Boat Ramp horror stories

[Matt Garcia]

I don't have any good stories like you all do. I just encounter people who take too much time on the ramp or make it harder that it really is or don't know what they are doing in general.

I can't wait until I can use my WS420 on someone who is being a jackass at the ramp.

[da.bell]

^^^ I have the same issue however, when the other boaters are holding their boat against the dock instead of driving it off aways, I have to be careful and tell my wife that it is okay that they do it every single time. One time she started to go off on the other boaters (it's her Irish blood in here ) telling them that they need to learn how to drive that boat so they don't have to hold up the entire flow of the launching and retrieving.

Rather embarrassing. But interesting at the same time.

[Matt Garcia]

Yes that is certainly funny. Having the wife or girlfriend sit in or hold the boat while the husband does everything. I want to say to them to make yourself useful!

One comment my wife hears every single time we launch is how well she backs the trailer down our boat ramp which curves, is very long and only two lanes. She only has to back it down once, no going forward and readjusting. Makes me proud since she shows up some men on the ramp. Of course the women either give her dirty looks or are in awe. Kind of funny since she is a blond too.

[dogbert]

You gotta love a chick that can back a trailer like a pro

[raythompson]

Correction

You gotta love a chick that can back a trailer like a pro

You have it wrong. You have to marry a chick that can back a trailer like a pro.

[dogbert]

You have it wrong. You have to marry a chick that can back a trailer like a pro.

Not everyone can lead the charmed life

[G-MONEY]

You have it wrong. You have to marry a chick that can back a trailer like a pro.

My wife drops me off on shore, forget the dock I go get the truck back it in and she drives it right on perfectley everytime I hook up the bow eye and we are out....

I just don't get why it takes people so freaking long to get the boat out of the water

[da.bell]

My wife drops me off on shore, forget the dock I go get the truck back it in and she drives it right on perfectley everytime I hook up the bow eye and we are out....

I just don't get why it takes people so freaking long to get the boat out of the water

Same here. I saw someone launching their boat two weeks ago that took 30 seconds. Really!!! They undid all the straps on top of the launch ramp, backed it in deep enough to push the boat into the water, and the driver (once off the trailer) started the engine while the trailer was hauling arse out of the launch area.

Impressive I thought.

[Carter13]

I got me a wife that backs up the trailer.
I am at the dock only long enough to pick up and drop off passengers. That area is a hazard zone.
I am also ready to get on my 420 and chastize the dillholes.

[Matt Garcia]

My wife drops me off on shore, forget the dock I go get the truck back it in and she drives it right on perfectley everytime I hook up the bow eye and we are out....

I just don't get why it takes people so freaking long to get the boat out of the water

It's plain and simple. People just not having common courtesy. The typical scenario is back down the ramp, LOAD everything on, check to make sure everything is working (in most cases it the boat itself), unhook rear tie downs, put in drain plug, etc. This all could be done BEFORE you launch.

Like I said most people make it harder than it really should be. It should be back down the ramp, unhook bow eye and reverse boat off.

[dogbert]

Since my wife can't back a trailer for beans, I taught my son how to drive.

We're on the ramp for maybe 30-45 secs if no one cuts off my boat driver. Dropping in it's literally dump and go...just long enough for me to unhook the strap from the bow eye (by which time we have the boat started).

The rest of the routine also takes about 5 minutes or less. It's amazing how fast you can prep or clean up a boat when you have 4-5 people working as a team.

[zad0030]

Same here. I saw someone launching their boat two weeks ago that took 30 seconds. Really!!! They undid all the straps on top of the launch ramp, backed it in deep enough to push the boat into the water, and the driver (once off the trailer) started the engine while the trailer was hauling arse out of the launch area.

Impressive I thought.

Isn't that how everyone does it???

[skyski_tige]

Yep Yep

Get a woman that has a lake house with a boat lift!

[Tequilasun]

That's my preferred routine. We will check that all the stuff is on the boat, people included at the prep area before the ramp. Bump the starter to make sure. Then I back the truck down and depending on the ramp unhook the bow, or someone on the boat does it. Reverse off and get outta the way.

It usually takes longer for me to park the trailer and get down to the dock then to launch or recover.

Ok, so I've told this one before, bit it's a fav.

Me and 4-5 guys are parking the boat at the former Tige dealers dock right by the old launch ramp. This ramp is pretty normal, but it's two lanes would get busy! I'm check g on some ropes or something when my buddy Jay hollers that I need to come out and help a guy get his boat off the ramp.

I look out and see this guy trying to pull a 30 ft old *** cruiser outta the water with a 70's model truck with some bald *** tires. He is spinning like crazy, as he yells at his wife. The wife is driving the boat, and has done everything right. Wrong rig for this boat, dude is pissed.

So my buddies and I offer to help by sitting in the bed to give him some weight for traction, I suggest the wife powers the boat up a bit to help us get moving. The guy litterally calls me an idiot. (I've done this for years on steep ramps)

So being the nice guy I am, I just let the whole thing unfold. We can't get the truck to hook up, even with the weight. Mostly because apparently the dude thinks the gas pedal is a binary device. My buddy Jay, who is master of all things manly, just cannot stand this. He is standing by the driver's window giving the guy tips on how to drive it up the ramp. He is very polite btw, but he has me snickering as his frustration for the drivers stupidity grows. Jay is also the guy who always backs and drives a trailer like it's not there, in short he's the man with a trailer.

So Jay politly says to the guy. "hey I pull trailers everyday, would you mind if I gave it a try". Driver's response? F-you!

So I'm done: I pull the crew outta the truck and this guy is just left in his original situation.

We all retreat to the dock to watch more of the Ahole in action, and he is backing the ramp up big time.

3 or 4 more shots at it, and the driver is teakettling. In between inept attepts up the ramp, he gets out to yell at the wife. The wife is directly across from us and obviously embarrassd by the whole situation.

So Jay, who still can't stand this level of non-manliness. Says "watch this"

He walks over to the truck, and waits as the cycle of spinnin' tires, and wife berating repeats.

The drivers gets outta his truck and walks back to the edge of the water...he's littery in tears he's so pissed at this moment in his lovely life. While he's throwing a verbal blue streak at his wife, Jay jumps in his truck.

Jay proceeds to artfully drive this POS up the ramp with a master's skill at the art. The driver's jaw drops as the sound of laughter and cheers from the onlookers drowns out the spring peepers of the evening. Jay pulls the rig to a flat area, and calmly walks back. And in a move akin to the "you can be my wingman anytime" line in top gun, he slyly flips the keys to the driver.

Pretty epic, and the story gets better everytime we retell it!

[my86stanggt]

Same here. I saw someone launching their boat two weeks ago that took 30 seconds. Really!!! They undid all the straps on top of the launch ramp, backed it in deep enough to push the boat into the water, and the driver (once off the trailer) started the engine while the trailer was hauling arse out of the launch area.

Impressive I thought.

I do that also, I back down the ramp and my wife is in the boat. Once she is floating I hit the brakes and when she is past the poles I start back up the ramp. Freaks people out.

Well today we are showing the new owners the boat and I am standing on the tongue of the trailer waiting for my wife to pull up. As she is coming in I went to grab the bow of the boat to kinda guide it a little to the roller and my foot slipped off the trailer and I nutted myself on the winch. I could hear everyone on the boat wince. But I was still able to hook the boat up and get back in the truck. Man that sucked. What a way to end my boat ownership (maybe the boat was mad at me)