Holding up the boat ramp!

[Rockonafly]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

The absolutely most ridiculous ramp story I have was on the Illinois River. My wife backed the trailer down the boat ramp to recover the boat. I waited in the middle of the river as there was a large amount of ramp traffic. Some smarter than the rest of us individual pulls in front of me as I was lining up to put the boat on my trailer and expects my wife to move so he can get his boat. The encounter was easily squelched as the local game warden and a police officer (they were just watching) questioned the individuals ability to operate a boat properly.<br />I usually figure out which boat ramps have low traffic and use them. I fish way too much to be frustrated by some of the antics.

 

[phantoms]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

Originally posted by Reel Poor:<br />Im really courious as to why you dont cary the gear in the boat?

The boat is balanced without the gear in it. When you start throwing gear in it, you have to balance the gear too. Plus, it's more weight transfered to the rear of the truck at the hitch, instead of supported by the whole truck.<br /><br />Note that by gear, I mean my tackle, poles, 6 gal. gas tanks (3 of them), coolers (one for drinks, one for fish) and my charts, etc. The anchor, etc. is stowed onboard. Everything that's normally stowed in a hatch is left on board.

 

[phantoms]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

Originally posted by Rockonafly:<br /> Some smarter than the rest of us individual pulls in front of me as I was lining up to put the boat on my trailer and expects my wife to move so he can get his boat.

That's why a spare Horn in a can should be carried. So you can aim it in their direction and empty it.

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

I'm just going to throw one more thing out for consideration. If me and a buddy are going out on a 16 footer to go fishing, it takes much less time at the ramp than a family going out on a larger boat. It's called SAFETY. A small boat, with an outboard motor and carry-on fuel tank requires much less safety inspection at the ramp than a larger boat. Not to mention, us men are less caring about safety when we are alone than when we have the family onboard. Again, I'm not advocating senseless tie-ups at the ramp(things that can be done in the pre-launch area).<br />With a larger boat, and the family waiting to get onboard, here is what most of us should be doing: 1) back boat into water, lift engine hatch, look for any signs of water intrusion. 2) start engines,check all gauges for normal....oil pressure, etc, again look in engine compartment for any water intrusion or leaking fuel, or any signs of engine problems. 3)Back boat further into water. 4) check forward bilge( in cabin) for any signs of water intrusion. 5) once engine will idle and rev without dying, back off of trailer.<br />As you can guess, this takes a few more moments than the average bow rider or fishing rig, this has nothing to do with someone "owning the ramp" or thinking they are better than anyone else, this is just plain good practice for anyone with a cuddy cabin or larger boat that has many thru-hulls about to take their family out for the day. Sorry if some "fishermen" think that "pleasure boaters" are holding you up on the ramp....they have the same right to be there as you and safety trumps anyone's idea about speed and time.

 

[paulie0735]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

Its nice to know that the whole world has idiot boat owners, kind of makes me sad though. I'm a member at a ski club and two years ago we started using a rope control that only allows one entry and one exit to the ramp. Since than a natural queue works up and most people do there prep work while they are waiting in the queue. Anybody taking to long or getting to the ramp unprepared are soon made to look foolish. In the 2 years we have been doing this in prime season the 'issues' on the ramp are all but finished!

 

[rosco_59]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

Some people are faster then others, I am 61 and do not move as fast as I once did. It may take me a moment or two longer now then before. If waiting an extra moment or two puts you behind schedual then you should get an earlier start to make up for us slower people. I have my boat ready when I back up into the water, and I wait till there is nmot a lot of boats going in before I launch. But I will tell you that i go as fast as I can, and if you want to start making noises about me then you will be waiting even longer. Have some patience with people and enjoy the day.

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

I am a new boater and have only had my boat out 5 or 6 times so far. Before I took it out I read on here about all of the ramp antics. Well, already within my 5 trips I have first seen someone slam their 30' boat (barely) into the water because they unclipped the winch before backing and it rolled off the trailer while they were backing... then later that day I was waiting to use another ramp while someone stopped at the top of the ramp after loading their boat and then unpacked their boat at a +very+ slow pace while completely blocking the ramp.

 

[SwampNut]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

There are people that are ignorant/unskilled, and those that are arrogant. The ignorant and unskilled just need help, time, and practice. Offering to help in a non-confrontational, no-ego way can really help.<br /><br />The arrogant ones...both barrels...

 

[paulie0735]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

For me its not the time taken on the ramp that infuriates me so much, naturally some boats take a little longer than others and if your on your own or getting on in years than its gunna take a bit longer ‘no problem’. What gets under peoples skin is when the inconsiderate and arrogant owners turn up totally unprepared and than sit on the ramp doing every this else but launching their boat. In many cases they will sit in a queue for half an hour and do nothing until they get on the ramp!!!!!! The other biggie for me is when an owner will make 4 or 5 attempts to drive the boat on when 1 attempt at winching it on would have worked fine.<br />Grrrahhhh!!!!

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

One of the things I read on here (or somewhere) was a debate over winching vs powering. When I was looking online for ramp locations last week, I saw an article from the Florida Wildlife and Fish Commission where they said that their older ramps were failing due to boaters powering-on. They said it undermined the base of the ramp.

 

[QC]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

I copied this from a previous post of mine. True story middle of this last summer.<br /><br />I have a 16 year old son who started driving this year . We are just starting to have him back the trailer down etc. so mom can get a break.<br /><br />We were using a ramp with only room for two trucks/boats at a time. While he was next in line to retrieve me yesterday he had to wait for a guy who hung his hull up on a strake. I've done it before, so I know how frustrating that can be. Anyway, the guy backs down again real fast to fix it and not sure how it happened, but it started to roll over the wrong way and almost put his wife in the drink. Somehow he saved it. At the same time, there was a guy towed to the ramp by a Seadoo (how embarrassing!!!)and the guy in the Seadoo stayed at the ramp standing there after the boat was long gone. So my kid (and me in the water) were waiting for what seemed like an eternity, and everybody lined up behind him was getting pretty steamed. As soon as the Seadoo Dude gets a clue and moves (the other boat with the strake hung up still on the other side), my son calmly swung the trailer around and backed it into a really tight spot while I was holding my breath and idling toward him. He had to make one small correction but put it straight into the slot somehow perfectly timed with me idling in and straight onto the trailer. I got the winch strap on and wound her up without even leaving the bow. He started idling up the ramp within 90 seconds of backing down. The next guy in line to retrieve gives me a thumbs up and says "that's how it's done". All I could do was smile big and point to the truck and yell "he's just 16". Man, that felt good!!!

 

[rosco_59]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

I think that is a good way to do it QC, I go it alone so it takes me longer, I wish I was a little younger so I could move faster. I load my boat while the others put in, then when it is slow I will get in line. I hate to hold folks up any but sometimes it just can not be helped.

 

[OBJ]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

That's about as good a' story as I've heard in a very long time QC. Little chest thumping in order.....for both you and the son...... <br /><br />My youngest son made me feel the same way last Sept. during the floods here. He's 23 but never the less, he got me and another firefighter in and out of the water during a time when it had to be done right the first time.<br /><br />Yeah....makes ya' feel good.

 

[markvictor]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

One Memorial day I was sitting in the bed of my truck at the launch ramp with my "mechanic available" sign displayed( don;t laugh, you have no Idea how much money I've made turning on Battery switches and opening fuel valves and vents...not really I do that for free,lol) When these two guys pull down the ramp in an old impala with a 15' starcraft on the trailer...they had big coolers and little tackle boxes for a big day on the ocean... while they were arguing over who was gonna get their feet wet to unhook the boat and who bought the beer and who's car it was, and who's boat it was, the whole shooting match-Impala, Starcraft, and trailer slides down the ramp on the algae until just the grill of the chevy was visible just under the water's surface..<br />People were strangely tolerant of the blocked ramp...call it "comic relief" The encore came when, after a wrecker pulled it out, one of the guys(still arguing) opens the door of the Impala and gets sent arse over tea kettle back down the ramp by 2 or 3 hundred gallons of water after opening the car door...If only I had the camera...

 

[kenjudy1]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

I have read with interest all the comments, seems to me there is too little understanding about those of us older farts 75 years young. I fish alone and have severe arthrites plus two artificial knees, so I really like the younger people that offer to help. I always prep my boat first and untie it before backing and I am only fair due to limited movement of my neck. Loading is sometimes a problem also. I live outside of LaPine Or and have never had anyone get rude or honk at me. So I guess at my lakes we are blessed with nice people.

 

[Surffx]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

Wow QC great story. That’s just how we used to do it UNTIL…(see story below)<br /><br />We often boat at Pyramid Lake in Nevada, it’s on an Indian reservation about 45 minutes from our house. Beautiful desert landscape and the lake itself is hardly ever crowed because it is a big lake. About ¾ the size of Tahoe. However, there is only one ramp for boats over 16 feet so it can get congested at certain times of the day. So we (wife and kids) arrive at the lake on summer morning, park in the staging area (out of the way) and begin to prep the boat for launch. After everything is ready and everyone has used the bathroom it’s our turn to launch. The wife and kids are in the boat and I’m at the wheel. We start backing down the ramp and I see this tribal warden yelling at my wife to stop, like she is the one driving. I stop and he finishes what he is saying ( I can’t really hear them from the car) and then we proceed to launch. I back down the car, she starts the boat, I undo the bow strap, she backs off the trailer, and I pull up the ramp. All in 90 seconds flat. No problem right? WRONG!!! I park the car and my wife comes around to pick me up in the boat and I ask her what that was all about. She tells me that he said it is against the law to back down the ramp with anyone in the boat. Last year they had some sort of accident so they are going to start enforcing it. Something ridicules like $1500 fine per person. So now everyone stays in the car and then they board the boat at the bottom of the ramp. Of course all the other boats who are waiting look at us like we are crazy because they didn’t hear about the so called “law”.<br /><br /> It’s funny too, I don’t know if this is a “tribal” law or “federal” law. If it was federal law then wouldn’t it apply everywhere? And believe me every other lake we go to, we do it the old way…everyone in the boat. Man I miss those days, it was so much faster. Especially when retrieving the boat, we were just like QC and his son, 90 seconds tops!!<br /><br />Is it dangerous to back down the ramp with people in the boat? I mean grown, sober, adults? Or kids with supervision?

 

[QC]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

Originally posted by Surffx:<br /> Is it dangerous to back down the ramp with people in the boat? I mean grown, sober, adults? Or kids with supervision?

IMHO it is safe as long as everyone is sitting down . . . One tap of the brakes and kersplatto! Anybody standing near the stern could end up under the trailer Personally I think the kids are way safer in the boat than running around the ramp and the dock!!!

 

[Solittle]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

We have marina here in Miami with a small hill to one side of the ramps. The hill is a popular gathering spot on a Sunday afternoon for folks to bring their lawn chairs and coolers to watch the show on the ramps.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

Originally posted by Surffx:<br /> Is it dangerous to back down the ramp with people in the boat?

Depends: Is Ted Kennedy driving?

 

[SwampNut]

Re: Holding up the boat ramp!

If Ted's driving, it's also dangerous to be female and attractive nearby.