The Wife at the Boat Ramp

[Dhadley]

Had the flats boat just under a year now and have pretty much let the wife learn to drive it off & on the trailer by herself. Granted we use a ramp that hardly anyone else uses but she's got pretty darn good at it. Last weekend was the test.

We fished a tournament with about 50 boats. Naturally after the weigh-in we head for the ramp. The wife is already making herself nervous, too many boats! Anyway, she pulls up to the dock, lets me out, she pulls away and I go get the truck & trailer as always. There's a guy at the ramp yelling at his partner (yes, female) trying to load a toy blow up (Zodiac) boat. My wife is more nervous now.

The guys in front of us back in, load and pull out. My turn. Get the trailer in and motion for her to come on slowly. I think the trick is she trusts me and watches me, not everyone else. Slides right up perfect. We leave and the next guy backs down. Last I saw, the guys behind us were about done and ...you guessed it... the blow up guy was still struggling. And yelling.

Bet this wasn't what ya thought it was gonna be........no stupid human trick......Just some encouragement for folks who didn't think they could do it.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

That is the way to encourage her or anyone! Thumbs up!

Have them keep their mind on the job at hand and complete it before watching things that they cannot affect.

Now go out and buy her some chocolate and some flowers and tell her how proud you are of her.

I never stood so tall as the day I came in from a long trip by myself and as we loaded up Dad said "I wasn't worried. I knew you could handle it". Yeah, I still remember it.

 

[jtexas]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

...
Bet this wasn't what ya thought it was gonna be........no stupid human trick......

and yet, we weren't disappointed -- we still get to laugh at the zodiac

 

[Dhadley]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

Very true, very true.....I can see his lady with an ice pick and saying "There. Now you just wad it up and throw it in the back of the truck."

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

The one thing I know for sure about dealing with women is yelling at them gets you nowhere.

Maybe he needs all that hot air to blow his boat.

 

[freddyray21]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

my wife is very good at loading our boat and makes me proud all the time.

 

[rcarr11111]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

Great job. I can not get mine to even try to run the boat let alone load it. She can and will back the truck. I will take that!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

wish Sylvia could. but she has enough problems going forward in the car. i do it all. she is ADHD, and cannot take direction. only hears what she wants to.

 

[INJUN]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

I do it all by myself. That way, it's done right. Wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[rcmickey]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

Listen just tell her to wear the short shorts and halter top like my wife wears on the boat and just park the thing yourself

I can assure you....you will be proud of her!!!

 

[cmchesse]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

So far I have launched and retrieved the boat 3 times.

The first was with my father, and it went well. I was nervous as a school child.

The second was with my 9 year old son, He did a great job. Even got the notice of the auxiliary coast guard on the dock.

The 3rd was with my wife and she did great. A little direction, and she looked like a pro.

I hope my luck continues!

 

[MikDee]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

My wife is like a little kid lately, ever since she learned how to drive the jetski, any chance she gets, it's: "Look it's nice out today, Can we go out on the jetski?"
I drop it in, and get it started, as she parks the truck, & trailer, and on the way back, I bring down the truck, & trailer, and she drives it right on the trailer! We have a great system, and it takes almost no time at all, she's great! But, the boat, that's another story, she has no use for it, and doesn't even want to hear about it

 

[Pikey23]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

We bought a new boat and went out for the first time. My wife was in the boat and lowered the trim all the way. Needless to say, Now the lower unit is in for skeg repair and we are out a prop. She learned her leason though, next time out she lowered the drive, went back to look at it to make sure it was not near the bottom and pulled out of the launch. All while chasing our 20 month old son. Awsome job! Now to teach her to stay away from the shore and what "easy" means while she pulls the truck forward out of the launch

 

[justchange]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

We bought a new boat and went out for the first time. My wife was in the boat and lowered the trim all the way. Needless to say, Now the lower unit is in for skeg repair and we are out a prop. She learned her leason though, next time out she lowered the drive, went back to look at it to make sure it was not near the bottom and pulled out of the launch. All while chasing our 20 month old son. Awsome job! Now to teach her to stay away from the shore and what "easy" means while she pulls the truck forward out of the launch

That's impressive!!!!

 

[j_martin]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

Very true, very true.....I can see his lady with an ice pick and saying "There. Now you just wad it up and throw it in the back of the truck."

A fillet knife works even better.

 

[Autotech]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

Listen just tell her to wear the short shorts and halter top like my wife wears on the boat and just park the thing yourself

I can assure you....you will be proud of her!!!

My wife said she is the ornament. I say what is that?? "I hang on your arm to make you look good." She will drive the truck to the ramp and pull the trailor back to the cabin but wont even try to Back up. I can live with that!! OHH I have for 40 years.

 

[lncoop]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

The boss is a good sport and is getting pretty good at backing the trailer for me. She's willing to stick with it, which is the main thing. Our only problem is we agreed I would give hand signals if she needed to make little corrections to keep the trailer straight. But, she usually can't see my hand signals, so I end up yelling; not at her, just out of necessity so she can hear me. Doesn't seem to rattle her, but I would definitely prefer hand signals. I know she would to. She's almost to the point where she doesn't need any coaching any way, so hopefully it will soon be a non-issue. Once she gets that mastered I'll start letting her practice loading. Have to get some guides first though. She's seen how carefully I have to do it to get the toons straight on the bunks and she wants no part of it. They make us better men.

 

[SnapperHunter28]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

Being that I live down here in South Florida, I have seen alot of women back trailers up, load boats and take off down the road. Boat trailers, car trailers, horse trailers. Dunno...

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

Hey look a thread from 2008!

 

[bkwapisz]

Re: The Wife at the Boat Ramp

wish Sylvia could. but she has enough problems going forward in the car. i do it all. she is ADHD, and cannot take direction. only hears what she wants to.

That's not ADHD, that's a Chromosomal problem. See, she's got 2 X's, and is missing a Y. Got the same issue over here.