Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

[jasonh]

I almost hurt myself laughing the other evening while watching a lowered Acura Integra with a rear wing that could shame an Outlaw Sprint car try to back a small PWC trailer down the ramp. The occupants were two young guys in full sag-fashion, what with the pants hanging off their asses and cockeyed ball caps. They had 2 apparantly new Honda PWC's and seemed anxious to get the trailer in the water so they could try them out.

Neither of them could wrap their minds around the concept of steering opposite when backing up. The car was a manual and had the loud exhaust, so even with your eyes shut it sounded hilarious as they backed, stopped, backed, stopped, revved it up and pulled forward, backed again. Finally in a fit of frustration, the person I surmised to be the ride-a-long demanded the driver get the hell out and allow him to try. He leaped in and revved the motor, put it in reverse, and in one graceful maneuver backed the trailer into a kink striking the quarter panel and lifting one trailer wheel in the air. The other guy starts screaming and freaking out, tried to pull this dude out of the car, and for a minute I thought there would be a fight. They inspected the dented quarter panel and after a few more tries, managed to get the trailer in the water. I was sitting in my boat after just loading it, watching the drama unfold. I received a nasty glare from one of them after he saw me grinning and obviously enjoying their plight.

The best part was after I pulled to the top of the ramp in the tie-down area. The either decided they were not dressed for the occasion or were too pissed about the damaged car to stick around. I heard the car start, engine revv, and the ZZZZZZZZZ! sound of wide, low profile tires spinning on the mossy ramp. The car actually moved backwards as the front tires uselessly spun. The idiot then stood on the trailer tongue, held on to the spoiler, and started bouncing in a retarded attempt to gain traction. Then he tried to push as the mighty engine screamed at 7000 rpms. I could not take it anymore and walked down to talk to them. Long story short, I attached a tow rope to the back of my trailer and hooked it to the front of their Acura and towed the sorry rig up the ramp. They barely managed to mumble a "thanks" and left in a huff.

I wonder how far they got before realizing they forgot to tie down the PWC's?

 

[JB]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

LORDY!!

Must have been tourists. Couldn't have been Texicans.

You are a good storyteller, Jason. I could visualize every move and managed to put my cup down and swallow before I started LMAO. Thanks.

 

[crunch]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

Thanx, I needed that.

 

[bucky7680]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

More money than brains.

 

[jasonh]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

Yes sir, more $ than gray matter. Mucho examples of that here in N. Texas where the wealthy dot.commers and other nouveau riche flock to the lake to show off their shiny toys and surgically enhanced walking sex toys they call girlfriends. (I poke fun, but at 32 and solidly middle-class I imagine I'd have a few shiny toys too if my savings account had 6 figures. I just wouldn't be a dumbass about it)

The only other notable sight I saw last summer was when our lake levels were so low some ramps were closed. The one I used was still open, but you had to back way, way down to the water and then there was an unpleasant drop-off if you were not careful. Some guy rolls up in an Escalade towing a huge triple axle trailer. He backs down the ramp until the mufflers are burbling in the water. The trailer was almost invisible it was so deep, only the 1st quarter of it was out of the water. He hopped out and strode over to the dock where his massive wakeboard/ski boat sat tied up. It was hands down the biggest, baddest ski boat I have ever seen in my life. He fired it up and, showing wonderful marina etiquette, roared away at full throttle and made a lazy arc to line up with his trailer. All the other boats (including me) were tossed around by his wake and he made no friends by this act. I was waiting for my wife to back the truck down the ramp and she was 5th in line or so, so I had time to enjoy another beer and watch this dude load his monstrosity onto the trailer all by his lonesome. He lined up and with little drama put the boat square onto the trailer. He reached down and hooked the winch line on, killed the motor, raised the trim, and did all the things a competent boat person would do. He hopped off, tightened the winch, and climbed into his Escalade. This is where the fun started.

He had backed down so far, the trailer wheels went off the end of the ramp and I assume it dropped lower to where a center support beam on the tailer hung against the end of the concrete ramp. With the weight of the boat, it was completely stuck. This go-getter was not used to being denied anything and figured the solution was to try harder, and by that I mean he wrung that Caddy out. His 'Slade was a 4wd model, and you could see all 4 wheels straining and fighting for purchase. At one point he managed to spin all 4 tires for a few seconds. He finally hopped out and stomped over to the rear to see what the hell the problem was. I think he realized at this point he had an audience, and that a round of applause was not going to be on the menu. He got back in and this time backed further down, then hit it in drive. He roared forward for about 3 feet until the trailer hit the ramp again with a muffled clang, stopping it dead.

The crowd murmured.

He may have known at this point what the deal was, but had no idea what to do about it. People were coming and going unimpeded all around him and he was getting superpissed. My wife finally backed down the ramp, one over from my buddy in the Caddy. I idled over and loaded the boat onto the trailer. When we left, he had apparantly made the decision to resume tearing the transmission out of the Caddy. I guess he figured he ought to be doing something other than just standing there like an idiot.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

Great stories. Funny how nobody wants to ask for assistance or advice when they have these types of rigs. Also funy how many folk will stick around for the "show"

 

[jimlad]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

8)lol going to take cam corder this year to the ramps lol 8) yep going on hear if i get some d

 

[Bigrox]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

A good friend of mine used to have his boat slipped at one of the busiest lakes just out of town. He would come to work every Monday morning with new stories of watching idiots while he enjoyed his morning coffee. Good times! I have yet to see anything spectacular, but with as much as I go I'm sure I will. Good stories.

 

[AguaSki]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

I have yet to see anything spectacular, but with as much as I go I'm sure I will. Good stories.

You have not seen anything spectacular yet? In my first season as a boater I saw a boat fall off the trailer approaching the ramp, a boat sink at the doc because of a missing plug, and a guy nearly loose his head putting his transom tie-downs on when his buddy starts the motor and puts into gear. This is all in my first season! I am now going into my third season and expect many more stories. They are all around you.

 

[Bigrox]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

Maybe part of it is that I usually don't pull off the lake till it's complete dark sometimes? I usually only get one day a week to go and it's Sunday, and being in Utah that takes 80% of the poeple off the lake. My buddy saw a brand new Nautique go airbourne across the loading dock and land on another. That acutally was mentioned on the local nightly news. Luckily no one was hurt. I'm waiting to see something but I would hate to see someone get hurt.

 

[AguaSki]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

Hey Bigrox, where do you go boating in UT? I am from AZ, but visit family in the SLC area all the time. I see a lot of boats in that area, but I am not familiar with the lakes that are being used. Oh, and yes I am one of the 80% that would not be at the lake on Sunday.8)

 

[Bigrox]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

Jordanelle, Deer Creek, Utah lake, Echo, East Canyon Pineview, Willard Bay. Those are just a few that are less than an hour away. Bear Lake is beautiful and Yuba is another favorite, and the biggie Powell. It's funny being in a desert and having so many lakes so close. I also go four wheeling/ rockcrawling, and it's closer and easier to go boating.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

yesterday we were transferring our ski's off single trailers, onto and newly acquired double trailer. 1st ski went fine. 2 nd would not start, so we launched it (forget the plugs), nephew went to change trailers to the double. nearly sank the sucker. no damage, but a couple of more minutes, and it would been too late. no beach to beach it

after this episode, while the nephew took the double trailer home, 1 1/2 mile, i was at the ramp with the single trailer.

a middle age guy, like myself, driving a ford ranger 4 banger, backs to load. truck straight on the ramp, trailer 45* angle to truck, of course the trailer is not sitting level, he goes to get this 25 Ft searay, drives it up on the trailer, wife, grandma & pa, watching. seeing i was already wet, nice guy, i hook his bow, and winch it up. he tells wife to get and pull it out (obviously never done it before), finnally gets the boat out, it's sitting cockeyed. he tells her to back, back in. At that point i couldn't stand it any longer, and stopped them. got in his truck backed it down straight, told him what to do. then pulled him out.. come to find out, amazingly this was the 1st time he had loaded it. good deed of the day.

also thanks to the guys that help us with the ski.

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

Way to go TD!! It is fun to watch, and I am sure I have given amusement and anger to some at the ramp, but it was very nice of you to help. I have been helped and I also offer help if needed.

 

[AguaSki]

Re: Lake Lewisville boat ramp - endless source of laughs

I agree it was good to help, but I am also worried about a law suit. To many things can go wrong at the ramp, and I don't want to be blamed when I am trying to help. I give advice, but stop at that. That was awesome of TD to help, he did more than I would.