Showed my a** at the ramp this weekend

[Smassey22180]

I have owned a boat since my teenage years and am one of the people who launch and retrieve in 90 seconds. With that said, lately I have been forgetting things. I am 49 now and don't remember things as well as I did 20 years ago. This stresses out my 11 year old son who has decided, all by himself, to now be the owner of the "checklist". This frees me up to pay attention to safety issues and he makes sure I don't forget anything. I was surprised how having him keep check on me has made things less stressful. It is also great learning experience for him.

 

[buckbuck]

Sounds like you are raising him well.

 

[scot71]

OK, so here is a sped up video of our retrieval. just to let you know, every time I'm stopped, I'm waiting on someone and if you pay attention. You can see how many people are clogging the approach to the ramp. We worked as fast as we could, and this definitely wasn't our fastest retrieval , but you still have to admit that it wasn't bad....lol!

 

[buckbuck]

Lookin good Scot71. Your ramp appears to be chaotic.

 

[McMark]

Oh man @Tranio

Slippery ramp? No emergency brake?

 

[jawsf16]

@scot71
Nice job. We do the same retrieval only wife in truck and me in boat. Always feels good cruising quickly past everyone as they waste time hogging the ramp like at the end of your video. It's doubly satisfying because of the looks my wife gets as she waits in the truck. People sit to watch the train wreck and then she schools them! She has been applauded several times by old fishermen and even had to back up some new guys trailer who was struggling.

 

[Venkman]

I am very envious of that recovery.

With our previous yamaha we tried for years as a couple to refine launch and recovery. But she just got where she couldn't handle the stress of the boat ramp at the end of the day. (She is no wuss, she has been an ER nurse and an OR nurse for 7 years).

I have had a boat for almost 20 years and my father always had at least one boat so I have seen my share of boat ramps and I am always amazed at what I see at the boat ramp. Grown 'men' who can't back up their new boats or the worst, men screaming at their wives because they thought a miracle would occur in where the boat ramp god would bless their spouse with the ability to back up a 30 foot Baja trailer.

The boat ramp is the reason my wife doesn't blink every March when I pay 2k for slip rental.

I have to admit I love a good boat ramp story

 

[scot71]

A little p.s. to my video. When we get to the lake. We always stop in a rarely used parking lot in the park and prepare the boat for launch. That way we're ready to go when we get to the ramp. When we take the boat out, we go back to the same parking lot to put everything away to go home. That way we are never clogging up the ramp area. The "All About Me" culture that exists these days drives me crazy and it's very apparent at the boat ramp.

 

[BMF JK]

Two weeks ago at a small single ramp , two younger guys were loading 2 skis ahead of us . I waited till they got them
loaded on their trailer , which appeared to be a struggle for them . I docked at the ramp , got the truck around and there they were in the way of the ramp . They had straps and covers out .
There was no one else around so I figured a subtle stare would be sufficient, not to mention my wife at the dock with hand on her hip and a stare that could kill . The guys got the hint and pulled up to give me room .
Once I retrieved our boat I pulled up into an empty parking lot to prep for the haul home. The two pulled up behind me , apologized and stated they have never used a launch before . I explained launch educate and they were actually appreciative !
I enjoyed talking to those guys , they were respectful young guys .
Figured I'd tell a launch story that ended with two young boys learning a valuable lesson in boating .

 

[Tom V]

There is still hope!

 

[viggen]

Just look at how many people drive in the left lane on the highway with a bunch of cars behind them and do not have the courtesy to get to the right. Seems like most people only think on themself and are oblivious to what's going on around them.

Thus clueless people at docks/boat ramps is part of the fun of being able to spend time on the water.

 

[WildBillF1]

Some launch ramp follies at Site 6, Lake Havasu. The locals are eager to offer constructive criticism and educate those that may lack launch ramp etiquette. LOL!

 

[mrmeaniemeateaterman]

While watching those videos I thought, "Why in the hell would anyone boat at Lake Havasu?" I would sell my boat if I had to deal with that all the time. Then I saw some of the "party" videos of Lake Havasu, and now I'm thinking, "Man I really want to take the boat to Lake Havasu!!"

 

[Eric Ballard]

Holiday weekends always draw them out on the water and at the ramp. On Saturday at our local Jordan Lake....

- we had stopped to pull in the tube outside of a cove and in the main part of the lake, yet some guy decides to tow his rider between me and the shore which was about 50 ft away rather than on the other side of me that had the whole lake,

- later when we went back to the ramp to load up, note we always get off the lake early on holidays to avoid the crazies, anyway, right after we loaded our boat on the trailer, some guy pulls his boat in and hit the boat next to where I was, he eventually made it over to tie off OK.

It was tight in the parking lot too, but no incidents while we were there. Gotta love holiday weekends!!!

Jordan Lake ramp parking is AWEFUL!

 

[djetok]

So yesterday we go out to arcadia and have fun. We come into the no ski zone see this guy launching. Pulls his bought to the dock. Blocking the entire dock. We criise through the no wake waiting in line to get to the dock so i get off and get the trailer. 2 other boars are waiting to get to the dock. This guy gets down to the boat at the dock and sits there. We then see about 8 people with ice chests at the top walking down to the dock. Well one guy finally gets frustrated and trys to nose in. He pulls up and the guy sitting at the dock waives him off and he backs up. The guy blocking the dock gets out and walks back up to the parking lot. Gets his crew headed to the boat the dock. The sit there not loading until the capt walks back down 15 minutes later. There must have been 5 boats behind us waiting to dock. We waited our turn and i only blew my horn twice. Very frustrating. We always stop well short of the waiting lane get the boat ready to launch and load people and stuff, then launch so i am the only on that needs to get on the boat or off dor that matter.

My wife who is a patient saint was so irritated that she asked if we could use his dock.

 

[jeremy0011]

Jordan Lake ramp parking is AWEFUL!

You should use the New Hope Overlook ramp, very nice ramps and a huge lot.

 

[d_coyne1984]

I feel your pain. Very little in life is more irritating to me than people who feel like they own the ramp. Get your shit on your boat before you approach the ramp. Get your shit off after you have pulled it out. If your trailer isn't on the ramp, in the water, your boat should not be parked in front of it. It's that simple.

I always try to offer help to people who are obviously new to boating and not acting like a-holes, because we've all been there. No matter how many times you've been out, the ramp is never fun and it's more beneficial to all parties to help each other out than to stare and tap our feet impatiently which only makes it harder for the person launching.

 

[Gym]

I've often thought that busy public ramps should use a "starter" as golf courses do. Maybe an armed starter would be best.

 

[BigN8]

That ramp is just freakin crazy!!! I don't think I could handle it. I'm a pretty avid golfer, so I play pretty well. There is nothing worse than a big line at the first tee box and all eyes are on you. I'll usually carve my drive way off into the houses or trees to the right because I'm so tense! I also can't pee when there is a line behind me!!!

 

[blacksapphirez]

Some launch ramp follies at Site 6, Lake Havasu. The locals are eager to offer constructive criticism and educate those that may lack launch ramp etiquette. LOL!

I would not be able to launch and retrieve from this ramp... all the jokers yelling and everything... jeez