Two pet peeves of mine

[stevieray]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

Kevin's wife hates it when he farts in the boat! :devil: :}

Not a problem on plane at WOT, but at no-wake speed it helps to have one of these on board:

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

I am a fan of efficient launching, but on the other side of the spectrum, launching a boat is not an Olympic event. We all pay good bucks to boat and being extra careful is important. It bothers me when folks waiting to launch get all frustrated waiting an extra 2 minutes and rush people (especially new boaters)...we were all at this level at one time...instead of putting on the heat, give them advice and help them out so next time they are pros.

If they take more than 10 minutes, pull their drain plug8)

True. I always help the young family who is just learning. In a perfect world they would have an experienced boater with to teach them, but we all know how imperfect this world is.

It is the arrogant know-it-alls that act like they were born with a boat up their arse and then spend a half hour screwing up that drives me nuts.

Yeah, the tail end charlie that scoots to the front drives me nuts. I was waiting in a fairly long line at the ramp several years ago, probably had four or five boats in front of me and a few in back, and this knuckle head in a pontoon boat just cruised right past us and into the ramp, dominating the ramp for an hour trying to get that big bastard onto its trailer. Since then I have gained access to a private ramp not too far from my house for when I put in or remove for the season.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

Yeah, and when you try to give one of those know-it-alls a helpfull hint at the ramp, you get the snotty answer: "Don't tell me! I've been doing this for 30 years." My reply: Yeah, and you've been doing it wrong for 30 years.

 

[troypolla]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

About a week before we bought our boat I went to a few launches during the rush hours and just watched people launch and made mental notes of what they did, what I liked and what I did not like. I think this helped me out some when it came to actually doing it myself.

 

[QC]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

About a week before we bought our boat I went to a few launches during the rush hours and just watched people launch and made mental notes of what they did, what I liked and what I did not like. I think this helped me out some when it came to actually doing it myself.

My wife and I did the same, and this is one of my first tips to new trailer boaters. Go to the ramp without the boat or at least park it and watch for a while before your first attempt. It is very obvious who knows what they are doing and who doesn't.

I find giving help to some is very difficult, but I always offer. Mrs. QC prefers that I keep my mouth shut, but what wife doesn't . . .

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

Things have gotten so terrible in the way of stupid people in boats, that I have gave up. I just look the other way now. And I can't get away for the new idiots and I'm on PUGET SOUND! After 50 some years of normal, its insane now. Zero courtesy, I see people standing at the launch, fuming because the guy there first is taking to much time, but don't bother to help. The BRAINLESS tubers round and round and round that makes the lakes useless for a smooth cruise, but just tearing up docks, boats, and shorelines. People clueless of their wake, that think MPH is key, not the destruction left behind.by the plowing boat. And it will get worse...

 

[stevieray]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

I have a dream. (Where have I heard THAT before). Probably not a realistic one, but then again, one that would probably work if implemented.

Wherever there is one boat ramp, there should be two. One for beginners & one for experts. The expert ramp is only for use by those who have proven in an officialy sanctioned test that they are worthy of using it. Experts would have a clearly visible sticker on both tow vehicle & boat so there could be no cheating. The expert ramp would almost always be clear since they can just zoom in & out so easily - and being experts, they have earned that privilege.

The beginner ramp has the waiting line & struggling maggots that would just get in the way of the experts anyway.

A crew of good-hearted experts can volunteer to train the beginners who want to learn & prepare for their expert test. The ones that have aspirations to the expert ramp will learn & progress quickly - the ones that don't will just have to keep waiting & struggling along.


Actually, this idea came to me at a golf driving range one day while I was sitting there waiting for a spot to open up when the whole tee line was taken up by a mess of screaming kids & their parents who couldn't hit the ball out of their shadows.

I have a relatively low handicap (and have to carry a card to prove it) so I told the range owner that he should reserve 4 or 5 spots at the primo location on the tee line for anybody who can show the card with a number of, say, 10 or less - which would be the equivalent of the expert boater. Golfers of my stature (better skilled, experienced, courteous) take up less time & space on the range, just like the expert boater at the ramp.

I would gladly volunteer a few hours of my time to try to enlighten the maggots that aspire to my primo spot.

Why is everybody looking at me like I'm crazy or something?

 

[imported_74baja]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

I have a small light 16 footer, and i always crank on. I hate it when some hotchot with a shiney new boat thinks that he needs to show off even when he is retrievingby goose it a million time to try to make it up the trailer. not only does it throw my little boat around, but as stated before it erodes the launch so if the river's low the trailer wheels drop of the end of the cement and fall about 4 feet lower, resulting in much tire squealing and transmission straining.
My .02

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

Fish and Game Commission put in a new ramp last year. I told them to put the dock in the middle so boaters could launch off both sides, BUT NO! They put the dock off to one side of a ramp that is at least 40 feet wide.

Thw boats can launch or retrieve but only one can use the dock until the closest one is walked around to the other side. And you know how often that happens. 0

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

I only have one pet peeve.

Other people using my lake when I want to use it.:|

Couldn't have said that any better....................

opppp's that's my river that is..............

 

[Bigrox]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

Last summer was my first full summer of boating. So I had lots of learning to do. I was able to launch and retrieve alone from the begining. But that wasn't to say it was quick and smooth, but a learning experience none the less. When I first met my gf I made her drive the boat alot and now she drives the boat all the time for launch and retrieve. She even drives towing!!! I'm pretty lucky to have her, but the key was being patient. We have a pretty smooth and quick routine for rookies. I'm always open to suggestions though.

 

[AguaSki]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

A nice 10 lane ramp can limit a lot of the pet peeves. Plenty of space for the idiots to do their thing and still let the rest of us launch/retrieve. Below is a picture of the ramp at my primary lake (Lake Pleasant, AZ). Speaking of idiots, you will notice one of them sunk their boat at the dock.

 

[woodchip]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

I live in a different world.our best ramp is a double thats a two hour drive from here.The only place close is a gravel beach two wide that I always see guys with a volvo trying to pull a 24' sailboat stuck on the beach.

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Two pet peeves of mine

2. Recovering using the boat motor to "power up onto the bunks"

I think it depends on the area. Down here in South Florida, everyone powers on the trailer. Bunk trailers are the most common here and I don't think you could crank a 27' boat onto a bunk trailer. I have a 1969 fish/ski and I crank it on because powering on doesn't work with my trailer (the boat sits on keel rollers) but I've only seen one other person cranking on.

-E