Impatient idiots at ramp providing comic relief

[sublauxation]

My main ramp has 2 lanes. Sunday somebody pulled out on the dock side as I backed down the other. A third group pulled into the staging area and waited as I launched, beached the boat, and pulled the truck out. They gave me the evil eye the whole time with hands on hips, huffing, puffing and the whole deal even though one lane was empty. My wife was standing close to them as they discussed how the 4 minutes it took me was too long. When I got back from the parking area they were still trying to launch. They blocked both lanes with the truck going one way and the boat the other. I'm more likely than not to help those in need but in this case I joined in with others hollering directions. I kinda felt bad but then they took another 5 minutes loading crap from the truck to the boat.

I guess the moral of the story is I'm just happy they waited for me to pull my truck out before beginning their adventure. And if you're going to be impatient at the ramp, at least have your s#%t together.

 

[mysweetone]

Re: Impatient idiots at ramp providing comic relief

I am new to the forum and bought my first boat a few weeks back (1989 Wellcraft eclipse 215 bowrider). I went to the river with a friend of mine who should me how to launch and retrieve the boat and three days later was back at the launch with my wife and kids for a little cruise. When we got to the launch (which is wide enough for two) and saw that a group of middle aged men were pulling a mid eighties cabin cruiser (23') to the ramp with no truck in sight. I prepped my boat for the water and since this would be my first time launching on my own I decided to wait till this guys boat was out of the water and out of the way.... well I waited....and waited.... watching this guy pull up and back up and drift. and pull up again and again. All the while his truck and trailer was no where even in sight of the ramp yet. After about 10 minutes of watching this I got impatient, walked across the lot to my truck and slid the trailer into the water like a pro the first time (I back trailers year round between the landscape trailer and snowmobiles in the winter) I set the brake, un hooked the boat and slid her into the drink. When I turned to get back into the truck to pull out of the ramp here comes the guy trying like hell to back down the ramp. trailer was in the right direction buy the truck was at like 90-degrees blocking me from leaving. So again, I waited and waited while he jockied the trailer and truck around so that he was not blocking my exit from the ramp. I parked the truck, walked back across the lot, got in the boat and was off and this guys trailer still wasn't even in the water...

I was so nervous after reading horror stories of what happens at ramps and people laughing at me....turns out it wasn't so bad....at least not this time cause this guy had EVERYONES attention!

 

[sublauxation]

Re: Impatient idiots at ramp providing comic relief

Everyone has a bad day at the ramp and it's nice when somebody has a really bad day to take the heat off the rest of us. I'm no expert but my guess is that people think too much when they're backing down the ramp. I do my best to be patient with everybody but sometimes ya gotta laugh.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: Impatient idiots at ramp providing comic relief

some people think they know how to back up a trailer but when you see them try, well.... they just dont know anything at all. my step dad is like that he drives the camper to the camp ground but then my mom takes over backing in the site. he thinks he knows and he can some times but like you discribe if the truck and trailer is jack-knifing they dont know how.

i've accualy backed a trailer in for people because they were debating on who is going to get blamed for the worst back up of the year award. some times its just best to give a charitble minuite to ease the humility