Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

[Lowe170]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

We have a private ramp so there is less stress than the rest of you guys
but the wife has one Job

PMS


PLUG
MOTOR
STRAPS

She has years of experience and handles PMS like a pro

Harry

"I don't care who you are, that's funny right there!"

 

[JimS123]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

It starts at home. I turn the car around and hitch it to the trailer. Usually do it the night before. Then I take off the cover. In the morning I put the cooler in, tote bags with gear, camera etc. Everything is stowed in its place.

At the ramp I back up to the water's edge. While I'm raising the outdrive, taking off the trailering bracket and removing the tie downs my wife is hanging the fenders and pulling out the mooring lines. Then I back in till the rear roller is just in the water, get out, unhook the winch and bow tie down and give the boat a push. My wife catches the boat as it floats by, ties the lines to the dock and starts the bilge blower. I park the car.

On return, I tie up, she waits with the boat while I get the car and back it in to the same spot. I hook the winch, press the button and the boat is retreived in about 1/2 minute. I pull out and park out of the way. While I'm putting the tie downs back on, the wife is wiping down the hull.

When we get home I back the rig into the garage and leave the car in place so we're ready for the next day. The wife stands by at the back of the garage so I don't back the outdrive into the wall. If the next day is a workday I'll unhitch and park the car, then put the cover back on.

The ramp is 1 mile from the house. The only variation to the procedure is when we are going on vacation. Then the cover isn't taken off until we get to the ramp, and put back on for the return trip.

If I launch by myself, I do what the wife would have done (lines, fenders, etc.) Except, when I back into the water, I tie the stern line to a dock cleat so when I push the boat off I don't loose it....LOL.

 

[wcasey5]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

We get to the ramp, both of us attach lines and fenders to either side of the boat depending on which side of the ramp we are launching on. I disconnect the straps and safety chain while wife goes to the ramp. I back down the ramp, get out of the tow vehicle, and launch the boat while wife ties boat to dock. I park, get in the boat, start it up. Everyone hops in and wife unties lines and gets in. Off we go.

The key to all this is communication, patients, knowing who will do what, and letting them do it. Wife ties up boat, as long as it doesn't float away, I don't care how long it takes, or what the knots look like.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

We load the boat before we get to the lake. Once there we pull over, get out, she removes straps, I screw in drain plug.

I back down ramp into water, get out of truck, jump into boat. Admiral gets into drivers seat of Yukon, I pull boat off trailer, and head to dock. She parks Yukon and trailer. She comes down to the dock, jumps onto boat, puts Yukon keys in glove box, hands me my sunglasses that I left in the Yukon and my pager that I left in the Yukon, asks if I forgot anything else before we pull out, and off we go!

(very similar to H2O)

On return, she mans boat at dock while I get Yukon and trailer, back into water. We switch places and I load boat and she pulls boat out to staging area where she attaches straps while I remove plug, lock motor in place, etc. Leave lake sorry we have to leave, but glad we had a great time together!

 

[keith2k455]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

This may help in the training process: it is a well-established Mystery of Women that they cannot be taught by a husband/boyfriend--whether it's trailering, business, golf or skiing. A total stranger using the exact same words as the H/BF would works like butter. So see if you can do some wife-swapping for the training session.

This had me laughing ... it is so true!

I say "thanks honey, good job".

This may be best.

The idea of duties may be best. I think for me, I'm going to try having the wife park the empty trailer, bumpers and wiping the hull while I strap everything. If that doesn't work I'm going to just have her wipe the hull.

All started with finding a boat I want shortly after my wife rode one of the jetskis up the launch ramp because "it doesn't steer when I'm not giving it gas". She rides so slow and cautious on the water, but put a trailer in front of her and it's WOT...

Thanks for the advice...Courtesy dock is my friend and she can use the time waiting on me to apply the sunscreen she always forgets at home!

 

[Bounce19712]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

1. Be sure to set the tone for the day properly by yelling at passengers in the tow vehicle to be quiet while on the way to the Ramp.

2. assume all responsibility for everything because if you don't do it..it will sure to be screwed up by someone else.

3. During boat launching be sure to keep passengers as far away from you and vehicles as possible...for they are only here to sabotage your efforts and ding jelcoat.

4. Don't let anyone handle ropes except for yourself because the one rope you do not check on will be left behind...severed by the prop (if you are lucky) otherwise, it will bind up the prop, conk out the motor and you will be adrift with your mutinous crew staring belligerently at you.

5. you need to do all the boat driving and navigation while away from the boat ramp...including docking and launching. Any departure from this rule will bring immediate grounding, vessel collision and or both.

6. upon arrival at the boat ramp after a fun filled day, send all boat passengers up to the launch vehicle to cool it down. This is the only thing I'd recommend having someone else do.

7. When boat is fully up on trailer; have someone stand on the dock to begin following you up the ramp yelling about the outdrive being down and dragging up the ramp.

8. depending on your mood....you could have people stay in the boat during launch or retrieval up and down the boat ramp...this is a ticket-able offense in some states.



nah but seriously.... figure it all out yourself...then delegate when the opportunity arises. Be liberal with the praise and equally liberal with the punishment and tongue lashings. Never pass up an opportunity to re-affirm your status as Captain with your crew.

Salute!

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

I do all of it my self, its just simpler.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

I love my wife dearly but she’s not a boater, no way, no how.

The wife is instructed to head off the bathroom. One of the daughters is handed the ropes and told to try to keep the boat off the dock when it comes off the trailer.

Once off the trailer, the girls stow the snacks, drinks, etc. and put up the antennas while I park the truck. I get on the boat and fire up the engine and turn on the GPS, VHF and FF. By this time, the wife returns from her trip to the bathroom and gets on the boat. One of the girls pulls the rope off the dock and we are under way.

On the return we do the same in reverse.

 

[docster]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

When we get to the lake, we pull over, get out, load the boat as usual, remove straps, screw in drain plug, load kids. etc.
I back down ramp into water, get out of truck, jump into boat. Admiral gets into drivers seat of truck, I pull boat off trailer, and head to dock. She goes and parks big truck, and big trailer. She comes down to the dock, jumps onto boat, and off we go!

exactly our process as well, except i simply line the trailer up, wife does the rest, she makes many grown man look in awe as she flawlessly backs that trailer up...but she had a good teacher.

 

[dorelse]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

When we get to the lake, we pull over, get out, load the boat as usual, remove straps, screw in drain plug, load kids. etc.
I back down ramp into water, get out of truck, jump into boat. Admiral gets into drivers seat of truck, I pull boat off trailer, and head to dock. She goes and parks big truck, and big trailer. She comes down to the dock, jumps onto boat, and off we go!

Ditto.

 

[tswiczko]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

I prep the boat.
Wife preps the kids.(puts their vests on them and sets them all down on the dock)
I back the boat down
Wife chocks the tire
I get in the boat and start it
Wife unhooks the bow eye
Wife gets in truck
Oldest child pulls chock and throws it in the bed of the truck
The sound of the chock landing in the bed of the truck is the signal for the wife to park the truck
While she's doing that The oldest and I are tying the boat off to the dock and loading the younger ones
When they are all loaded the wife climbs aboard
It's her job to manage the kids while I am piloting the boat to avoid distractions
I manage the kids when she is piloting to keep her from being distracted

I tried to teach my teenage daughter how to pilot the boat but that was too scary and have never gone to the scary place since that one time

 

[salty87]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

courtesy dock sounds like the way to go. both of my nearby lakes don't have 'em. there are docks reasonably close but definitely not at the bottom of the ramp.

this is the 'hood ramp

this is the big lake at or about current level (49% full)

it's a long haul either ramp doing it solo. my mrs. will park the truck after i launch. i do a bit of walking for retrieval.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

What "we" do won't matter an iota to your wife. You need to talk to her, not us.

'Xactly!

I love my wife dearly but she’s not boater, no way, no how.

The wife is instructed to head off the bathroom. One of the daughters is handed the ropes and told to try to keep the boat off the dock when it comes off the trailer.

Once off the trailer, the girls stow the snacks, drinks, etc. and put up the antennas while I park the truck. I get on the boat and fire up the engine and turn on the GPS, VHF and FF By this time, the wife returns from her trip to the bathroom and gets on the boat. One of the girls pulls the rope off the dock and we are under way.

On the return we do the same in reverse.

FWIW - "what we do" is much like dingbat. The Admiral is awarded VIP status on most trips. My kids are older and are now helping with a lot of the rigging, launching and recovering (they're gettin' pretty good too), but I'm always prepared to launch and recover solo.

 

[JEBar]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

during the 38 years we have been married, I've learned that there are some things I shouldn't ask my wife to do .... some of those include activities related to pulling/backing a trailer and launching a boat or loading one on a trailer .... she will try but time has proven that things just don't go well .... as we are waiting in line to get to the ramp I get out and get the boat ready to launch .... I back the boat in far enough to float it off the trailer .... she holds the rope and tries to keep the boat out of the way while I'm parking the trailer .... when we get back to the dock, she again holds the rope and I go get the trailer and back it in .... I attach the trailer winch and pull the boat into place .... after driving up and away from the ramp I secure the boat and she moves stuff from the boat to the truck

Jim

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

WE Lake boat and the ramps are typically pretty busy.

I pull into the prep area, I start removing the bow and cockpit cover, once I am complete with all the perimeter snaps the wife is usually back from the restroom and I help her into the boat, then I get the cooler(s) as she completes removing the snaps on the covers, then I pull the trailering clips for the outdrive and place them on the rear sundeck and the plug and wrench are waiting for me, I ask her to put the outdrive down for inspection by the Park Ranger and then show the ranger my anchor while she is putting the cover away and putting the coolers where she wants them then I put the plug in take off the transom straps and were ready to put her in the water, so I back in until the boat floats, she lowers the outdrive and fires the motor, I usually give it 20-30 seconds of running time before I take the safety chain off and then release tension from the bow strap and take the hook off, ask her if she is ready and she backs the boat off to loiter while I park the truck and trailer. Then she picks me up from the dock, Retrieving is simply in reverse and she is awesome at driving the boat at slow speed, it blows me away how easy she makes it look.

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

I do all of it my self, its just simpler.

X2!

And faster, and safer, and more enjoyable boating day for everybody, for sure.

Her "job" is to pretty much keep the little ones maintained for the five minute launch and then just get in the boat

 

[theBrownskull]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

1. We get everything ready at home, food, drinks, equipment, wakeboards, etc., etc.
2. At the ramp the wife gets in the boat, I remove the straps and back it into water. She drives it off and I park the trailer. She then drives it back and picks me up. The problem is that she has a lead arm and once in the boat she warms it up and pours the coals to it.
3. After boating she drops me off and I back the trailer into the water and she drives it to the trailer. I hook it up and out we go. We drain it out and wipe it down.

 

[SNye45]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

After having done everything by myself, with my wife watching, she slowly got the gist of what needed to be done and finally offered to help. We first tried with her parking the truck and trailer. She is hopeless at reversing especially with a trailer in tow, so after a while I had her try driving the boat on and off the trailer. Only one problem -she doesn't idle on but comes in too fast. To save an argument I have stopped yelling at her to slow down. I just push the boat off again and winch it up sitting correctly. So it's the lesser of two evils. I feel that there is more to crash into if she drives the truck rather than the boat, so I drive the truck

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

What "we" do won't matter an iota to your wife. You need to talk to her, not us.

Amen!

To summarize;
She does whatever she decides she wants to help with and you get to do everything else.

That's why you're called the Captain and she's called the Admiral.

 

[89Donzi]

Re: Marriage advice: Who does what at the boat ramp

My wife and I have quite the system...but here in FL it's pretty easy on the ICW. My wife and daughters help prep the boat...I back the boat down while the wife has hold of the bow and stern lines. I unhook the winch strap and give it a slight push and the wife takes it from there. I park the truck and by the time I get to the boat, kids are in and comfortable and I fire up the motor and off we go.

Docking is the same...my wife and oldest daughter secure the dock lines. Wife has bow...daughter has stern. I pull up along side the dock and the wife hops off. Then my oldest hops off the back and ties the stern off...meanwhile I'm shutting down the engine and raising the stern drive. I go get the truck and back it down...wife and daughters then float the boat on to the trailer. I hook the winch strap and give it a couple cranks and off we go...takes less than 3 minutes. When I go with just my daughters they do everything my wife normally does. My oldest is 10 and my youngest is 8...and they love it. And when I go fishing by myself....I have to do it all

But...like I said, here in FL on the ICW the docks are perfect for making boat launching and retrieving a simple task. Here is a pic of my local ramp. Each slip has a dock on either side of it...the docks are the same width apart as the slip is wide. It also has a floating dock for when you need to tie up for awhile...but we rarely use that one for launching. This pic was taken a little farther back from where my truck would be when launching. The docks are long enough to get 2 boats in and tied up with still enough room for the forward most boat to launch or retrieve.