FLOATS. WE PUSHED THE AIRPLANE INTO DEEPER WATER SO I COULD CYCLE THE GEAR SEVERAL TIMES WITH NO APPARENT PROBS. AFTER DEPARTING; I FLEW TO NASSAU (MYNN) TO CLR OUT WITH AGAIN NO PROBS. ARRIVING INTO FLL; I TRIED TO EXTEND THE LNDG GEAR BUT ONLY THE R SIDE LOWERED PARTIALLY AND THE L SIDE STAYED UP. I RECYCLED THE GEAR MANY TIMES WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE. I WAS ALSO NOT ABLE TO RECYCLE THE GEAR TO THE UP POS. AT THAT POINT I HAD NOTIFIED THE TWR THAT I HAD A LNDG GEAR PROB. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER. MY NEXT STEP WAS TO TRY THE HAND PUMP WHICH DID GET THE GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHEN ON THE GND I HAD REINSPECTED THE GEAR AND FOUND THAT FROM THE EARLIER DAMAGE IT HAD PUT SOME PRESSURE ON A PULLEY WITH A CABLE THAT OPERATED THE LNDG GEAR. BECAUSE THIS WAS A NEW RAMP AND I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH IT; I SHOULD HAVE APCHED IT WITH GREATER CAUTION.