posted 11-28-2007 09:49 AM ET (US)        

One ramp was being used to launch a nicely restored older boat, and the guy was taking a great deal of time and care in getting lined up, backing down the ramp, and he did not have the trailer very far into the water. He got out of the truck and went to the boat, where he was trying to get it to float off.

A few minutes later the slot on the other side of that dock opened up, so I pulled into position, made the final preparations, backed my boat down the ramp, and launched it off the trailer.

A few minutes go by, and I've got the truck and trailer parked, the outboard is warmed up, and we are ready to go for a boat ride. The guy is still fiddling with getting the boat off the trailer. Not much progress is being made. By now it is past noon, and there is a line of trucks and boats building up to use the ramp.

Eventually the guy concludes he will probably have to back the trailer in farther to get the boat off. He returns to his truck and tries to start the engine. The truck won't start. It cranks over, but won't run. The guy soon diagnoses the problem. The truck's fuel tank gauge is on E, and the tank is so empty that with the truck on the down slope of the ramp, all the gasoline has run to the back and his fuel pump won't pick up any.

At that point we left the launch area, to go for our boat ride. We had some purpose in mind, testing a propeller or such, and we were not out for long, probably 30 minutes. We returned to the launch area.

You can probably guess what we found: yes, the guy's truck, trailer, and boat were still there, tying up the ramp and dock. The guy had gone off on foot to hike to a gas station to get some gas for the truck.

I had never seen that happen before, but it is not that weird. On a steep ramp you could easily cause the gasoline in your vehicle's tank to run to the back, creating the situation described above. A similar thing happened to me once. We were running very low on gasoline, and trying to make it to the next gas station, located on top of a hill. The car was running fine until we started up the hill. We ran out of gas about half way up, and we had to hike to the station to get a gallon or two to get started again.

posted 11-28-2007 10:25 AM ET (US)            

For an end of season haul out, a fellow pulls up to the ramp with an un-galvanized steel trailer of a size suitable for about an 18 foot boat. The trailer frame was pretty rusty looking. He parks the trailer at the ramp. Now I'm thinking he's going to go fetch his old 18 foot "something-or-other". Well to my surprise, he fetches a 22 foot I/O powered cuddy cabin cruiser from the dock, loads it onto the trailer and pulls the trailer up onto the facility's parking lot. Everything looks good except that 4 feet of the boat's aft section are hanging off the trailer and from my more distant perspective, I could see a fair amount of bend along the length of the trailer frame.

A few moments later the guy gets out of his vehicle and does a quick walk around inspection (he can't see the bend from being so close) and as he is getting back into his vehicle, the trailer frame snaps in half right at the axle sending the transom crashing to the pavement.

posted 11-28-2007 11:41 AM ET (US)            

We made it to the channel Muskegon Lake, aimed for the dock and I swear we ran out of gas about 20 feet from the end of the dock and just drifted into the slip. Unreal. Lucky - real lucky.

I said -"hey man, I though you said you filled this sucker up?" he said - "ya, I put $20 bucks in the tank. . . " what a dope,

posted 11-28-2007 12:00 PM ET (US)            

Moral of the story: Dont replace the diesel engines in your offshore fishing boat with gas just because they are cheaper.

Moral #2: Don't be a dumbass.

posted 11-28-2007 01:16 PM ET (US)            

Story 1) I saw someone pull a 35 foot cigarette-type boat out at Bayfield after a Poker Run this summer. Big one-ton dually pickup with stupid stickers on it and stuff pulling the boat on a float-on type trailer.

Guys get the boat secured to the trailer and start pulling her out of the water. All goes well for a few feet, and then you can hear the truck begin to strain. Guy on the dock yells that that is just the trailer wheels having to come back up over the end of the ramp cause the trailer is so long and the water is down. Truck strains for a second, but nothing.

Driver lets off for a sec, allows the rig to drift back a few feet (presumably to get some momentum) and guns it. The package surges forward, stops short, the BOOM, surges forward again.

Idiots had forgotten to untie the boat from the dock, and now have a 16" cleat embedded into the transom where the stretched dock line slingshot it after the dock let go.

Story 2) Last Spring - nice tournament walleye boat - you know the kind, trailer painted to match the boat, two dorks fishing on it wearing matching shirts even though a) they are not sponsored fishermen and b) no tournament. Anyway, the boat doesn't want to come out of the water because the axle really is over the end of the concrete ramp and enough bottom has been washed away where the concrete ends that there is a good-sized drop off at the end of the ramp. Guy guns it and another BOOM. Turns out the trailer frame was resting on the end of the concrete with the wheels hanging there. As he pulled forward, the spring hangers caught on the lip of the ramp, were ripped off the frame and the axle folded back under the back of the boat, just as neat as can be. One of the rear hangers let go, and the axle sort of twisted sadly off to the side, held on only at one point instead of the 4 intended.

posted 11-28-2007 01:54 PM ET (US)            

I am not a very patient man at the boat ramp if people are holding me up. They get my assistance if they want it or not. I go to the ramp knowing that I am going to get up to waist deep in the water helping the yahoos. I only allow two tries at backing down the ramp and then I say, "let me do it, times a wasteing."

posted 11-28-2007 02:51 PM ET (US)            

It was a busy weekend day with everyone coming off the water at dead low tide. The ramp has 2 lanes separated by a line of courtesy floats and most abide by the rule (left lane for launch, right lane for retrieve)

As I pushed the boat on the trailer, I noted a Toyota 1/4 ton pickup back down the left lane with an empty trailer. I finished hooking my boat up, pulled out and then stopped. I walked over and told the pickup driver " There is a big hole at the end of the ramp, do not back the trailer past the 3rd float or you will fall into the hole. The driver acknowledged my warning and direction on where to stop. I proceeded to the parking/prep area at the head of the ramp.

In doing my walk around my trailer, I heard a loud shout "Hey STOP!". I looked and walked down the hill a bit to see why the shouting. Well, you can guess what happened. The truck had gone too far and the trailer wheels had gone into the hole.

I proceeded over and gave some gentle advice on how the driver should pull the trailer out. Even with acknowledgment, the driver not only failed to pull forward but ended up rolling back farther till the rear wheels of the truck had gone off the ramp into the hole. Now the entire trailer was under water and the entire cargo bed was under water with the exhaust bubbling up.

After several bad attempts to pull out (spinning out and making the hole deeper), the driver stopped and almost shut off the engine! By this point, the ramp traffic was gone and we were on our own.

I noticed one of the many landing barges motoring over to the ramp. (It is very rare to see one land anyone at this ramp.) I know the owner, captains and crew having grown up on an island they serve. The barge had 3 full size commercial dump trucks on the deck. When they lowered the ramps and
started to remove the chains on the trucks, I scooted over to the barge deck crew to ask for some help for the pickup.

After a quick explanation of the situation, pickup owner releasing the dump truck driver from any liability, the first dump truck (empty) rolled off the barge, up the ramp and backed down the opposite lane. He hooked a chain to the pickup, dropped into some gear so both tandem axles were in drive and pulled the pickup out with the 17' i/o bow-rider on the trailer. On reaching the top of the ramp, the unstuck pickup driver stopped, loaded a passenger and then left. Not a thank you to anyone.

I thanked the barge guys, shared some family news and proceeded home.

posted 11-28-2007 03:31 PM ET (US)            

Dead battery

They turn the boat around and drive the import car (with trailer) down the ramp forward as close as they can to the stern of the skiff and try to jump start the outboard. Not quite enough bat power. Not a busy day. Room on the other side of them. They leave the car on, jumpers hooked up to boat bat/car and mosey topside for awhile, quite a while actually.

Tide is rising by the minute. Ship goes by, not much swell but the surge swamps the car and kills the engine. Wouldn't start again.

It's funny how some Foreigners can conveniently lack any sort of English comp at times. (and how some natives cant spell). Suddenly they were speaking fairly affluent English, needing help.
Good Sam that I am, I loaned em a good sized towrope off the Tug. They didn't ask and I didn't tell them who owned the F-350 sitting 20 ft away.

When they finally pulled the car and trailer out, water was running out of the door panels. I don't know what happened after that, I left after they returned the towrope.

Probably the Grace of God prevented them from getting the boat motor started. I've drained many a good beers telling that story.

---briefly---

Color matched FIRE ENGINE RED almost new F-350, tandem axle trailer, and 26-foot Scarab or something Ocean Racer. Wife is backing the setup down the same ramp above. She cocks a little sideways, the husband yells HOLD IT. She dogs the brakes. The boat launches off the trailer. Breaks the skeg and lower unit and cracks the transom. Husband is IRATE at the WIFE!

posted 11-28-2007 03:58 PM ET (US)            

pulled boat out of water with engine still down bending the skeg.......check!

doing both of these things while the boat is less than six months old.....check!

posted 11-28-2007 05:05 PM ET (US)            

I keep my boat on a mooring in South Boston, MA, however pull it out several times a year & trailer it down to the inlaw's summer place in CT or down to the Cape for weekend trips.

We have the good fortune to have a public ramp right next to one of the T stations just north of Boston. I will park the truck at the parking lot near the ramp, walk over to the train station and take the train into Boston. This is really convenient, as I don't have to worry about getting a ride when launch the boat in & leave it on it's mooring (or vise versa). I also get to take a train ride, which kind of adds to the adventure.

One evening two years ago, my buddy Brian was helping me with the retreval of the boat for a weekend trip. The ramp is located up the Mystic River, and we have to go thru a set of locks. There was another Boston Whaler in the lock in front of us, and he got to the ramp first. I pulled up to the dock, tied up the boat and got out to admire it while walking up to get the truck. Really clean, mid-80's Montauk that looked like it just rolled out of the showroom. I had honestly never seen one this nice!

After getting my truck back to the ramp, I went down to talk with the owner, drool over his boat a little more & see if they needed a hand (he is another Whaler guy after all). I walked up & was checking out the boat & complemented him as to how nice his boat was. I asked him about his trailer setup, as it was definitely custom & as nice as the Montauk. He looked up, kind of grunted and shot me a funny look/attitude.

OK, whatever, one last try at being friendly. I said to him "That is alot cleaner than my old Montauk, I had a 1988 which I just sold. Your boat looks like new compared to mine. I used to always ride it hard & put it away wet." or something along those lines.

This kid stopped what he was doing, looked back at my old, tired looking 1978 Outrage, turns back to us and states "A boat is like a fine woman; if you take care of her and treat her right, she'll take you home everytime. If you can't treat her right, you don't deserve her" With that, he is done talking at me & goes back to ignoring us. OK pal.... whatever! Young punk!!!! I walk back to my truck & wait for this snot-nosed prima donna to get his boat out of the way.

He pulls his boat up, and jumps in & out of his truck a few times; he seems to be having some sort of a problem. I continue to wait in the truck and my buddy is sitting on the front of my boat(funny, Brian seems to be amused by something). I am not about to get out of my truck to see if the snot-nosed punk needs help, as he had an attitude & wanted nothing to do with us when we were trying to talk to him. This guy finally gets back in his truck & clears the ramp.

As I back down the ramp & get out, my friend is hysterically laughing. He asked me how I liked that display. Totally missed it, I have no clue what he is talking about.

Brian states "He doesn't deserve his woman; she's going to leave him. He just dragged her out of the water on her arse" The guy didn't put his engine up, and dragged the skeg all the way up the ramp.

Karma is a real bitch, sometimes

posted 11-28-2007 08:42 PM ET (US)            

We pulled into a gas station one day and had a real jerk push his truck and boat trailer between me and the pump I was pulling up to. He even had his wife in another vehicle try to block the pumps while he pulled up. I had a few choice words with him and had to leave to another gas station to fill the boat up as there were no other open pumps. About 15 minutes later we get to the ramp and the same guy is blocking 2 ramps because he can't back the trailer in, his wife is pulled up in the other car loading the boat and he is being a real jerk. I dropped in next to him finally with a nice wake inducing splash, parked, walked back and he was still not unloaded (and now getting others PO'd) and screaming at his wife.

Just a few weeks ago at our bass club tournament, we had our boat pulled out and loaded. I'm watching another member load his boat and the truck wheels are in the water, no way to get out of the boat in less than knee deep water. I head over and pull the truck out while he still in the boat. All this with his fishing partner eating BBQ and watching. What a team huh?

posted 11-28-2007 08:49 PM ET (US)            

December 2005, McKinley Marina Milwaukee

Our rear-wheel drive Volvo simply could not make it up the not icy ramp with the empty trailer for the 13 we just launched. You'd have thought the wheels were chocked. Not an inch of progress- she just kept sliding sideways.

http://s199.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/cgodfrey19/000_47.jpg

Time to bust out the big gun: The 454 Suburban.
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/cgodfrey19/000_48.jpg

posted 11-28-2007 09:08 PM ET (US)            

She is having a hard time getting it done right, pull up, back down, pull up....

He is losing his temper and is yelling at her, in front of everyone. Of course, this only makes her more nervous. He starts with "you stupid b*tch" and "fool" and a variety of other demeaning comments. The launch is pretty full, not only with people putting boats in and pulling them out, but a bunch of tourists walking by.

By the time he has her in tears, she is making, what is probably, her final attempt to back the truck down. He is yelling his fool head off. She gets out of the truck, window open, closes the door.

She starts giving it right back to him, "it doesn't help when you yell at me...."

He calls her "the f*cking b*tch" one more time. She reaches in the window, puts it in reverse and walks up to the parking lot as the boat, trailer and truck back into water, about to the area between his front and rear doors on the double cab truck.

The ENTIRE audience at the ramp starts clapping.

posted 11-28-2007 10:05 PM ET (US)            

same public ramp.

Nobody around cept me dinkin around on the Tug & one guy working on a older 18 ft glass boat near the end of the launch. He is fidgeting with the carb, turning the key, gasing the throttle going back n forth.

At the time I had a 1959 30 ft Skagit glass boat sitting on the ramp side of my slip. Man, this was a sweet sweet classic hull. Like a 59 Olds. I put half a boom stick on the outside of this "hand-laid woven roving tank" in addition to several good sized fenders. I didnt mind boats laying alongside as they waited for their turn.

So here is this guy fidgeting with his engine. Im not paying much attention. Pretty soon I hear it fire and appears he is casting off and the eng dies. Drifting, he lifts the cowling, dicks around with something moves fwd leans over the seat and turns the key. The engine fires WOT and the I/O is locked in reverse.

He is thrown up against the windshield and his boat backs WOT right into my boom stick. He is injured. Before it is all said and done, the guy had the gal to complain about my boom stick. I appologized and I said I wished the boom stick wasnt there also, my hull could have used a new coat of gel...hey buddy, are you bleeding?

posted 11-28-2007 10:48 PM ET (US)            

First and last time I trailer launched our fixed keel 20 ft sailboat I was at the yacht club with no one around. As I got deep enough to float the boat off the trailer , the rear tires of the truck hit the slime. The only way to keep the truck from sliding down the ramp into the water was to keep my foot on the brakes so the front tires would hold me. The ramp was too slick to pull out and there was no one around and my cell phone was in the back seat just out of reach. I finally was able to twist around enough to get the phone and call a wrecker.

About 45 min later and many cramps in both legs, the wrecker shows up. I explain that he should hook to me but let me on down the ramp so the sailboat would come on off the trailer.

Once hooked up I let off the brake the truck goes back about a foot and stops, trailer in the mud boat half on and half off the trailer. So with the wrecker still hooked up I put the truck in reverse , gun it to drive the trailer deep enough into the mud to get the boat off. Boat comes off, wrecker pulls me out , give the driver $100 , piece of cake, boat launched .

posted 11-29-2007 12:23 AM ET (US)            

This past summer, at a small 1-wide ramp at Smith Mountain Lake in southern VA. An older couple was prepping their Flying Scot next to the ramp when my daughter and I pulled up. I asked them if they were nearly ready to launch, or if it would be okay if we used the ramp first. They answered, warily, that it would be okay if we knew what we were doing. I told them that if it took more than 90 seconds on the ramp, I'd be mortified. We took off the tie-downs, I hopped on the boat, my 18-year-old daughter backed the trailer down about 100 feet of single-lane curved road to the ramp, I backed the boat off, and she and I were both gone in under a minute. The couple just sat there and stared.

Bad ramp story:

Many years ago, at a busy public ramp in Bay Shore, NY. Two guys are hauling out an 18-ish-foot glittery Donzi-type with some gigantic outboard. One guy backs the pickup truck to the water, the second guy edges the boat onto the trailer, then guns the throttle to push the boat up the trailer. The boat does exactly that with gusto, but rides up the winch post and keeps going. The boat ends up as a very lovely bed ornament in the back of the pickup. At least nobody was hurt.

posted 11-29-2007 11:23 AM ET (US)            

#1)I was fidgeting with something in my Bronco in the driveway. I forgot I was not in park and let off the brake and pushed my 13' into the garage door. Made a nice imprint of the 40 Evinrude in the door. Luckily I was able to knock 95% of it out from the inside...DOOF!

#2)I was up at fno's house picking up my 13' he brought down from NJ for me. Frank lives in the middle of nowhere with no cell service. Later that day I finally get service and see I have like 10 voice mails. Call wife who is freaking out. For some reason my lift decided to turn itself on(has remote)and went all the way up until one of the cables snapped. Friend's Montauk was on my lift and did a 7' swan dive into my canal. Luckily the neighbor saw it and rescued the unmanned vessel and turned off the lift power. Freak accident but nothing was harmed but the cable. It now has a power shutoff at the lift so it can't happen again.

posted 11-29-2007 12:13 PM ET (US)            

My daughter and I were launching our boat one day at a moderately crowded boat ramp. The guy next to us was taking a little longer than usual to launch his boat (he was alone so had to do everything himself). Next to me a family with young kids was waiting and the father got so impatient he screamed out for everyone hear (including his kids) "I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE **** IS SO HARD ABOUT LAUNCHING A GD BOAT!"

This sent an uneasy and negative feeling through everyone present at an activity that is supposed to be fun and festive. My daughter later told me that when I was returning my car from the ramp and she was there alone minding the boat the mother of this family looked at her and said "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!"

We got underway and a few minutes later they passed us in their boat and were yelling and screaming at each other. I doubt they had a very fun outing.

posted 11-29-2007 04:27 PM ET (US)            

About 10 years ago at the boat launch in Niantic, CT, a guy and his wife pull up to the ramp to launch about a 22 foot cruiser. He backs the trailer down the ramp as far as he can bear (don't want to get those trailer tires wet), but after much grunting and pushing can't get it to slide off the trailer. So he takes about 20 feet of 1/2" line, ties one end to a bow cleat and hands the bitter end to his wife. Says to his wife "Hold on to this, honey. I'm going to pull forward, back up real quick, slam on the brakes, and the boat will just slide off. Remember, DON'T LET GO!" Being properly warned, his wife takes the extra precaution of wrapping the line around her arm several times just to make sure she DOESN'T LET GO.

You know the rest of the story. The boat leaps off the trailer, and heads out into the river pushing a wall of water behind it like it was backing down on a marlin. Even better, "honey" can't get untied from the line fast enough, and is almost up on plane herself in front of the boat before it finally looses momentum and stops about 30 yards out.

It then takes another 10 minutes of his shouting instructions to her so she can get untangled, swim to the boat, get it started, and motor back to the ramp. People were ready to hold up rating cards (I gave it a 9.7 myself) before the comedy was over.

posted 11-29-2007 07:20 PM ET (US)            

This is at site where the Jet Skis have to idle a half mile
to anywhere they can go fast, and it's almost always too
rough to go fast.

posted 11-30-2007 07:34 AM ET (US)            

If you consider a great date to be a trip to the boat ramp with your girl and a sixpack... ...you might be a redneck!

posted 11-30-2007 01:59 PM ET (US)            

Tony

posted 11-30-2007 03:05 PM ET (US)            

Let's be careful out there.

posted 12-02-2007 05:10 AM ET (US)            

1) After struggling for about 10 minutes to get my Dad's Glastron I/O off of the trailer on the ramp at Scituate, Ma. we hear the voice of reason from about a 10 year old sitting on the bulkhead. "Arn't you s'pose to take that strap thing off?" (around 1969)

2 My sister buys her and her husband an old tri-hull from a neighbor, (Retired Col.). My Dad, then BroInLaw, and I head to the ramp at Matheson Hammock, Miami, Fl. After "enjoying" a lovely ride in the new boat, and unsuccessful fishing in the rain we return to the ramp. My Dad goes to retrieve the trailer. Backing it down the ramp with the old Pontiac Bonny, my BroInLaw and I guide him with voice commands.... STOP! is immediatley followed by a quiet snap which is followed by us watching both wheels and axle continue down the ramp after the trailer has stopped. Boom goes the end of the trailer as the wheels and axle continue to roll down the ramp. Gone are the wheels and axle. After a brief rescue of the wheels/axle, we tie them back onto the trailer with the ski rope, load the boat up on the trailer and drive home with about 800 cars behind us on the two lane road that we are cruising on at 10mph. "La Cuccaracha" was blasting at us from the tailgating truck behind us, as this was the height of the popularity of custom horns on vehicles that could play many sounds. (Circa 1973) My sister returned the Boat/Motor and Trailer to the Col. and got her money back.

posted 12-02-2007 09:47 AM ET (US)            

I watch him from our tent launch the boat and he proceeds to do several high speed runs, waking up most of the campers. The noise is off the scale LOUD.

He then return to the ramp for another beer (it is 6:30 AM). One of the campers walks over and asks him to please wait till later to make so much noise. He says "f... you its not your private lake." Off he goes for more high decibel fun as the sun comes up.

After a few minutes of quiet I hear from my sleeping bag "HELP..HELP.. HELP!
I look out the tent and see him at the ramp in the boat and his Caddy up to the open windows under water, not going under any farther.

Strange, but I guess all us campers were sound asleep.... Nobody responded.

The sight of all that water pouring out of the trunk and back doors of that Caddy as the tow truck pulled him up the ramp later: Priceless.....!!

posted 12-02-2007 01:23 PM ET (US)            

Operative Fatal Flaw: "In A Hurry!"

Analysis: "Why? dumb bell, were you in such a hurry?"

Me (Dumbbell): "There was absolutely no reason at all, none - not a busy ramp, not late for anything, in fact, I was the only one at the ramp..."

Outcome: Freaking Lucky, man!!

Event details: Had the 11.5 hooked up behind older semi-beater 90 Camry (great car-personally proud I did all the beating from fishin' trips and more) and pulled up to the local ramp 50 yard from launch in boat prep area, put into park, set the brake.

In a hurry, I jumped out of the car, threw all the gear I needed from trunk to boat including 6 (count 'em SIX) fishing rods and two tackle boxes, cushion, PFD, no beers.

Then I hustled around the boat, unstrapped her, lifted the 25, jumped back into the Black Cam and steered with the mirrors backing the trailer into the water - super slick, never missing a beat - box full up volume pumping Marcus Miller/Miles Davis jazz funk. AUTOMATIC transmission!!!

I got the tires just under water where I wanted them and jumped out to launch the boat.

OMG!!!!!!

As I stepped out, rotating counter clockwise, in my peripheral vision I detect movement, black object in motion - the rig is moving!!! I FORGOT to put the sucker in PARK. Oh ya como va baby!! She's rolling backwards into the river!

Don't ask me how I did it, but I pulled off my best Walter Payton spin off a tackler got the door open(didn't latch, synched my move with the motion, launched myself feet first aiming right foot for brake pedal, got a death grip on the steering wheel and saved the f-ing day. Visualize two hands gripping steering wheel, booty millimeters from the concrete, one foot on brake pedal and one about to get crunched by left front tire.

Freaking hilarious, right?

So I reviewed the incident for possible corrective action: and rewrote my launch protocol: check, double check, triple check every thing, including set brake and tranny w/ wheel chock option carried in tow vehicle.

posted 12-02-2007 06:50 PM ET (US)            

Four Hours Later: Me and brother in-law back to ramp after fun cruise and beers, load up the funky old Ranger (forward driver seat w/ helicopter stick steering, enjoying the early evening - Bayliner coming, heading for the boat ramp, same dude. A half a dozen boats coming and going around semi busy ramp

He ties up to the dock, goes and gets the VW Microbus and the whole world at the ramp stops to watch the retrieve.

THE RETRIEVE: dude gets the trailer backed in, boat winched up, safety chain secured, first gear, 4000, RPMS, engage clutch, spin rear wheels, got 'em smokin' real good. NO forward motion, He tries and tries at which point about 7 or 8 of us ran to the rig to help - we all got on the hitch, started jumping up and down and botta boom botta bing, VW dude got traction and pulled right out, we jumped off and away he went. Bayliner made that VW bus look like a mo-ped.

posted 01-20-2010 10:31 PM ET (US)            

Some freinds and I had taken Dad's Starcraft for a day of water fun. We were responsible kids and never had any incidents.

Just aftger we launched, four guys with a jet boat show up with a hot car pulling it. If memeory serves, it was a 70 Chevelle SS.

They launch and proceed to make everyones day, on the lake, miserable. They would trim up their jet and hose boaters down, cut off skiers, etc.

At the end of the day, we had pulled out and were at the rigging area watching as they started to retrieve their boat. They were obviously intoxicated.

They get the boat on the trailer and one of them says to the car driver "hit it". He did, that Chevelle hooked up beautifully. However, one of them had forgotten to lock the winch. The winch handle was spinning at supersonic speeds until the cable ran out. I couldn't believe it didn't snap but held. Before the Chevelle driver got the rig stopped, the jet boat was a good ten feet clear of the water.

posted 01-22-2010 12:59 AM ET (US)            

Years ago I raced on an Olson 30’ that was dry-stored. Each regatta, we would launch the sailboat from its trailer cradle with a huge davit and lower it down about 15’ – 38’ to the dock. The entire Olson 30 fleet boat kept their boats on dry stored (fully rigged) as not to absorb water into the gel coat. (Serious skippers huh, worried about a few pounds of water, and didn’t want a few pounds of bottom paint either.)

One week the primary davit was out for repairs, so we had to use another davit at the opposite end of the marina (~2.5 miles long). Another sailor and I drove a scouting path to check all the overhead obstructions. (trailer + boat + mast ~45’ clearance needed!). We debriefed the skippers letting everyone know there were light poles on each side of the road, and one obstruction on the main road that required turning into the parking lot. Launching of the boats went well; a couple trucks ran back and forth to the davit and everyone made the start time.

Well the first dry-stored boat that wins gets head of the line privileges to lift out their boat. And everyone knows who wins because you get to sit at the dock and stare at the winning hull go up and get washed done while you fold sails, and drink beer. (And on this day it was our boat, lucky us.) Off people went to get trucks and trailers, business as usual. We get our Olson 30’ on the trailer, all set. I am in a chase car full of sails and gear; skipper (owner) is in the truck driving. We also have a crewman in the bed of the truck watching the entire rig.

On the way back, we roll out of the parking lot doing about 2 mph, and roll on down the road. Quickly a couple cars are behind me (I following the sailboat), and they are clearly annoyed at a 5 mph 30’ sailboat in a 35 mph zone. As stare into my rear view mirror I realize I was something is not right. I look to my left and see the parking lot detour; oh #$^#%&$, @#@#, *#&#$, $&$%#!!! I immediately weave into the middle of the road to block all cars, and start honking my horn.

Too late. Snap went the forestay! Pop went the mast! Crashing down on the aft railings, onto the street, and taking the telephone line with it! All crashing 20’ from the hood of my car. The sailboat actually moved back about 18” in the trailer, enough to deform (crack) the hull, but not punch a whole. Our crewman in the bed, got knocked around and the truck hitch got bent upwards.

So imagine a 30’ keel boat with complete rig and stays shattered on the asphalt, 30’ hull askew on the trailer, red-faced skipper (who was too dumbfounded to think), and a whole 60 boat sailing fleet at the docks drinking beer. We knocked out power for 2sq miles for about 4hrs, completely obstruct the road. (Of course we were in the middle to avoid light posts!)

I am glad I wasn’t driving, because I would have shot myself with the flare gun!!!

We get a boat yard forklift to jerry us back on the trailer, the skipper gets a ticket of some sort from a police officer, and the crew consumes a lot of free alcohol at the club house.

posted 10-29-2010 06:14 PM ET (US)            

To speed the loading, my friend said he would back up my VW Scirrocco & trailer so I could drive the boat onto the trailer. This was a converted snowmobile trailer so you had to back it in fairly far into the water - which he surely did.

When I drove the boat on the trailer the pressure of the extra weight of me and the boat lifted up on the trailer hitch, the car and the rear wheels (which used the parking brake). Before he could hit the brakes the air tight VW, boat and trailer start floating away from the ramp with me helplessly aboard. I leaped out of the boat jumped into the water but everything was still floating.

I pushed/guided my car to shore and told him to open the car door to fill the car. When he did, the car sank and then got traction so he could drive it up the ramp. The water went as high as the center console and it took me a couple of days to get it completely dry. The first and only time I took a car out on the water.

posted 10-29-2010 07:49 PM ET (US)            

However, in this one instance, we backed down and got the boat on no problem. I guess it is a double lane ramp or at least wide enough to have two boats as there was a guy with a little pick up and his 90 year old dad next to us.

We got our boat squared away and he asked for help. Not being one to ever look a chance to pay it forward with the fates I readily agreed. The task however was to lug what I think was a waterlogged 13' (foam-filled, not a whaler) up the beach and load it into the back of his truck, on the slant.

posted 10-31-2010 01:26 PM ET (US)            

We arrived on a Sunday afternoon about 6 p.m. expecting to find Tobermory the sleepy little fishing town we have visited many times. Instead, because we were in the middle of a Canada Day three-day holiday, the place was chocked with tourists. Cars were double parked, making access to the boat ramp difficult for a boat with a trailer. After about ten minutes of maneuvering the 200-feet of parking lot, we finally got to the ramp. It was in use--by two kayaks just rented from an outfitter. In each kayak was one person, but surrounding each kayak was a large group of family and relatives. The kayaks were being slowly lifted and moved down the ramp toward the water's edge in increments of about two-feet of forward progress at each lift. After each move a lengthy discussion ensued among all participants, who appeared to be part of a large family group, with a great deal of comments and perhaps advice being imparted to the two actual kayakers who would soon be in the water. We could not tell exactly what was being said as English was not being used. This process tied up the ramp for about ten minutes. Apparently it never occurred to the kayakers to simply put the kayaks in the water and climb into them.

The following Friday we were back at the ramp and ready to haul out. The ramp area was full of ducks, perhaps 30 or more, who were attracted by food being thrown by several tourists. I tied the boat to the nearby seawall, and hiked off to the parking lot to retrieve the trailer. About ten minutes later I had the trailer positioned on the ramp, but not quite in the water to load the boat--too many ducks. I got out of the truck and asked the people feeding the ducks if they could please stop for a minute so I could use the boat ramp to load my boat. I then went back to the boat, about 50-feet away, to move it over.

By the time I walked to the boat and re-started the engine, almost everyone had stopped feeding the ducks, except for one young girl. Chris went back to the ramp to standby to take a line from the boat when I approached, and I asked her to please again ask those people to stop feeding the ducks for a minute so we could approach the ramp.

Chris asked the parents of the young girl to please stop feeding the ducks so we could bring the boat to the ramp. They replied that their daughter was feeding the ducks, and when their daughter was done feeding the ducks, then and only then would she stop feeding the ducks and they would get off the ramp. We waited another five minutes while this special little girl dispensed the rest of her popcorn. I don't blame the little girl, but her idiot parents could use some manners. I wondered what her father would say to me if I had parked my boat trailer and truck so that it blocked the entrance to a children's playground and refused to move. Also, there is a sign, "Do not feed waterfowl."

In spite of all the nonsense with the ramp, Tobermory is a great place to visit and I highly recommend it. Just don't go on the Canada Day holiday weekend, and don't expect parents of young children to be able to think rationally if it involves doing anything that might mean they would have to tell their kid to stop doing something they shouldn't.