At My Local Boat Launch

[Jimbo357mag]

This happened at the local ramp the other day and with all the cold and snow going on I thought you'all might enjoy a problem a jet ski guy had while launching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbysZ-lUQ40
I used to fish with my son a lot off the docks there where the camera is set up. It was always entertaining watching the ramp when the fish weren't biting.
The Miami Boat Ramps channel has hundreds of great videos.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Almost as much fun as watching a first-timer try to back a boat/trailer down the ramp. :lol:

 

[nekvermont]

That was fun. I enjoyed the commentator.

 

[Fox Mike]

And where is the boat that he set out to launch? It sure wasn't on the trailer.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

And where is the boat that he set out to launch? It sure wasn't on the trailer.

At the beginning of the video you can see the Jet Ski tied to the end of the dock. I don't know what happened to it after that. I expected them to load it up but it didn't show that.

 

[kmoore]

About 25 years of boat ownership of 1 kind or another and 9 years of marine patrol I wish I had a camera at every ramp. This story is the funniest I seen. 3 guys come up to the ramp and dock a 14ft car topper style boat. That was ok, then 2 go to get the car and trailer. Stopped across the ramp at the top. 1 guy unhooks the trailer as the car driver positions the car to back down. Guy holding trailer walks it down the ramp and the trailer picks up speed, the guy squats down holding onto the trailer. His feet are planted and the trailer just drags him faster and faster to the water. Trailer hits the water and slows down fast, the guy flips over the trailer winch and into the water. The car is still backing down, Guy in water stands up still holding trailer that is trying to float away. Driver gets out and into the water. They get the trailer hooked up and the 3rd guy guides the boat over near the trailer. The 2 guys in the water are soaked and now waist deep in water guide the boat into the trailer. They pile into the car as cheers are shouted from the boats awaiting to trailer.

 

[Colonialgirl]

When I lived in SoCal and had a 14 ft runabout, it use ALWAYS be amusing to watch 4 or 5 guys trying to load a boat onto the trailer; They would be there when I pulled into the dock, STill there when I went got my auto/trailer and backed down to the water and I would be finished washing my boat down and ready to head home when they FINALLY pulled up to the wash station 10-15 minutes later.

 

[Watchman]

About 25 years of boat ownership of 1 kind or another and 9 years of marine patrol I wish I had a camera at every ramp. This story is the funniest I seen. 3 guys come up to the ramp and dock a 14ft car topper style boat. That was ok, then 2 go to get the car and trailer. Stopped across the ramp at the top. 1 guy unhooks the trailer as the car driver positions the car to back down. Guy holding trailer walks it down the ramp and the trailer picks up speed, the guy squats down holding onto the trailer. His feet are planted and the trailer just drags him faster and faster to the water. Trailer hits the water and slows down fast, the guy flips over the trailer winch and into the water. The car is still backing down, Guy in water stands up still holding trailer that is trying to float away. Driver gets out and into the water. They get the trailer hooked up and the 3rd guy guides the boat over near the trailer. The 2 guys in the water are soaked and now waist deep in water guide the boat into the trailer. They pile into the car as cheers are shouted from the boats awaiting to trailer.

Willamette Park, or Chinook Landing? :lol:
Just guessing.

 

[Dan in MI]

Years ago I ate lunch at the boat launch quite frequently. One day I arrived and two guys were there with the truck on the ramp and the boat floating. For there next hour there was a lot of activity in the truck and boat, but I had to get back to work. To this day I don’t know if they were launching or retrieving that boat.

 

[Watchman]

I remember years ago, a couple of my friends and I went for a sail on the Willamette River in Portland, and became becalmed.
We finally resorted to paddling our cumbersome vessel back to the boat ramp, and were worried about the spectacle we presented and being laughed at by all the cute sunbathing girls we knew on the beach. We didn't need to worry, as it turned out.

As we approached the ramp, we noticed the odd sight of two four wheel drive trucks, chained end to end, backed down to the bottom of the boat ramp. As we watched, with wheels spinning, the trucks slowly began inching up the ramp. Turns out they were chained to another truck, which slowly emerged from beneath the surface of the river. It seems the owner had been showing off, doing burnouts from the bottom of the ramp with his wheels in the water so they would spin easier, and had killed the motor when he dumped the clutch. Apparently he panicked as the vehicle rolled backwards into the river, and abandoned his truck instead of applying the brakes.

Needless to say, they were the center of everyone's attention. We quietly tied up, got the trailer, and went home without being noticed.

 

[squawberryman]

Before the cruise lines took over ALL the space in Port Canaveral (Cocoa Beach) there was a public, two slot ramp next to a popular outdoor restaurant that had an outdoor deck right next to the ramp. The follies at the end of the day were priceless. Men (drunk) yelling at their wives about backing the trailer, forgetting the parking brake, put it in park, you name it. It was cheap entertainment.

 

[graygun]

Looks like Black Point Marina.

Alfred Montaner has a YT channel of vids from there.

One noob there put about 5 fenders on the starboard side of his new rig and tried launching but drove off after many attempts. He had it close enough once or so but it never got wet.

not Black Point Marina

 

[Cholo]

In the early 80's I would launch my bass boat at a popular ramp with a dock. I was floating and waiting on something, maybe to move my truck off the ramp. A guy launched a jon boat with a really nice mid 60's red Ford F100. His truck started slowly rolling down the ramp. The driver's door was still open and some jerk was standing right there and didn't jump in and hit the brakes. We all just watched his truck float for awhile and slowly go under.

I wondered how they got it out, but I had fish to catch. About 3 hours later I saw it go by on a wrecker. What a job that must have been because the water was deep at the ramp.

I still can't believe that clown didn't jump into the truck and hit the brakes.

PS: The guy I sold that bass boat to fished a really deep lake in N. GA. He said a guy's truck went off the ramp at night and the headlights were still shining upwards in 100' or so of water :shock:

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

Sounds like a sign saying. "will launch your boat $25.00", could be a good summer gig.... and save a lot of time for the other fisherman...

 

[protoolman]

Buddy with a wrecker called me once to go get a pickup out of Canyon ferry over by Helena MT. My job was to dive in zero visibility, find the truck, and attach the tow cable. I did it. It did take me a while to find the truck. It was out farther than I expected an about 15 feet to the side of where it actually rolled in. Apparently floated an drifted a bit more than we realized. The pickup was dried out with fans and they got it running within a week. Always wondered if they had any long term problems after that?

 

[Jeepnik]

Sounds like a sign saying. "will launch your boat $25.00", could be a good summer gig.... and save a lot of time for the other fisherman...

The last big drought most of our lakes were very low. At one there was a makeshift mud ramp below where the cement ramp ended. Needless to say quite a few folks would get stuck trying to pull their boats out. At one this low life was charging several hundred dollars to pull rigs out. He was taking advantage of families that really couldn't afford it.

I set up with my Jeep and pulled almost a dozen out free. It really irritated the low life to the point he made threatening noises about my taking "his" money. Me being me I just told him I"d be back the next day. I heard later he move on.

 

[contender]

I too can relate to "boat ramp stories." I was raised on a lake,, grew up in a boat & fishing. Later, going SCUBA diving. I too can tell many funny stories.

But I'll relate just (2) stories.

We went to a popular lake to dive. We were in a van owned by my friend & fellow instructor. My first wife,, as well as our 3 yr old son went along. The van was parked alongside the dock, at the bottom of a ramp. We were diving,, and it started to rain. My wife was putting stuff up inside the van,, when my 3 yr old jumped into the drivers seat & said to his mom; "I'll help mom,, I'll drive" as he proceeded to grab the shift lever and pull on it. Yep, reverse was the first gear,, and the van was parked facing uphill.
Imagine our surprise as we returned to the ramp, while still underwater to find ourselves face to face with our van. A wrecker,, , then a lowboy trailer, a drive home,, and several days of drying out & replacing fluids in the van. It ran just fine for several years afterwards.
And no,, we don't let my son forget that one.

Second story.
Here at Lake Lure,, about 1981 or 1982,, Across the street from where I was working was the public ramp. A man had just bought his first boat,, and was taking his wife & (2) daughters out for their first boat ride. While I didn't get to watch it,, apparently he had MANY issues trying to launch the boat. He jack-knifed the trailer off the side of the ramp, finally getting it in the lake.
They all climbed aboard after he'd parked. Wife & kids,, life jackets. Dad didn't. Cranked the boat,, an inboard/outboard motor. After a bit,, idling out of the bay area,, the boat suddenly caught fire. He didn't know to turn on the blower. They all jumped in the lake,, in mostly shallow water. Wife & kids were fine. About 35 minutes after the alarm was sounded,, I recovered the Dad's body in 8 ft of water. He was 33 yrs old. Sadly,, if he'd been about 20 ft to either side of where it went down,, he could have walked out of the shallow water. Or if he'd just been wearing his life jacket. He was wearing jeans, T-shirt, and tennis shoes.

Not all boat ramp stories are funny. And his body was one of (2) I recovered as a diver over the years that involved launching or trailering a boat.

Use my story as a way to warn others to BE CAREFUL when launching or trailering a boat.

 

[kmoore]

The ramp in my story was the Sauvie Island Gilbert ramp. The 3 men were middle aged, maybe Cambodian and all in the 100- 120 lb range. But the top 3 fun places to watch in the metro were Willamette Park, Chinook landing and 33th street ramp on Marine drive.
Over here in Idaho things are not much better just fewer. Worst was I had tied up my boat on left side of dock ramp and was walking to get truck, next guy coming in thankfully choose the right side. Behind me I heard him add hard, maybe full throttle and then a crash. Turned to see a tri hull half lying on the dock, he powered up full throttle and backed off. If I had been standing next to my boat he would have hit me.

 

[WendyZXZ]

That was pretty good, thanks for sharing!

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

I was on a job that required a lot of backing up with an ATV and firewood trailer... The employers wife commented on, "how did I get so proficient at backing up a trailer?)... My answer was simple... I said, "well... I've been going backwards most my life"..... :roll:

I spend so much time backing up wood trailers, boat trailers, etc, in the summer that I invariably start to turn the wrong way until I remember that I have no trailer behind me...
That can be as embarrassing as turning the wrong way with a trailer!!

ciao y'all

 

[Aqualung]

On the last trip (or maybe the one before that) to Canada I made with my boat (14' open-hull w/9.9hp...a super-budget bass boat), I will admit I launched it without the plug. Thank goodness I saw it quickly and got the plug out of storage before the whole stern filled up...and then, thank goodness for the bilge pump.

----------------------------------

Prior to that, and many years ago, we had a 16' 1959 Whirlwind with a 70s-era 40hp Johnson motor on it we used for bay fishing. We were launching the boat down at Cherrystone on Chesapeake Bay. There was a post with a sign at the edge of the ramp that said "Ramp Ends Here".

I was pushing the boat off the trailer and walking along the trailer rails (well-greased, as the trailer wasn't galvanized and Dad mush have had stock in Valvoline...since he rustproofed the trailer by slathering wheel bearing grease all over it with a paint brush). I was dead-even with the sign when I jumped off the trailer thinking "there must be a couple inches past the sign".

When I came to the surface, Dad was holding his sides, tears running down his face and laughing so hard. Not only did the ramp end RIGHT FREAKING THERE, but it dropped off about 30'...I was nowhere near the bottom when I went fully underwater...

Dad said that he was looking down and tying up the winch line when he heard a bit of a splashy "SPLASHOOOOOP!" and when he looked up, all that was there was my ball cap, floating on the surface...

Aqualung