cmchesse
Petty Officer 2nd Class
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2008
- Messages
- 101
We planed our first day trip on the boat. Our plan was to launch at a ramp on the north side of town, ride up the intercoastal, and stop at Ft Caroline national park for a picnic.
The Day was off to a crazy start. On the trip to the ramp both of my lights came loose from the new guide ons I built. What a sight to see them dangle in the breeze. 2 bungee cords later, both lights are fixed and we are back on the road.
Then we get lost, and have to search for the boat ramp. We soon found it and began to launch the first of 2 boats in our group. It is a busy 2 launch ramp. Unlike the small ramp we use on the river, this ramp is on a major shipping channel and has large waves.
At the ramp this day, is the Aux Coast Guard. Doing saftey checks and giving out inspection stickers. The two men are really nice but tying up traffic as they are doing inspections once you launch the boat.
Anyway, back to the story. My father backs his boat down the ramp. We tie the boat to the dock and attempt to start the motor. It will barley turn over, and will not start. I cannot trim the motor, and being thrown around by the waves. (by the way, we ran both motors at the house) By this time one of the coast guard men was at the dock asking us many questions. We did our best to ignor him without being too rude. I sat in my truck waiting to launch my boat and as I get set to back in a Jet Flea ties up in the launch and blocks me. He gives me the stink eye as he walks by and waits for me to pull up to retrieve his flea. After I circle around the parking lot I lauch my boat. (wow these waves are horrible). While I am warming up my motor, a another guy backs down the ramp and begins to retrieve a john boat. It gets sideways between me and another boat (did I mention this is a 2 boat ramp) and I had to bug out to avoid his prop with the bow of my boat.
By now, my father realizes the new terminal end he soldered on has come loose. We break out the vise grips and connect the battery cable and he is running. Oh yeah, we needed a fuse for the tilt trim.
We enjoy our day on the water and return to the ramp. The fun begins again. My father has no guide ons and he loads his boat very crooked because of the waves. He then gets in my boat and was going to drive on, as he eases up to the trailer a wave catches the stern and he is headed for the up the trailer on his way to the bed of the truck. I throw myself at the bow and stop the collision. Finnaly load the boats and head for home.
Just thinking about it reminds me to cross that ramp off my map.
The Day was off to a crazy start. On the trip to the ramp both of my lights came loose from the new guide ons I built. What a sight to see them dangle in the breeze. 2 bungee cords later, both lights are fixed and we are back on the road.
Then we get lost, and have to search for the boat ramp. We soon found it and began to launch the first of 2 boats in our group. It is a busy 2 launch ramp. Unlike the small ramp we use on the river, this ramp is on a major shipping channel and has large waves.
At the ramp this day, is the Aux Coast Guard. Doing saftey checks and giving out inspection stickers. The two men are really nice but tying up traffic as they are doing inspections once you launch the boat.
Anyway, back to the story. My father backs his boat down the ramp. We tie the boat to the dock and attempt to start the motor. It will barley turn over, and will not start. I cannot trim the motor, and being thrown around by the waves. (by the way, we ran both motors at the house) By this time one of the coast guard men was at the dock asking us many questions. We did our best to ignor him without being too rude. I sat in my truck waiting to launch my boat and as I get set to back in a Jet Flea ties up in the launch and blocks me. He gives me the stink eye as he walks by and waits for me to pull up to retrieve his flea. After I circle around the parking lot I lauch my boat. (wow these waves are horrible). While I am warming up my motor, a another guy backs down the ramp and begins to retrieve a john boat. It gets sideways between me and another boat (did I mention this is a 2 boat ramp) and I had to bug out to avoid his prop with the bow of my boat.
By now, my father realizes the new terminal end he soldered on has come loose. We break out the vise grips and connect the battery cable and he is running. Oh yeah, we needed a fuse for the tilt trim.
We enjoy our day on the water and return to the ramp. The fun begins again. My father has no guide ons and he loads his boat very crooked because of the waves. He then gets in my boat and was going to drive on, as he eases up to the trailer a wave catches the stern and he is headed for the up the trailer on his way to the bed of the truck. I throw myself at the bow and stop the collision. Finnaly load the boats and head for home.
Just thinking about it reminds me to cross that ramp off my map.
