Memorial Day Madness

[BTMCB]

It never ceases to amaze me the number of morons that come out to the lake on Memorial Day. And, what is even more amazing is that (as far as I am aware at the lake I frequent) they all made it home. Of course, they may have dinged their boat or someone else's at the launch dock, they may have forgotten the plug before launching the first time, they may have held up those of us who know when and where to prep the boat before launching (won't go there now because it's been covered before and all I-Boaters already know the correct procedures), those that use the courtesy dock at the ramp as if it were their own personal dock, etc. The two most common things I saw this time were (1) numerous people could not figure out why their boat wouldn't start until someone else (like me twice) suggested they check their kill switch and (2) those that launched and THEN broke out the "manual" to figure out how to operate the boat!

I launched on Friday and again on Saturday. Each day I came across a boat with its engine cover up in the middle of the lake, so I went over and asked if they were ok. Both asked for a tow. Was happy to provide it to them. First time I have ever towed another boat and it was 2 in 2 days. Both guys were very grateful and offered a "tip", which I appreciated but politely refused. Figure I have some boat karma in the bank now!

Sunday I didn't launch but I did go up to the lake with a chair, placed it at the ramp and simply watched the Memorial Day morons mentioned in the first paragraph - better than any reality tv show I have ever seen!

 

[RIDEPATE]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

It never ceases to amaze me the number of morons that come out to the lake on Memorial Day. And, what is even more amazing is that (as far as I am aware at the lake I frequent) they all made it home. Of course, they may have dinged their boat or someone else's at the launch dock, they may have forgotten the plug before launching the first time, they may have held up those of us who know when and where to prep the boat before launching (won't go there now because it's been covered before and all I-Boaters already know the correct procedures), those that use the courtesy dock at the ramp as if it were their own personal dock, etc. The two most common things I saw this time were (1) numerous people could not figure out why their boat wouldn't start until someone else (like me twice) suggested they check their kill switch and (2) those that launched and THEN broke out the "manual" to figure out how to operate the boat!

I launched on Friday and again on Saturday. Each day I came across a boat with its engine cover up in the middle of the lake, so I went over and asked if they were ok. Both asked for a tow. Was happy to provide it to them. First time I have ever towed another boat and it was 2 in 2 days. Both guys were very grateful and offered a "tip", which I appreciated but politely refused. Figure I have some boat karma in the bank now!

Sunday I didn't launch but I did go up to the lake with a chair, placed it at the ramp and simply watched the Memorial Day morons mentioned in the first paragraph - better than any reality tv show I have ever seen!

That's why we stay at home. Just not worth putting the family in danger anymore. Guess I'm getting old..............

 

[lcmains1]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

I saw that this weekend. Yesterday we were expecting 35 mph winds with gusts in the high 40's. We went early and left early to beat the winds. When we decided to take our boat off the water the winds were about 30 mph. When we got back to the dock there was a guy teaching his kid how to operate a jet ski (needless to say, he got the horn), a guy tied up to the dock fixing his boat while his wife and he were yelling back and forth at each other as to why the boat would not start..... To top it off, I got to see a guy drag his lower unit all the way up the ramp!!!

You could charge admission to the ramps on Memorial Day, it's great entertainment!

 

[EMC 1810SS]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

I went out on Monday, but I was on the water by 9:30am and off the water by 1:30. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, other than a few boneheads, everyone was really quite nice and friendly. Even at the ramp everyone seemed to be having fun and getting along. The guy in front of me in line actually came up to me and said "This is my first time launching, you can go ahead if you want." Just because He was courteous I offered to help him get in the water safely and show him a few tips. It cost me and extra 15 min but I think the guy will be a better boater for it. On the way out everyone was being quite well behaved and helpful to those less experienced too.

 

[rrhodes]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

I saw one guy hit a new Pontoon with his older toon, 3 guys get pulled for creating a wake in a nowake zone... one guy in cuffs on the back of a DNR boat.. and to make it worse they put an orange vest on him so you could see him.. LOL

Another crank up his motor before backing into the water,.. Then overheating at the dock 10 minutes later.. and all of this before I made it out of the Nowake zone at the ramp.. LOL

 

[DJ]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

I avoid the Holidays, at all cost. That's what pools are for.

Best yet, the son has a pool. I don't have to clean or maintain it!

The boat is for late afternoon "Sunset Cruises".

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

I get a bigger kick out of the people who garner a sense of superiority over those struggle doing what they deem themselves experts at.:facepalm:

 

[204 Escape]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

IMO, Holidays = Amateur days. Just like New Years Eve = Amateur drunk night !!!!!

 

[QC]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

I get a bigger kick out of the people who garner a sense of superiority over those struggle doing what they deem themselves experts at.:facepalm:

Interesting perspective. I'm going to have to noodle on that one, but I think I might agree with you.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

Wife and I were out fishing Monday at the butcrack of dawn. Heavy fog on the water but it was all good. Lake has a no wake until 9:00 am and I tell you, it was easy to tell when it got to be 9. By 9:00.5 the lake went from dead calm to waterskiers everywhere! Almost got swamped by one idiot.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Memorial Day Madness

I was on the water all weekend, just about, and out of a couple hundred or more boats, only saw 3 people misbehaving: one guy threw a can overboard, another went speeding through a group of 4-5 boats that were drifting/fishing, about 30' from me and another boat, when there was literally 2 miles of water with no one on it, a third guy went under a bridge full speed. I yelled at all of them.

Lots of boats out, from jet ski's to 60' yachts, sailboats of all sizes, tubers, fishers, floaters, a couple of go-fasts. All ages. Some areas were crowded but generally manageable or avoidable. In the harbor: yachts, a cruise ship, container ships, tugs, commercial fishing and pleasure boats; it was busy but everyone got along. Radio traffic was typical, with a few "slow down, captain; no wake zones" throughout the day.

Friday afternoon I picked the boat up from the shop (bottom painted) and spent the evening waxing the hull, etc. and Saturday morning cleaned the inside from the winter and splashed it. Almost, but not quite, left the plug out b/c I seldom pull it on this boat! Launched solo and a fellow boater hanging around helped with my lines. Used a private ramp where everyone is either experienced or willing to learn, and not crowded, so nothing to report there.


Saturday afternoon my wife and I went fishing until dark, then floated around in the bay under the stars and had a picnic supper, stopped to fish a little under a bridge, ran into a friend, and headed home. Fished solo Sunday and Monday morning, and with my wife Sunday afternoon then cruising; daughter took friends out Monday afternoon. All and all a great weekend on the water.

But.

Heard today that a guy fell overboard and drowned, fishing with a couple of friends on a 21' in calm weather. "Lt. Scott McBride, a Coast Guard spokesman, said the man?s companions saw him go underwater and he failed to surface. He had jumped in to help one of his friends who had been pulled away from the boat by the current, McBride said."

And this was posted locally: "A good friend was pulling his son on a tube behind his boat this weekend.
His son slammed into a pylon and was knocked unconscious on impact. He is in a coma ..."

Accidents happen, even where there aren't a lot of crazies. Got to be careful out there.

 

[hostage]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

There were a LOT of people out yesterday! I pay a little more for a private marina's season launch pass it is also about 5 miles closer than the public launch. Even then there were people at the launch. To my suprise some guy in a 28ft boat told me to go ahead of him when it looked like he was already prepped.

It was good until I got back to the dock. Someone left their "broken" jet ski blocking part of the launching dock, while I waited for a guy in a jet boat to retrieve his boat. The marina has a water hose and the owner of the jet boat attached a pressure washer and started to read the manual. I was wanting to use the hose to get some of the grime of my boat. He took a while reading the manual then decided he didn't like the way his boat was on the trailer so he went back to the ramp. Meanwhile he was yelling at his two daughters and left his pressure washer attached to the hose. I decided to pass on the water hose and was able to wipe down my hull pack up and leave before he could figure out how to use that pressure washer. I need to call the Marina and ask them to clean up their launch as it now leaves a lot of gunk on the hull.

I guess bottom line is learn and read the instructions, before you do it in a situation that might waste people's time.

 

[Mainiac Boater]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

Interesting perspective. I'm going to have to noodle on that one, but I think I might agree with you.

+1 but I like to hear the stories regardless

 

[1980Galaxy]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

i didn't get a chance to go out and watch all the idiots at the boat launch, but i still love to read the stories of other people who did. its almost as if i was actually there.

 

[FlyinGuy1017]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

Most of the time it's entertaining, but sometimes it can be flat out scary. I've had to launch, drop trailer, and go retrieve other's loaded trailer/boat because their undersized SUV can't pull the boat up the hills leading to the ramp.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

I get a bigger kick out of the people who garner a sense of superiority over those struggle doing what they deem themselves experts at.:facepalm:

The intent of this thread was not to suggest "superiority" over anyone. Nevertheless, most "boaters" are smart enough to be prepared when they get to the launch on one of the busiest boating days of the year. I have made my fair share of mistakes and there will be more to come for sure, but I believe the "morons" I referred to are down right dangerous to others and to themselves. I happily help anyone that asks for it (as noted in my post) and do not feel superior to anyone........ who is not a danger to anyone.

 

[Ob1415]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

Went out in Saturday, no stupidity at the ramp to speak of. All of the stupidity took place at the cove, but that was all good fun. D

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

The guy in front of me in line actually came up to me and said "This is my first time launching, you can go ahead if you want." Just because He was courteous I offered to help him get in the water safely and show him a few tips. It cost me and extra 15 min but I think the guy will be a better boater for it.

Need more of this.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Memorial Day Madness

I think you can divide in two the people who screw up at the ramp: those who don't know and are willing to learn, and those who don't know, or do, and don't care.
The first group, cut them some slack, help them out, and remember you were there once.
The others? fling bait on them.

I'll put the people who do know, but who just made a mistake, in the first category. The one who think they know everything and never make a mistake, go in the second.

The intent of this thread was not to suggest "superiority" over anyone. Nevertheless, most "boaters" are smart enough to be prepared when they get to the launch on one of the busiest boating days of the year. I have made my fair share of mistakes and there will be more to come for sure, but I believe the "morons" I referred to are down right dangerous to others and to themselves. I happily help anyone that asks for it (as noted in my post) and do not feel superior to anyone........ who is not a danger to anyone.

 

[98Shabah]

Re: Memorial Day Madness

We took the boat out Monday, it wasn't as busy as I thought it'd be.. No wait at the ramp to put in, had the boat in the water by 10:30, on the beach by 11:00.. Back at the ramp to take out at 3:00, no wait at the ramp, then back home to bbq and have a few drinks. It was windy though, constant 20mph winds across a shallow illinois lake, there were whitecaps as far as the eye could see which made it a little rough for my 18 footer.