skargo
Banned
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2008
- Messages
- 4,640
My wife and I have been doing the Baltimore/Harford/Cecil county boat ramp tour the past month or so, in anticipation of splashing our new to us Wellcraft.
We went out on the circuit today, and today was GREAT!
Experience 1
First ramp was at a place called Dundee Creek. We watched a few drama free launches. We watched a butthead or 2 but everything was fairly smooth until we saw a conversion van pulling a 21' open CC. As a line developed, we started taking mental notes. It appeared an older gentleman was going to back it down, as he tried, and got it sideways a couple time, a lady I am assuming was his wife was laughing and telling us he just got out of a nursing home. He then almost ran her down. I started talking to him, loudly, to WHOA. The lady then goes and decided to back it in. Another gent who I am assuming is the son was holding the lines.
Just then, my wife starts freaking out saying the old guy has fallen. I grab the boats likes so the son can go over and help. They help him to the pier, where I have pulled the boat off the trailer, poor guy has a cast on his foot, and blood running down his arm. I have the son get in first, then help get the dad in the boat. The wife comes back from parking the van with some stuff and their dog. Turns out the dog had a stroke in January and had trouble getting in the boat, and took off as they were all abord. I grabbed him at the end of the pier and brought him back.
Last I saw they were idling out with the old guy at the helm. I got the feeling this might have been one of his last outings if you know what I mean.
We left, got in the truck and about cried with laughter. Pulling ourselves together, we decided to head over to Mariner Point Park. This brings us to;
Experience 2
We are sitting at the end of the pier, watching the traffic come and go. Mostly no incidents except for a couple people using the retrieval ramps for launching and vice versa. Same thing at the other ramp BTW. There are 2 launch ramps on the outsides, the middle 2 are for retrieving. One guy goes to launch, and floods his motor. He probably was in the ramp for an hour.
Anyway, I see this well used little Bayliner 16' come backing down the ramp, and I nudge my wife, telling her it appears we have our first forgotten plug experience. Yep, guy backs it in, my wife goes up and asks him if he has a plug in it. He says no. Turns out this is his 2nd time out, he just got his safe boating certificate. I ask him about the plug, he proceeds to ask ME what the plug is for. I gave him a quick rundown, and he seemed to get it. He said they took it out last week for a while. I asked him if his bilge pump was running, he stated it was broken and he had to bail by hand. He thought that was the way it was supposed to be?!?!?!?!
Back to the launch, he still wants to put her in, sans plug because he has a pier to tie up to at his house nearby. I tried to reason with him to no avail. As they tried to launch, I said might as well throw me that bow line so it don't float away. I asked him twice if he had straps on his transom, he said no. So after watching him and his frined try and muscle the boat off the trailer, another boater who was patiently waiting to retrieve and I talked him into pulling the boat out, as it came up I saw the straps, IT WAS STILL STRAPPED ONTO THE TRAILER.
The other boater saw no plug and about had a heart attack. He gave them his spare, and after all the water came out, they tried again, got it launched and the guy is asking me what to do, I kept telling him to put his OB down, he does barely, and starts it. Smoke everywhere, I start yelling PUT IT ALL THE WAY DOWN! He does. The boat shifted hard into gear, and he almost plowed into another boat docked at the pier, he seemed to struggle with his steering a lot.
A DNR cop watched the whole thing, then climbed from his truck with his binocs and watched the guy go out the channel.
I hope everyone made it
If you've read this far I apologize for my rambling story telling, my main point is to any newbies, hit the ramps, you will learn a lot.
After our day was over, my wife looked at me and said we will have no issues, she is not nervous anymore
We went out on the circuit today, and today was GREAT!
Experience 1
First ramp was at a place called Dundee Creek. We watched a few drama free launches. We watched a butthead or 2 but everything was fairly smooth until we saw a conversion van pulling a 21' open CC. As a line developed, we started taking mental notes. It appeared an older gentleman was going to back it down, as he tried, and got it sideways a couple time, a lady I am assuming was his wife was laughing and telling us he just got out of a nursing home. He then almost ran her down. I started talking to him, loudly, to WHOA. The lady then goes and decided to back it in. Another gent who I am assuming is the son was holding the lines.
Just then, my wife starts freaking out saying the old guy has fallen. I grab the boats likes so the son can go over and help. They help him to the pier, where I have pulled the boat off the trailer, poor guy has a cast on his foot, and blood running down his arm. I have the son get in first, then help get the dad in the boat. The wife comes back from parking the van with some stuff and their dog. Turns out the dog had a stroke in January and had trouble getting in the boat, and took off as they were all abord. I grabbed him at the end of the pier and brought him back.
Last I saw they were idling out with the old guy at the helm. I got the feeling this might have been one of his last outings if you know what I mean.
We left, got in the truck and about cried with laughter. Pulling ourselves together, we decided to head over to Mariner Point Park. This brings us to;
Experience 2
We are sitting at the end of the pier, watching the traffic come and go. Mostly no incidents except for a couple people using the retrieval ramps for launching and vice versa. Same thing at the other ramp BTW. There are 2 launch ramps on the outsides, the middle 2 are for retrieving. One guy goes to launch, and floods his motor. He probably was in the ramp for an hour.
Anyway, I see this well used little Bayliner 16' come backing down the ramp, and I nudge my wife, telling her it appears we have our first forgotten plug experience. Yep, guy backs it in, my wife goes up and asks him if he has a plug in it. He says no. Turns out this is his 2nd time out, he just got his safe boating certificate. I ask him about the plug, he proceeds to ask ME what the plug is for. I gave him a quick rundown, and he seemed to get it. He said they took it out last week for a while. I asked him if his bilge pump was running, he stated it was broken and he had to bail by hand. He thought that was the way it was supposed to be?!?!?!?!
Back to the launch, he still wants to put her in, sans plug because he has a pier to tie up to at his house nearby. I tried to reason with him to no avail. As they tried to launch, I said might as well throw me that bow line so it don't float away. I asked him twice if he had straps on his transom, he said no. So after watching him and his frined try and muscle the boat off the trailer, another boater who was patiently waiting to retrieve and I talked him into pulling the boat out, as it came up I saw the straps, IT WAS STILL STRAPPED ONTO THE TRAILER.
The other boater saw no plug and about had a heart attack. He gave them his spare, and after all the water came out, they tried again, got it launched and the guy is asking me what to do, I kept telling him to put his OB down, he does barely, and starts it. Smoke everywhere, I start yelling PUT IT ALL THE WAY DOWN! He does. The boat shifted hard into gear, and he almost plowed into another boat docked at the pier, he seemed to struggle with his steering a lot.
A DNR cop watched the whole thing, then climbed from his truck with his binocs and watched the guy go out the channel.
I hope everyone made it
If you've read this far I apologize for my rambling story telling, my main point is to any newbies, hit the ramps, you will learn a lot.
After our day was over, my wife looked at me and said we will have no issues, she is not nervous anymore
