Boat Ramp Failure

[I.P. Freely]

I remember one time years ago when I lived in Louisiana watching some guy trying to take his boat out of the water on a gravel boat ramp in his old Cadillac Eldorado with no luck. After a few minutes, his buddy yells stop and he and his friend slowly get out of the boat and into the water. They hop on the back of the old Cadillac and start jumping up and down on the bumper while the driver floors it. The front of the car gets air born and touches the ground (repeat) as the 300lb guy's keeps jumping on the bumper for what seems like a minute and gravel is flying all over the boat and everywhere else. The car was front wheel drive!!! We all laughed our asses off.

I wish I could put stadium seating and sell food and beer at the boat ramp at Lake Lanier now that I live in Jawga. I would be rich, lol. Anybody have any boat ramp stories?

[NoFishOnBoard]

That is a very funny story.

[wishiwasfishin2]

This spring I was fishing the Sabine River and beached my boat while I went to get my truck. Before I could get back to the ramp a man and his wife pull up to the ramp. They block the ramp while they load up the boat with all their supplies. I knew this was going to be a show so I got out of my truck to watch. It was like watching the Beverly Hill Billy's at the boat launch. He finally gets in the boat and has his wife back him in. It takes 4 tries of jumping the curb and dropping one side of trailer of the ramp before she gets it lined up. The hole time this is going on I have noticed that he never unstrapped the boat from the trailer. I was going to see what happened when he got in the water, but my damn niceness came out and I hollered at him "hey do you know your boat is still strapped down". He says thanks and that this is first time out in the boat.

[jigman51]

This spring I was fishing the Sabine River and beached my boat while I went to get my truck. Before I could get back to the ramp a man and his wife pull up to the ramp. They block the ramp while they load up the boat with all their supplies. I knew this was going to be a show so I got out of my truck to watch. It was like watching the Beverly Hill Billy's at the boat launch. He finally gets in the boat and has his wife back him in. It takes 4 tries of jumping the curb and dropping one side of trailer of the ramp before she gets it lined up. The hole time this is going on I have noticed that he never unstrapped the boat from the trailer. I was going to see what happened when he got in the water, but my damn niceness came out and I hollered at him "hey do you know your boat is still strapped down". He says thanks and that this is first time out in the boat.

That was nice of you, could have turned into a real disaster.

[Walkabout7781]

I went to a club Fish-In at Silver Lake, Cowlitz County, and when we took out, there was another boat came in and saw how we did it. Next thing we know, these old guys tried to drive-on their boat onto a roller trailer, and ended up about 2' into the tailgate of an S-10 Blazer. Ooops!

Another time, years ago, my OFB and I were at Lk. Sawyer, beached the boat, and waited for a guy and what appeared to be his Granddaughter taking out their High Laker skiff. They winched it up, but didn't latch the winch, got about 25' up the steep ramp and the boat rolled off the back, unwinding the winch as he drove. I hollered for some other guys nearby, about 6 of us grabbed the boat by the gunnels and heaved it onto the trailer, got the winch latched and away they went, probably blushing, but relieved.

[Fishysam]

Brand new Lund on maiden voyage sitting on the pavement 35' from the waters edge, they tried back into the boat while winching, that didn't help. . That's the worst I ever say.

[dartag1829]

Took these at the ramp on my lake about 10 years ago. Have seen a lot of things but this is my favorite.

[Table Rock 1]

Funny s(^t right there. Sometime I will tell you the story of a guy who had his boat screwed to the bunks of his trailer- Ha-Ha..

[buster502]

i was on a busy ramp and guy next to me was cussing his wife like at the top of his lungs,his rear straps was still hooked up,i bent over to unhook mine and look over at her feeling sorry for her and i said tell the big mouth sAnabitch that straps are still on,and she screams at him and said HE SAID YOU DUMB SNABITHCH THE STRAPS ARE STILL ON,he was about 6'6 285lb made me want to cuss her out myself lol

[NAMVET1968]

i was on a busy ramp and guy next to me was cussing his wife like at the top of his lungs,his rear straps was still hooked up,i bent over to unhook mine and look over at her feeling sorry for her and i said tell the big mouth sAnabitch that straps are still on,and she screams at him and said HE SAID YOU DUMB SNABITHCH THE STRAPS ARE STILL ON,he was about 6'6 285lb made me want to cuss her out myself lol

exit stage left !

[Jeff Hahn]

I watched a guy trying to load his small cabin cruiser on the trailer. He had his two sons with him, about ages 8 & 10. He was knee deep in the water trying to guide the boat on the trailer and had the oldest son standing on the dock trying to hold the boat so it was centered on the trailer. The wind was blowing and the kid was struggling to hold the boat where Dad wanted it. And, Dad was cussing the kid. I offered to help and told him that I believe he had the trailer too far in the water...almost to the winch stand. If he pullled out a tad, we could get the boat loaded and centered easily. So then the guy starts cussing me out for interfering. Well, no good deed goes unpunished. So, I got my trailer, loaded my boat, and was gone while the Dad and kids still struggled.

[tdt91]

Very common mistake by the pleasure / small craft people. Trailer too deep. I was telling a guy one time his trailer was too deep and he actually listened to me. I couldn't believe it.

I have to wonder what all those people are thinking when they see bass boaters drive up, hook up and drive off. Are they thinking those guys are just special and very experienced or are they thinking we are stupid and crazy for driving up on the trailer. I see pleasure boats all the time with drive on trailers and the idiots are struggling in hip deep water while yelling at the wife.

[I.P. Freely]

Took these at the ramp on my lake about 10 years ago. Have seen a lot of things but this is my favorite.

Wow! Love the sign, lol

[I.P. Freely]

I have to wonder what all those people are thinking when they see bass boaters drive up, hook up and drive off.

Or when they take their Bass boat off the trailer?

Last year a guy backs his boat down the ramp and stops about 10' from the water. Unstraps everything and gets back in his truck. Backs the boat into the water and hits the brakes, boat slowly floats off the trailer and he takes off in his truck. Nobody in the boat.WTF? He parks the truck and walks to the dock while the boat keeps getting further and further away from land. He has a lanyard around his neck and hits a button from a key fob. The troll motor goes into the water and he steers the boat towards the dock. Gets in the boat, hits the button again and the troll motor goes back up while he cranks up the outboard and takes off. First time I've seen someone launch their boat that way. Good way to stay dry especially in the winter time.

[bdog7198]

Was at my local lake a couple years ago, was coming in to pull out and say a very nice almost new 21st Ranger being dropped in. One person in the truck, 4 others standing on the dock by the boat. He drops the boat in the water and parks the truck. Comes back down and starts yelling with a few profanities about how no one bothered to grab the rope. They were all to busy talking to grab it, the boat was slowing drifting away. Truck driver ended up jumping in 50 degree water to retrieve it. Would have taken him out to it but he jumped in before we got there (trolling motor only lake)

[bluebullet96]

I saw a guy load his boat and pull it out with the motor trimmed down dragging the skeg. Got out his truck strapped the boat down and got back in his truck and started driving away with a the motor still down and dragging!

[Transom]

I always wondered if individuals who get their vehicle in the lake like that get fined. I know if a company spills fluids like hydraulic fluid or such they have to have it cleaned up at great expense.

[tdt91]

Or when they take their Bass boat off the trailer?

Last year a guy backs his boat down the ramp and stops about 10' from the water. Unstraps everything and gets back in his truck. Backs the boat into the water and hits the brakes, boat slowly floats off the trailer and he takes off in his truck. Nobody in the boat.WTF? He parks the truck and walks to the dock while the boat keeps getting further and further away from land. He has a lanyard around his neck and hits a button from a key fob. The troll motor goes into the water and he steers the boat towards the dock. Gets in the boat, hits the button again and the troll motor goes back up while he cranks up the outboard and takes off. First time I've seen someone launch their boat that way. Good way to stay dry especially in the winter time.

Works great until something fails with the electronics or there's other boats out there floating around while he's not at the ramp.

[Transom]

Works great until something fails with the electronics or there's other boats out there floating around while he's not at the ramp.

Yep just because you can does not make it smart.

[Fish Whisperer]

I've seen the boat on the ramp 10' from the water, slid off the trailer.
SUV submerged, roof only showing, with tow truck driver diving to hook up to truck to haul it out. I think the nearby jet ski was theirs.
Watched some people stop backing up 5' short of the water, trying to crank their boat on to the trailer that wasn't even wet yet. They were really working hard at trying to figure it out. Thought they might get the idea when I backed in next to them. Got in my boat and drove it on. But I did hear them say "this is harder than it looks". Thought about helping, but sometimes you get the feeling people don't want your help.