Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Reasearch at the boat launch 4/26/09

Re: Reasearch at the boat launch 4/26/09

Strokeoluck, the courtesy dock is the side of the dock that does not have a ramp in front of it. At Lake Waconia it is the north side of the northern dock.

After launching, quickly move your boat away from the ramp, then over to the courtesy dock to pick up your driver after the tow vehicle is parked. Reverse the process when loading.

Bowman316, in Minnesota the DNR safe boating website clearly states that vehicles with trailers on the ramp have priority over boats tied up at the ramp. If the boat tied up at the ramp doesn't belong to the trailer, the operator must move it so that the operator of the boat that does belong to the trailer may approach and load.

There have been discussions regarding trailer vs. boat on this board before, but in Minnesota the rule is quite clear. Trailer on ramp prevails.

 

[getinmerry]

Re: Reasearch at the boat launch 4/26/09

Re: Reasearch at the boat launch 4/26/09

I saw someone get what he deserved last fall at the local ramp.

A guy was backing his duck hunting boat to the ramp (the prep area is about 100 feet from the edge of the ramp). He was backing down a 18-20 foot pontoon boat with camo screening and reeds tied to it. The boat was fully decked out for hunting.

In the 25 seconds it took for this guy to back the boat to the ramp edge, another selfish and arrogant jerk whipped up to the ramp from the water with his 22' Mariah and was tying off. The guy with the pontoon boat couldn't see him at all as he was backing down.

Needless to say, the guy backed into the Mariah ripping apart the hull with the motor and right toon. The bow of the Mariah got lodged under the deck fo the toon and it pushed the nose of the bow under water flooding the bow area. I can still to this day hear the sound of crunching fiberglass in my head.

The guy with the toon finally realized he had hit something after I started running over to him and waving my arms. The guy on the Mariah never said a word while this was happening- he just stood there with a dumb look on his face. Never tried to stop the collision. He was probably thinking the guy backing up would see him in time.

They got the boats dislodged and exchanged words and paperwork. My best guess is that the toon had about $1500 in damage to the lower unit of the motor and the toon was partially crumpled. The Mariah probably had about $5000 damage to the bow and to the rear because of being pushed into the concrete dock.

I was called by the insurance company 2 days later to give a statement. I was very clear that the fault was with the Mariah owner- not the toon owner.

 

[roozter2550]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

(Haven't been here for some time...actually forgot my password and have sinced changed email address so I had to register again)


I haven't been able to take the boat out yet this year but last season I pull up to the dock and tie off, go get the truck and get in line to pull out.
My turn is up so I back the trailer down the ramp and proceed to go get the boat...so far so good.

As I'm walking around the dock to get to my boat, I see an guy and woman on a waverunner pull up to the ramp where my trailer is. At first I didn''t think anything of it since the ramp is really wide and accomodates 2 trailers and if you had good drivers, could take 3. I'm thinking they're tying up to the dock/gangway like most with PWC's do instead of taking up space on the dock.

Fire up the boat, untie and shove off. Pull around and line up with the trailer and...



...the morons tied up to my guide post and went to get their trailer!

I idled up to the trailer, hit the bunks and winched on, and pulled the truck up just enough that the ski is bumping the concrete.

Here comes the moron screaming "what the f*** are you doing?" I said "nothing...some jack-*** tied up to my trailer and I'm pulling out!"
I pulled forward another couple feet and he's flipping out.

I said "oh, you must be the jack-***! Next time, I'll drag it all the way to the street!"

He didn't say another word, just untied his rope and stood there staring at his machine as I pulled out.

 

[IVAZ]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

(Haven't been here for some time...actually forgot my password and have sinced changed email address so I had to register again)


I haven't been able to take the boat out yet this year but last season I pull up to the dock and tie off, go get the truck and get in line to pull out.
My turn is up so I back the trailer down the ramp and proceed to go get the boat...so far so good.

As I'm walking around the dock to get to my boat, I see an guy and woman on a waverunner pull up to the ramp where my trailer is. At first I didn''t think anything of it since the ramp is really wide and accomodates 2 trailers and if you had good drivers, could take 3. I'm thinking they're tying up to the dock/gangway like most with PWC's do instead of taking up space on the dock.

Fire up the boat, untie and shove off. Pull around and line up with the trailer and...



...the morons tied up to my guide posts and went to get their trailer!

I idled up to the trailer, hit the bunks and winched on, and pulled the truck up just enough that the ski is bumping the concrete.

Here comes the moron screaming "what the f*** are you doing?" I said "nothing...some jack-*** tied up to my trailer and I'm pulling out!"
I pulled forward another couple feet and he's flipping out.

I said "oh, you must be the jack-***! Next time, I'll drag it all the way to the street!"

He didn't say another word, just untied his rope and stood there staring at his machine as I pulled out.

Man, you?re not a very happy boater are you? The guy in the pwc does sound like he could use some extra brain cells but you could have just let him know how wrong and dumb it is to hook up to some bodies? rig without permission. You were right for being upset but, you never know the guy might have thanked you for teaching him something. I usually give people the benefit of the doubt.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

That's how people get shot.

I would have untied him and let it drift out.

 

[DRIFTER_016]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

If you are so stupid and ignorant to tie up to someones trailer at the launch you deserve what you get. I would have untied it and pushed it out to sea myself.

 

[IVAZ]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

That's how people get shot.

I would have untied him and let it drift out.

If you did that you could just be like "I did not want to drag it in the concrete". Watching the guy swim would have been better than tearing up his equipment.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

yea, I never like to tear up any equipment for any reason.

The equipment didn't do anything.

 

[roozter2550]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

Man, you?re not a very happy boater are you? The guy in the pwc does sound like he could use some extra brain cells but you could have just let him know how wrong and dumb it is to hook up to some bodies? rig without permission. You were right for being upset but, you never know the guy might have thanked you for teaching him something. I usually give people the benefit of the doubt.

Actually, I'm a very happy boater and very pleasant. I understand everybody makes mistakes but my idea of a mistake is not blatantly tying up to someones trailer.


Maybe someone here is familiar with the ramp...Lovers Key State park between Ft.Myers Beach and Bonita Springs.
The courtesy dock and gangway have cleats every 10'...he was just too lazy to reach up to the cleats on the gangway or he figured he could get loaded up before I was.

Lesson learned for him...don't take short cuts at the ramp and don't try to cut people off.

I'm all for helping people out at the ramp. I've helped others launch and retrieve especially if they're alone or with kids.
I've given advice to others and they seem thankfull and others who look at you like you're a jerk.
If the ramp is busy and there's no dock space available, I've let people tie up to my boat and let them retrieve before me.

 

[IVAZ]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

roozter,
So he ties up to your trailer and you dragged his pwc on concrete. That?s like being hit with a pea shooter and answering with an Atom bomb.
If cops were called and you explained what happened I can?t see them taking your side. You knew it was tied to your trailer and you looked at the owner while you tore up his pwc. You caused damage that will require money to fix. What did he cost you?

 

[hubbard53]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

I hate these threads.

Always amazes me that there are so many perfect boaters

Just remember, you're at a public ramp. The "idiots" have jsut as much right to be there, as long as they want, than YOU do!

 

[skargo]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

I hate these threads.

Always amazes me that there are so many perfect boaters

Just remember, you're at a public ramp. The "idiots" have jsut as much right to be there, as long as they want, than YOU do!

Dude, take a Valium, it's all meant in fun.

Hell, I'm a newb and am splashing Sunday, I'm sure I can add to the thread afterward talking about a fawk up I did hehehe.

 

[H8tank]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

If I had to wait 45 min to launch, and 45 min to retrieve, I'd drive an hr farther and find new water.

 

[bowman316]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

yea, boat ramps are not that crowded around here, at least not consistently.

we have so many too, every marina has a private ramp that you can use for 5 bucks.

 

[skargo]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

yea, boat ramps are not that crowded around here, at least not consistently.

we have so many too, every marina has a private ramp that you can use for 5 bucks.

Really? Shoot me a list of marinas I can do that at. When I bought my Wellcraft down in Annapolis, I had to fork over $20 to the marina down there, no surprise considering it's location.

BTW, I checked out the Lapidum ramp today.

 

[sparticus]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

When I get a spare minute I like to check out the webcam at my favorite tub floating reservoir in Utah. Its Willard Bay and you get to control the camera. You can pan left, right, up and down and even zoooooooom in on the action. My favorite so far this year is the guy that backed in his ultra low and sleek speed boat, you know....the ones with the blown 454 and all the chrome? This guy forgot to take off the transom straps and completely submerged the engine compartment as he backed in. I got the impression that it was too heavy at that point to drive back out of the water. So there he was bailing out his speedy beauty. Luckily this ramp is nice and wide (6-7 boats) and he was on the far end so it really didnt impede progress of the ones needing to use the ramp. I take ALOT away from these sessions with the webcam. I firmly believe "there is not enough time in your life to make all the mistakes yourself so you have to learn some of them from others!"

 

[skargo]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

Wife and I performed our first launch and retrieval today, all was smooth, no story...yet.

 

[ddrieck]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

So, my son and I were launching our boat last Sunday for the first time this year, finally got warm in Wyoming. Anyhoo, as we are getting the boat off the trailer this guy starts to power load his Lund. First he over powers and slams the winch post with a loud thud and the subsiquent stop tosses him over the windshield and he lands flat on his back on the bow casting deck. He gets up looks around and jumps out and falls on his a** on the dock. He stands up staggers down the dock, hooks up the bow strap, gets in his truck and pulls out without raising the outboard. Pulls away and drags his skeg up the ramp and over to the parking lot where he puts on the transom straps and pulls away again without raising the motor.
At this point all the yelling in the world didn't get him to stop so we said the heck with it and went on our way. We finished our shakedown cruz and loaded the boat to leave and what do you know...He drug the skeg for about 1/2 mile down a gravel road leading to the main road. We could see the gouges in the gravel. Low and behold at the end of the gouges there was his busted off skeg. I stopped and picked it up just for kicks and went on my way. About a mile up the main road there this guy is pulled over by the man with the big red and blue flashing lights and he is making him do the stupid human tricks. I read in the paper a few days later that they had arrested the guy for DUI.

The work is full of idiots

 

[bparsel]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

I hate these threads.

Always amazes me that there are so many perfect boaters

Just remember, you're at a public ramp. The "idiots" have jsut as much right to be there, as long as they want, than YOU do!

Mistakes at a ramp are excusable, especially if it is a relatively new boater. The best philosophy is try not to get angry and help them to learn a better way to do it.

HOWEVER, I cant tolerate the unprepared, this Sunday (Extremely busy day at the ramp) I arrived and parked in the back lot, got everything loaded, plug in, lines ready on the boat etc. Then pulled into the launch line, well I'm about 5 vehicles back and cant see the turn into the ramp, after about 20 minutes I finally walk up to see what is going on. This total ***** is blowing up a dinghy on a trailer with a foot pump right at the turn to the ramp, so after a few guys finally had some words with him he pulls his truck over just far enough to squeeze by if your boat is under 25ft. By the time I got up to him he was in the process of putting the prop on his dinghy's outboard. My G/F was doing everything she could to calm me down. I maintained and got around him but as I was unloading my boat the guy behind me was hanging out of his truck unloading on Dinghy Boy, Pretty funny.

 

[David Greer]

Re: Research at the boat launch 4/26/09

blowing up the dinghy--now that's the top prize for the "loading delay" category.