Watching the boat ramp

[OK Toon]

Loyd, we are in Rock Creek Cove. Our lake place is in Arrowhead Estates in Arrowhead State Park.

[landlockedsailor]

Sail boaters tend to be Democrats. FYI.

Not me! Tending toward tea party....Shhhh, or IRS may target me for an audit.

[playcat]

Sail boaters tend to be Democrats. FYI.

Not me! Tending toward tea party....Shhhh, or IRS may target me for an audit.

Same here...I used to race sailboats pretty seriously. I guess i never had enough money to be snooty.
Wife can't stand sailing, says its too slow, can't go where you want, etc. She much prefers our toon, even if it is broke down, once again...

As far as trailer ramp contests, I am afraid I might fall into the "amusing" category at times, since i have not had a major calamity lately.

[BobG]

Same here...I used to race sailboats pretty seriously. I guess i never had enough money to be snooty.
Wife can't stand sailing, says its too slow, can't go where you want, etc. She much prefers our toon, even if it is broke down, once again...

I used to crew on a co-workers sailboat. So last fall, we had our pontoon out on the lake, and I went from pin to pin, as the ESPN color announcer for our guests, as the boats went through their manouvers, raising and dropping spinnakers, tacking, and generally trying to outfox each other. It was really a lot of fun, and our guests learned a lot about what it's like racing those silly windbags.

[wwind3]

Fave story #1---fishing a tourney on Lake Conroe outa Loch Ness Marina. Back in early 70's I imagine. Ramp is right next to the store-you can almost step outa the store and into a boat. Great place for watching launches.

Good ole boy backs his brand new National Boat Mart boat with a 35 horse(I think) Chrysler down the ramp. Momma, 3 kids already in the boat-all wearing them orange life jackets they give ya when you buy a new boat. Momma didnt need one--You couldnt sink her with a torpedo--she had her own built-in Mae West.
Trouble is the rest of her was the same size as her boobs-when she put it on she had to look straight up--she was large.

Anyway--Dad starts cranking on the Chrysler-and as usual it wouldnt start and he ran the Acme battery down. I think cowlings were optional on that damn motor

So he pops the optional cowling and begins to try to rope start the new motor. By this time he is gettin pissed and the little boy is crying-Mommy I want to go fishin' About the 3rd pull he laces the crying kid across the face with the rope-kid starts screaming like a banshee-hell it hurt.

Momma's trying to calm him down with no success. Daddy turns around and looks at Momma and says---You better git that little sumbitch outa here! Boy-they scattered like a covey of quail-Momma managed to crawl out of the boat and hoist the kids out-I can stillsee 'em walking up that hill-Momma looking up into the sky followed by her crying little ducklins.

Dad tried a half dozen more cranks before giving up-crawled out of the boat-got into his pickemup and headed up the hill-never saw them again.

[wwind3]

Story #2---Galveston County Park-League City Tx. Clear Creek flows into Clear Lake and into the gulf at Kemah Tx

Clear Creek is subject to tidal changes and the ramp is perpendicular to the stream flow and 50 yds or so south of the ramp the creek makes a hard right turn-so you can get a pretty swift cross current on your boat and as you know this makes loading a boat a little tricky.

Guy trying to load his boat-trailer had the real tall guides with the taillights mounted up high. First attempt the current got him and he knocked one guide off-2nd try he got the other one. Finally got it on trailer after carving up his hull on a roller bracket. Dragged the boat out dragging the guides across the parking lot.

I backed my trailer in and jackknifed it so it would be semi-parallel to the current and glided it on like a salmon swimmin upstream. I pulled it out and parked fairly close to the guy to prepare everything for trailering. By this time he is making unintellibible noises and is trying to rip the guides off the boat so he could drive his trailer. He saw how I loaded mine and all he said was kiss my mutherfukkin ass!

Another day down there-2 cars showup pulling identical new boats still got dealer tags--runabouts with 115 Evenrudes--They backed them down the ramps-guys hop in and start cranking--neither one would start--both ran their batteries down-guys get in their vehicles and drive off. Wondered why they wouldnt start-but I think they had the motors tilted up too high and the tilt safety switch kicked in if they had one. Shuts motor down if you hit something hard enough to kick motor up. Mercury has one--I helped a guy at Conroe start his one day--wouldnt crank-told him to lower his motor and it fired right up--needless to say he was grateful.

[bassn386]

Sorry, Craig. Not all Johnson countians are bad at backing a boat down the ramp. One of my neighbor's, who happens to be a minister at one of the biggest churches around (in JC, KS), can back his PWC down with nary a need to pull up and straighten out the trailer. Could be he's praying the entire time.

[evinrude2stroke]

As much as I love watching the ramp mistakes at my marina..(and the line for gas..That's another fun thing to watch...), I have to admit I once made a fool of myself on the ramp in Lewis Delaware with my old MFG runabout. I prided my self for have a system and being able to launch all alone (something my brother had a hard time with ).
Anyway, I set up my lines, check the drain plug, get my gear in and back her down. Jump out of the truck, unlock the winch and begin to push her off the trailer...as I always did....this time it's not budging. An old salty dog guy is there and says....Hey, do you need a hand?.....NO, I got it.....back it down further, not budging...Salty guy says Hey do you want me to.....NO THANKS, I got it!!!. Now, I'm pushing as hard as I can...WTF!!!!! why won't it slide off the trailer??? ..........The salty guy then yells..HEY, you left the back tie down on..... The marina was packed & I felt like a fool. I'm still pissed about it and it's been 15 years..Lol

[jrolin1]

We spend a good bit of time at Cocoa Beach. One of our favorite activities is to go to the port and watch the cruise ships and others depart Port Canaveral. At the public ramp there is an outside bar overlooking the three double ramps. The people at the bar certainly rate your launch if you have any problems. The cups at the bar even say "Boat Ramp Follies" It can be a lot of fun on the weekends.

[Mercer]

My uncle who lives next to table rock lake in Arkansas told me about a guy who had a similar boat as him think 21ft anyways he was out fishing this guy pulls up next to him and says he been watching him move his boat and it goes a lot faster then his (they had same motor and HP) and was wonder what he was doing wrong since it was his first time out. Well my uncle noticed the guys boat was riding really low and looked down and seen the guy never unhooked his boat from the trailer. He said well theres your problem you didn't take the boat off the trailer and the guy says your suppose to take it off the trailer? I thought you just unhooked it from the truck. how else do you get it back on land? well my uncle just shook his head and drove off. takes all kinds I guess lol.




Btw only problem I got is loading the toon sometimes (always at night and hard to see)

[IrnGynt]

Last year I was motoring up to the ramp to load my 'toon up and noticed a guy in a beautiful cabin cruiser trying to get his boat on the trailer. Something was obviously wrong by the look on his face and I kept hearing a loud banging noise every time he attempted to motor it on. He finally got it hooked up and pulled out and I noticed a big ass log floating up where he was loading. I avoided it and loaded my 'toon up no problem. As I was pulling out I saw him wrapping his lower unit up in a black trash bag.

[curtiscapk]

Sorry, Craig. Not all Johnson countians are bad at backing a boat down the ramp. One of my neighbor's, who happens to be a minister at one of the biggest churches around (in JC, KS), can back his PWC down with nary a need to pull up and straighten out the trailer. Could be he's praying the entire time.

I wasn't offended Bass just remember my pee floats downstream!!!

[BobG]

I wasn't offended Bass just remember my pee floats downstream!!!

Hahahahaha!!!!! So does mine, and "downstream" from where I live, is Clear Creek - where Coors gets its water! I do NOT drink any Coors products!

[sunnyside]

Sail boaters tend to be Democrats. FYI.

LOL. Hmmm, I never thought of it that way but now that you mentioned it I have to agree with you. LOL.