briangcc
Commander
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2012
- Messages
- 2,110
Waited on my wife to get out of work on Saturday before taking out the boat to Glenwood Lake in Medina NY. Boys were excited for their fishing trip on the boat. It's a small lake, single ramp with access on the ramp side only - there's a chest high railing on the floating dock that precludes use of the side opposite the ramp.
Pulled in and there was a small 14'-16' aluminum row boat with gear on the dock and no one to be seen. There was a I/O circling that definitely wanted to get in. I pulled in and started my prelaunch check. About 10 minutes later, a couple of big burly guys pop out of a double cab pickup truck and start the process of picking up their boat. Why it was left unattended - got me. But they got it out of the water rather quickly after that.
While I/O guy was coming in to dock, this wonderful Audi decides its a perfect place to stop and launch his Kayak.
So I/O guy offloads at the dock and the wife, with 2 small kids in tow, commented to us that they thought the row boat was never going to leave. Well they had the above surprise to back around to pull their boat out - the blue Suzuki pickup in the photo. But they do so rather quickly and clear the ramp.
Kayaker leaves somewhere between I/O guy and the next one below.
At which point another 14-16' aluminum tiller steer comes in to the dock and he ties up at his stern. Then very slowly he starts making his way to the bow all the while the bow is getting further and further away from the dock. Wind was blowing him against the dock so this is a feat in and of itself. My wife had enough at this point watching all the above follies that she went and offered assistance to this guy. She gets the bow snugged up and secured to the dock. The owner was baffled that she knew how to do this and admitted to her that HE was a new boat owner who recently had back surgery. As he slowly made his way up to his rig he mentioned he would get out of the way as quick as he could but made no promises. He was rather true to his word but did leave a single stripe from his FWD Dodge Caravan on the ramp when he goosed it a little too much. He didn't have the boat winched up to the bow stop at all but did manage to do so once he was clear of the ramp.
During tiller steer's retrieve, a Dodge 2500/3500 with stack out the bed comes into the ramp with a 12' John in the bed. They get out and launch like nothing's going on but at least they get out of the way in a hurry.
As I'm finally backing up the boat to launch, a group of Kayaker's comes in and starts clogging the ramp. My wife had enough at that stage and asked they move to the other side of the ramp as we'd been waiting about 20 minutes to launch. My boys - 5 & 3 - were definitely at the end of their patience. We're in and out of the way in 5 minutes or less.
Ended up with a nice day on the water after that.
Retrieval was a non event.
Pulled in and there was a small 14'-16' aluminum row boat with gear on the dock and no one to be seen. There was a I/O circling that definitely wanted to get in. I pulled in and started my prelaunch check. About 10 minutes later, a couple of big burly guys pop out of a double cab pickup truck and start the process of picking up their boat. Why it was left unattended - got me. But they got it out of the water rather quickly after that.
While I/O guy was coming in to dock, this wonderful Audi decides its a perfect place to stop and launch his Kayak.
So I/O guy offloads at the dock and the wife, with 2 small kids in tow, commented to us that they thought the row boat was never going to leave. Well they had the above surprise to back around to pull their boat out - the blue Suzuki pickup in the photo. But they do so rather quickly and clear the ramp.
Kayaker leaves somewhere between I/O guy and the next one below.
At which point another 14-16' aluminum tiller steer comes in to the dock and he ties up at his stern. Then very slowly he starts making his way to the bow all the while the bow is getting further and further away from the dock. Wind was blowing him against the dock so this is a feat in and of itself. My wife had enough at this point watching all the above follies that she went and offered assistance to this guy. She gets the bow snugged up and secured to the dock. The owner was baffled that she knew how to do this and admitted to her that HE was a new boat owner who recently had back surgery. As he slowly made his way up to his rig he mentioned he would get out of the way as quick as he could but made no promises. He was rather true to his word but did leave a single stripe from his FWD Dodge Caravan on the ramp when he goosed it a little too much. He didn't have the boat winched up to the bow stop at all but did manage to do so once he was clear of the ramp.
During tiller steer's retrieve, a Dodge 2500/3500 with stack out the bed comes into the ramp with a 12' John in the bed. They get out and launch like nothing's going on but at least they get out of the way in a hurry.
As I'm finally backing up the boat to launch, a group of Kayaker's comes in and starts clogging the ramp. My wife had enough at that stage and asked they move to the other side of the ramp as we'd been waiting about 20 minutes to launch. My boys - 5 & 3 - were definitely at the end of their patience. We're in and out of the way in 5 minutes or less.
Ended up with a nice day on the water after that.
Retrieval was a non event.
