Venting

[scrat]

OK.. went to a different launch this past Sunday. Place called 1st creek at Lake Wheeler in Alabama. My normal launch has three lanes and even though I sometime s observe some pretty weird stuff, this past weekend I saw it all at one time. :facepalm:

I got there watched first guy just pulled his boat out of the water proceed to tie it down, pull plugs, unload it etc... all while blocking the ramp. Next couple of people launched pretty well as did I with one caveat..: My wife isn't comfortable driving the boat or backing the truck she is a passenger pure and simple. (remember this - it's pertinent later) So I launched, tied off, parked the truck, got in the boat and went fishing.

Coming back in 5 boats waiting to retrieve. I circle until its close to my turn. Pull up, tie off, (remember the passenger statement) with the wife at the boat in case of an emergency, go get the truck, wait my turn, back in and retrieve.

While retrieving there is a pontoon with oh about 50 kids swimming around the boats, around the launch and pretty much running around trying to get run over. One guy even had what looked to be a 18 month old on a small atv cutting donuts in the parking lot.

Well , when I back in to retrieve my boat, I backed the trailer in then went and got the boat, wife goes to the truck so she can pull it out after I pull the boat up on the trailer as I'm walking to get the boat, the guy with the 100 kids makes a snide remark about women outa be able to drive a boat..

I kept my mouth shut pulled my boat out and left... Will not go back to that ramp again...

Oh and id I mention there were knee boarders, skiers and tubers ripping up and down within 25 - 30 yards of the ramps..

 

[Navigator_Victory]

Re: Venting

Sounds like summer is in full swing

 

[Lindeman23]

Re: Venting

x2...

 

[Lakemeadan]

Re: Venting

My wife and I have the same system also, congradulations. You should have said out loud "Some Guys shouldn't be allowed to have kids". Just have patience and don't let anybody get to you, I'd go back if I liked the lake and area. I have to launch at very busy ramps, not much choice.

 

[Lakemeadan]

Re: Venting

Sometimes it is great when people are at the ramp dock especially when you are alone. I back down the ramp beside the dock unhook the boat walk up the dock and ask a couple people if they wouldn't mind holding the lines when my boat comes off and to take it to the end of the dock if possible. Usually have great cooperation. Get back in vehicle back down further to float boat off, go park truck. And always thank them, its usually all tied up at the dock.

 

[2 Eagles]

Re: Venting

^^^ Same here and if asked to help I do.

My Dad and I had a problem like that once. A bad storm hit before we could get back to the ramp. Wind and rain was blowing every one's boat. Made it real hard to load the boats on the trailers. But luckly most of us had two or more people on a boat. So one would go get the truck and trailer and the rest of us help walk the boats on the trails by hand. Then that one would move ands the we loaded the next one and so on. When every one was done we all thanked each other and finshed battening dothe boats and whent are own ways.

Some time the right people are at the ramp and some times the wrong. You just ran into the wrong one's.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Venting

I pulled up to a flooded ramp with very limited dock access a week ago. Man and a kid were fishing off the dock, with the tackle box blocking the only usable cleat on the dock. Another boater was using the ramp and the other side of the dock to launch.

I announced that I was pulling in, and needed that corner of the dock and cleat. The man turned around and ignored me. From about 15 feet I hit the air horn. After a successful landing, he picked up his tackle box and left. I suspect he had some clean-up to do. My wife almost fell off the boat laughing.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Venting

How does a guy have time to produce 100 kids and have time to be at the lake?????

 

[scrat]

Re: Venting

How does a guy have time to produce 100 kids and have time to be at the lake?????

From the looks, probably while on the 'toon...

 

[robert graham]

Re: Venting

x2...

When you're driving to the ramp just repeat to yourself over and over, "I will be patient, they will not **** me off!"....sometimes it helps. Better thing is get up early, get to ramp before all the inbred meatballs arrive!...Ramp Fever!...would make a good movie!...

 

[SWTobias]

Re: Venting

Man and a kid were fishing off the dock, with the tackle box blocking the only usable cleat on.

This happened to me once but the man wouldn't budge and wouldn't pull in his line. After trying for some time to get him to move, I finally just pull the boat up to the dock running over and cutting his line. I didn't know at that time that monofiliment line + ourtdrives = disaster. I lost a week of boating and got a hefty repair bill.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: Venting

How does a guy have time to produce 100 kids and have time to be at the lake?????

where do you think he produces them at? probably the nearest outhouse just go to the launch so the kids wont bother them. let them run around like chickens with there heads cut off.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Venting

OK.. went to a different launch this past Sunday. Place called 1st creek at Lake Wheeler in Alabama. My normal launch has three lanes and even though I sometime s observe some pretty weird stuff, this past weekend I saw it all at one time.

I got there watched first guy just pulled his boat out of the water proceed to tie it down, pull plugs, unload it etc... all while blocking the ramp. Next couple of people launched pretty well as did I with one caveat..: My wife isn't comfortable driving the boat or backing the truck she is a passenger pure and simple. (remember this - it's pertinent later) So I launched, tied off, parked the truck, got in the boat and went fishing.

Coming back in 5 boats waiting to retrieve. I circle until its close to my turn. Pull up, tie off, (remember the passenger statement) with the wife at the boat in case of an emergency, go get the truck, wait my turn, back in and retrieve.

While retrieving there is a pontoon with oh about 50 kids swimming around the boats, around the launch and pretty much running around trying to get run over. One guy even had what looked to be a 18 month old on a small atv cutting donuts in the parking lot.

Well , when I back in to retrieve my boat, I backed the trailer in then went and got the boat, wife goes to the truck so she can pull it out after I pull the boat up on the trailer as I'm walking to get the boat, the guy with the 100 kids makes a snide remark about women outa be able to drive a boat..

I kept my mouth shut pulled my boat out and left... Will not go back to that ramp again...

Oh and id I mention there were knee boarders, skiers and tubers ripping up and down within 25 - 30 yards of the ramps..

Welcome to 'Bama Bubba!!!

That kind of nonsense goes on at free launches around here all the time, not so much at suprevised pay launches/marinas.

How does a guy have time to produce 100 kids and have time to be at the lake?????

Prolly has a "bun in the oven" right now and the "oven" is ill about it so he took the heathens to the lake to get away from her.

 

[jtmarten]

Re: Venting

Better thing is get up early, get to ramp before all the inbred meatballs arrive.

+1
We try to get launched before 8am for day trips, usually around 2pm for overnight trips, and off around 11-12 the next morning.

 

[jtmarten]

Re: Venting

While retrieving there is a pontoon with oh about 50 kids swimming around the boats, around the launch and pretty much running around trying to get run over.

Sounds like a good time to have the Rangers do a 'Safety Inspection', make sure he has a lifejacket onboard for everyone. Prob get a pretty stout ticket for letting them swim around the dock too.
We had a 'toon with at least 15 aboard, about 1/2 adults 1/2 kids in a no-wake cove a couple years ago. They beached and were getting all obnoxious and crazy. Rangers pull in, do a headcount, lifejacket count, and off the owner/operator goes with the Rangers. After about an hour the Rangers came back (several trips) to bring his passengers to the marina. I'm guessing it wasn't a fun day for him.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Venting

Sounds like a good time to have the Rangers do a 'Safety Inspection', make sure he has a lifejacket onboard for everyone. Prob get a pretty stout ticket for letting them swim around the dock too.
We had a 'toon with at least 15 aboard, about 1/2 adults 1/2 kids in a no-wake cove a couple years ago. They beached and were getting all obnoxious and crazy. Rangers pull in, do a headcount, lifejacket count, and off the owner/operator goes with the Rangers. After about an hour the Rangers came back (several trips) to bring his passengers to the marina. I'm guessing it wasn't a fun day for him.

Here in 'Bama it's the Marine Police that enforce the waters, we have far too few of them and this kind of malarkey goes on all the time.

It got so bad at one of our Power Company park/launch that they had to put a full time attendent out there during the summer months to keep thing straightened out... and it's still a zoo on the weekends, but with a lot less problems.

 

[DonHof]

Re: Venting

There's a lot of times I'll go to the boat ramp armed with lawn chair and coffee cup (big).
Just sit their and watch for a couple of hours. I guess I need to start taking a camera.

 

[Steve302]

Re: Venting

There's a lot of times I'll go to the boat ramp armed with lawn chair and coffee cup (big).
Just sit their and watch for a couple of hours. I guess I need to start taking a camera.

I had an hour to kill today and did exactly that. XL timmies coffee and the tailgate of my F350.

I was watching some students from a University diving around the water front beside the local launch collecting something from the bottom when I saw this boat coming towards the launch area at probably full throttle.

They barely slowed down enough to get her parked and one of the guys gets out running and yells to the other guy who was backing down the ramp to launch that he needed him to move and continued running to his truck. He comes flying back with the truck and trailer. The trailer is just bouncing all over the place and quickly backed down the ramp and loaded the boat. Pulled her out of the water and as soon as the boat comes out of the water it starts pouring out water from the drain plug and continued to do so for almost 5 minutes lol.

I'll give this guy credit though as crazy as it looked he had this thing out of the water probably within 3 minutes of jumping off of his boat.

Looks like another person has joined the no plug club.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Venting

it also shows that you can do it in three minutes if you have to. Reminds me of the saying, there is no more efficient machine than a man in a sinking boat with a bailer.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Venting

it also shows that you can do it in three minutes if you have to. Reminds me of the saying, there is no more efficient machine than a man in a sinking boat with a bailer.

Thats a pretty accurate saying except I always thought the most efficient machine was my ex-wife emptying my wallet.