Boat Ramp Failure

[Idaho Sandman]

Like most, I’ve seen too many ramp failures to remember them all – from rookie mistakes that we’ve all made to inconsiderate asshats that are focused only on themselves.

My favorite happened a few years back at a local lake here in Oklahoma City. A buddy and I were taking out after a summer morning’s top water bite. I was waiting for him to retrieve the truck in the loading basin when a man and woman (assume they were long-married husband and wife by how they were acting towards each other) came into ear shot. They were evidently going to tie off on the courtesy dock, and she was up front steadily barking orders: “You’re going too fast!” “You’re not going fast enough!” “You need to turn right!” “You need to turn left!!!”

The husband never said a word, and just tried to do as instructed.

Wife is wearing a big yellow sun hat to accompany the yards of bright yellow fabric that she had draped over her rather portly figure. The husband, who clearly couldn’t do anything right in her eyes, mysteriously managed to brush the dock just enough to cause her to lose her balance and topple into the water. The big yellow hat and yards of yellow fabric were floating on top of the water. You could hear her head hit the port side pontoon for almost the entire length of the barge – “BONG!” “BONG!” “BONG!”

She surfaced on the starboard side thrashing the water and cussing him for all she was worth. He had his hands full just trying to keep the boat from bashing into the rip rap, so couldn't bother to try and save his dearly beloved wife. Somehow she managed to get her footing and walked up the edge of the ramp – after all, she was never in more than 4 feet of water the whole time. Around the gravel bank, and onto the courtesy dock she comes – as mad as a wet hen. Now she’s going to give him her unbridled wrath and really let him have it, but hubby hadn’t managed to get the boat secured. About the time she started cussing and took a step onto the boat’s bow, it shot out from underneath her…and back in the water she went! “BONG!” thrash, thrash, “BONG!” thrash, thrash, “BONG!”

The husband appeared unflappable and never said a word as he calmly tied off the boat and stepped onto the dock without saying a word to her, now standing in water up to her waste eight feet away.

By now, my buddy had backed the trailer down and I’d moved onto getting my boat loaded up. We were in the parking lot when the husband came up to retrieve the truck. Not one word was uttered as he calmly opened the his driver’s door and climbed inside. With the door shut the man transformed into a raving lunatic. He was laughing so hard the truck was shaking. For what seemed like five minutes he was howling with laughter and beating the steering wheel to point that I thought he’d break a fist. He managed to pull himself together and back the trailer down without further incident.

As soon as he was back on the boat, she started in on him again…but he never said a word.


-b-

omg, I died laughing. Thank you! One of the funniest things I’ve read on here. Lmao!!

[Tarheel14]

Boatsunk1.jpg

This guy was already swimming when I got there.

[Tarheel14]

Seen plenty of people run the engine out of the water, either before launching or after. Makes me cringe every time.

[Jboutfishn]

It is all a matter of training. Wife (married 54 years) gets in the boat, I back in the boat, she backs off while I park the truck. I walk to the dock, she slides up, I step in the boat and off we go. When we pull out I back in the trailer, she slides on the trailer, I hook up and we pull out. We have this down and never spend more than a few minutes on the ramp. The only problem is when someone tries to help. I am an "old guy" and while the offers are appreciated, we have out system down that keeps us out of trouble.

The only time it is easier is when kids and grand kids visit. They take care of business while Ahma and Ahpa sits back and enjoy the the water.

When I am fishing alone, I have a "boat buddy" from Bass Pro on the trailer. When I slide the bass boat onto trailer, the "boat buddy" puts a pin through the bow hook. I step onto the dock and pull out.

[Lil Mo]

One trip, I pulled up to the dock to load up and two elderly gentlemen were having a hell of a time loading a brand new Skeeter. I offered to help and they were so thankful. After getting one of them to pull up a bit (trailer was too deep),the other gentleman asked if I would load it for him. Of course, I obliged and had him sit in the passenger seat while I loaded. Man, that Skeeter handled like a dream. He was so appreciative and was amazed at how easy it was. Felt great to help. Sometimes, we as bassfishermen have to remember that we were 1st time boaters or loaders once too.

[MMosher]

I used to laugh, now I attempt to help.

[tgifish]

I'll never forget that day back in '77 when my brother, his two boys & I went to Lake Conroe for the weekend, in his '69 lincoln & '70 Glasstron (tri-hull), like we've done many times before. However, this day would be a day that we would never forget.

There was no one using the ramp at the time, however, there were a few boats beached farther down from it. We went through our routine & got the boat ready. I would back my brother in & the boys would remain in the back seat. Due to lake being low & most of the ramp was exposed I drove down & made a u-turn. When I got the boat straight I stopped, foot on brake, put it in reverse, heard a pop, brake pedal went to the floor and away we went. I hit the emergency brake but it did nothing & as we gained speed all I could see in the rear view mirror were 4 big eyeballs (nephews) & my brother's lips & arms moving at the console. I slammed it into park & jack-knifed the trailer at the waters edge without getting a single drop of water on it.

We all got out with my brother ranting & raving about my backing skills. I explained to him that the brakes including the emergecy brake failed & I did what I could to keep from going into the lake. I assumed he believed me & he was going to park the car to look at the brakes, but when he got to the top of the ramp he put the car in reverse & we watched him haul ass into the lake in disbelief. By the time it stopped all you could see was the front windshield & the top but it was still idling. I got in the car with water up to my neck as he cranked up the boat and together we pushed/pulled it out.

Thank the good lord no one was on or near the ramp at that time & that it happened way before the digital era. To this day my brother can't tell me what he was thinking when he got to top of the ramp other than he still didn't believe me.

TGIFish
USAF ('79-'00)
'01 Cobra 201D

[RazorCat]

After launching yesterday afternoon, I was starting to ease away from the lakefront when I noticed a young couple with an older Skeeter bassboat, several lanes down, struggling to get it on the trailer. As with a many such cases, yes... the trailer was way too deep. Add in the very stout crosswind that was blowing and I could see there was no way they were going to get it done... In fact, the winch strap was the only thing keeping the boat from getting completely away from them.

Despite the very real danger to my "Asshat" status as a Nitro owner, I idled toward them and told them to hold on while l beach my boat and I'd help out. The young man said, "You don't have to do that." But, as I said, it wasn't going to happen without someone helping them.

Turns out, they'd only had the boat out a couple of times since buying it and it'd been several weeks since using it last. This day, they'd made the mistake of floating it before knowing the outboard would crank... the battery wouldn't turn it over enough to fire.

I ended up getting in the water (just barely up to the boys ) on that snot-slick ramp and somehow, in all that wind, the young man and I managed to get the boat past the submerged fender and squared over the trailer while his wife pulled forward just enough to let the bunks catch it... we were able to winch it the remainder of the way.

Yeah... We've all seen the clowns at ramps who provide a lot of comic relief at times. And in those cases, it's usually best just to stand aside and enjoy the show. In this case, though, it was just some young folks, fairly new to boat ownership, who'd made a rookie mistake (we were all rookies at some point). Both of these kids were very respectful, apologetic and thankful for the assist, and I'd wager they won't make that same mistake again.

And who knows... next week it may be me who needs the help.

A very nice gesture on your part. Everybody needs a little assistance every once in a while, and hopefully those young folks heeded what you taught them. Well done sir.

[riggpigg]

At least once every two or three years I try to launch with one tie down snagged on my ladder on my Z521, I unhook it and assume it will wind up, but it will hang up on the ladder. Takes me a bit to figure out wtf is going on........

[ST8Bugging]

This weekend at Paris landing ramp will have so many stories one could write a book about all the crazy or stupid things you can see.

[I.P. Freely]

This weekend at Paris landing ramp will have so many stories one could write a book about all the crazy or stupid things you can see.

Take some videos.

[I.P. Freely]

Didn't quite make it back to the boat ramp yesterday on Lanier....

[pa.X19]

Didn't quite make it back to the boat ramp yesterday on Lanier....

That's going to cost someone a few $$$

[Joshthebadbear]

Should I tell this crazy bunch about the time I watched my pick up truck beat my boat down the river ? HELL NO !

[I.P. Freely]

Should I tell this crazy bunch about the time I watched my pick up truck beat my boat down the river ? HELL NO !

Yes! Do tell!

It’s been about four months now so I feel better about saying what happened. I was fishing with my best friend and it was time to head home. Drop my friend at the dock to get the trailer. I load my boat on the trailer and he tells me to stop as the boat is good to go. I get up and walk to the front of the boat and see that it’s not all the way up, so he winches it up and before I know it he’s pulling up the ramp and dragging my motor before I could raise it. I was yelling at him to stop and he finally did after it went about 5 feet. Yes I was pissed but luckily it didn’t grind it down to bad and the prop was ok. When I got home I filed the bottom of the skeg to even it out.

[I.P. Freely]

That's going to cost someone a few $$$

Just a little water damage!

It would be interesting to see how much it would cost to get it out of the water and to get it lake ready again, if it’s salvageable??

[Arpy]

You can watch a whole bunch of divorces start on a Sunday afternoon at a boat ramp.

[Triton 186]

Almost a 2 year old thread

[I.P. Freely]

Almost a 2 year old thread

Sorry, didn’t know their is expiration dates on threads....

[BlazerCat777]