Selfish non-boaters at boat launch

poconojoe

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Sep 10, 2010
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Learned a lesson...if I'm going to use the launch on the weekends, go early.
Got to the launch Sunday around 1pm. Paid my $8.00, launched the bow rider and tied it off to the dock. Left the wife there and proceeded to park the truck/trailer. No spots left. Saw a young woman in her car playing with her phone parked in a trailer spot. Politely asked her if she could do me a favor and move her car to one of the open smaller spots. She refused. I politely explained to her that she was parked in a spot meant for trailers and she gave me look like I was some kind of idiot. When I told her she wasn't a very nice person, she told me to go f*** myself!
 

Teamster

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Nov 8, 2010
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That's a 50 dollar ticket where I fish for cars parked in trailer spot,........

UNLESS she bought a launch pass,..................
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
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Jun 26, 2011
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Sad as it seems there are way more ignorant folks these days then when I was growing up. And when they get their cell phones in hand, don't even try explain common sense things to some. Sad we have such an aggressive generation coming along... :facepalm:
 

littlerayray

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Feb 17, 2013
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People think their entitled to do what they want at the ramp where I launch there's parking for trailers but once it's full plenty of parking on the grass many people like to park in the trailer lot cuz it's close to the picnic area and it's frustrating we usually get our revenge by parking the trailers in or near the picnic area lol
 

hungupthespikes

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Sep 25, 2009
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I sure do miss the old bumpers. No harm, no foul.
 

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GA_Boater

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Did you pay a real person or was it a fee drop box? A real person taking my money would have been hearing from me.
 

jkust

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Aug 2, 2008
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One of the many reasons we settled down and no longer tow the boat. I can't tell you the number of times we'd show up to a lake only to find the parking spots filled with a single car without a trailer. They show up to go boating with someone and take a parking spot. One time the whole lot was full and so the guy parked directly in front of the ramp...literally as though the ramp itself was a parking spot. The entire windshield was filled with nasty notes. I have endless stories like this one. You are a better person I think for having to tow for a few years and deal with all that goes into towing and so can really appreciate when you finally settle down onto one lake.
 

thumpar

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Jun 21, 2007
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Just yesterday there was a BMW parked right along with all the boat trailers. It happens all the time. I use a couple lakes. One of them has "overflow parking" that is a mile or so drive to get to. I see cars parked in the trailer parking there and it pisses me off. The cars should be the first to go to overflow.
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
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Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,417
It's not really a problem around here. Most ramps are either private, require annual permits or are well patrolled by authorizes. The phone number to call authorizes for unauthorized parking is on the back of the ramp receipt
 

Brian 26

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Aug 14, 2013
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It's not really a problem around here. Most ramps are either private, require annual permits or are well patrolled by authorizes. The phone number to call authorizes for unauthorized parking is on the back of the ramp receipt


Oh man that would be nice, the state of MN has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars having people man boat ramps to check for vegitation hanging on your trailer (something they do not do very well but that's for another thread), but I never see anyone on site for parking issues.
 

oldjeep

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May 17, 2010
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Oh man that would be nice, the state of MN has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars having people man boat ramps to check for vegitation hanging on your trailer (something they do not do very well but that's for another thread), but I never see anyone on site for parking issues.

They check the parking lot like hawks at the launch I use on Minnetonka. Forgot to hang my permit one day and got a ticket - luckily at the bottom it says that if you had a permit then just photocopy it and mail it in with the ticket to make it go away.

Main issue we run into is people who think the courtesy dock is for fishing off of rather than using the huge fishing dock that is 200 feet away from the launch. Chuckleheads and their kids crossing back and forth behind moving trailers.
 

Brian 26

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Aug 14, 2013
Messages
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They check the parking lot like hawks at the launch I use on Minnetonka. Forgot to hang my permit one day and got a ticket - luckily at the bottom it says that if you had a permit then just photocopy it and mail it in with the ticket to make it go away.

Where is that? I use grays and sometimes maxwell. Wayzata was the best until they closed 101.
 

thumpar

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Jun 21, 2007
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They check the parking lot like hawks at the launch I use on Minnetonka. Forgot to hang my permit one day and got a ticket - luckily at the bottom it says that if you had a permit then just photocopy it and mail it in with the ticket to make it go away.

Main issue we run into is people who think the courtesy dock is for fishing off of rather than using the huge fishing dock that is 200 feet away from the launch. Chuckleheads and their kids crossing back and forth behind moving trailers.

That always angers me. Not because of the kids but because the parents don't watch their kids. With my boat I can't see anything behind me when it is on the trailer only the sides. That and pet owners letting there dogs run wild. I almost backed over a dog one day. The ramp is not a good spot to swim at.
 

poconojoe

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Sep 10, 2010
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Did you pay a real person or was it a fee drop box? A real person taking my money would have been hearing from me.
Yes, I paid a person and I did complain. Someone was supposed to have a chat with the nasty person. I didn't stick around to find out. My wife was waiting at the dock. I emailed the power company that manages the launch. I told them that half the trailer spots were constantly being used by single cars, which is true. They referred me to the people that manage the launch. They just apologize and basically do nothing.
Typical run around. They just take your money and don't care.
 
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NAT1VE

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
116
Good enough, nice to know what veteran boaters do and do not like at the ramp. I have never had to deal with wake boats and stuff before. As we mainly fish upriver, lakes or drift rivers and streams. Here in Oregon it is a rule never to touch a boat without permission to do so.
 

littlerayray

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Feb 17, 2013
Messages
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That's a rule everywhere I've seen fights start over it and there is such a thing as boat ramp etiquette I will find a list with a link
 
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