Public boat ramps are so much fun

[alandchris]

At Lake Hopatcong NJ this past weekend - saw my share of my great fellow boaters at the ramp there.

Busy of course, people cutting in front of everyone - mostly the bass tournament fisherman.
One of these 'pros' tied up to the dock (ie waiting line to get off the water) - and proceeds to clean up his gear and boat for 20 minutes while everyone is waiting in line. Finally has to let him know about ramp etiquette. Then there was the one who couldn't back the trailer down the ramp. Another put 2 jetski's in and one sunk. Another pulls his boat out of the water, but forgot to trim his motor up === SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH - guess he doesn't like his prop...

Freakin' amazing

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

An hour or so at the ramp can be a very educational experience. That's why we have a dock !!!

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

It never seases to amaze me that people think owning a boat is just driving it and getting it wet! All the other knowledge they lack and or forget just makes them the days entertainment!

 

[rehnsn]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

It never seases to amaze me that people think owning a boat is just driving it and getting it wet! All the other knowledge they lack and or forget just makes them the days entertainment!

A very good friend of mine lived in Wisconsin at a house next to a public landing. He said he used to just hang out in this back yard with a beer and was entertained by the many pratfalls that constantly occured.

 

[Shortbuss]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

I'm new to boating but people drive me nuts at the ramp. Only been out for times but me and my wife have a system down. In and out quick as hell. Helps that she is great putting the boat on and off the trailer. And I can back up a trailer.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

I have all ways had to trailer and launch by my self, and can normally do so in less than 5 minutes. MY wifes job in the past is to hold the boat at the dock while I parked the truck, and this last year she decided to help my out by paying for me a boat slip.

I believe it came from a experience last year when a bass hole was blocking the 2 lane ramp while he towled dry his boat on a busy day. I got sort of tired of waiting and went and got the truck and backed down because I was a bit ticked off, I had 6 inches of clearance. The bass hole blew a gasket ran over to my truck window and stuck his head in and started to open him mouth and I introduced him to my 2 traveling companions. Mr smith and Weston. He left real quick.

 

[86 century]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

Got to see a good one Saturday evening.

Two guys mid 30's or so two young teen-aged boy and the poor little 5 or 6 year old.

They start off all wrong backing down the ramp with the transom straps still on. Stop about 15' from the water to take the straps including the winch and safety chain off the bow.
Some how the driver get really crooked so he stabs the brakes.
Oh I forgot to mention this is a lightweight aluminium shallow v with the 40hp Yamaha jet on a real nice roller trailer.

The rig slips off of the trailer slick as can be bouncing the intake grate off of the groves concrete ramp.
Possibly the best part was the look on the guy in the boats face. Within 10 seconds or so seven guys are there to help out as we are putting the thing back on the trailer one of the younger boys says grandpa is gana kill us.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

bass hole. that's a good one.

We call them "the sparkle boys" when they show up in the salt water during striper season where they don't belong.

 

[jayhanig]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

An hour or so at the ramp can be a very educational experience. That's why we have a dock !!!

That's why I keep a lawn chair in the back of the truck.

 

[KFS]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

I'm new to boating but people drive me nuts at the ramp. Only been out for times but me and my wife have a system down. In and out quick as hell. Helps that she is great putting the boat on and off the trailer. And I can back up a trailer.

I want to be you someday.

 

[KFS]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

as we are putting the thing back on the trailer one of the younger boys says grandpa is gana kill us.

This is why the Good Lord makes little boys (and clueless teen boys) so cute. He knows they are going to need it when they explain to Grandpa what they did to his boat

If I were them I'd send the 6 yo in first ...

 

[JimKW]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

I'm new to boating but people drive me nuts at the ramp. Only been out for times but me and my wife have a system down. In and out quick as hell. Helps that she is great putting the boat on and off the trailer. And I can back up a trailer.

My wife and I have a system too. She yells at me to do what she thinks I should be doing and I do what needs to be done regardless of what she is saying.

 

[snowforfun4]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

My wife and I have a system too. She yells at me to do what she thinks I should be doing and I do what needs to be done regardless of what she is saying.

My wife has a similar protocol...I can get the boat prepped and in the water with the efficiency of a nascar pit crew and she will still invariably say "what took so long"...Spend the day on the water and repeat said procedure in reverse.

To be fair though, Saturday while I was waiting for it, she looked at me and said "we really have this down to a system now don't we":facepalm:

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

My wife has a similar protocol...I can get the boat prepped and in the water with the efficiency of a nascar pit crew and she will still invariably say "what took so long"...Spend the day on the water and repeat said procedure in reverse.

To be fair though, Saturday while I was waiting for it, she looked at me and said "we really have this down to a system now don't we":facepalm:

We.

Lone Ranger: Tonto, we're surrounded by Indians!
Tonto: What's this "we", paleface?

 

[Ned L]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

I went to a state ramp in CT this past Sunday, drop the boat in the water, walk it out the floating pier next to the ramp and tie it up comfortably in front of another boat (I was a good 5 - 7 boat lengths out from the ramp and this one other boat was at the very end of the pier). As I'm hurrying back to my truck to park it some guy starts giving me a hard time about 'blocking his way'. I turn around an look again, it's my boat 3/4 of the way out and that one other boat at the end. I ask is that your blue boat at the end?, and the guy says yes, I offer to go right back & move my boat, he just grumbled & said hurry up. OK, so I guess I'm supposed to know that this guy is 'special' and wants or neeeds the whole 100' pier to himself?? --Geez!

 

[capecodtodd]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

Boat ramps can be a HOOT if you have the patience to watch the show. Down at our local ramp the other day it was crowded and most folk are regulars that know the deal but one guy from out of state thought he would cut in while I was waiting to backup. I think he realised his mistake from me glaring at him so he went up on a embankment inches from my boat and truck with a bunch of kids in his boat and did a big circle back to the end of the line. He was angled pretty good and I had visions of his boat tipping over onto me.
Another guy got his boat in the water and it had a dead battery so another volunteered to jump him but the ramp is small so they blocked alot of it. They both did get going.
Patience grasshopper.
Getting out was another story, a old boat taking its time getting in finally left the trailer and then the 3 guys were looking concerned over the stern. One of them ran to get their truck and asked if he could cut in since his boat was now leaking oil into the water. Sure thing. They took it out and the whole lower unit had detonated and the gears and prop were sitting on the shore. Lack of maintenace I would say. I had never seen one blow up like that.
Yep fun times at the ramp.

 

[KFS]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

My wife and I have a system too. She yells at me to do what she thinks I should be doing and I do what needs to be done regardless of what she is saying.

Honey is that YOU?

 

[JimKW]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

Honey is that YOU?

Yes Dear.

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

Their's a whole bunch of boaters out there that need to discover iboats. I learned what to do and not to do right here before my first launch. Speaking of that first launch, I had checked everything 10 times in the parking lot and then nervously backed down the ramp when my turn came, hoping I was not about to become A Stupid Human Trick. Well we could not get the boat off the trailer to save our lives until a couple of elderly fishermen on the dock pointed out the transom straps we're still on. :redface: I was so embarrassed holding up the busy little two lane ramp. I quickly pulled back out to the lot to fix it with one of the same fishermen yelling your motors still running. :redface: By then I was so rattled I said let's just go back home. We had taken delivery of our new jon boat rig the day before and the first mate wisely convinced me we should try again.

I think we should all make iboats business cards and leave them under the wipers of every tow vehicle at the ramp. If it converts one idiot it would be worth it.

And yes, my first launch antics are posted in the bowels of the Stupid Human Trick forum, along with a even worse one that happened on our vacation trip a few weeks later.

Three years under our belts like many have said we now have it down to a science. We both double check each other and she is especially vigilant about the plug, it's usually in before we leave the driveway!

 

[Aquaman-PSD]

Re: Public boat ramps are so much fun

Boat ramps can at times be funny.... when your not waiting to put a boat in! mostly they just pi** me off and make me loose even more faith in man kind. I was on my approach backing down a ramp a couple of weeks ago when I saw a truck swerve around me to cut me off so they could pull out first... I was pretty angry since i almost hit them... when I put her in park and started walking down the ramp to have a few words with them I started to notice they had a lot of lights on their truck and boat and their badges were a lot shinnier from close up... I turned around, waited my turn patiently, and waved to them and they drove past :redface: