Ramp stories

[Original Wing Nut]

Wellhydrated said he witnessed some interesting stuff, lets hear about them. I have two, both at Powell. The first was 6 years ago at Wahweep Ut ramp. Some guys were launching the then to be new and biggest house boat on the lake. We decided to watch as they were just about ready. They had a semi wrecker hooked to the trailer and a huge frok lift chained to one side and the semi tractor chained to the other and the trailer chocked. The semi wreckers wheels were chocked and the idea was to let out cable down the ramp to launch the boat. The wrecker tightened the cable and the trailer was unchocked. Somebody didn't figure right the trailer started rolling and pulling everything in with it. Luckily they had cleared the ramp and water. When all was said and done the wrecker was under to the windshield, forklift chains had broken and Semi tractor was under to the seat. The good thing is no one was hurt there were people under the boat when all this went down from pulling the chocks. It was a you had to be there to really enjoy it kind of thing. the other story is we were pulling out one day when on the dock some people had place all there weeks provisions on the dock. Huge piles, I think they were staying the summer or something. The boat next to the dock full of stuff had not trimmed his outdrive down, it was turned of course. He hit the throttle and flushed all the stuff in the lake. Then a fight ensued and the two guys ended up in the lake. All stories are better when you don't have to be apart of them. If you are in them it's okay to say " a friend of mine did this once" Looking forward to a lot of good reading!

[wellhydrated]

I'm looking forward to some good readin' too. This was two Sundays ago around sundown.

If you haven't seen the launch at Calville on Lake Mead it's pretty steep and the wipe-down is about 100 yards up. An old truck pulling an even older boat just put in, the truck was almost to the wipe down area when the trailer cut loose. The trailer came flying down the ramp at at least 30mph and crashed into the front of a small truck that was putting in jet skis next to the dock. The front of the truck looked like it hit a wall.

Had the trailer been 10 feet to the left it would have went straight down the dock and taken out at least 20 kids and adults not to mention some of the 5 or so boats tied to the dock. They shut down one whole side of the launch so it made an already hectic day way more hectic. People's stress levels went through the roof and the hollering matches started. As far as I know nobody got hurt.

[raythompson]

Had been out camping for a couple of days and was returning to the ramp where my vehicle was parked. Notice a chap standing about waist deep about 25 feet from the edge of the water on the ramp. I thought that was odd as I did not remember the ramp being that shallow. Turns out he was standing on the roof of his truck. His wife was backing the trailer down and apparently got out of the truck without setting the brake or putting the vehicle in park.

What was most surprising is that he was calm, his wife was upset. All that he was saying is "It's OK honey, stuff happens."

Had to find another ramp a couple miles away while he waited for a tow truck.

[Tequilasun]

At the ramp, guy with an old, old truck trying to pull out a rather large cuddy cabin, wet ramp, bald tires, poor marksmanship with the trailer...basically everything wrong for this poor dude. After they take 10-15 minutes getting the boat on the trailer, almost taking out a water patrol boat and another boat, the guy starts to "try" to pull the boat out with his truck, gets nothing but spinning tires. So he gets out, yells at his wife, then trys again. Truck and boat slip closer and closer into the water with smoke rolling from the tires. My buddy, who pulls trailers for a living and has zero tolerance for people who can't pull a trailer, asks if he can help. The guy gives my buddy the ol' "I can get it, mind your own f-ng bees wax". The truck dude gets out to yell at his wife again ( who has been in the boat the whole time!!) and my bud pulls a superman, jumps in the dudes truck and drives it slowly up the ramp to level ground. There was a huge round of applause from the 15 or so bass fishermen waiting to pull out, and we went about our merry way.

Not a disaster, but maybe my point is, if you don't know what you are doing, get some help..people are generally friendly and have often been in the same "boat"

[Matt Garcia]

These threads always make me chuckle.

I don't have any crazy stories, just seen a lot of stupid stuff. The husband yelling at the wife in the boat is a common one, which me an my wife laugh at loud at all the time.

One summer I was prepping the boat for launch in the parking lot while 4 muscle head dudes with 3 girls in a 18ft. Bayliner. They backed the boat down in the water with no problems but couldn't figure out why the boat was not coming off the trailer. No problem right, these guys are big....so they decide to lift and push the boat of to no avail. After 10 minutes of muscling they decide to bring the boat back up the ramp....as you have guessed it by now the straps were still tied to the transom. So they launch the boat at the dock, park their SUV and then decide to carry their cooler, cell phones, food, tube etc. from the parking lot all the way to the dock!

It amazes me how people make it much more difficult than it really should be.

The real annoying thing is when people don't know how to back down a ramp in a straight line. I bet some men feel real stupid when someone like my wife can back an F250 with a 23 foot boat a lot faster and straighter then them.

[poohpotta]

Matt - That sounds like my wife, she can really whip that trailer around the parking lot and back her straight down the ramp!

Like Matt, I haven't seen anything really crazy, just a ton of inconsiderate people. People tying off at the dock adjacent to the ramp and talking for 20 minutes, people coming close to the no-wake buoys and sending rollers towards the ramp, stupid people swimming around the dock, people cutting in line to trailer their boat, etc.

One of these days I'm going to get a slip at the Marina so I don't have to deal with the ramp as much anymore!!

[xpjim1]

A few years ago we were on Lake Mojove. Typical summer storm comes on and its a race to Katherine Landing launch ramp. My friend took the boat to the slip and get the truck, wife and kids went to the hotel and I am left holding the Seadoos. The line to pull out of the launch ramp was over an hour as I stood in the rain. A guy in a brand new Suburban was attempting to back his trailer. After a few times he got the trailer in the water, His wife is driving a new Eliminator XP yelling at the husband she did not want to do this, She gets to the trailer but the guy did not back it in far enough, He yells to the wife he was going to back up the trailer a little more and she was to give the boat some gas to pull it up on the trailer. Shes yelling I dont want to do this, He gets in and starts backing and his wife guns the Eliminator. The boat jumps over the bow stop into the rear window of the suburban. The man gets out in disbelief as the boat settles back down on the trailer. Wife says I told you I did not want to do this and gets in the pasenger door of the Suburban. Man is left staring at broken window of Surburban and some deep scratches in his new boat. Pretty entertaining.

[switchme]

This happened last labor day at Cresent Bar on the Columbia River here in Eastern Washington. Widn storm came up so everybody is scampering to get off the river. I go get the trailer & get in line. My wife is driving the boat. I've waiting like 20 minuets and am now about two away from the ramp when I start hearing sirens coming. The ambulance pulls up to the ramp. I'm now backing my trailer down and on the next dock over is this dude lying on the dock screaming in pain in the fetal position. His friends are taking his Donzi out of the water for him while the medics haul him away. When the boat is pulled out of the water I notice that the bottom of both outdrives are gone! This guy ran over the rocks and then fell out of his boat onto the dock. You guessed it drunk.

Next morning I'm putting the boat in and he's trying to straighten his outdrives with a big hammer. What a friggin idiot!

Inconsiderate people that take forever to launch or trailer their boats drive me nuts. I'm in and out in no more than 2 min.

[NICKYPOO]

Last season while pulling out for the day we witnessed a good one. 70's Chevy stepside, 70's 16' out board "speed" boat (both looking like they were spray painted black about 20 years ago), 5 guys, 1 girl and one huge Rotwieler staight from a desert trailer park. The woman manages to zig-zag her way down the ramp while the guys are standing around holding the boat at the dock. The woman and I'm guessing husband are engaged in the usuall shouting match and their giant dog is barking and snarling and slobbering from the back of the truck the whole time. They manage to get the boat on the trailer, but the woman is obviously p*ssed off and guns it up the ramp. The next thing you know, the boat slides right off the trailer, bounces and comes to a grinding halt on the pavement with the little rope that is tied to the bow eye still attached. The 5 guys walk over to the boat, pick it up, put it back on the trailer and drive away like they do this all the time. Everyone at the ramp just looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed at life at the boat the boat ramp.

[talltigeguy]

I've got a few and don't know where to start.

Yes, I left the straps on once. It was only my second time out. I am a doctor and some patients of mine were on the ramp at the same time. They still come to me. I guess they aren't very smart either.

A buddy of mine didn't realize his direct drive Malibu had drains both under the engine and at the back. After the impeller was replaced, he went out for the first time and noticed the bilge was on. He figured they must have messed up and not tightened a hose down or something. Bilge runs almost all day. They love to ski and went hard all day long. When they pull the boat out at the dock, it's really looking low in the water. Come to find out the back plug was out ALL DAY!!! When they would speed up on plane, the water would drain. They are lucky they never stopped long enough to overwhelm the bilge pump.

[NICKYPOO]

This story came up afew days ago while talking with my father. He recons I was about 5 years old at the time. My grandfather had me in the car with him at the boat ramp. He got the trailer down to the water and everything looked good. Then he got out to hook up the old Cobalt and left me in the car with the windowes rolled up and engine running. I immediately got behind the wheel, locked the doors, and proceded to pretend I was doin' the drivin'. It took them a half an hour of me smiling and waving and havin' a good ol' time before I let them in. Everything turned out O.K. but there is something to be learned here. Mabey it's just simple common sense, but hey, your in the boat ramp zone.

[raythompson]

Another story. Not a disaster, just an interesting way to launch a boat.

This fellow backs his boat down the ramp at a higher than normal speed. He then slams on the brakes and the boat slides off the trailer into the water. There was no rope on the boat, it just floated free. So he parks his truck and then returns to the ramp. He dives off the dock, swims to the boat, gets in, and leaves.

When he returns a couple of hours later he repeats the process. Gets to the dock, gets out of the boat, and just shoves the boat out into the water. He gets his truck, backs down the ramp. Then goes to the dock, jumps in and swims to his boat. Puts the boat on the trailer, then gets into his truck by climbing through the bed, and drives away.

[raythompson]

And another story. I like to sit in the grass at the lauch area and watch the madness.

A chap backs his pontoon trailer down the ramp and launches his boat. As he was pulling the trailer out he clips the corner of a Mustang and damages the taillight. He gets out and looks at the light, shrugs his shoulder, and says the guy in the Mustang was parked too close (he really was.)

About an hour later the owner of the Mustang returns after being in a boat with friends. He looks at the taillight and flips out. After he calms down he asks me if I knew what happened. I told him I did and pointed out the offending trailer. I then left the ramp area.

About two hours later I get a call from the police. They ask if I saw an event at the boat ramp. I tell them I did and explain what happened. They said that was all they needed. I asked the police what was going to be the result.

The fella with the trailer was charge with hit and run and was going to have to pay for the damage. In all probability he will also come close to loosing his license in TN as that is considered a major offence. Had he simply left his name and number it would only have cost about $800.00. As it turned out it will cost him thousands in extra insurance costs as he will now be considered high risk and has a felony conviction on his driving record.

[poohpotta]

A felony? That seems a little steep!!

[raythompson]

Originally posted by poohpotta
A felony? That seems a little steep!!

If the charges go all the way through. He probably pleaded to a lesser charge but will still have the hit and run on his driving record and it will affect his insurance.