Clink, clank, bang, thunk, the sounds of late spring.

[NYlakesider]

Clink, clank, bang, thunk, the sounds of late spring.

Was working on my beach late yesterday afternoon and I heard a lot of those noises. It is the annual migration of people going down the road to the free boat launch site towing their trailers.

So far this morning I also hear the same noises go by my house. It's a nice site maintained by the county, I have used it often. I prefer to launch in the middle of the week without having to put up with other people launching their boats, many/most of which do not have a clue.

We are a big lake (125 miles of shoreline) and I see some very large boats at time (40' and up) + just ordinary 18' to 24'—28'. I kind of have a rule about boats being launched. The smaller the boat and the more people "helping" the more time it will take and much bigger problems that operation will have.

Sail boats are in a special class, most of the blow boat people do not have a clue or refuse to buy one on on what to do or etiquette at a launch. Most time people are on their own the country does not oversee launches, retrievals much, they just clean up the area, cut grass ETC.

Over the years I have seen almost fights, to roll around on the ground fights to my best guess a few divorces. We get people up here that have lake property and most of us put in in spring and pull out in mid September. We also get a lot of day trippers and the launch can easily park if people do it right 50 tow vehicles and trailers and still not obstruct the actual launch area.

During the summer the best show on the lake is to bring a cooler, some food a couple lawn chairs and enjoy all that free entertainment. Saturday's from about 10 till 4.30 are prime people watching times. At the end of the season late August early Sept Sundays from 1 till 530 are prime times to sit and enjoy the show.

 

[billwill]

NYlakesider....you have that right. Lawn chair and a cooler at the boat ramp is the best show in town!

Absolutely amazing. It would be hard to produce a TV program better than the free show at the ramp. Love the shouts of put it in park or brake, brake!

 

[Nevada Ed]

There is noting like a front seat at a busy boat ramp around 4:30 pm and getting later by the minute !!

There are many Florida bars with a ramp next to them that
have porches with seats and benches or even a huge glass window
so the people inside can watch if they are so inclined.

"Hold my beer and watch this ........."

 

[moosedog]

My friend and I do that quit often off Lake Huron area where he lives. We've come to believe we can predict how people vote by the way they launch their boats.

 

[shouldazagged]

My late wife and I sometimes watched a boat ramp on the Ohio. One evening near dusk we watched a party of drunks almost completely sink the pickup truck attached to their boat trailer. Slipped out of gear and rolled back into the river. One of the drunks was barely able to jump into the cab and hit the brakes before it went under.

The ensuing language was vile and hilarious. The applause from the onlookers served to increase it--can't think why.

Fortunately my dear Carol was no more shockable than I, and we laughed our butts off.

 

[rburg]

About 12 years ago we booked a ride on the Mississippi Queen. The event in town that year was what they called "Tall Stacks". A congregation of steam boats from along the Ohio River. Well, the Gawds weren't smiling and the river came up. Don't know why anyone was surprised, it does that all the time. But the event was supposed to be held along the river front in town but with the high water, there wasn't enough place along the public landing. So the big river boats compromised. They moved up river a few miles to Schmidt Field, another city owned ramp. Plenty of room there and huge old cottonwood trees to tie off from. It did take us out of town for the evening, but the staff declared free champagne to compensate. A fair trade.

So we were out on our private balcony. The bed was maybe 10 feet away so I didn't have far to drive. Might as well get toasted. Then the show started. A couple with a nice boat, maybe 27 or so feet and I don't remember the brand, but with the big 4wd pulling it, I'd guess the cost well over $100,000, maybe more. The boaters were good little kids and each took their turn. Some took more than one turn because they were idiots. And then it was the nice couples turn. He pulled down, swung around and tried to hit the ramp. No luck and he tried again and again. Sometimes those waiting get annoyed, but the guy was such a fool everyone was watching. Then wifey got mad. She got in the drivers seat and was a real pro. Its fun to watch someone who knows what she's doing. Perfect placement into the water next to the dock. Hubby then tries to get on the boat, slips and falls in. Lots of laughter. He finally unhooks the winch line and the boat tries to float away. Another boater standing on the dock came up with a line and lassoed the front cleat. The wife/driver pulled the truck and trailer out and parked it like a champ. My wife was even a bit upset when I asked where you find a girl like that.

It was pretty clear she was the boater and had been doing it long before he ever hit the scene.

As much fun as watching the ramps, sitting on a boat dock with a cold one can be just as much fun. Nearly all the new boaters don't have a clue how to steer and handle a boat. Lots of damage (mostly minor) and scratches. One show was so good, I didn't know if the guy was ever going to dock his boat. The guy that owned the harbor didn't have time to give that much personal attention to every misfit. So he yelled over at me asking if I was going to help or just drink beer. I looked and my bottle was still over half full, so I yelled back I'm drinking beer. He almost fell off the gangway laughing.

Rivers present a much bigger problem than a calm lake. Many boaters are better off paying to have somone else launch and recover their boat. Its just like cutting your grass or paying someone so you can look like a pro.

 

[loknload]

Yes I remember my boating days as well and it all started with a $500. Special just to take my son fishing.
Watched many an episode of Let's Go Boating!

 

[Tyrod]

I must admit I'm quite spas trying to back up a trailer. I don't even try anymore, especially when I'm married to a pro. Never owned a hole in the water into which you pour money, but I've had plenty of horses and horse and stock trailers. I do the highway driving, she does all the parking duties. I don't even see the folks laughing and pointing fingers.

 

[wingriderz]

Spent a lot of time on the water . My rule of thumb was always have every thing ready to go coming in ramp or going out . Really should take no more than 5 minutes with ramp in out and clear the ramp

 

[LMWIS]

I built my own boat launch to avoid just this issue.

Of course it's not because I'm so amazing, rather it's because the world doesn't have the kind of time it would take for me to actually launch a boat. I usually just ask my wife to do it.

As Mr. Eastwood said; 'A mans got to know his limitations.'

 

[NYlakesider]

Spent a lot of time on the water . My rule of thumb was always have every thing ready to go coming in ramp or going out . Really should take no more than 5 minutes with ramp in out and clear the ramp

We have it down to a science, normally under 3 minuets. That is my sons and me. One son has his own boat now (30'). Just the two of us can do both on & offs. He helps me with my boat I help him with his!

Our SOP is to start the boat on the trailer after its 7 month sleep. Put on the muffs for cooling water and get all the fogging out of the engine AND PUT IN THE DRAIN PLUG. (very important).

Drive down to the launch take off stern tie downs. When out turn back down to the water, stop with trailer in water. The car driver unhooks the bow tie down &winch line. Then backs up the remaining distance a bit fast hits the breaks and that puts the boat out in the water. The boat driver then lowers the out drive , starts motor and heads out and the car driver as soon as the boat starts heads back to our property. Short Sweet and fast!

Picking back up almost as fast. Truck driver puts the trailer in the water, the boat driver lines up raises the out drive high enough to protect it and still be able to move the boat. Give it enough gas and the bow of the boat goes right up to the stop. Jump out of boat, engage the winch line and at that point the truck driver gets us off the launch to the staging area. Put the rest of the tie downs in place, pull the drain plug and take boat & trailer home.

 

[TX-Dennis]

I remember being at the lake once as a kid of about 12 watching a small town bass club begin launching boats for a tournament. Launching the boat was always a bit of a circus for my family. Something - sometimes everything - would always go wrong. These fellows, though, had it down to an art.

One pair would back theirs into the water, back the boat off the trailer, and pull away just in time for the next group. It was like clockwork, and was something to behold. Not once did anyone in their group slow down. No one even got wet. I was fascinated and somewhat awed by their performance. I think my mouth was hanging open by the time the last pickup pulled the last empty trailer back up the ramp to the parking area.

I had never seen anything like it before, and I've never seen anything like it since.

I don't know if local bass clubs even still exist, but every city and town of any size had at least one in those days. My family were briefly members of one, and that club never accomplished anything so majestic. Our members were mostly just a bunch of old drunks who also liked to fish a little.

To this day, more than forty years later, I still think of the small west Texas town of Andrews fondly after witnessing what their bass club was capable of. I don't know how many fish they caught, but they were artists with pickups and boat trailers.