Ramp rules?

[LippCJ7]

Re: Ramp rules?

Now thats exactly what I am talking about, situations like mysweetone ran into the other day, there is a very simple solution in situations like this and it normally only takes ONE PERSON to start it up.

I have told this story many times before.

Many many years ago me (16 YRS OLD OR SO) and my boating family(my aunts and uncles) found ourselves on Roosevelt lake in Arizona in the middle of a very nice thunderstorm, 5' swells easy and we simply had to get the boat off the water it was just not made for this kind of weather.

Upon arrival at the ramp we found that there were at least 20 other boats and the waves were breaking on the ramp, no break water at the time, boats were absolutely getting hammered into the trailers, but no body would help each other it was an absolute Charlie Foxtrot. My uncles and a couple friends jumped into the water which obviously is not a good idea but we were all excellent swimmers and not being a slouch in the water I went. My aunt drove the boat into the waves and loitered.

Took a couple boats to get the system figured out but after the third or fourth boat we had three full lines of people, a trailer would back in the driver would NOT get out of the truck we would load the boat the driver would pull the boat out and the next truck pulled in, we successfully loaded every boat and didn't lose a single one, minimal damage and we were in the water less then an hour, it was very hard work but we didn't need to buy beer the rest of the weekend.

I can't believe we have become the self centered society we have, it makes me sick to my stomach. Get out there and help someone.

 

[The Rooster]

Re: Ramp rules?

That story never gets old "LippCJ7", keep repeating it !!!

 

[BonairII]

Re: Ramp rules?

I can't believe we have become the self centered society we have, it makes me sick to my stomach. Get out there and help someone.

It amazes me at how many so-called "boaters" refuse to get wet at the ramp. They will do everything in their power NOT to walk in the water....even if getting a little wet makes loading/launching a lot easier.

 

[12vMan]

Re: Ramp rules?

One of the most aggravating I had to work around was a bunch of kids backed their hobie down the ramp and proceeded to rig the lines and sail, I launched around them went out for a couple hours came back to the ramp and they were just getting underway. The whole time they had blocked a lane.

I sailed Hobie's for many years from the late 70's to the early 90's. We raced in the southwest/Mexico circuit. Some ramps had power lines strung across where we couldn't set the mast and rigging before we got down the ramp, so we had to do it there. Uh-oh, I hope I wasn't 'that guy'! We were never there that long though!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Ramp rules?

In the begining I was "That Guy", but I was a newb and didn't know any better. I learned from watching other people both bad and good about what to and not to do.

Then I matured into the impatient A-hole that has a fit any time I saw someone take a millisecond longer to launch than I thought it should have taken them.

Nowadays I'm amused by it all, I patiently await my turn and watch. I send out my "I'm watching you" vibes to the able bodied folks that fiddle fart around on the ramp to make them nervous. I don't hesitate to help the newbs, older folks, and someone in need.

I have seen just about everything, from "The 3 Stooges" go boating/fishing to people nearly getting killed trying to launch/retrieve a boat. My absolute favorite ones to watch are the folks that have to take a "swim" to get their mechanically sound boat on or off the trailer. I find it very hard to offer assistance to these poor folks for fear of laughing in their face.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Ramp rules?

Regarding getting wet, it is not so much not wanting to get wet as not wanting to get ALL wet then have to go drive the tow vehicle after.

I am replacing my bunks this weekend, renting a slip for the day and will launch and retrieve solo. They have a nice long courtesy dock so I should not be in the way too long. Here's hoping I do not "cause" a new story to be posted here

 

[jkust]

Re: Ramp rules?

Well to me ramps are like Thunderdome...lawless. I'll say though that in my countless ramp launches, I've never seen a person ever go into a parking space to ready their boat. Many of our ramps force the tow vehicle into a cue or a single lane that leads to the ramp. You just deal with people readying their boats in the lane. At this point I think I've seen it all at the ramps.

 

[Psalty]

Re: Ramp rules?

Please allow me to apologize. I did "fly off" as I have been dealing with the problems my wife is living with. I love the lady and hate seeing her not able to get around like I still can. To imagine someone blocking us in on purpose as the original poster had said he'd done to someone just put me over the edge. I won't "flame" that way again and ask all to forgive. We are getting older and slower but always thankful for God's Grace. I always tried to show patience and courtesy to my elders when growing up but I realize that was then and this is now. I still belive in this boating community that I am a new member of. Blessings- Psalty

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Ramp rules?

Jigngrub is right. there is never a need to get wet, with the correct technique and the correct equipment (which includes a winch), unless there is no dock and you are solo.

No "boater" would swim as part of the process; we have boats so we stay out of the water. Maybe some short boots are in order, at most.

 

[Maclin]

Re: Ramp rules?

If you have a dock/pier right beside the ramp then no biggie, you can just use lines. But if the ramp is a hike then try a Cuddy solo where you cannot reach the bow eye or winch from the boat. I have to go up/down thru the front hatch and hop up/down from the bow to the tailgate! I am sure it is quite a sight. When launching I just go out into the water and hop in when I have swim trunks on. When loading it is not as desirable to get all my lower half wet that way getting out of the boat then hop in the tow vehicle. At times my mind wanders over to engineering a ladder or some steps on the trailer so I can go from bow to truck and back easier. Maybe it is time for a Pontoon

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Ramp rules?

or perhaps your boat is too big to trailer and launch at a ramp with no dock. Do all of your passengers also have to wade out to get in the boat? Does the water/weather get cold?

But hey, it's your choice. Lots of people do stuff that others would find is not feasible even though it's possible.

Maybe it's a location thing. Around here there are dozens of ramps and every one has a dock. Hundreds of boats are launched and retrieved on weekends, year round, and no one (who knows what he's doing) ever swims except by accident. No city, marina or park would build a ramp without a dock other than "slide-in's" for jon boats, canoes, etc.

 

[BonairII]

Re: Ramp rules?

Jigngrub is right. there is never a need to get wet, with the correct technique and the correct equipment (which includes a winch), unless there is no dock and you are solo.

No "boater" would swim as part of the process; we have boats so we stay out of the water. Maybe some short boots are in order, at most.

I don't powerload so, I always get wet. I don't see anyway around it. Am I doing it wrong?

I back the trailer in the water....my son is on the dock and walks the boat onto the trailer...I walk into the water(knee deep) and crank the boat up to the bow stop.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Ramp rules?

I never power load and never get wet; I winch the boat up on the trailer with my feet dry at the winch post. did the same with 2 different 16' starcrafts like yours. Launched dry, too. It's what you do in salt water.

 

[Chip Chester]

Re: Ramp rules?

Trailering the boat in your avatar -- 18-footer or so?
Pay out the winch strap, carrying it as you walk from the winch tower, up on the dock, down the length of the trailer to the boat, get down on your knees and hook it in the bow eye. Go back to the winch tower and start cranking (in high speed if you've got it) as your son guides the boat onto trailer. Shouldn't even get your feet wet... unless you've got the trailer in too far.
That's what we do.

 

[BonairII]

Re: Ramp rules?

Trailering the boat in your avatar -- 18-footer or so?
Pay out the winch strap, carrying it as you walk from the winch tower, up on the dock, down the length of the trailer to the boat, get down on your knees and hook it in the bow eye. Go back to the winch tower and start cranking (in high speed if you've got it) as your son guides the boat onto trailer. Shouldn't even get your feet wet... unless you've got the trailer in too far.
That's what we do.

The boat is 16'. My van's tires are touching the water when the trailer is deep enough to load, no way to reach winch without getting in the water. To NOT get wet, I'd have to tightrope walk down the trailer to the winch.

Regardless, I'm always in shorts...so walking in the water is no biggie.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Ramp rules?

You are going too deep; your vehicle tires should not be wet. I never even got the trailer axle wet (rule No. 1) when I had your boat, but I had a tilt trailer. To modify Chip's suggestion, unwind the winch strap/cable before you back down and leave it hanging or hooked to the far end of the trailer. You can hook the bow eye to it from the boat. Then go back to the winch post, either from the dock or walk along the trailer on the plank you have mounted to the trailer frame for a cat walk. Crank it up.

Hey, now you can use the boat in the winter!

 

[BonairII]

Re: Ramp rules?

You are going too deep; your vehicle tires should not be wet.

After you see this pic....you'll realize that I have to back in quite a bit to get the boat to float.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Ramp rules?

After you see this pic....you'll realize that I have to back in quite a bit to get the boat to float.

That is the first tandem axle trailer I've ever seen for a 16' tinny!...ever considered a trailer upgrade?

 

[salty87]

Re: Ramp rules?

You are going too deep; your vehicle tires should not be wet.

not sure if this stmt is exclusively directed at the OP but i have a 23' on tandem and things work best with my suburban tires about an inch in the water. i use the waterline as reference when backing in....touch the water and stop.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Ramp rules?

Bonair, I guess that goes back to my statement having the condition of "the right equipment." You could have a proper rig and stay dry; you could keep what you have and get wet.

Nonetheless, your trailer looks like it has rollers. Have you even tried pushing it off or winching it on? That's what rollers are for. And it would work even better if your boat didn't sit up so high. Ideally the keel should be as close as possible to the axle/struts; the hull between or just an inch above the fenders. perhaps if you re-rigged it you could stay dry. I also don't get the tandem; I assume it doesn't have brakes.

salty, when you move to larger boats like yours, you typically have to go deeper. Then you look at whether your rig is one that has to be sunk and the boat partially floated (typical carpeted bunks), or which can be launched/retrieved shallower with rollers, slicks, and/or a power winch. Even still the big ones have to go deeper; that's what I find with my 21' but I don't haul it out but 3-4 times a year.

One thing to keep in mind: boating methods change over the years. When I started, people seldom trailered large boats regularly; they kept them in the water. Therefore an occasional dunking in salt water was manageable; you wouldn't do it every time you used the boat. For smaller boats, you rigged the trailer so you did not sink it ever; there were no "float on" or "drive on" trailers. In fact not everyone had a trailer; people often shared or borrowed. Of course, the small boats like jons were usually on trailers.

I guess it started in fresh water as boats became more portable and affordable, and where dunking isn't as hard on the trailer. "Float on" trailers are cheaper, so they bring the price of the whole rig down, and get along OK in fresh water. Then people who didn't know, started using them in salt water. Meanwhile, more and more people who don't have water access start enjoying boating, using the trailer every time. So now the bunk/dunk boaters outnumber the dry rollers, and bigger and bigger boats are on the ramps each trip.

But still, the strategy is to use equipment and facilities that are quick, easy and dry (for you), and in salt water, the less equipment and less time in the brine, the better.

Peace.