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Old     (regalado1)      Join Date: Dec 2005       05-08-2006, 12:29 PM Reply   
So this really nice X45 pulls up while I was waiting for my friends at Mocassin Point (Don Pedro). He's still got the boat cover on this thing. Pulls onto the ramp, makes his turn around, and to my surprise parks his rig smack dab in the middle of the ramp. Begins to take of the cover...yada yada...and muck around a bit. He's there for a good 10-15 minutes. People are going around him. We get all of stuff ready and begin to go around this guy, and he comes over and says "Do you guys have an extra drain plug?" We didn't. As we pulled off to go ride, we saw him finally pull off the ramp. Don't be that guy.
Old     (ghostrider_2)      Join Date: Aug 2004       05-08-2006, 12:31 PM Reply   
I Second that, what a poser!!
Old     (guido)      Join Date: Jul 2002       05-08-2006, 12:35 PM Reply   
People just don't know. It's super frustrating when it's busy and someone does that, but if it's a first boat maybe nobody has taught them proper etiquite. Tell him what's up. If he's a jerk, then tell him where to shove it, but usually you'll find that people just don't know differently.
Old     (malibuboarder75)      Join Date: Jan 2004       05-08-2006, 12:40 PM Reply   
People dont need a $70k boat for their first. Add alcohol to their incompetence and they will kill someone.
Old     (jcv)      Join Date: Oct 2005       05-08-2006, 12:46 PM Reply   
i've always said, "if you've got the money, spend it" but atleast read a manual or two
Old     (snowfire)      Join Date: Apr 2006       05-08-2006, 12:46 PM Reply   
It seem to me that more and more people have their head up their you know what, all the time. I see this everywhere I go. If folks would pull their head out and look around, they would realize they're not the only person on the planet. Just an observation.
Old     (malibuboarder75)      Join Date: Jan 2004       05-08-2006, 1:14 PM Reply   
Luckily in Louisiana, 95% of the people were born on the water and know how to use/trailer a boat. After living in texas for almost a year, I have seen so many idiots its not even funny. I feel sorry for these people who buy new boats and have no idea what they are doing. Sitting at the dock for 20 minutes, I watch 10 people put their trailer all the way into the water so that they have the hardest time winching it into place.
Old     (jrhurst)      Join Date: Mar 2006       05-08-2006, 1:19 PM Reply   
Im all for gettin on and off the ramp as fast as possible . When some one buys a new boat ,and they are took out to demo it , that should be one thing stressed to the new owner .
Old     (guido)      Join Date: Jul 2002       05-08-2006, 1:21 PM Reply   
I agree with you guys, but I'm pretty sure that if I didn't grow up with the hard core water ski crew I may not have known better the first time I took my new boat out. I'm just saying everyone has to learn somehow. I'd actually be a proponent of some type of licensing for boat drivers. Most people have no clue on the water.
Old     (mike_gilbert)      Join Date: Sep 2004       05-08-2006, 1:22 PM Reply   
Its common knowledge as far as Im concerned, but some people still dont get it. Last night at the dock I was trying to drop of my buddy to get the truck but 5 boats were tied up on the dock, they stayed tied up for about 15 minutes before I could drop my buddy off. We later saw an X-30 going down the highway with his boards still on the rack, I would not be suprised if they ever came off the rack.
Old     (jon4pres)      Join Date: May 2004       05-08-2006, 1:24 PM Reply   
Help them. Its not like you can do anything else why you are waiting. If you show them how to do it once the next time you go to the ramp they will probably be better about everything. I remember when I was the guy who had no idea what I was doing but luckily my uncle showed me how to get the boat in and out of the water pretty fast.
Old     (snowfire)      Join Date: Apr 2006       05-08-2006, 1:31 PM Reply   
In Oregon you are now required to have a Boaters Education Card with you when you are on the water operating a boat. Its a lot like a drivers license. If you get caught without one you get a ticket.
Old     (psudy)      Join Date: Dec 2003       05-08-2006, 1:32 PM Reply   
Exellent point Jon! I was waiting on some poor girl trying to back in a trailer to pick up her a hole bF/husband. She tried and tried, while he sat out there and yelled at her. There was a line 8 trucks deap waiting to add to her nerves. I finally got out and asked her if I could help. She looked at me like I was a super hero. I backed the trailer in while her bf/husband sat there wondering WTF, but by the time he got the boat on, I was back in my truck with everyone, and I mean everyone clapping.
Old    bocephus            05-08-2006, 1:32 PM Reply   
You haven't seen ramp fun until you have been to Arizona or Lake Elsinore in California. I've seen motorhomes on the ramp with people changing clothes. I have seen motor homes floating in the lake at Elsinore. I saw a guys wife trying to unhitch the trailer instead of the boat, I corrected her though. The guy in the boat was going wait "so he could see what would happen". Usually we just have one guy taking up three lanes on the ramp though.
Old     (insuranceman)      Join Date: Jun 2005       05-08-2006, 1:37 PM Reply   
There was a new x-45 at the lake we go to tied up to the dock so he could run up and get the truck, back down, run back to the boat and then load it on the trailer and shortly to my amazement there was another x-45 just coming to the lake (brand new)who proceeded to block the ramp after the other one pulled out packing all their crap from the pickup into the boat.

I think they must have had a sell on mc's.

Old     (psudy)      Join Date: Dec 2003       05-08-2006, 1:47 PM Reply   
You can't give people crap for parking, running, backing and loading(running being underlined). I only have a few friends that can back, and if they are not with me, I will be doing it all myself. Besides, if some one with no experience is backing a trailer for the first time, you will more than likly wait longer.
Old    bocephus            05-08-2006, 1:49 PM Reply   
"I think they must have had a sell on mc's." Boy, I'm no rocket scientist and I don't hold a Bell's Certificate (that’s a technical writing certificate) but if you are going to rip someone make sure your grammar doesn’t make you look like the dummy that you are ripping.
Old     (jeff359)      Join Date: Jun 2005       05-08-2006, 1:53 PM Reply   
I'm with Evan on this one, talk to the guy. Most people are cool, and will listen, if he isn't walk away.

I met a good friend conforting him when he had his head stuck up his ass. It was a real nasty and dangerous situation, but he was receptive and we have been friend ever since.
Old     (carcrz)      Join Date: Mar 2006       05-08-2006, 2:14 PM Reply   
I don't know where most of you guys live, but there are a lot if people around here (KC)that care about nobody but themselves. When we sheared a sleeve on our shaft and had to be towed in, it was so windy that we ended up backwards in the loading area. So I hopped in and started turning it around. Some punk kids just started backing in w/ me right behind them & had no idea why I was yelling at them to get them to stop. There were three of them that sure looked pretty stupid when I asked them where they intended to put their boat when I was sitting there sideways w/ a boat that wouldn't move. To top it off, it was a 4 boat ramp w/ the tow outside ramps empty.
Old     (carcrz)      Join Date: Mar 2006       05-08-2006, 2:16 PM Reply   
I just realized that I was kind of venting there. Not everyone is like that, I have spoken to lots of people that are more than helpful just as I am to others that need it.
Old     (jeff359)      Join Date: Jun 2005       05-08-2006, 2:21 PM Reply   
"there are a lot if people around here (KC)that care about nobody but themselves"

You should try the Bay Area. I hate so much about the people here, I'm starting to think I'm anti-social.
Old     (carcrz)      Join Date: Mar 2006       05-08-2006, 2:26 PM Reply   
I've heard that about the area. My wife lived all over Cali before she moved here a few years ago. It's too bad people have to be like that. Boating can be a friendly sport if people let it be. It's hard to have fun when everyone has that kind of mentality.
Old     (boarder_x)      Join Date: Mar 2006       05-08-2006, 2:29 PM Reply   
Jeff359,

You aren't anti-social!!! Because if you are, then I am too. I hate people. I get so tired of everyone thinking they are the only one around. People that drive on the shoulder of the road, so they can get past one car. Where if they would have gone behind said car, there would have been plenty of room.


AHHHHH!!!! I could go on and on. The boat ramp one annoys the heck out of me though. Especially when they cut in front of you so they can get to the water first, and then load their boat. Like that line of boats they just went past wanted to wait for them.
Old     (rooster_cogburn)      Join Date: Feb 2006       05-08-2006, 2:34 PM Reply   
I cannot tell you how many times I have backed a truck up for someone, or helped them carry a cooler to their boat.

I find it is a good time to discuss the best practices for loading unloading a boat.

But there are a lot of a holes who will never take the suggestions.
Old     (carcrz)      Join Date: Mar 2006       05-08-2006, 2:36 PM Reply   
But what's worse is when they act like it's your fault that they "had" to go around you & cut in line.
Old     (boarder_x)      Join Date: Mar 2006       05-08-2006, 3:04 PM Reply   
Jory, ... YEP!!! They give you that look like "What is taking you so long? Why are you not moving?????"

I usually beep the horn to get their attention, and then inform them they should wait in line like the rest of us. "They say well move." I say "Well, we are now all ready, and you aren't."
Old     (brucemac)      Join Date: Dec 2005       05-08-2006, 3:05 PM Reply   
it's amazing to me how friendly everybody is out on the water, until it's time to come in.
Old     (carcrz)      Join Date: Mar 2006       05-08-2006, 3:24 PM Reply   
I guess that's because they have to go back to work. uggh.
Old     (ldr)      Join Date: Nov 2002       05-08-2006, 3:46 PM Reply   
If you really want to have some fun, go over to buckley cove on the delta at 3 pm on a saturday. You will see hundreds of bass boaters trying to get back in time for weigh in. We had the sad experience of trying to come in at the same time one day. Luckily everything was ok, we just had to wait a little longer than normal.

The later it gets the more impatient they get and they will literally ram each other to get to the weigh in on time.
Old     (guido)      Join Date: Jul 2002       05-08-2006, 4:19 PM Reply   
I say Orwood on a Saturday afternoon could give that a run, especially when it's a hundred degrees. At least the Bass boaters usually aren't drunk. It used to be great fun to watch when they had the bleachers. We've seen fist-fights on more than one occasion out there.

Maybe we should all walk around with Wakeworld.com stickers to hand out so the wally's could come here and figure out what they are doing wrong.
Old     (sangerlover)      Join Date: Sep 2005       05-08-2006, 5:50 PM Reply   
2 Sunday ago at Anderson Lake we were coming back to the dock about 1:30 PM and there was must of been a 45 minute wait for boats still launching. As I watched in disbelief there must of been half a dozen newbies that had the launch all jambed up. I helped 2 different guys that did not have a clue to back down let alone release the boat from the trailer. And to top it off as I get ready to back down a guy that had not been waiting tried to swing in behind me and load up in front of me. It was a real mess but calmer heads prevailed for that day at least.
Old     (mitchm)      Join Date: Sep 2002       05-08-2006, 7:23 PM Reply   
good thread, but I'm betting most on this board know how to quickly load/unload a boat in their sleep
Old     (jetskiprosx)      Join Date: Aug 2004       05-08-2006, 8:51 PM Reply   
About two weeks ago my friends and I were at the launch ramp unloading my friends jet ski. We had already dropped off the boat and we were just making a plan of attack for getting the ski out of his truck. There was this older couple with a large 26-28ft sail boat struggling with the trailer. We ask if they had it all under control and if they needed any help, but the guy (who was rude about it) said he didn't.

We stopped what we were doing when we saw them un-hooking the trailer from the truck (mind you they were ON the ramp!) The saftey chains were off, the lights were unplugged and the man was cranking up the wheel jack...my friends and I were looking at each other thinking, "Holy crap!" As soon as he cranked the jack up just far enough, the boat AND trailer went screaming down the ramp and into the lake.

Holding in our laughter we ran over to them and grabbed the ropes that were now laying in the water. One friend jumped into the water and me and the other guy pulled from the dock. There was a nice alumaweld type boat tied off to the dock and this sail boat and trailer came dangerously close to hitting the other boat. We were able to hold it away with the ropes and as other people came, we eventually pulled the boat and trailer back up the ramp.

The best part was how mad the women was at her husband, because he had refused our help in the first place I just wish that I would have had my camera with me. I have always heard of stories about people driving there boats around the lake with their trailers still attached but I always wondered who could possibly be that stupid...these people were!

(Message edited by jetskiprosx on May 08, 2006)
Old     (regalado1)      Join Date: Dec 2005       05-08-2006, 9:00 PM Reply   
I think the only thing we all can do is offer friendly help when we see it's appropriate. There's always going to be "those" people out there that don't obey the no-wake zone, and people that don't have a clue about courtesy for others with regards to on and off loading at the ramp. The friendly help will always be geared towards the new boater who is just niave and doesn't know any better. They will probably appreciate the help and the gesture. The "others"...well they will be just that...the others.
Old     (cal565)      Join Date: Sep 2005       05-08-2006, 9:01 PM Reply   
Yesterday we had a guy fall wrong and dislocate his shoulder, so we rushed him back to the dock because he was loosing his feeling in his arm and it was turning purple. When we get to the dock there was like 3 Sea Donts and a couple of boats tied up and they were all just talking. Well needless to say they were taking up the whole dock and it took us like 20 minutes to find a spot to dock and we were finally able to get him to a hospital.
Old     (powdrhound)      Join Date: Nov 2002       05-08-2006, 9:28 PM Reply   
I guess that it is times like this that I can really appreciate how lucky we are over here in NZ. I can't ever recall having to really queue for a boat ramp
Old     (garret_s)      Join Date: Apr 2006       05-08-2006, 10:13 PM Reply   
Jory...I feel ya man...KC is pretty bad for walleys.
Old     (lowdrag)      Join Date: Jan 2006       05-09-2006, 2:29 AM Reply   
I think I witnessed the most efficient loading of a watercraft ever. There was a guy idling around on a jet ski. The next thing I see is an old Chevy van with no trailer backing down the ramp. Sure enough, someone kicks the back doors open and the van backs down until the back wheels are under water. Guy on the jetski rides it right inside of the van and the van drives off with no problems. Genius! I just about pissed myself I was laughing so hard.
Old    norcalbrdrydr            05-09-2006, 2:31 AM Reply   
Yesterday I had the most hillarious boat dock story of my life unfold before my eyes. We were in the process of hooking up the boat to the trailor at a very very busy dock. I looked over towards the dock at the perfect time to see one of those littleSea Doo jet boat thingers pulling up along side the dock. There was a kid on the front and I assumed the dad who was driving was going to let him off to go pull the truck around. Note: The dock is atleast 30 foot long. The man passes the end of the dock and I am just thinking if he is going to slam it in reverse or what. He gets closer and closer and closer to the end of the dock and then I see him PUNCH it. I immediately start hillariously laughing at the man as he furriously trys to figure out where reverse is as his boat is already launched 3/4 of the way out of the water. I just assumed you would have figured out where reverse was in the process of launching your boat in the first place. I helped them pick up their boat and toss it back in the water busting up laughing the entire time. Maybe that was a little bit rude but I mean, come on, you just beached your boat on the ramp man...

(Message edited by norcalbrdrydr on May 09, 2006)
Old     (carcrz)      Join Date: Mar 2006       05-09-2006, 4:37 AM Reply   
I don't think I could contain myself either. It's always hard to keep from laughing when it's someone else that looks stupid for once & not myself.
Old     (svguy)      Join Date: Jan 2004       05-09-2006, 7:07 AM Reply   
Patrick, I used to race sailboats with a deep keel. We would have to pop the trailer off the truck to be able to launch. Of course, we would have a rope tied to the trailer with the other end looped on the hitch....pretty clever huh? :-) We are fortunate that where we launch our wakeboard boat is out in the styx so we rarely have to wait for other boats. What is annoying is that often times there are a bunch of jugheads swimming on the boat ramp. When I pull up to launch they look at me as if to say, "What do you want". I just back in slowly to give them time to swim out of the way as they glare at me. My wife and I just have to chuckle.
Old     (kneeboarder8806)      Join Date: Jan 2006       05-09-2006, 1:59 PM Reply   
i have had a similar experience also. I was waiting for my dad to bring the truck down to load our boat. While i am waiting there is this guy backing in and the owner of the boat is in the boat. The guy in the truck asked me what was going on cause he couldnt hear the retard/owner in the boat. I said " he needs to unhook the front of the boat". (He should have unhooked before he even started backing in.) Then after i told the guy in the truck what was going on the jerk in the boat starts a cussing fit and starts cussing at me and to top it all of one of his guide poles has floated off and he cant get the boat started and i think he might have also backed the trailer off the ramp, but he assured me that he wasnt a weekend warrior(from what i could tell he was) All of this is going on while my brother is in our getting ready to load our boat. Unfortunately my brother picked up the guy's guide pole and gave it to the jerkass. I dont know how much longer the guy was there but we managed to load our boat and tie it down before the guy came up the ramp to park his truck.
Old     (rgilby)      Join Date: Jan 2006       05-09-2006, 2:32 PM Reply   
generally, I am out with my wife and her mom - sometimes one of her friends - my wife drives the boat - but only if we are out in the middle of the lake with no one else around and definitely not anywhere near the dock... and she also can't back the trailer - so that means i dock the boat - jump out and run up to grab the truck/trailer - back it down - and generally wind the boat up on the trailer. I've gotten pretty fast - i usually let others ahead of me so they don't have to wait unless they're being a-holes. i hate being "that guy" but for the time being - until my wife is comfortable doing those other things - i'll do it all!
Old     (carcrz)      Join Date: Mar 2006       05-09-2006, 2:35 PM Reply   
The thing that makes you different is that you make an effort to be courteous to other boaters.
Old     (phat_in_cincy)      Join Date: May 2003       05-09-2006, 5:34 PM Reply   
A couple years back a JA came to the ramp towing ~24ft cruiser and hitched to the boat trailer was an additional trailer with 2 jetskis. He swung around and started as if for the parking lot, but nope...dropped the jet ski trailer in the only path to the 4 launch ramps. He talked with the family and took his merry time dropping in the cruiser. Meanwhile, my wife (and many others) are waiting to get by to pull out or launch. The wife had to off-road the Yukon and boat trailer to get around. People were p!ssed!
Some people, no matter where you are, are just JA's...and this guy was the worst I've seen in the boating world. Some people just need B-slapped.
On the other note, I usually offer to help when it seems needed. I figure it can only spread good-will when it comes for my time in need and can reduce some of the fisher/wakeboarder conflict.
Old    sking55405            05-09-2006, 6:17 PM Reply   
At our lake we have a gas dock right next to the marina and during the day while the lake is overun by people i work at the gas dock. Most people fill up their boat at the little gas station right next to the marina so i get a lot of time do just relax and watch people at the ramp. It is actually what i call the best seats in the house because there are so many people who have no clue at what their doing so it's always fun to watch them. I actually saw one guy who backed about half of his truck in the water without realizing it and had do get another truck to pull him out. When he finally did get out he opened his car door and 3 feet of water came gushing out of the door. It was probably one of the funniest expriences I've ever had.
Old     (breadbutta)      Join Date: Dec 2003       05-10-2006, 1:21 PM Reply   
Chris, We had a similar spot last year at lake san antonio. On the North side we had rented a mobile home just above the ramp. Not only did we see alot of JA activity but also a lot of really cool rigs.
Old     (05mobiuslsv)      Join Date: Apr 2006       05-10-2006, 1:41 PM Reply   
Ok my buddy lives in Arkansas and told me a story about an event he experienced at the ramp. He pulls up one morning to drop in his bass boat but some retard had his truck parked on the ramp. Nobody was around and no boat trailer on the truck so he sat there and waited for about 30 min. He finally had enough and was walking up to the truck to see if someone was sleeping in it or what. Well as he approached the truck he noticed a boat coming in but something didn't look right. It looked like a dolphin or something jumping in front of the bow he was like WTF! Well this guy pulls up in the boat by himself and the damn trailer is still attached. If that isn't inbreed I don't know what is..
Old     (fox)      Join Date: Jul 2002       05-10-2006, 2:06 PM Reply   
Sounds like urban legend to me. Would be funny nevertheless.
Old     (oldcentury76)      Join Date: Dec 2004       05-10-2006, 2:39 PM Reply   
sound familiar???

http://www.snopes.com/humor/jokes/isabella.htm

But what is funny about this story is my wife did something similar. I have sea kayaks and they have a little two wheel helper that helps you get the kayak to the water. Well long story short my wife forgot to take it off.... she couldn't figure out why the kayak was so slow....
Old     (phatboypimp)      Join Date: Apr 2005       05-10-2006, 4:00 PM Reply   
Here is a painful one. I was at the launch on a beautiful Saturday, a "weekend warrior" in his brand new X-Star was attempting to drive his boat on to the trailer. Problem was, he backed his trailer only 2-3ft into the water. He comes cruising up in his brand new boat, and the nose of the boat is just about to reach the trailer when his prop begins to hit the cement ramp. I didn't see it happen, but I felt the ground shaking from 50 yards away. He was standing on the throttle trying to drive the boat up the cement ramp. It was one of the most horrifying events to watch.

Funny story: this guy in a two wheel drive, early 80's Toyota truck was pulling a 25-30' Bayliner. He goes to back down a fairly steep ramp and the boat pulls the entire truck underwater at a fairly high rate of speed. The boat and trailer are floating but the truck is completely submerged. I unhooked my boat, pulled the truck and the boat out, jump started his truck (once all the water was forced out of the cylinders)to send him on his way. Within 10 minutes, he attempted to launch the boat again and the exact same thing happened. He had the nerve to ask for my help again, I told him to take a flying leap. What an idiot.
Old     (05mobiuslsv)      Join Date: Apr 2006       05-10-2006, 4:08 PM Reply   
Jason that's the best one I've heard yet, I would give anything to have seen that one LOL...
Old     (poser007)      Join Date: Nov 2004       05-10-2006, 4:24 PM Reply   
When I bought my first boat we took it down to Shasta and the ramp was freaking busy as hell...I was sweating bullets to try and not look like a pose but it all worked out.
Old     (psudy)      Join Date: Dec 2003       05-11-2006, 6:45 AM Reply   
These are funny stories, but don't get worked up if you are new and can't back very well. Everyone had to learn sometime, and you are there to have fun and relax.

I was coming into the dock at the lake by my college one sunny afternoon. As we pulled into the cove, we noticed a ton of beer cans floating in the water. We thought what kind of an ahat would do this. As we are idioling around picking up cans, we notice a tow truck on the ramp(the ramp is wide and steep)and a boat floating in the water with its nose almost submerged. We then see someone in the water with a line. This grabs our attention so we sit and watch. The tow truck starts reeling up, and out pops a trailer. We thought that was odd, maybe it came loose, but why is it coming out backwards? Then we see the top of a brand new ford ranger surface. Apparently, the guy tried to pull down the ramp to swing it around and back it in. He was apparently drunk(all the cans were from the bed of his truck), and the ramp was too steep to slow and turn. The whole rig went in nose first with the boat still attached to the trailer at the nose(hince it was almost submerged).
Old     (boardordie)      Join Date: Oct 2003       05-11-2006, 8:39 AM Reply   
I've told this story before but I'll post it again...

Brookville Lake, Indiana
We were coming in from a day on the water, and dropped my dad off at the dock and idled out away from the ramp to wait for him to return. While we're waiting a fairly new cadillac backs down into the water and a bass boat starts to approach the trailer. I'm thinking everything is going just like it should and the ramp will be cleared momentarily. The wife is driving the bass boat, and gets it on the trailer about half way. Instead of having her give it a little more gas and motor the rest of the way up onto the trailier the husband tells her to back off and try again... only this time with a little more speed. She backs off and tries again... makes it a little further up the trailer but not all the way. Husband instructs her to do it again. She does and makes it about 3/4 of the way. Still not good enough for the husband. By this time the wife is getting mad, and the husband is yelling at her to quit being a coward and get the boat on the trailer. She finally backs off again and this time decides to HAMMMMMERRRRRR! the throttle. The boat leaps the front winch and lands squarely on the roof of the caddy. The windows blow out, the roof caves in, she hollers at him "is that F&@#Cking far enough on the trailer!" as she climbs out of the boat and stomps up the ramp, and the husband is standing there with this look of complete disbelieve. We were laughing so hard I thought I was going to fall out of our boat.

(Message edited by boardordie on May 11, 2006)
Old     (regalado1)      Join Date: Dec 2005       05-11-2006, 9:14 AM Reply   
I think most of us can tell the difference between a newbie that is having some trouble on the ramp versus the guy that doesn't seem to care that he is an a-hole. There is a big difference.
Old     (rooster_cogburn)      Join Date: Feb 2006       05-11-2006, 11:00 AM Reply   
kevin,

That is exactly the reason that no matter what goes wrong with trailering the boat, I am not yelling at my wife!

Old    wakestyle            05-11-2006, 1:16 PM Reply   
Everyone has had their moments... Even though I'm down to approx. 2-4 min. in and out routine now, Lord knows I've had my moments...


Disclaimer: I was like 19 at the time and insanely irresponsible. No sense of morality/mortality whatsoever.


Hooked up the parents Rally 4-banger (I/O) up to the 72 Ford pickup, filled the cab with friends and made a run to Lazy M marina at the Delta.
Crew = me, two buddies (crazy brothers), and some dude that I didn’t know that the brothers invited. I felt sorry for that kid because he obviously had no idea what he was in for.

Got to Lazy M, must’ve been over 100 deg outside and was packed. Checked everything out and found boat battery was dead… No worries, we just used the battery out of the truck. About a case of beer later we finally got the boat in the water. Had to park the truck in the way back of the lot because everyone and their brother was out. Yanked the battery out of the truck and lugged that thing all the way to the damn boat. Hopped in the boat and tried to start it. Fired up for about 15 secs and died. When through this about 5x, then flipped the motor cover and stated investigating. Found that the carb float was jacked. I cursed a few times, and went to get a beer from the cooler. We put the cooler on the dock while I worked on getting the boat running.

Picture: Boat tied at dock, 4 guys standing on dock around the cooler. Like one guy at each side of the cooler.

John (one of the brothers) has a beer in one hand, a joint in his mouth, and a lighter in the other hand. Lights the joint, immediately Shawn (the other brother) slaps the joint out of John’s mouth and starts yelling about John starting a fire because I smelled like gas from the carb… John grabs Shawn and they begin wrestling. Dale goes down to get another beer from the cooler and catches an elbow to the mouth. He fell backwards into the boat and landed on the tools, boards, engine cover, etc. Not only did he have a huge fat lip, but several fresh bruises to go with it…but worse, in the process of falling back into the boat, he knocked over the cooler. John, Shawn, and I all watch in horror as all our beers rolled out into the water. Needless to say we all immediately dove into the water to save what we could. Meanwhile, Dale starts yelling about the huge fat lip he just got, and something about the boat taking on water.

I pulled myself back up onto the dock and verified that the damn plug wasn’t in… the boat was sinking and the ass end was about 6” down… Panic mode. John and Shawn were still diving for beers, Dale is whining about his fat lip (it was knarly, he got it good so I didn’t harsh him for spilling the cooler). I jumped into the boat and yanked the battery. I lugged the battery in the baking heat all the way back to the truck and got the trailer back in the water in record time. Got the boat up to the trailer, winched it up, and began to pull it out… Suddenly I heard the scrapping sound… the damn motor was down. Had to yank the battery back out of the truck, put it into the boat, lift the motor, yank it back out of the boat and put it back into the truck.

We finally got the boat off the launch and back into the lot, and managed to retrieve almost all the beers that fell into the water! So there we were sitting in the back of the truck with the cooler restocked with beer… the only thing we failed to notice was the Sheriff approaching us, apparently we caught his attention when scrambling to get the boat out of the water.

There were so many things wrong it was just ...wrong… We got off painfully, but easily. Instead of arresting us for under age drinking he just made us pour all our beer out in front of him. Oh yea, Dale had a warrant for failure to appear… he got cuff’d an stuff’d, fat lip and all.
Old     (insuranceman)      Join Date: Jun 2005       05-11-2006, 1:24 PM Reply   
Wakestyle, that was to funny.....
Old     (bstroop)      Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, Alabama       05-11-2006, 2:50 PM Reply   
I got one,

Last year I was putting in at Shasta (Antlers ramp) and I was about third in line. Ahead of me was a brand new black H2 with what seemed like 23" wheels pulling a brand new fully decked out black SANTE. While waiting to launch they were all walking around the ramp looking down their noses at our average boats. Chadsworth the III backs the trailer in so Biff, Buffy, and the twins can back the boat off. While sitting 25 feet off of the busiest ramp on Shasta they throw the rope in to board. Chadsworth returns from parking the Hummer and is retrieved by Biff, who then backs up all over the newly stretched out rope. I'm putting my boat in about the time they row themselves back to the dock with their wakeboards. Immediately I hear one of them call the dealer where they bought the boat and ask what they should do about the rope entangled prop !!! They were still looking down thier noses when I mentioned how much more fun they would be having if they didn't have to use their boards as oars........

Money can only make you look smart until things are set into motion.

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