I forgot just how funny a boat ramp can be.

[waterfordcreek]

Ok....so, nice day...80 and sunny. I am bored out of my mind.

So, i went up to the county beach and boat ramp....the ramp was VERY buzy and hilarious. One ramp....10 boats waiting to get out...the same to get in.

Some of it stupid and dangerous.

There where those who couldnt back a trailer.....forgetting the plug...breaking rods...drunk and jumping out of a moving boat approaching mooring...tempers flaring...all in all...very entertaining.

 

[Ard]

Between boat launches and guys trying to net a king salmon these are two things that can make a fellow feel pretty good about himself.

Here many of the launch sites are in or just on the edge of some fast moving water. A little imagination and you can get an idea of some of the exciting things that happen. The worst thing I've witnessed was a few years ago at the peak of the king salmon season a few years back. This is when people lose their minds about launching a boat, they try to jump the order in the line, everything rude and flat out in your face you can think of. Well I show up and there is a jam up happening, at the ramp there is a truck with trailer in the river. The way it is backed in it is covering 2 out of a possible 'tight' 3 spots on the width of the ramp. The truck is running, windows are up, and it is very much locked.

The owner was a mess, on a cell phone trying to find someone who could come down there and open that 'new' truck. This launch is roughly 60 miles from anything and I advised him to call the AK. State Troopers. I figured they could open his truck and protect him from the mob who were very willing to break the windows to get the truck moved.

I have no idea how that worked out because I left when I realized the mess things were in........

Netting a salmon; Once on a stream called Lake creek I saw a guy hook a king salmon. He was up stream and across from me, probably 80 yards upstream on the opposite bank. It was a nice day and as the 'battle' unfolded into a most epic event I took a seat in my boat and watched the action.

The area I was parked at was at the top of the only long strait run on this whole creek, I'll guess the entire length to be almost a quarter mile, it's a long stretch. Well, before I knew it this guy whit a spinning rod who had hooked the fish was all the way down to where the stream dropped steeply and split around an island in some swift riffle waters. I had to observe the festivities through my Zeiss 10 X 25 binoculars, which I always carry in my tackle bag, because this whole thing had moved way too far down flow for the naked eye to enjoy the show.

At the climax of activity there were 5, yep five men wielding those huge salmon nets in the water stumbling and some falling in an effort to coral this poor fish. I've gotta say that for an old red colored salmon the thing had an enormous amount of strength and endurance and in hindsight it's a shame it didn't get to breed because I've caught a few who simply just surrendered. It was something else. I wouldn't hesitate to say the whole ordeal took up 15 minutes and there had to have been at least 20 failed attempts at capturing the fish in those nets in only a foot or so of water. Guys falling, yelling commands, all in an effort to catch a king.............

I've seen others who made me glad that I wasn't them but that show; well that was something that if I never see something like that again, it will be OK. Think Keystone Cops in real life. I don't want to sound judgmental but sometimes you gotta call it like you see it. When the guy came back up to where they all had a tent camp and I saw the color of that poor fish.................... That's when I put the pieces together. This was a group who had been dropped off there on a DIY trip by someone else. They were there to fill coolers and no one seemed to know that when the fish are that long in, and colored up, they are not good food. There was great merrymaking and countless photos taken of the bloody dead fish.

I sat just long enough to determine where I might get off to from this spot which had at first seemed promising for some trout fishing and then I started the boat and left that place. I've never went back up there.........

 

[ia_trouter]

I watched a pretty nice ford truck disappear into the Mississippi last spring. I was surprised how long the lights were operational after it was well under water. My brother-in-law attempted something similar 20 years ago but it wasn't nearly as entertaining that time as it was my new truck.

 

[milt spawn]

December caption contest??? milt

 

[theboz]

December caption contest??? milt

My thoughts exactly! That contest picture reminds me to much of my 30th birthday fishing trip gone bad! But I won't get into that !

 

[fq13]

Ok....so, nice day...80 and sunny. I am bored out of my mind.

So, i went up to the county beach and boat ramp....the ramp was VERY buzy and hilarious. One ramp....10 boats waiting to get out...the same to get in.

Some of it stupid and dangerous.

There where those who couldnt back a trailer.....forgetting the plug...breaking rods...drunk and jumping out of a moving boat approaching mooring...tempers flaring...all in all...very entertaining.

Been there, done that, and glad I had a canoe, no need for the ramp. I'd just take ke the boat off the the truck and portage to the water. I could watch the craziness, and giggled while folks fought each other to get to the far side of the lake. Me? I just paddled a few hundred yards from the ramp and caught bass while everyone else was blasting off with hundred horse power mercs and ignoring what was two long casts away. It was worth the the drive just to watch the show.

 

[Liphookedau]

I can relate to all of those things mentioned with another to add which we all still talk about.

Many years ago a workmate lent us his Boat which had about a 20HP Outboard on The Back.
The Steering System was A Steering Wheel which had The Cable Wound onto The Back of it similar to on a Winch Drum.
The Cable came off the Winding arrangement & The Mate rewired it however he wound The Wire on The Wrong way & when we tried to Steer The Boat it turned in The Wrong Direction.
At The time there were 4 of us in The Boat at & all of us laughed except The guy who "Fixed The Steering" as he couldn't at the time see the funny side also the rest of us must have looked a pack of Dills as well.
Brian

 

[fredaevans]

I watched a pretty nice ford truck disappear into the Mississippi last spring. I was surprised how long the lights were operational after it was well under water. My brother-in-law attempted something similar 20 years ago but it wasn't nearly as entertaining that time as it was my new truck.

Many-many years back and watched the above .... the two guys were drunk as all heck and had made complete ass's of themselves racing up/down the Cowlitz River (Southern Washington). Leaving your new rig trannie in 'neutral,' even with the hand break on is not going to stop you/it. Boat strapped down on the trailer heck of a lot of weight!!:shocking: from going for a total dunk. Collectively we Bankies applauded as we watched the event unfold. Watching one of the yo-yo's diving for the drivers seat and doing a swim in the river was a one time life event.

There is a God and he will have his retribution! :lol2:

I've also seen a few drift boats get away even with the anchor out. THE CHASE IS ON!:worthy:

 

[mikel]

Years back there was a launch on the Ca delta with a set of bleachers for spectators...locals would bring over a picnic and watch the drunks try to get out of the water.

Moss Landing, 7/4....1999, I think...new son in law bonding with pop in law going salmon fishing. Pop backing the boat down with son in law in the boat, ready to start the engine (as directed) as soon as the boat is in the water. Unfortunately he put down the out drive while pop was backing...the out drive dug into the ramp and the bow of the boat hit pops in the back of the head. Not sure who shot who after that, but it wasn't pretty....

 

[tarponfly49]

Living in SW FL I can tell you I've sat with buddies many a days with a cooler just laughing our as#es off about 4pm on a saturday or sunday at the attempted "trailerings"

 

[ia_trouter]

Bit more details on my boat ramp nightmares.

Brother-in-law in my truck, backing me into a Minnesota lake with a shallow ramp due to sand drifting onto it. I normally backed in as far as I dared, then shake the boat off a bit. I assumed my brother-in-law knew the concrete ended at some point. I am looking backwards into the lake when I hear my new trucks tailpipe going under water. I look forward in time to see him back off the end of the ramp. Water in the bed and rear tires completely under water , hopelessly buried in the sand. But we kept it running while I went back to the resort for an assist. No real harm done.

Next one ends worse. Uncle buys a new $15,000 Alumacraft-Motor-Trailer. Maiden launch and he soon learns that you should not untether a boat on a roller bunk trailer before backing down a steep ramp. Spills his brand new rig on the concrete before he gets anywhere near the water.

2013 episode is a local restaurant/bar owner launching his boat and docks into the Mississippi. Water was high and the current was ripping. Not sure how he lost the truck as he was wading to shore when I arrived. It was submerged and 100yds downstream before I could finish a beer.

 

[al_a]

I've only had two minor mishaps launching. One was on a ramp crossways to strong current...the current picked up boat, trailer, and all, and pushed it sideways off the ramp into deep water. No harm done, as boat then floated off the trailer and I was able to pull the empty trailer back up over the edge of the ramp.

Left out the plug one time...by myself, using the usual technique of tying a rope from the front end of the boat to the post on the trailer, backing in until the boat started to float, then tapping the brakes to dislodge it from the trailer, pull the trailer out, grab the rope and pull the boat to the bank. By the time I did that, the boat was very sluggish, couldn't figure out why until I saw the water rising in the boat. Luckily by that time it was in water only a foot or so deep and the water in the boat soon came up to the same level and no farther. Fifteen minutes of bailing and I was good to go...fortunately, too, that both those times there was nobody else to see my mistakes!

I was fishing with a friend and he put his boat in on the upstream side of a low water bridge in high water. Jumped into it to start the motor and the current by that time had taken him crossways into the bridge, with water surging through the box culverts underneath and right up the bridge top level. It really looked like the current was going to pull the boat under, but he got the motor started and, with lots of scraping along the concrete, finally worked it over to the slack water on the other side where he could get it away from the bridge.

I used to fish local bass tournaments, and watching the boat ramp antics while waiting take the boats out was always entertaining. The guys in the tournament were all experienced and would take no more than a minute to back the trailer in, load the boat, and get out of the way, but the other nimrods in the line often really snarled things up.

 

[buckslayer50]

No lie, when I was younger on the days that we werent going out on the boat ourselves, we would get up early and grab some doughnuts, go park in one of the regular vehicle spots at the Vilano boat ramp here in St. Augustine and just watch people screw up trying to unload their boats for hours. It was a family passtime on sunday mornings.

 

[diamond rush]

When I was a kid, my uncle was launching his boat in a shallow Minnesota lake to take us across to his island cabin. Launch goes smoothly, and we're drifting away from the dock getting the outboard motor started. It finally turns over.....and the prop falls off. He had just had it serviced and the idiot mechanic didn't put the prop back on correctly. We all had to wade around the 4' deep spot feeling for the prop in the muck with our feet until one of us got lucky and stepped on it.

Thankfully, it was a two-slot launch and we didn't hold anyone up.

 

[darkshadow]

Windsor Beach in Lake Havasu...during Spring Break, it becomes a spectator fest watching morons trying to back up their trailers after having too many Natty Lights.

unk:

 

[chechem]

Living in SW FL I can tell you I've sat with buddies many a days with a cooler just laughing our as#es off about 4pm on a saturday or sunday at the attempted "trailerings"

I lived at Dauphin Island, AL for 4 years. A buddy of mine and I used to take a 6-pack to the launch for entertainment. Saw boats sunk, cars underwater, one car ripped its bumper off, trucks straddling the walkway (between ramps), a boat backed into a small car (crushing the motor and car hood), and plenty more. :wavetowel

 

[fly_guy12955]

Me and Tim were already launched and tied at the dock putting our stuff in the boat and all,,,,,when this guy launches,,,gets in his truck and pulls out to park. We didn't notice either,,,,but he'd forgotten to tie up at the dock. His boat floated out into the lake,,,,he comes back and starts cussin' bad. Tim winks at me and says 'He'll never think to ask me to fetch is boat,,so be quiet'..sure nuff,,the guy shucked his jacket and shoes and swam out after his boat...never once noticing there is a perfectly good boat that coulda fetched his back. Well, Tim had a mischievous steak and couldn't resist telling the guy when he got back with his boat 'Hey, buddy,,I'd gotten ya boat for ya if ya'd asked ........ !!!!!

Mike

 

[mridenour]

"No! Your OTHER left!!!"

 

[james w 3 3]

Worked a great summer job in Newport Beach CA many years ago.
I was done every day by 10am and would sit at an outdoor terrace having coffee and a pastry watching the "skippers".
The owner of the pastry shop would come out and bet me as to which type of event would be the highlight.

Just because one can own a yacht doesn't mean one can operate a yacht.

So much mayhem/entertainment.

Good times . . .

Thanks for starting this thread, brings back memories!