Seen at the Ramp

[CATransplant]

Yesterday, I saw a new stupid human trick. I was waiting in line in my boat to retrieve. The guy in front of me had an old trihull, engine with no cowling. His buddy went and backed the trailer down the ramp...buried it completely in the water.

I started thinking, "This is not going to be a good thing at all." I figured I was in for a wait, so I started bobber fishing just off the ramp. I thought I might as well catch a few crappies while I waited...and waited...and waited.

Then, on the courtesy dock, I saw the other guy in the boat putting on full bib waders over his jeans and t-shirt. The driver hooked the winch to the bow eye, while the wader guy waded in almost to the top of his waders and tried to get the boat lined up on the trailer.

He'd motion to the driver to pull up. The driver would pull up, then back back down, since the boat wasn't lined up correctly. Every time he backed up, he let the trailer go in far enough back until the entire boat was floating.

I caught ten nice crappies while I watched them repeat this again and again. Finally, they managed to get it lined up and pulled up the ramp, so I had to stop fishing and retrieve my boat.

The guy behind me was really ticked off, so I guess he was happy with my almost instant retrieval.

 

[wicked]

Re: Seen at the Ramp

sure glad there are people out there that will sit and watch people make the same mistakes over and over again

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Seen at the Ramp

Don'tcha just love it. Catching the crappie that is.

 

[beezee28]

Re: Seen at the Ramp

At least you got some thing for dinner!!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Seen at the Ramp

sounds like they sank it deep enough not to even need a winch. maybe it was broken, and waders are cheaper than winches?

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Seen at the Ramp

sure glad there are people out there that will sit and watch people make the same mistakes over and over again

If I had been on the dock, I would have made some suggestions to the boater. I was in the water, in my boat, waiting for my turn at the ramp. Since the guy had the waders right there, I guess he's been retrieving that way for a long time. I'm betting that he's gotten advice many times from people on the dock and just ignores it.

I've helped dozens of boaters figure out the best way to retrieve their boat. This time, that wasn't possible.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Seen at the Ramp

Some folk will not listen to any advice no matter how many times someone offers it. If they had the waders they must have been used to doing it that way by the looks of it.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Seen at the Ramp

That's what I figured. If he had the waders ready to go, that's the way he loads the boat. I did look at the trailer in the prep area. It had keel rollers at the stern and midway, along with those tilting roller cradles for the sides.

Looked to me like a guy could have loaded that boat with the stern keel roller not far under the surface and winched it right on. It would have self-aligned and they'd be done.

Maybe his winch was broken. About $30 would fix that, and that's cheaper than a set of chest waders.

I had no place I needed to be, and the crappies were biting just off the end of the ramp, so it mattered not to me that day.

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Seen at the Ramp

I've helped dozens of boaters figure out the best way to retrieve their boat. This time, that wasn't possible.

I hate it when some guy cant get his little tinny lined up right on the trailer with just a light wind........

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Seen at the Ramp

Yah, especially when some other guy is watching...

 

[itsaboattime]

Re: Seen at the Ramp

I can't blame ya CAT. I used to do circles while waiting to retrieve. And I used to get ticked..........just isn't worth it anymore.

Just wondering.........how steep is that ramp? Was the rear end of the tow vehicle wet??

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Seen at the Ramp

It's a fairly steep ramp, but the water's fairly deep and he didn't have the truck wheels in the water. The trailer was fully immersed, though. I find it an easy ramp, but maybe it's not for some people.

It's actually a double ramp, but the other side is a pain. It's shallower, and the courtesy dock is not level. Besides, my boat is set up in a way that makes it a lot easier to get in and out of on the port side, so I choose my side of the ramp based on that.