Scream & Fly people know how to use boat ramp!

[baxflash]

i was at the crib today putting my Shearwater Z22 250 pro xs in to hit dog beach and the boat ramp was packed, waiting three back with two actions in front waiting to put in and one idiot pulling his boat out that kept all of us waiting, the two guys with the actions stepped to help out the guy struggling to put his boat on that little trailer.then put their boats in so fast and got parked . its nice to see people that know how to use the boat ramp ,quick and polite ,no bs just get the boat in and let the next guy do the same. thanks guys for the good job today.!

[vnemous]

Takes me more time to back into my driveway than to get in and out of the boat ramp. :D

[WILDMAN]

It takes the wife and I 1.5 - 2 minutes to have the boat out after the trailer hits the water and less to put it in. We pull up to the dock, I jump off and go get the trailer. The wifes imediately backs away from the dock and waits 100 yards out. As soon as she shes the trailer backing down the ramp, she starts idling forward and lining up the boat. I walk out and stand on the trailer fender and grab the nose and center it as she coasts forward. The boat coasts up about a foot from the winch, I have her put it in forward and I crank it up the last foot. She shuts off the motor and stays in the boat until I pull it way away from the ramp and out of others way.
Now if I can get her taught to back up a trailer! She won't put the twin engine boats on the trailer though.

[njj502]

I fish a BUUUNCH of small trolling motor only state lakes. You get the rookies of all rookies out there and I'm as patient as I can be with them. Many times I've helped out several good ole boys that were having a hell of a time but still out fishing!!! I love it when guys get em in and out w/in a min or two... it's all it should take!

[vnemous]

My wife drives the Jeep and trailer, in and out and puts all these guys to shame at the ramp.

[JR IN JAX]

When we got back to the ramp on our PWCs this afternnon, to try them out before a trip to Silver Glenn next Saturday, the ramp was crowded and jammed up by a Driverless Toyota PU truck with a fishing boat behind it partially blocking the ramps.

I asked some of the people in line who the truck belonged to, but no one had bothered to find out.

I walked over to a very large African-American who was just standing there watching the bedlam. I asked him if he knew who's truck was blocking the ramp? He replied,"It's my truck and it is not blocking the ramp, you can get around it while I wait for all the cars to clear out and I can launch by my self".

I told him it was blocking the ramp and he needed to move it and wait somewhere else. He just glared at me and left the truck right in the way.

I looked on the windshield to the truck and it had a Naval Hospital Employee sticker on it. Nowhere else but the Government could such an idiot with a bad attitude get a job. Who knows, maybe after 2012 he'll be able to take his bad attitude to the back position on the Garbage Truck where he belongs.

[pcrussell50]

It takes the wife and I 1.5 - 2 minutes to have the boat out after the trailer hits the water and less to put it in.

it's a great system. we do the opposite. wifey handles the trailering... as she has done, since before she had a driver's license. both her dad and stepdad were pro bass fishermen. she used to back their $100k + rigs, [including the cost of the free sponsorship truck], down the ramp when they would practice and pre-fish. now i get the benefit of that. since my motors are carbureted, i usually start it on the muffs in the driveway, before i even go to the lake, so i know FOR SURE, it will start when i get to the ramp, then i sit in the boat and power her off the trailer after wifey backs us in.

-peter

[WILDMAN]

YUP! I ALWAYS start the boat at home before I leave. Nothing ruins a day quicker than getting to the ramp and the boat won't start!

[Mr. Demeanor]

My wife can back a trailer better than anyone I know. Been backing horse trailers since she could drive. I drive the boat, she drive the truck/trailer.
They should just post a sign at the ramps stating "The Ramp is only for launching and retrieving your vessel. Please load/unload you boat prior to or after leaving the immediate ramp area or at the adjacent dock"
I live in the land of the elderly boater and the ramp can be a mess. Its usually someone who gets the boat half way up or down the ramp then parks and decides to load or unload all there stuff. Mess with the drain plug and tie downs, etc. Too many times I have to walk over and nicely ask if they could pull off the ramp to complete whatever they are doing. About half the time they get pissed and the other half you can tell are just oblivious they are holding people up.

[rdkvector]

Less than 2 minutes by myself, I've had to tell alot of idiots to practice on Tuesday not on the weekend. Some people are so damn inconciderate.

[JR IN JAX]

YUP! I ALWAYS start the boat at home before I leave. Nothing ruins a day quicker than getting to the ramp and the boat won't start!
I am getting skittish about cranking mine on the hose even with the factory sportmaster adapter. Twice now I have done so and when I put it in the water the almost new impeller would not pump a drop of water [chewed up]. Now while it is still on the trailer but in the water, I have my Wife crank it before I release the winch to launch her. If it were not to crank, I would just pull it back out. It always cranks since Charlie at River Marine does an ANNUAL on it every year.

[Fish]

great post baxflash, good to hear the good stuff.

at the suwanne a year of so ago it was crowded to pull out, a dozen or so boats staged to come out. most of them were SnF folks, and a few locals. as i waited for my turn i started watching my watch. from the time one of us pulled up to the dock it took an avg of 7 minutes, to get out of the boat, tie up, go get the truck, back in, get the boat on the trailer and ramp cleared for the next guy. one of the locals who was occupying the other lane/dock during the time it took a few of us to get out said "you guys sure make it look easy." maybe we set an example and his pride will make him try to be a little more considerate/efficient next time, who knows.

[Action Dave]

Seems like most people at the Carribean Club don't realize the ramp is wide enough for two trailers at a time. Unless you've got a really huge rig. I will say that most of the S+Fers I've met can get their boats on/off the trailers as fast as anybody. Maybe it's experience or maybe we just don't usually have huge boats.:D

[baja200merk]

Yea i hate waiting. Last time i got stuck at the park ramp waiting for idiots i had my girl back me in between the idiots she parked the truck and we idled all the way out by the time the idiots were pulling out of the ramp :rolleyes:

Now i have access to a few private ramps, no more idiots:thumbsup:

[99fxst99]

"I looked on the windshield to the truck and it had a Naval Hospital Employee sticker on it. Nowhere else but the Government could such an idiot with a bad attitude get a job.":rolleyes:

Easy on us "Gubmint Workers" there JAX:eek:.....

Been a faithful Civil Servant for over 30 years now, all over the globe, boating for longer than that, and can back a trailer with the best of them.;) Can walk a 38' twin waterjet assault boat sideways against the tide WITHOUT the sissy joystick too!:thumbsup::D

I do understand your sentiment though:iagree::cheers:

[laglass69]

Almost all the boat ramps here in south Louisiana are built for launching 2 boats at a time, but it seems it never fails when the launch is packed with people some ahole feels he needs to take up the whole ramp to launch or backs it down crooked and take his sweet a** time doing it too. Either that or they launch and go park the truck but leave their boat blocking the ramp until they walk slowly from the back of the parking lot.

[JR IN JAX]

"I looked on the windshield to the truck and it had a Naval Hospital Employee sticker on it. Nowhere else but the Government could such an idiot with a bad attitude get a job.":rolleyes:

Easy on us "Gubmint Workers" there JAX:eek:.....

Been a faithful Civil Servant for over 30 years now, all over the globe, boating for longer than that, and can back a trailer with the best of them.;) Can walk a 38' twin waterjet assault boat sideways against the tide WITHOUT the sissy joystick too!:thumbsup::D

I do understand your sentiment though:iagree::cheers:
My beef with him was his unwillingness to move his truck. It was obvious that he was used to always getting his way with no fear of consequences. I see this mainly in Gov employees since they have no fear of being fired, just like at Fort Hood.

[99fxst99]

My beef with him was his unwillingness to move his truck. It was obvious that he was used to always getting his way with no fear of consequences. I see this mainly in Gov employees since they have no fear of being fired, just like at Fort Hood.

Yep, you're right. I had it wrong. We're a sorry bunch.:(

[2 De River]

I had a couple on a Sea Ray a couple of weeks ago pull their boat just clear the water, got out of the truck, pulled the drain plug and take towels out and start wiping the boat down on the ramp while several boats were waiting. Just about the time we started to educate the guy a Corp. of Engineer Park Ranger drove thru and didn't stop so one guy yelled his dumb ass down and another went for the boat wipers, it got real interesting from there on. Needless to say they finally decided that the boat could be cleaned further up the ramp. The dumb ass Ranger didn't do anything, we found out later they are really glorified security guards with no arrest powers. GOBERNMENT MONEY WASTED!

[QuarterHorse]

My wife drives the Jeep and trailer, in and out and puts all these guys to shame at the ramp.


+1

I gave my wife the choice with our first boat which was a 22' Cuddy I/O. I said she could do the boat work or the trailer work. She chose the trailer work and has rocked at it from the very first time she backed the trailer down the ramp. It makes it nice to have a spouse that is interested in your hobbies.

[gary slagle]

pretty much a given that a seasoned boater can launch & load in a very short time,:iagree: it's the boater that has the bad habits that pizzes me off , ramphogs, & drunks that cant stand let alone back a trailer are the worst.:icon_bs: on the lighter side,we sometimes go to our park just to watch the show ,especially when the new boaters arive at the ramp in the spring. i usually get a stomache ache from laughing :D can be a great comedy show!

[JTM]

pretty much a given that a seasoned boater can launch & load in a very short time,:iagree: it's the boater that has the bad habits that pizzes me off , ramphogs, & drunks that cant stand let alone back a trailer are the worst.:icon_bs: on the lighter side,we sometimes go to our park just to watch the show ,especially when the new boaters arive at the ramp in the spring. i usually get a stomache ache from laughing :D can be a great comedy show!
+1
It"s funny seeing them pull in and out.Tying to get the boat down the ramp.:nonod:

[njj502]

My old lady isn't the best trailer backerupper BUT she does give it the college try every time. If it's really crowded she sometimes gets flustered but she usually gets it figured out. Only a couple times have I had to go help her but my help only goes as far as the drivers window where I give encouragement and direction. You can't teach people backing a trailer when you scream at them..... :rolleyes:

[bay area]

my wife holds the rope!!!!!

[rdkvector]

my wife holds the rope!!!!!

Mine too, then she quickly moves the boat around the dock so others can launch their boats. Other people there should take the free lesson.

[Mr. Demeanor]

Easiest way to teach someone how to back a trailer:
Hold the steering wheel at the bottom. If you want the trailer to right, move your hand to the right. If you want the trailer to left, move your hand to the left.

[Sunshine1]

Easiest way to teach someone how to back a trailer:
Hold the steering wheel at the bottom. If you want the trailer to right, move your hand to the right. If you want the trailer to left, move your hand to the left.


Thank you. I will remember that because my lessons on backing the trailer are supposed to start soon. :smiletest:

[JR IN JAX]

My Wife is way too slow at backing the trailers, especially the single PWC [which is a short-coupled P.I.B.]. But she can hit the bunks straight with my Ally in a 25 knot wind and 10 knot Suwannee current. I have finally decided I will keep her [we have been married for almost 37 years].:D

[bahamatrama]

I would like to see park rangers write some tickets for cars parking in the trailer parking slots.

[flabum1017]

With the Baja i had and the Concept my buddy has, we can launch or load either boat in about a minute together or 2 minutes alone....... then get out of the way to strap/unstrap..... most "normal" boaters load/unload the supplies, ustrap/strap and load the family before they get out of the way..... they usually look like idiots doing so too. I've been know to lauch or retreive my boat in between two others at the ramp out of frustration........

[WATERWINGS]

Easiest way to teach someone how to back a trailer:
Hold the steering wheel at the bottom. If you want the trailer to right, move your hand to the right. If you want the trailer to left, move your hand to the left.

I heard my Grandfather tell my sister that......and remembered it ever since.....

I don't have a problem backing at all......(as long as I don't use the mirrors)

[Mr. Demeanor]

I was a cop in a previous life and when I was in the academy we had to drive backwards during the driving portion of the training. The country boys kicked azz but coudlnt parallel park for shiiit. :)