Vacationing at the boat ramp

[skargo]

So we went out at our usual ramp this past Sunday.

They were calling for potential storms so not many people were there, hardly any actually. As we prep our boat I see a family in their Sunday best taking pics and hanging at the dock.

We go to launch, and I back down. These people are sitting on the dock, eating with their legs hanging over the edge into the water. They were oblivious to another boat who previously dropped people off, and they had to use the end of the dock.
Anyway, back to us launching. I back down, and my wife had to ask them to move, as it was a little windy and besides, their legs were right where we needed to tie up.
They got up, my wife grabbed the lines, and I backed her in.
I pulled out, parked my trailer, came back and my wife has the stren line, but the bow line is in the water, because these people left their PBJ sandwiches and drinks all over the dock. She was struggling a bit, and the guy just stood their with his head up his tookus. I got the line out of the water, and danced around their PBJs, I so badly wanted to stomp them or send them flying, but the kids shouldn't pay for their parents idiocy.

Of course, as pleasant as possible, I told him he might want to sit at the the other, unused side as this is a BOAT LAUNCHING AREA. He got snippety and said "You are the first one to come here" so I asked him if he missed the last boat that dropped people off. Then I told him very sternly that this was NOT a picnic area, and someone could get hurt.

Man, some people are THICK!

 

[Micahhaase]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

Yea where i launch my boat its mostly busy all the time and for some reason ppl think its an awesome idea to swim off the dock...My wife told 3 teens to get off the **** dock or she was going to get them off the dock.. they picked up their clothes and was gone lickity split. Some people dont understand whats safe and not safe

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

That's pretty obnoxious...reminds me of a trip back to the dock after cruising on the Grand river two weeks ago.

There are three docks...and a guy had his crappy old fiberglass boat with an electric shift Johnson with the cowling off taking up the middle space for hours while he tried to get it started.

He had two kids in the boat bored out of their minds for the whole time he was killing his battery cranking the motor. He is probably ruining a lifetime of boating for those kids, not fun for them.

At least take the shallow dock on the side if you are camping out for hours

 

[BurntOrngeLonghorn84]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

There are three docks...and a guy had his crappy old fiberglass boat with an electric shift Johnson with the cowling off taking up the middle space for hours while he tried to get it started.

He had two kids in the boat bored out of their minds for the whole time he was killing his battery cranking the motor. He is probably ruining a lifetime of boating for those kids, not fun for them.

This is my number one gripe. Get some ear muffs and try starting it before launching the stupid boat.

 

[badkins50]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

So we went out at our usual ramp this past Sunday.

I got the line out of the water, and danced around their PBJs, I so badly wanted to stomp them or send them flying, but the kids shouldn't pay for their parents idiocy.

Of course, as pleasant as possible, I told him he might want to sit at the the other, unused side as this is a BOAT LAUNCHING AREA. He got snippety and said "You are the first one to come here"

See now after that I think I would have had to go ahead start the stomping and kicking.

 

[jkust]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

Happens all the time at our local lake. People think it is a fishing dock and since it was poorly designed it is 10 feet too short as it is. I tell them I need them to move as I will need to be exactly where they are standing. If they don't move there will be some uncomfortable moments ahead. It is usually kids. My worry is what they will do to my truck and trailer when I am gone.

 

[skargo]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

Yeah, another reason I was nice, I didn't want to come back to 8 flat tires!

 

[mommicked]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

There is a dock at a local ramp that is 20 yrds from the ramps which have no docks.it is T shaped and is for loading/unloading passengers.signs say no fishing from dock.as i approached recently to parallel the top of the T as normal(works great w traffic,no backing.like a drive thru) Some idiot from south of the border throws his large cast net 10 feet in front of my bow!I was furious and let him know In broken spanish as I shifted to nuetral and had to make another approach while he retrieved his net.im sure he was illegal as he beat a hasty retreat w his sidekick after pulling the net.the *&%!looked right at me before he threw the net!incredible.

 

[DANZIG]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

Best/worst one I have ever seen,,,

One Sunday morning I am fishing from the bank opposite side of the Gyandotte R. ramp where the Gdotte meets the Ohio R. Fairly nice day, fair amount of traffic.

Along comes the whole congregation of a small Church who proceed to hold a baptism ceremony on the ramp. Around 40 folks and 6 new converts in their Sunday best camped out on the ramp for 45 mins while the traffic stacked up behind and before them.
I guess their shiny shoes were too good for the little beach right beside the ramp??

The boating folks were fuming, but held their peace. I thought it was hilarious! Of course the morning beers may have had something to do with that.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

Of course the morning beers may have had something to do with that.

It's your fault. They prayed for you for 20 minutes.

John (the baptist)

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

Along comes the whole congregation of a small Church who proceed to hold a baptism ceremony on the ramp. Around 40 folks and 6 new converts in their Sunday best camped out on the ramp for 45 mins while the traffic stacked up behind and before them.
I guess their shiny shoes were too good for the little beach right beside the ramp??

Some don't know better, but there are a subset of idiots like this out there that do exactly what you mentioned with the sole purpose of stirring things up. They WANT you to call the cops and will wait around for hours with the baptism, and then scream about their freedom of religion on the boat dock.

Guess what, my boat/trailer has no concept of freedom of religion when I'm backing up to unload.

 

[DANZIG]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

"It's your fault. They prayed for you for 20 minutes."


LMAO!! It must not have took,, the fishing was lousy that day!
Wait,,,Come to think of it, I did catch a couple before they showed up. Mmmmmm... maybe it worked after all?

But then again, it may have had more to do with the traffic jam they caused. Of course, the praying did cause the traffic jam, so in a round about way.......

 

[Brewman61]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

You shoulda baptised the whole lot of them with a nice rooster tail from your hole shot!

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

We frequently encounter people fishing, swimming, just looking at the water, etc.
on the ramps/docks at several of our local lakes. And they usually act like we're
in "their" way! Tuesday while on the water we observed two people sitting
in lawn chairs fishing on one ramp of a two ramp launch across the lake from where
we put in.

Most of these people are just clueless I guess. And of course not boat owners.
What a convenient place to access the water if you don't have a boat!

 

[TMoNeE]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

On my closest lake, when the water level is as high as it is right now there is 4 docks and you can launch and retrieve a bunch of boats if its being used right. Unfortunately, in one ends of the ram there seems to be a bunch of kids and a few parents that love to swim and whatnot in this area, of an active boat ramp. people tend to avoid them since there is a lot of other room, but not me, I back my boat right to the edge of the water and tell everyone to get out, this isnt a place for swimming. The sheriff will clean it up but hes not usually on the water til 10 or so.

 

[DANZIG]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

"What a convenient place to access the water if you don't have a boat! "

I hate to defend them in anyway but,,,,, in truth there just is not much convenient public water access in most areas other than a boat ramp.
Should we call it a design flaw?? Something akin to an attractive nuisance? You have all that nice parking, concrete right into the water, often well lit......

Something to think about next time a ramp building agency has a public comment meeting. Perhaps it might be a good idea to include some non-boater access when a new ramp is built.

Yes, some fools would still use the ramp,,But,,, they would not have even a bad excuse then.

 

[skargo]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

"What a convenient place to access the water if you don't have a boat! "

I hate to defend them in anyway but,,,,, in truth there just is not much convenient public water access in most areas other than a boat ramp.
Should we call it a design flaw?? Something akin to an attractive nuisance? You have all that nice parking, concrete right into the water, often well lit......

Something to think about next time a ramp building agency has a public comment meeting. Perhaps it might be a good idea to include some non-boater access when a new ramp is built.

Yes, some fools would still use the ramp,,But,,, they would not have even a bad excuse then.

That's the thing, the ramp I am talking about is in a state park, with a ton of access. Next time I will have PB&J on my shoe!

 

[DANZIG]

Re: Vacationing at the boat ramp

And, from the POV of a landlubber, this access compares to that afforded by the ramp?