Boat ramp frustrations

Hit Berryessa with a group of friends yesterday, all had a great time. The only damper on the day was getting the boat out of the water. We were out at Capell Cove, and I've never experienced quite the wait for seemingly every single family getting their boat out of the water.

I realize that the folks there don't probably go out as often as the delta crowd, it's more family oriented, and all that stuff (there's a lot more 15 year old Bayliners there than wake boats). I also try to be as patient as possible, remembering my first season owning a boat and how it took me a while to learn how to back down a ramp, etc...

But holy crap, these people seemed like they were pretty much all total idiots!!!! First I pull up the truck to the line...I can't even see the trucks at the front after they start to back down, but all I know is that once they got out of my view, they were down there for like 10 minutes each!

When I finally do get to where I can see what's happening, it's even worse. We're talking side to side all the way down the long ramp, stopping for long periods. Then getting to the bottom, and going over to your boat at a nice leisurely pace because the car driver is obviously the only one who can pull the boat in. Of course, no one in the boat is ready, they all decide to get out of the boat then, with absolutely no sense of urgency whatsoever...never mind the line of 10 trucks waiting to get their boats.

Then there were the two guys loading up jet skis taking up both sides of the ramp...or should I say two trucks, one guy loading jet skis on to each trailer, taking his good long time, as they both sat at the bottom of the ramp. Then his idiot buddy had backed the stupid truck too far back, so the ski got all cock-eyed when he started to pull out, and he didn't know what the f to do! My friends had to yell from my boat (still floating around by the dock) to back the trailer back into the water so he could straighten out the ski. Of course he waited for his buddy to drive the first truck up, then walk back down and help him out again.

As frustrating as it was, my friends were all telling me I would have been 10 times as frustrated had I been watching it from down there, said it was rocket scientist central.

If you don't know what the F you're doing, shouldn't you make it a point to drop in and pull out at times when nobody else is on the ramp? I waited in line for a freaking hour behind like 8 trucks.

When we hit Berryessa, we usually bail a bit early to get home, and we miss the pull-out crowd for the most part. Maybe this is just the way it is up there. I seriously felt like we were in the twilight zone, and were the only ones who seemed to know how to back a trailer down a ramp and hook up a boat.

Sorry, just had to vent a bit...

Haha! I feel your pain, although I have never had to wait an hour. On a busy summer day we always get people that are all over the place in the water and on the ramp. It makes me more nervous than mad. Usually its wave runners taking up space (or nearly hitting each other) and a lot of the trucks launching the PWC’s are all over the place.

About a year ago my wife started going out on the lake with us every time. She said she didn’t want to be one of those guys at the launch ramp. She spent about 45 min in a school parking lot practicing backing up the boat. Eventually she could back it up into a parking spot. Now, it’s great to see her back up the trailer in between these guys and get us out of the water within minutes.

Its frustrating when your trying to launch. But If your not launching and your already in the water its fun just to watch.

Man, everytime I use the public ramp I feel your pain. But I've never had to wait an hour. 20 or 30 minutes on Hayden Lake yesterday, thanks to some pinheads with jetskis & some old codger putting his fishing gear away on his pontoon.

Best time I ever had at the ramp was right after my wife learned how to back the trailer in. Lake Sammamish has like 6 ramps, and their pretty wide, slab on each side with sand between the them. She stabbed the trailer in between two guys screwin around. I pulled the boat up on the trailer, the Boat Buddy clicked & we were outta there as the two guys beside us started goin off. They couldn't believe it. I had to tell the wife that wasn't really a ramp, but the sand between two ramps.....Worked for us!

Nothing makes me wanna kill people more than dealing with idiots at the launch. It's the only time I feel totally justified in yelling at people without remorse. I don't jump their schitt if they can't back it up I understand that but if they decide it's a good place to wipe down or stage their boat I lose it. Now that I live on the lake (sorta) and have a bouy I launch early and pull out late (the last part there is how I got my first son too) so I am a lot less likely to deal with the idiots. Even though retards are my passion (I love those funny fockers) I don't wanna deal with them when I'm down to ride.

They should dedicate one lane to experienced boaters.

Worst boat launch I have ever seen is the one at Sunland near Vantage on the Columbia River. I have waited for 2 hours multiple times. Everybody gets off the river at the exact same time and it is nuts. I usually get so friggin pissed off that I park the boat somewhere and help people put their boat/jet skis on the trailer. It is normal on Memorial and Labor day to wait close to an hour putting in the water and 2 hours pulling out.

HEhe, that one at Sunland is great when the wind kicks up & your loading the boat in 4' chop too!

Tommy, I feel you. What about those guys that back their boats in and have their buddies hold the boat by the dock, waiting for the boat driver to come back? It holds up the line because their blocking the way for the next boat to be dropped in. You see that all day long at Berryessa, even at Orwood. Yes, there should be a newbie lane!!!

Hands down worst ramp I have ever been to is the Lake Havasu ramp 7? (the free one), during spring break. Pure drunkin chaos. People line the dock with their chairs and coolers to watch the madness.

Just this past Saturday;
3 lane boat ramp, we got out of the water using the far lane, some knuckle head using the near lane pulled his boat out about 20 feet, then started unloading and wiping down the boat. He didn't even realize, or care, that he was now blocking ALL the traffic trying to use the ramp. We threw some words, then proceeded up to the parking area to wipe down and unload.

I don't remember seeing another truck come up after us before we were done cleaning and packing. So, this guy blocked the entire ramp for a good 15 minutes. I was thanking my lucky stars I wasn't behind him. Although, he should also be thanking his lucky stars I wasn't behind him.

I know what you mean. Saturday there was an idiot that had a 20 year old glastron with about 30 people in it. He pulled it out and stopped where he was blocking 2 of the 3 ramps. He then proceeded to wipe down his boat and unload all 3 generations of family out of it. Winner fo sho.

There is nothing on the planet that bothers me more.I have not been in a fight in ten years but could see a ramp ending that streak.

Just got back from that same ramp today. Capell cove is crazy on the weekends. You get the people who have no idea what they are doing, and those damn jet skis that stay at the bottom holding everyone up while they try to get them working. And that ramp is getting kinda sketchy for 2 lanes with the low water. And your description of the boats that launch there is straight on. It seems there aren't too many wakeboard boats, a lot of old bayliners and jet skis.
How was it yesterday? Today was windy as hell, didn't get any good water at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FshOpPqj88

Yeah, since there are no required courses or tests to take before owning and operating a boat or pwc you will see people out there winging it or doing what they learned or observed from experienced folks. That's just the way it is i guess. The dude with the 20 yr old glastron has probably been doing it the same way for 20+years and doesnt know any better. We all need to be considerate and patient because it isn't getting to get any better especially on busy weekends. But damn! teach your friends how to drive and back up/park a trailer..life would be much easier! but those people probably don't read these posts..

^^^^ I was just watching those the other day with a few other wake boat owners and just laughing. It's great when your not the one getting F'd in the A by the idiots.

It gets me frustrated even reading all of your posts. One of my biggest peeves.

My friends and I can have the trailer in the water my boat on and back out of the water in damn near a minute. People make it out to be so difficult.

Well, I guess I'm glad (or sad) to hear that I'm not alone. The most frustrating part is not to watch people struggle who can't back down the boat so well, I at least have some understanding abou that...the most frustrating part is those who lack any common sense...taking their sweet time, emptying people off the boat only after the trailer is backed down, and doing it while the trailer sits there, wiping down on the ramp, etc...do they really not notice all the people stacked up behind them? Even if I sucked at getting the boat on the trailer, I'd be running around just to do all my stuff as quickly as possible...just out of common courtesy.

Ed, excellent idea to have your wife practice in a lot. Sure wish other folks did that.

Braap, the weather was actually pretty darn nice on Sunday, not too much wind. We didn't mind the chop as much...we pretty much only go to Berryessa when we're focusing on surfing, don't get too much boarding in there.

i am still laughing at "the boat ramp boogie"...orwood used to have bleachers to watch the folly. i have seen fist fights in knee deep water at Calero on the ramp. its just one of the many reasons to love boating. maybe we need a new thread called "newbies rules of the ramp"

learning to back up in the school parking lot is exactly how I learned and taught my friends how to back a trailer...so we would not look like ignoramous's nor hold up the line. If you cannot back down straight...go to school and practice.

I try not to get too frustrated about the people that have trouble backing. I'll give them some pointers or offer to guide them back.

At my launch there is a large, 3 place slab, and 2 nice long docks on the outsides. My biggest pet peeve in the world is when someone ties up to the INSIDE of the dock, basically taking up a launch space while they unload people/dogs/gear or while they wait for their trailer to get a turn to back in. I've made a few comments to idiot people, but realized that these people are ALMOST as frustrated as I am and one time they're going to pull a piece out and cap me.

I had a situation last year that will make you laugh. I'm driving the boat, I drop off the truck driver on the dock, then back out on the lake (out of the way) to wait for him to return. Theres another boat driver ahead of me doing the same thing. A few minutes my truck & trailer are backing down the single ramp launch. I move up to pull on to the trailer when Mr Dumbass says to me, "Hey buddy, this isn't the way we do it here. I was first."
I look back at my friends in the boat & laugh. So I tell him to go ahead. Have at it. He looks at the ramp with my truck & trailer sitting on the ramp & doesn't see his own truck & trailer at all. And says, "Whatever jerk, get out of here".

Signed,
the jerk

Yeah i just pull up to the ramp figuring its gonna be a half hour to get the boat out.

So when it only takes ten minutes or 15 its a good day. My main riding partner a I love it when three people tie up the five lane ramp dilly dalling and we fire down the ramp and leave an inch or two on each side launch the boat and are out of there in about 15 seconds!

http://break.com/index/boat-unloading-complete-failure.html

I don't understand what is so hard about loading and unloading a boat. I do find it interesting at how hard people can make the process. I also like to see the look on peoples face when my daughter used to back the boat in when she was 17.

friggin wallys

I launched at Orwood on a friday recently. I was alone with my girlfriend, who has no idea how to pull a boat on a trailer, or back a trailer.

There were four guys launching a Sanger the same time I was pulling out. They backed while I was walking back to my truck, and were still trying to get the boat off the trailer when I was pulling the truck off the launch with my boat on the trailer.

You gotta be a little patient on the ramps, not everyone has been in that situation as much as the rest of us. I usually try to help, but most people reject it.

2 weeks ago at Orwood, I was waiting my turn to launch while waiting for a guy with his truck and trailer on one side of the double lane and his boat (that wouldn't start) in the other lane. I politely asked him if he could combine his situation into one lane.
His reply, " I paid to launch just like everyone else here!"
My reply, " Ya, but did you pay twice to use two lanes?"
Soon after that, our favorite fee collector in her golf cart came to the rescue and told him to park the rig and pull the boat back away from the launch to fix it. The numnutz should have figured that one out on his own.....

I was at a local lake a couple years ago, single ramp so it can get backed up quick. We had our sv211 and our friends had there 99 pro air nautique. End of the day the launch was absolutely packed with idiots taking all day to retreive their boats.

My friend was in front of me loading his pro air. The boat was about half way pulled out of the water when the trailer hitch broke off of the truck. YES, The TRAILER HITCH. The boat and trailer skidded back into the water and the front of the trailer was about 2 feet under water.(ramp wasn't that deep). In a matter of seconds I had my truck disconnected from my 211 trailer, was backed in to the water, hooked up the pro air trailer, loaded the boat took it out and then switched trailers and loaded my boat.

This was all done in less time than some of these idiots at the ramp could load their one boat!!!! absolutely unreal how unexperienced some of these drivers/boaters are.}

Jeff, I think you're right...to a point. I've come across a few crews at Orwood who were clearly newbies...but really trying to get it right. Had a group of like 6 guys watch me get my boat on the trailer in 30 seconds, and they asked me for a few pointers. Totally happy to help out in situations like that, where folks are somewhat new, and trying to figure it out. To be honest, I don't like the "spectator" situation at Orwood, where some folks clearly take joy in watching folks who don't know what they're doing. I actually have felt on occassion there like I've disappointed a few folks once they realize that I know how to back a boat down the ramp.

My frustration is around the folks who clearly don't give a f***...and I swear that seemed like everyone in front of me at the launch ramp on Sunday.

Like I said...seemed a bit like the Twilight Zone, because I was the only one who seemed to mind...but then again, I seemed like the only one who knew how to back up a trailer, and my friends were the only ones who knew how to pull a boat up to one!

Whoa, some of these stories are pretty crazy, 2 hour wait, screw that for a joke...

I'm glad our little local ramp isn't that busy, we maybe get 4 or 5 boats at a time max, parking is usually the only problem. Most of the guys there are pretty experienced, they know what they're doing and more importantly when to do it.

Sometimes when the tide is dropping quickly it gets a bit more backed up and we usually offer to lend a hand to the boats ahead of us so we still have enough water under our boat when its our turn to pull her out.

There are some days where there are the inevitable turkeys who have no clue, then it's maybe a 15 minute wait at the most while they dick around and we get ready to go out, double check that the hull bungs are in (never gonna make that mistake again) and load up the boards and other gear.

It has been like this FOREVER and will be FOREVER more! I've seen these issues at lots of different lakes all over the country for years and years. You just have to know when to pull out early or stay until late. It is funny to watch, but frustrating if you are trying to get out and gone! Terrible......

I've always wanted to run a "boat launch valet" at the ramps where this problem runs rampant. $5 a Truck to pull down and back the rig in and get your boat out of the water! If you can't get it down the ramp in 2 minutes, you have to surrender to the valet!!

It is very frustrating, but funny as well. All you can do is laugh.

Take a trip to Lake Mohave during any summer weekend and you will see that you will wait an hour between 10am and 5pm. If you're not in a hurry the clown show is quite funny. If you're ready to bounce out after a long day when it's 120 degrees it becomes less funny and the clowns become a$$ clowns.

the most it takes us to launch or retrieve our boat is 30 seconds.

I usually help other people if i've got nothing else to do. If they are know-it-alls I laugh at them.

We had suggested last weekend that if you can't get your boat on the trailer in less than a few minutes it's back to the end of the line to try again.

I hate those guys that pull their boats off then tie them off on the inside of the dock instead of walking the boat to the other side. At Pedro its like a 6 lane ramp but you get two of these a@#clowns and it becomes a 4 lane ramp then two guys can't back in down the painted lanes and its a 3 lane ramp. You see where this goes. Then they leave the wife or kids in the boat to get all the frustrated and dirty looks. MORONS how do some people not see how their boats are plugging up the ramp?

I have always prided my crew for how efficient we can be on the load and unload, 30 seconds in and out from hitting the water.

I became a wally the other day - It was a Monday, the power went out in my office so I shot out to the delta with my girlfriend-in-training (she has been practicing her trailering and boat driving, but wasn't ready to put her skills to the test at the launch yet). I dump the trailer in the water, unhook the strap and start "walking" down the trailer to hand off the boat to her at the dock. Not a good idea, I slipped, the boat went adrift and I was swimming to grab the boat before it hit the dock on the other side of the ramp. Not pretty. Luckily I was the only one at the ramp at the time, but I did not like the wally feeling. I was just laughing at myself, it was pretty funny.

(Message edited by phatboypimp on August 22, 2008)

One thing I have been doing if I am launching with a partner that is not confident with their boat driving or trailer backing up.......

I'll load the gear into the boat in the parking lot, unhook everything but the winch, back the boat & trailer down the ramp, stop at the waters edge, unhook the winch & jump in the boat. They can almost always back it in the last 20' or so. Then I'll back off the trailer & take the boat out of the way while they pull the truck up & park it. If needed, I can dock the boat out of the way & walk up to help get the truck & trailer situated.

Don't let Bill kid ya, Patti does most of the driving, backing, etc... Anything that requires any skillz.... ;)

See ya Saturday stick,
JT

Good advice Bill, although she wasn't thrilled about navigating the narrow parking lot with the trailer. She is ready to do it, but for some reason she is scared of my reaction if something happened, I can't imagine why. Might have to do with my reaction when one of her friends exploded a cheetos bag all over the interior of my boat. To this day, no more flavored anything on my boat....lol

I taught my wife how to drive the boat onto the trailer when we used to take our first boat out at Mukiltio. At the time it wasn't protected with a dock or any kind of breakwater. When it got nasty out, there would be 4-5 boats with guys trying to hold them off the beach while their buddy went to get the trailer. The waves would be almost swamping the boats and guys would be cussing and getting soaked. I took her out there on calm days and she practiced launching and pulling out.

When it was nasty,we could pull our boat out in minutes while these old guys were struggling and taking up to 1/2 hour trying to get theirs on trailers.

Got lots of dirty looks from the old farts....

JT (peachman) on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 10:57 am: Don't let Bill kid ya, Patti does most of the driving, backing, etc... Anything that requires any skillz.... ;)

See ya Saturday stick,
JT

Hehe, you know what they say about when you have friends like these......

Yea, I got blessed. My wife can drive the boat & back up the trailer better than a lot of guys. But she's not always around to be the 2nd, 3rd truck or boat driver. We all get in these situations & need to have a bit of a routine that we know we can get the boat in & out safely & quickly around the old farts.

Chills on ice, & jello shots in the fridge, JT.... Just hope your prepared.

Here is the story, by myself, back in, leave truck running (if someone is in a big enough rush to move it, they are welcome to).

Dock is somewhat removed from ramp, f'full take the only spot left. Sorry, ramp side. Move my truck, no-one is held up. Get back in time for some jack@ss to drive into my boat with his, on his way to his trailer. Note the dock is not that near to ramp 10' clear!

Claimed he didn't know, his buddy with the trailer and fourwheeler says "yeah man, you hit it".

WTF how do you not know you hit another boat?

He looks at my boat says $200, I laugh, colour match gel, try on $1k plus. I get the recently divorced sob.

Sorry dud, pay!

In the end, he payed, helped to threaten call cops, and insurance.

Had him give repair shop visa to start work.

He paid for the damage, but it hardly seemed fair after missing three weeks on the water!

It's like that in NC as well, bunch of drunk rednecks most of the time. I'm like the only wakeboard boat out there most of the time. They're like "I bet that damn thing goes fas, don' it!!"

One time some redneck was backin his fishing boat down the ramp, he stopped to take the straps off the back but left the truck in neutral or something and it started to roll

Instead of jumping back in the truck and hitting the brakes he grabs his six pack out of the boat and jams in under the trailer tire. My whole crew and I were laughing uncontrollably when we saw this.

The only problem was that 6'er wasn't stopping the trailer...Pop...pop...pop..each can exploded under the tire. Never seen anything like it. He was probably pissed all his beer was gone too!

on my home lake it's not the ramps.....its the docks

there are two docks

on some morning trips out, we arrive about the time a fishing tournament is ending

fishing boats tied up around the docks and along both sides of the walkways

no room at all to squeeze in.....I usually wind up swimming to get on my boat

but at least the fishermen are off the water

other times, it's people fishing from the docks

one line in the water after another

can't approach with the boat without running into someones line

I keep telling myself that I need to write a letter suggesting a boat only area

.......like that would do any good

Best place for a good Laugh:
Crescent Bar boat launch, Columbia River, Labor Day weekend,late afternoon.
A couple years ago, 4 guys set up lawn chairs on a hill above the action and held up numbered cards scoring each the drunks pulling their boats out of the water.


}

Okay I'll mention my Shasta experience this year. Two families with class A motorhomes and one BU .Who knows how many people but only one driver for the boat I guess. I have no idea what they were doing at the dock ,but one motorhome was lanching the boat as the other IDIOT has his matching motorhome pointed nose down the ramp,facing his buddy, WITH THE SLIDE OUTS PARTIALLY OUT!!!!!!!!! The Jones Valley water truck was filling up on the other part of the ramp to water the roads. After about 25 minutes the guy in front of me trying to launch his pontoon came unglued. All of a sudden the MORONS realized they weren't the only people in the world. Sometimes I am in absolute amazement of people and how they can't or won't think of anybody but themselves. Momma was taught how to drive the boat off and on the trailer. My boat is only at the dock long enough to pick me up after parking the truck. I want to try and be as unobtrusive to other people as possible (also get my equipment in and out fast so some idiot doesn't hit ).

I'll give my wally story up for harassment. I've only had my boat since the begining of the summer, but have had experience putting a boat on the trailer my whole life. So the first few weekends went by with no trouble go in and out no problems other than trying to get the boat buddy latch to not stick. About the fifth time out we were out early in the morning finally with some friends that could board so we filled the sacs which it usually is just the rear b/c i have a leak in the middle one, but approaching the trailer as usual i was just in more of a hurry bc the ramp was full....not realizing when i had flipped the switches to empty the rear i somehow flipped the middle one on. Came into the trailer a little too hot bc i didn't kow the sac was full and BAM!! put a nice dent in the nose of the boat. Not only did everyone hear it but I had to waste about 10 minutes to empty the bag so i could get it on the trailer. All in all it was embarrassing as hell but I still beat 2 jetskis and a bass boat out of the water.

Needless to say I check my ballast everytime just to make certain it's not on......

Still it's my biggest peeve when people don't stage their boat, or anything else but load and unload completely out of the way of the ramp.

we spend at least 1 min. unloading and about 30 sec. takin it out. we drive right on the trailer. I just want to yell at these people who try to swim their boat on to the trailer, or what ever other stupid way they have at loading. But I dont(patient boaters are the best boaters). Best part is watching them drive off with the boat totally crooked, now thats entertainment!!

"I just want to yell at these people who try to swim their boat on to the trailer, or what ever other stupid way they have at loading."

There's more than one way to skin a cat. Manhandling the boat onto the trailer can be more than fast enough if you do it right. Besides, most of the loading-the-boat-on-trailer-specific delays I see on the lake aren't people taking too long to swim it in. It's people reversing and going forward 100 times trying to drive the boat onto the trailer just right. That's right bass boaters, I'm looking at you.

I've seen 4 broken bow eyes and more than a few gouges and scratches from people driving onto the trailer. I've never in my life seen anyone damage their boat while swimming it on so that's what I'll do. You can yell at me for swimming the boat on the trailer if you'd like but you might want to make sure I'm still down there on the ramp before you start yelling. I might've made it to the tie-down area already.

my favorite is when they pull the boat out all cockeyed on the trailer and and think they are going to just lift it up and slide it over...

Nickbot (nickbot) on Thursday, August 28, 2008 - 7:23 am: my favorite is when they pull the boat out all cockeyed on the trailer and and think they are going to just lift it up and slide it over...

We used to do that all the time with our old Prostar 190.

My wife can not back a trailer but anyone can pull an empty trailer out of the water.

I can back the boat in, get out unhook the winch, back it off and then let my wife pull the empty trailer out of the water.

The return trip take a little longer becaue Meredith stays at the dock while I go get and back the truck in and then jump in the boat, load it up, hook the winch, and then drive the truck out of the way.

I am lucky where I am at. The only time you might have to wait 15 minutes is a holiday weekend.


For horror stories. This summer I witnessed white trash boat loading at its best. They had a jet boat that sat maybe 6 and they had 8 in the boat and 4 on the tube that they were pulling. Needless to say Johnnie Law found them and told them to get off the water because they did not have anything to make them legal. When they got to the ramp they dumped everyone off. Some mullet headed redneck backed a lifted f350 into the water. His friend pulled the boat on and then got out and hooked a cut of piece of cumalong to the eye of the boat that was about 4 feet long and yells Hit It. The guy in the truck puts it in 4wd and punches it. He goes tearing up the ramp and the boat slides back on the trailer untill the 4ft long strap finally catches it before it falls completely off the trailer. After they back it back in and get the boat on they pull up and the warden is dumb enough that he gives them their tickets and verbal lashing right in the way of everyone trying to load/unload.

The best is when youve got some dbag trying to put his boat in who is way to cool for anyone and he cant back in for shiat! My dad once tried to help one of these guys and he ignored my dad like "i got this buddy" and it took him a solid 15 minutes of back and forth to get his trailer and boat down the ramp straight. Im 16 and i can back our sea doos, our donzis, and our x-star trailers with or wihtout the boat in and be out in a second.

OK, this idiot at discovery park takes the cake, I was launching my boat and had my trailer in the water and my yukon sitting there while I tied the boat to the end docks, he comes down the 4+ lane ramp directly at my yukon, turns his wheels and locks the brakes and slides all the wa down the ramp into my truck! HEAD ON'D on the ramp! biggest idiot I have ever encountered at a ramp. gold medal LOSER.