Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

[perchin]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

When there are signs posted...... then the rules are clear. Maybe I missed that earlier, though I did not disagree. Happy boating man.

 

[CV16]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

Sad to see such morons and it really make me glad the launch I use is 100 yards wide and has 10 lanes, it was not even bad retrieving after the 5th of July fireworks.

It is busier than normal here due to Salmon~A~Rama, a fishing contest.

I cant believe some of the vessels I see people taking onto lake Michigan.

I'm fishing the Salmon-A-Rame too. I agree, there are a lot of boats I wouldn't even think about going out in. I was out 12 miles yesterday and saw what couldn't have been more than a 14' row boat out there. I see we had two small boats capsize on Saturday. I'm surprised there aren't more.

 

[thewiles]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

We went out about 5 o'clock this afternoon and the line was long at that time, both with people getting their boats out and others like me putting their boats in. Well I waited my turn to get to the ramp and the guy behind me was waiting to get his boat and there was probably five or six people lined up behind him.

This one guy in a beat up pickup truck with a trailer passes everybody and lines up to back down the ramp. I started to move my truck to block him from backing down, but my wife told me to stop. The guy behind me gets out of his truck and we both say something to the guy and he says the line of cars has nothing to do with who is next, it's whose boat is at the dock and his boat was at the dock.

I said Bull the line is the cars and you need to be at the back of the line. He proceeded to just back down the ramp while my wife told me to just calm down and let him go. I just could not believe anybody could have the nerve to pass all those cars with trailers on them and some with boats on them. I still can't believe it.

I am new to baoting and this brings up a question? we were at a small lake with a 2 boat ramp and not much room for docking once you got in or back. well the other day, it was mid afternoon and there were about 10 baots waiting to get in and about 6 waiting to get out. well there wasn't enough room to dock the baot and get to my truck. So we waited for about 30 minutes to get our boat tied off so I could get to my truck, by this time, 10 more people just pulled in to launch their boats. I was curteous and got in line for another 30 minutes, but the people that just pulled in at the front of the line only waited 5- 15 minutes. No bigger for me, but my kids were driving me crazy and we had to get to a ballgame. My thought is, I should have been able to get my dang boat out, but didn't want to be rude. I have learned since to not get in or out from 4-6pm at this lake.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

So we waited for about 30 minutes to get our boat tied off so I could get to my truck, by this time, 10 more people just pulled in to launch their boats. I was curteous and got in line for another 30 minutes, but the people that just pulled in at the front of the line only waited 5- 15 minutes. No bigger for me, but my kids were driving me crazy and we had to get to a ballgame. My thought is, I should have been able to get my dang boat out, but didn't want to be rude. I have learned since to not get in or out from 4-6pm at this lake.

Couple of different conditions... Is there beach &/or dock parking available that doesn't affect the ramp? (courtesy dock off to the side of the ramps?) Were you by yourself with the kids?

The position of the trailer dictates the loading order, but that does present a problem if you are by yourself and there is no courtesy parking off to the side. Assuming you weren't though or there is parking, it shouldn't have been a problem. Either let the other person off to retrieve trailer, or park on the beach.

At my normal loading ramp, there is a couple hundred yards of perfectly good beach without rocks, and it makes loading by yourself easy. Beach the boat, put down anchor or screw in tie down, and then wait in line. There is always someone who ties up to the center dock though (not a courtesy dock, its for loading/unloading passengers only) and then tries to drive past the 10 other people in line because their boat is now blocking everyone. It usually doesn't go over well!

 

[thewiles]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

Couple of different conditions... Is there beach &/or dock parking available that doesn't affect the ramp? (courtesy dock off to the side of the ramps?) Were you by yourself with the kids?

The position of the trailer dictates the loading order, but that does present a problem if you are by yourself and there is no courtesy parking off to the side. Assuming you weren't though or there is parking, it shouldn't have been a problem. Either let the other person off to retrieve trailer, or park on the beach.

At my normal loading ramp, there is a couple hundred yards of perfectly good beach without rocks, and it makes loading by yourself easy. Beach the boat, put down anchor or screw in tie down, and then wait in line. There is always someone who ties up to the center dock though (not a courtesy dock, its for loading/unloading passengers only) and then tries to drive past the 10 other people in line because their boat is now blocking everyone. It usually doesn't go over well!

Its not a big deal, I just wanted your take on it. But there is a floating dock about 40 feet on each side of the ramp, so you can get about 2 boats on each one and you have to leave the middle open for ramping. This lake floods alot, so it is all rock by the shore. I was the only person on the boat that could drive and had 7 kids with me. Again, I know the rule, I guess I was just hoping someone would see my situation and say go ahead, you have your hands full. But alas, no one threw me a bone. Like I said, It wasn't a big deal, we played bee bee bumble bee for a while, followed by some sing along songs, but the last 15 minutes was pure torture on my patience! Again I found the fix. Just don't go to this lake on the weekend and try to get out from 4-6 pm.
I am new to boating and was raised to be respectful of all people, even the ones that don't deserve it. And as stated earlier, there way more good boaters, but the bad ones really stand out!
happy boating all. we are heading out in a cpl hours for some crappie fishin with the kids!
j

 

[JimKW]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

When I by myself or there is nobody else with me that can drive the boat or the truck/trailer, I wait until I can find a place at the courtesy dock when I'm coming back in. I NEVER tie up at the dock used for the loading ramp.

Now when I'm putting the boat in the water sometimes I have no choice but to leave the boat at the ramp dock, but I move it as far back as possible so somebody else can at least back down the ramp. By the time they get back down I am usually back to the boat at out of there.

One time somebody was waiting to take their boat off the trailer when I got back and they did not have room to take their boat off with mine sitting there. Had there been room at the courtesy dock that's where the boat would have been, but it was full when I put my boat in the water.

In your case is sounds like you should be tieing up on the docks outside of the ramp area while you go and get your truck & trailer. One other thing that caught my attention is that you are new at boating but was out by yourself with seven kids? How old are the kids? I know I would not have seven kids and just me on the boat!

 

[45Auto]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

We had the same issue at a ramp. Buddy and I got boat to dock. I ran, got truck, raced past 15 trucks in line. Got boat out. In the process, friend got shoved to the ground by 1 disgruntaled boater and his truck has big dings and a smashed side window from disgruntaled rock throwing. Everyone in line were so angry.

Friends wife was killed in a car accident.

Sorry to hear about your friend's wife. You guys had some interesting priorities there.

20 years ago I was into car racing. One Saturday morning I left home early to set up at a track about an hour away, wife and kids were coming out later. Got the race car unloaded from the trailer, all the support junk set up, etc, etc. Then I got a call that my wife and kids were in a wreck and I was needed at the hospital. Hollered at the guy next to me that my family was in a wreck, I had to go. Took off for the hospital and left all that crap sitting right there.

In I were in Zapblam's situation, the boat would be sitting at the dock until I got around to coming back to get it. Tie the boat to the dock, tell the people around you'll be back as soon as you can - buddies wife is hurt. Run to the truck, get out of there. I'd unhitch the trailer and leave it so it wouldn't slow me down if I had to go anywhere more than a couple of minutes away.

Note: In my case, the race car and all my stuff was loaded up and sitting in my driveway when I finally got home from the hospital a couple of days later. People at the track that I didn't even know had taken care of it for me. Wouldn't have mattered if I had never seen any of it again, I would still do the same thing. You can always get more stuff, you'll never replace family or friends.

 

[pcosky]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

You can always get more stuff, you'll never replace family or friends.

Ain't that the truth.....

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

... I have learned since to not get in or out from 4-6pm at this lake.

To me this is very key to solo boating. After a few times out, you'll figure out the slack days/times at your ramp, so you're not getting in everyone's way while tied up and going to get your truck.

In my case, I don't launch or retrive on the weekends at the Bay between 6 and 8am or between 12 noon and 3pm.

It helps that there are three separate launches, all with ample parking, two of which are at least 6 wide, and all of which have courtesy docks with a posted 15-minute tie-up period.

 

[thewiles]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

One other thing that caught my attention is that you are new at boating but was out by yourself with seven kids? How old are the kids? I know I would not have seven kids and just me on the boat!

I had my wife with me, but she hasn't learned to drive the boat yet. We have 3 of our own kids 4,8,11 and we have kind of almost adopted 4 other kids that are friends of our kids. I have my own business that gives me a lot of free time, so even though we have had the boat less than a month, I have been on the water atleast 20 different times already. we are fortunate to live close to 2 lakes(paint creek and Rocky Fork in southern ohio)
We absolutely live for the kids, so we can handle several pretty well.
We also ride and race atvs/dirtbikes with all of them, camping, fishing, you name it! so we just are enjoying another new aspect of the great outdoors. I do have to admit, this is the most relaxing I have found.

 

[thewiles]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

Sorry to hear about your friend's wife. You guys had some interesting priorities there.

20 years ago I was into car racing. One Saturday morning I left home early to set up at a track about an hour away, wife and kids were coming out later. Got the race car unloaded from the trailer, all the support junk set up, etc, etc. Then I got a call that my wife and kids were in a wreck and I was needed at the hospital. Hollered at the guy next to me that my family was in a wreck, I had to go. Took off for the hospital and left all that crap sitting right there.

In I were in Zapblam's situation, the boat would be sitting at the dock until I got around to coming back to get it. Tie the boat to the dock, tell the people around you'll be back as soon as you can - buddies wife is hurt. Run to the truck, get out of there. I'd unhitch the trailer and leave it so it wouldn't slow me down if I had to go anywhere more than a couple of minutes away.

Note: In my case, the race car and all my stuff was loaded up and sitting in my driveway when I finally got home from the hospital a couple of days later. People at the track that I didn't even know had taken care of it for me. Wouldn't have mattered if I had never seen any of it again, I would still do the same thing. You can always get more stuff, you'll never replace family or friends.

I am a race promoter myself and too many times people have been hurt at the races and left everything they had behind. We always made sure everything was put away and if they couldn't come back that day, we always made sure it got home safe. But then again, as you well know, most people in the racing community are very special people. We all look out for each other!
Loved your story!

 

[JimKW]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

I had my wife with me, but she hasn't learned to drive the boat yet. We have 3 of our own kids 4,8,11 and we have kind of almost adopted 4 other kids that are friends of our kids. I have my own business that gives me a lot of free time, so even though we have had the boat less than a month, I have been on the water atleast 20 different times already. we are fortunate to live close to 2 lakes(paint creek and Rocky Fork in southern ohio)
We absolutely live for the kids, so we can handle several pretty well.
We also ride and race atvs/dirtbikes with all of them, camping, fishing, you name it! so we just are enjoying another new aspect of the great outdoors. I do have to admit, this is the most relaxing I have found.

That's cool. For some reason I had the impression you were alone with the seven kids.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

I had my wife with me, but she hasn't learned to drive the boat yet.

I'd work on that as priority #1!!! ESPECIALLY with 7 kids on board. If something happens to you, you absolutely need a backup ready to go. As a nice bonus it will make your loading/unloading go so much easier.

 

[perchin]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

To me this is very key to solo boating. After a few times out, you'll figure out the slack days/times at your ramp, so you're not getting in everyone's way while tied up and going to get your truck.

In my case, I don't launch or retrive on the weekends at the Bay between 6 and 8am or between 12 noon and 3pm.

It helps that there are three separate launches, all with ample parking, two of which are at least 6 wide, and all of which have courtesy docks with a posted 15-minute tie-up period.

So I'm not getting in everyone's way.... lol (where the heck is lol face)

I rarely boat alone, but when I do, it takes me all of 3min. to tie off and run, yes usually run to get the rig.

Sorry, but I'm not about to think I should not be on the lake after work because it might interfere with the launch schedule of people boating with more than 1 person.... give me a break

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

So I'm not getting in everyone's way.... lol (where the heck is lol face)

I rarely boat alone, but when I do, it takes me all of 3min. to tie off and run, yes usually run to get the rig.

Sorry, but I'm not about to think I should not be on the lake after work because it might interfere with the launch schedule of people boating with more than 1 person.... give me a break

Perhaps I should have said, "when no one else is in my way." Because it can be a hassle when I've got my boat tied off at the courtesy dock, the rest of the dock is full, the entire launch area is swarmed and circling with other boaters coming in, and I've got to go get my truck and line up behind 10 other trucks, then park on the ramp (all the while hogging dock space I was only supposed to use for 15 minutes) then go down and try to navigate amongst all the circlers.

None of that is fun, and I'd personally rather just avoid all that and launch and retreive at slack times, particularly when solo.

 

[perchin]

Re: Another Idiot at the Ramp Today

Perhaps I should have said, "when no one else is in my way." Because it can be a hassle when I've got my boat tied off at the courtesy dock, the rest of the dock is full, the entire launch area is swarmed and circling with other boaters coming in, and I've got to go get my truck and line up behind 10 other trucks, then park on the ramp (all the while hogging dock space I was only supposed to use for 15 minutes) then go down and try to navigate amongst all the circlers.

None of that is fun, and I'd personally rather just avoid all that and launch and retreive at slack times, particularly when solo.

Makes sense And also makes me glad I boat where I do