Had an interesting 5 minutes at the boat ramp yesterday. If you ever get the chance to meet me in person, please don't laugh in my face.

I took my kids and my brother and his kids out to Bartlett lake (NE of Phoenix) for some skiing and boating. My brother and his kids needed to take off early so I dropped him off at the dock and went and got some lunch with my kids. He asked if I was OK getting the boat on the traier by myself. "Sure! No problem!" I told him.

After a couple of hours more on the lake, I went back to the ramp, which was pretty busy on this warm Sunday afternoon. I tied the boat up at the crowded dock and went and fetched my truck. Backed down and in my hurry to not occupy more time on the ramp than was necessary, threw the truck in park, set the emergency brake and went to hop in the boat. As I approached the trailer, I saw I had backed in too deep. Oh well, I will just get it on the strap and then pull the truck forward. Because it was a bit windy, it took me a couple of approaches but I finally got it on pretty straight. The wind started to turn the boat after I had shut her off and lifted the out drive so I hurried to jump down and get her hooked to the trailer. As I slid off the bow, my swim suit got hooked on the bow cleat and ripped it to my waist. The guy launching next to me got a laugh out of that.

Ignoring half my rear hanging out, I ran to jump in the truck to pull her forward 3 feet to make sure I got the boat centered on the trailer. Pulled forward, threw her back in park and jumped out again, except it didn't make it all the way into park. Truck, trailer and boat were backing ino the lake! Jumped back into the drivers seat, hit the brakes, threw her in drive and started forward, just before lake water made it to the bottom of my floor board.

Well I guess that I was a little excited, and hit the accellerator a little hard, because when I got all four tires onto dry ground, my daughter yells at me that the boat is floating away. Those observing this charade, now go from amusement to pity. I look at my 23 foot boat floating about 40 feet away and moving out, a shredded bow strap hanging from the bow ring. I guess the reverse then forward motion was a little too much for the old strap.

I quickly pull the truck/trailer forward and out of launch traffic and run out to the dock, with what remains of my swim suit flapping in the wind. A fellow boater has tied up to it with his 18 foot bass boat and he is trying to keep it from floating into other boats. I dive into the water and swim over to my boat. I climb aboard and back her away from parked boats at the dock just in time. This time, I take it over to the less used side of the boat ramp and gently beach it on the ramp. After collecting my breath, and tying a towel around my waist, I calmly go get into my truck, back down the right distance and walk my boat onto the trailer. I jury rig a strap to hold her in place (my greatest fear is that I would get the boat half way up the ramp and it would slide off.) I go through my retrieval list a third time in my head (engine off, outdrive up, etc.)

I was never so glad to reach the parking lot as I was yesterday afternoon.

 

**** that would really really suck

 

I'm sorry but I just had to laugh at that. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who has days like that.

 

I hate boat ramps! If I can't keep it in a slip, I'd rather not own one (I don't). How about having nearly the entire boat sliding off the back of the trailer coming up the ramp because the winch wasn't locked properly. I sold it shortly thereafter.

 

Boat ramps have made for many a' domestic dispute, my dad dropped the trailer tires off of about a 8-10" ledge while trying to trailer our family Welcraft. He proceded to smoke all four tires on the concrete ramp rather than pulling forward a bit then re-loading the boat. (long hot day in the Sun + 12 Pack of Shlitz + Sunburn = Bad Boat ramp experience)
I have seen some crazy ones, even the sober folks. Last year we pulled up to ramp top launch and there is a 30'+ foot sailboat (type with outrigger like pontoons on each side) Rolled over on it's side. There was like 5 rednecks with ropes tied all over this thing trying to upright it in the middle of two ramps. That was fun watching and waiting.
"S" happens dude, as long as boat, truck and family are ultimately safe, all is good.

 

an old guy i used to work with told me if you want some great entertainment grab a 12 pack and go sit at the boat ramp and watch. i was at the ramp one day waiting for my dad and had watched two guys, it was one of the funniest things i had seen

 

Man that's a funny story. lol. Good to see you have a sense of humor. I bought a used ski boat about ten years ago and was so excited to get on the water I launched the boat and tied off to the dock to go park my truck and when I returned much to my horror my new boat was almost sunk! Yea I had forgotton to put the plug in. oh well, at least I got to it before in sank completly. One of my favorite things now is to spend a little time at the launch ramp and just watch the funny show somepeople put on. Good times.............

 

I LOOOOVE boat ramps.
Pull up a lawn chair, plop the cooler full of your favorite beverage beside you, and watch the show.

It's better than the Comedy Channel.

 

I've had some days like that...

coulda been worse!!! thanks for the laughs (laughing WITH you of course! )

Forrest

 

Might even be able to make enough cash to pay for your favorite beverage.

I've seen some pretty bald tires on some vehicles that have no business towing a boat,
desperatley trying to back down, or pull back up the moss covered concrete.

Winch or long tow strap is worth it's weight in gold.


phox

 

I have actually spent at least a few hours of my life watching people trying to get 30 foot boats out of the water with Astrovans...


The best time is the morning of July 5th... I've gone out on a fishing boat at that time on two occasions, watched the boat ramps while I was waiting to load.
Boat ramps are extra funny when massive amounts of alchohol is added to the mix.

 

Great Story! I found myself reaching for a beer while reading it.

Welcome to the club.

 

Another cheap source of entertainment is the local airport on a WINDY wekend. Watching all of the students pilots try to land in the wind is entertaining, but not as good as a boat ramp!

 

yeah, the boat ramps are great, guys running there boats into the ramps, falling off trailers, yes, lots of stories. Luckly you are ok, the boat, truck ect. It's no fun when something bad really brakes. I think the best was a guy that we offered advice to while he was backing in. Were like I would really, he told us he didn't need help, and were like were not helping but you should do, he's like did I ask for help. So we said fine you don't want help, fine, we just sat there, guy said thank you to us, launched his boat, tied it up and went to park (this is in chesapeake, parking lot is a good 1/3 mile hike) comes back and looks at us, says where did my boat go. We said well you know where you tied it up, he said yeah, we said follow the ropes you'll find it. he goes out there to a boat now under water, and he's like what what what, and were like we tried to tell you to put the plug in. Oh boy, red face, curse words flying, we just walked away and laughed our a**es off. Best day of my life. You know, some people are just so stubborn and well all we did was try to help (and we were sober and polite, so not alcohol or stuff like that involved)

 

I have a story that is kind of the oppisite, I'll try and keep short. We were out on lake Michigan for the day with two wave runners. My friend and I pull up and tie off at the end of the day. My buddy runs off to get his truck and trailer while I stay with the boats. Up pulls a guy in a really sweet twin engine speedboat. It had to be every bit of 38' long. I hear the guy coming, so I turn to check out his boat. He pulls up perfectly next to the dock about two feet from the dock. He did not have a single bumper hanging off the side of his boat. He pulls up and has his wife stand at certain point and she just sticks her arm out and holds the boat perfectly still away from the dock. He leaves it running, doesn't tie off, then runs off to get his truck. He's back in flash, backs in perfectly under his boat the exact right distance. Hops back in the boat, gooses the boat up on the trailer while his wife hooks up the bow line, shuts her down and pulls it right out. This whole ballet barely took 3 minutes from start to finish.

Needless to say I was impressed with this guys skills at the ramp. When my buddy shows up with his trailer I ask"did you see that guy with the speedboat?" Of course he missed the whole show . If I had a boat like that I guess I'd have to learn to park without bumpers and a few curse words.