anotehr boat ramp fail

[Home Cookin']

slippery ramp; the guy's rear wheels started spinning on the slime; he slid back and ended up on top of his trailer.
I suppose he could tow himself home.

 

[Beefer]

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

I think if I trailered my boat, I'd have my wife drive her car to the ramp, and before I backed down, I'd hook a tow strap and winch to her car.
Man, I'm glad I dock my boat. I don't know how you guys that trailer can stand the ramp antics, and the possibility of so many (innocent) errors like forgetting the plug. I think that wiating to load and unload is what would drive me the nuttiest!

 

[Triton II]

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

Depends Beefer. I love the thought of just going to the marina, casting off and off we go. However, over time I've come to prefer to have a trailer boat - saves me mooring/marina fees, wear and tear from weather, waves and UV; annual slipway pull out and anti-fouling and all the other expenses of a moored/marina'd boat.

Sure the ramp can be entertaining, but once you know what you're doing, it's a pretty painless exercise. Recently I joined a boat club with a private two lane ramp and it's great! No waiting, polite fellow boaties and some killer early 70's and 80's model smoking hotties!

(Still fun watching the antics at the four lane public ramp next to the club's but...)

 

[roncoop75]

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

I think if I trailered my boat, I'd have my wife drive her car to the ramp, and before I backed down, I'd hook a tow strap and winch to her car.
Man, I'm glad I dock my boat. I don't know how you guys that trailer can stand the ramp antics, and the possibility of so many (innocent) errors like forgetting the plug. I think that wiating to load and unload is what would drive me the nuttiest!

I don't know how you slip guys do it. All that stuff to grow on the boat, no real good place to work on it and I get nervous leaving my boat overnight at a dock when I rent a cabin. Leaving one for months on it's own with no one really there to watch over it would worry me. But I guess you guys make it work, to each his own.

Now, how in the world do you end up on TOP of your own trailer? Trailer sinks, van floats over top of it? Glad my tow vehicle is 4WD.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

I pullled a boat up Wed. night due to the hurricane; had the rear wheels on the slime and thought about this one. Used the 4wd.
The slime is like driving on ice; once you get some movement no telling where it goes, except not where you want it. had a hairy pull this winter on a steep ice/snow covered ramp and worried I'd lose my whole rig. So yes ^^he just torqued and twisted. Probably the end of the trailer caught the pier and jammed him up. It's tidal there (Kiptopeke)
As for trailer v. slip, I have both worlds, but what I don't have is the crowded public ramp. My house is on the water so I keep a boat there, ready to go. The trade off of bottom paint, etc and exposure is well worth the convenience. I have a "dry slip" at a private marina nearby--just a permanent parking place for a boat on a trailer at the ramp, fairly secure so you can leave your boat rigged and ready. It does, however, flood at storm tides but there's a higher parking lot. I also go to a place on the Eastern Shore, so I frequently trailer small boats (17') about 80 miles and the ramps I use are either private (but muddy) or public but not crowded. I also dry slip on the Shore. So I do a lot of trailering and launch/retrieve--that's the easy part, compared to what a lot of you all deal with at the crowded ramps and ramps without piers. I mean, I can hose off my wheels and boat on the top of the ramp, most days.

 

[dingbat]

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

I've never had a problem wih slime at Kiptopeke. Usally sand issues on the right side ramp. Then again, it's either December or January if I'm launching from there. The slime would either be dormant or frozen

I keep the boat in a slip from March thru May, then leave it on the trailer the rest of the year. Way too many good places to fish within a days drive to be stuck in a slip year round.

The one thing you can?t argue is the convenience of a slip. You'll find that usage is directly proportional to convenience.

 

[nuboat2me]

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

Most folks in my area use lifts. I have a house on the lake here as well. I like to trailer my boat to the lauch ramp. I live just a few blocks from there. I do have a dock but my lift won't support my boat. The lift came with the house. It is for a smaller craft. However, when I do lauch, I use my dock for day use and pull out for the night...

Slimy ramps are indeed a scary situation...

Happy boating!!!

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

I think if I trailered my boat, I'd have my wife drive her car to the ramp, and before I backed down, I'd hook a tow strap and winch to her car.
Man, I'm glad I dock my boat. I don't know how you guys that trailer can stand the ramp antics, and the possibility of so many (innocent) errors like forgetting the plug. I think that wiating to load and unload is what would drive me the nuttiest!

I have considered this as well. Luckily, the ramp we normally go to is never slimey and is private. I am careful to choose decent ramps, and avoid holidays on public ramps. The thing I like about trailering is that I can keep my boat in the garage, and not worry about hurricanes, bilge pumps not coming on in a rain storm, sun damage, extra maintanance to the drive and bottom of the boat, etc etc.

Not only that, I can take my boat to lakes, rivers, east coast, west coast. I can be on the Intercoastal in 30 minutes, I can be on the St Johns River in about the 15. I can get to the Gulf Coast in about 2 hours. Cant do that if my boat is water locked to one body of water.

Ultimately I would love to have a 35-40 footer that stays on the water, and then my 21ft Bowrider to take all over. Someday.

 

[slag]

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

I think if I trailered my boat, I'd have my wife drive her car to the ramp, and before I backed down, I'd hook a tow strap and winch to her car.
Man, I'm glad I dock my boat. I don't know how you guys that trailer can stand the ramp antics, and the possibility of so many (innocent) errors like forgetting the plug. I think that wiating to load and unload is what would drive me the nuttiest!

I often think how much I'd love to have a slip at my local marina.....

and then I add up the costs:

Uncovered Slip: 10 x 20 Open $1,350
or
10 x 24 Covered $2,400 - $2,600

That does not cover the cost of a lift, key access ($50.00 refundable deposit) or the fact I then need to purchase fuel at the marina at inflated prices, instead of the regular gas station.

This year I've just kept my boat in my driveway with a cover on it when not in use, but next year i think i'll keep it in dry storage near the marina for $50.00/month. Its only a small runabout.

 

[DukeDelago]

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

does anyone use rack storage here in florida? I haven't spent too much time at the marinas since I have trailered since moving to FL. When I used to boat on Erie rack was the way to go. Call the marina on the way and by the time you arrived the boat was tied nicely to the dock bow out ready to rock and roll. Load the cooler and take off! If you wanted to go anywhere the marina gave free storage to empty trailers (for members of course) and you simply asked the forklift driver to put it on for you and away you went. This was cheaper than a wet slip, just as convienent, and better for the boat!

 

[Jarrod B]

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

Could have been a lot worse. Boat could have been on trailer. We used to spend the good part of our days sitting at the boat ramp and drink beer. Be surprised what you see.

 

[dingbat]

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

does anyone use rack storage here in florida? I haven't spent too much time at the marinas since I have trailered since moving to FL.

Around here they typically want 12 hour notice unless you pay extra. Boat damage from being moved around is common place and we've had 3 racks full of boats burn to the ground in the past 5 years.

A hoist is my number one choice.

 

[LAC_STS]

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

does anyone use rack storage here in florida? I haven't spent too much time at the marinas since I have trailered since moving to FL. When I used to boat on Erie rack was the way to go. Call the marina on the way and by the time you arrived the boat was tied nicely to the dock bow out ready to rock and roll. Load the cooler and take off! If you wanted to go anywhere the marina gave free storage to empty trailers (for members of course) and you simply asked the forklift driver to put it on for you and away you went. This was cheaper than a wet slip, just as convienent, and better for the boat!

I keep mine in a storage rack in FLA. Its great. I have never heard of 12 hours notice needed anywhere. The most is 1 hour. I can call them 20 mins before and they will put my boat in the water.

When they take it out they wash it down and flush the engine. There is a dock that has a locking gate with 24 hours access to the dock.

They keep the boat in the storage rack but if I call them and tell them to pot it on a cleaning rack they will. They have about 6 cleaning racks that are on the ground. They have a couple ladders you can use and they have a water hose and electrical outlet at each rack. (some have to share).

I can go down there and work on the boat, clean it, etc. There is a ramp there so if i want to trailer it they just put it in the water and I load it on the trailer.


Alot of the thing about how fast they will put your boat in the water is if you TIP THE FORKLIFT GUY. I give him $10 every few weeks and hes like my best friend. lol

I pay $250 / mo for it. They will give you 2 months free if you sign a 1 yr lease but I plan on trailering the boat and taking it home to do some stuff during the winter for a couple months so I just go month to month.

Theres about 100 such storage places around here. Some are more expensive but they are like mini yacht clubs. There is a sailboat squaden here too. you can rent mooring bouys for $150 a month. You can keep a power boat there too. They have a lift and you can use it for $15 each way (in or out) any time you want. You just have to buy a membership that is $200 a year.


But I like my place. If I want to do something like check the drive oil I just go down there and tell them to put it in when they get a min and within 15 mins they get it out. They will hold it on the forks while I check it or do whatever.

 

[LAC_STS]

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

Around here they typically want 12 hour notice unless you pay extra. Boat damage from being moved around is common place and we've had 3 racks full of boats burn to the ground in the past 5 years.

A hoist is my number one choice.

Not that a rack burning to the ground would be abad thing. That would mean new boat time!!!

But seriously your bs ing right? 3 racks in 5 years? thats alot of $.

 

[Beefer]

Re: anotehr boat ramp fail

I racked for the first two years, and then the new owners more than doubled the rate. For the boat I had then (16' Bayliner), the cost wasn't justifiable, so we found a private dock. When we racked, we loved it for the most part. About 10 minute notice was all that was needed, and the guys that work there are great. One thing we didn't like about the rack was 'limited' access. If we decided to go out for an evening, we couldn't unless we called before they closed. Now, we have 24hr access, and we do use it at all hours. I'm paying $100/month for a 22', which can't be beat by anything. Downside is having to working on the boat in the water, which can limit my tinkering.

I feel like I caused this thread to get hijacked, for which, I apologize profusely to Home Cookin'