Yesterday at the boat ramp...

[jayhanig]

I try not to boat on weekends now that I'm retired but I'm always up for a trip to the ramp on Saturday or Sunday purely for the entertainment value. Yesterday I went and I wasn't disappointed. I watched a guy with a very nice looking Grady White 230 center console load up onto his not so nice trailer. It wasn't that the trailer was that bad; it was that it was missing a few of what I consider essentials. First off, the carpet on the top of the bunks was completely eroded away. The hull was resting directly on the wood of the bunks. Of course, the sides of the bunks looked wonderful so you didn't notice it until the boat was gone.

Even more to the point, while he had a winch, and the winch had a strap, the strap didn't have a hook. So what he did was drive his boat onto the trailer, hook up the safety chain (which was none too heavy looking, and drive off with his truck, a very nice diesel one ton Chevy. The bow eye wasn't pressing against anything. He didn't secure the boat to the trailer in any other way. I couldn't help thinking that for lack of $30 worth of parts a very expensive boat might become damaged or even lost.

My boat is worth a fraction of his and I've got it secured to the trailer in five places: tight against the bow stop, winch strap hooked to bow eye, safety chain to bow eye, and two transom straps.

 

[Scott Danforth]

some people have more money than brains. BTW, that exact scenario is common at every boat ramp I have been to here in FL.

 

[GA_Boater]

Starting Friday the Fourth through Sunday, we should have plenty of new SHT posts.

 

[jc55]

The previous owner of my Steiger Craft drove back and forth between Florida and South Carolina at 80mph with a broken winch strap retied into a knot, no safety chain, and no other tie downs whatsoever. The reason I believe him is because there is no safety chain, and when I started adding tie downs to the stern, he asked me what I was doing that for. Really cool and knowledgeable boat guy actually, just didn't get too excited about worst case scenerios apparently. Me on the other hand added 5 more heavy duty straps for a 20 minute drive to the river.

 

[cribber]

My wife wanted us to go out on our boat for the 4th of July. I justed pointed her here and that conversation was over!! I told her we did not want to be part of someone else's SHT!!!

 

[Brian 26]

Starting Friday the Fourth through Sunday, we should have plenty of new SHT posts.

Not from me, I will be staying far far away from public boat ramps on the 4th weekend. Although I do love a good boat ramp story.

 

[MH Hawker]

I may have to go out just to protect my sanity, just closed on a house and got the old owner out today and changed the locks. Not sure if ifs brave or stupid to go out, my boat is slipped, and its on a 9.9 lake.

 

[GA_Boater]

Not from me, I will be staying far far away from public boat ramps on the 4th weekend. Although I do love a good boat ramp story.

Leave the boat at home and just go to watch.

I saw one yesterday. I went out for a while to avoid the mad rush of a long weekend holiday. While I was retrieving, a largish bow rider was backing down to launch in the other ramp. I'm cranking the winch and I hear the rapid sound of a winch ratcheting. Looked over as this big red boat is rolling ( yep, roller trailer) off, smacks the ramp making an expensive sound. The outdrive was up and seemed to be OK, but the gelcoat had plenty of deep gouges and I know part of the keel had to be ground away. So what did they do? First they tried to crank the boat back on the trailer, nope. I started to walk over and suggest unhooking the trailer to lower the rear. I didn't bother when they started using the truck/trailer to push the boat about 20 feet to the water. That worked. Guy cranks her up and I thought on to the trailer to check for damage. Nope - Speeds thru the no-wake to the dock on the other side of the spit, parks the truck, loads the crew and water toys. They took off like nothing happened. I hope the bilge pump was still working!

 

[airshot]

That was probably his normal launch routine so why bother checking....

 

[GA_Boater]

Maybe he uses Vaseline for a nice shine and launch aid.

 

[79Merc80]

Saw this yesterday at the Oak Bottom ramp on Whiskeytown lake.

 

[Bubbasboat]

XXXXX

 

[sndmntboy]

Thats a good one.What kills me are the jet skis that wont crank and the buddy that jumps him off while both of them are standing in knee deep water with jumper cables in their hands.

 

[Brian 26]

No Title

 

[evinrudedad]

Best one I ever saw a guy had his boat on the trailer all tied down. Made it to the top of the steep boat ramp about 50 feet to the top the trailer came off the ball at the top of the ramp. One guy was still in the boat and rolled all the way down the ramp into the water he calmly fired the boat up drove the trailer and boat back tpot he ramp hooked it back up to the truck and off they went.

 

[inthedirtagain]

I saw one yesterday. I went out for a while to avoid the mad rush of a long weekend holiday. While I was retrieving, a largish bow rider was backing down to launch in the other ramp. I'm cranking the winch and I hear the rapid sound of a winch ratcheting. Looked over as this big red boat is rolling ( yep, roller trailer) off, smacks the ramp making an expensive sound. The outdrive was up and seemed to be OK, but the gelcoat had plenty of deep gouges and I know part of the keel had to be ground away. So what did they do?

This is exactly how I got my Invader 181BR for $100. And it was over the 4th of July weekend, no less. Even came with a full tank of gas.......go figure.

 

[redneck joe]

When we got to the ramp yesterday we waited for the folks down there to get their boat launched. I like the side closest to the dock so I can just rope over and start while tied up waiting on whoever is going with me and that's where they were. Guy had just backed down and unhooked the boat and crawled in (18' or so bowrider), fired up. I was expecting his wife to get int he truck and do what wives do and dump the boat and go park.

Dude put in what I believe was full reverse. Didn't budge.
Then he walked to the back of the boat (while in full reverse) in an apparent attempt to shift weight. Didn't budge.
Went back to helm and put in neutral. Put in full reverse again. Didn't budge.
Wife tried to push the boat off. Didn't budge.
Dude walked to the back of the boat, while wife pushing, while in full reverse. Didn't budge.
Wife finally walked to the truck and backed up about six inches, boat in full reverse again finally pulled off.
The rear truck tires never got closer than 2' from the water.

This took about 8 minutes. As she passed us at the top of the ramp I told my buddy I bet we pull away from the dock before they do. I was close, we pulled away at the same time.


Then as they got half on plane in the no wake zone to pass me, I yelled for them to slow down. He looked confused, but slowed.



rj

 

[southkogs]

...Then as they got half on plane in the no wake zone to pass me, I yelled for them to slow down. He looked confused, but slowed.

For all the good things I'll say about Tennesseans ... a healthy bunch of 'em sure don't understand the concept of a no wake zone, do they?

 

[redneck joe]

I spent many years on Lae of the Ozaarks, comparatively no issues with folks here. By the confused look on his face, and the way the boat was launched I'm hoping just a new boater and maybe I did some good.



rj

 

[southkogs]

... Maybe I'm on Priest too much :lol: