MINK

It's fair to say I about came un-glued this past Sunday while about to load my boat back up for the day. I was fortunate enough to watch helpless as a guy in a 19ft Rinker proceeded to make an attempt at running over my already backed into the water trailer (I have a 22ft boat so you get the picture how close to shore this guy is at this point). Thankfully I had a close friend driving my truck that day who helped protect the trailer by pushing the boat off. The gentleman procceded to bounce his boat under throttle off the dock followed by accelerating the boat as soon as he got his bearings (realitively) out of the very crowded no wake zone. You can believe a few other boaters and I had some words for him as he was making his escape. Looking back the worst part was the fact of my close friend doing what he could to protect my trailer, the boat driver clearly didnt know what he was doing and could of very well hurt my friend. From now on, no matter what, I plan to make sure everyone knows that safety comes before my equipment because in this case, things could of gone way worse.

CraneHillFast

I just thought of another funny one. To me its not the inexperienced people that make me mad, they just make me laugh, its the ones that are just oblivious to common courtesy, common sense and think they are the only ones on the ramp that really get under my skin.

Anyway this happened a few weeks ago, from my house I can see the ramp pretty good. I was out on the back deck grillin something with the friends and kept hearing the boat rev up over and over and over again. Finally it got to the point of irritating because it kept getting closer and closer. I finally walked around the corner to see what the racket was all about. It was a brand new Tahoe bow rider that had his trim in trailer position giving it all the throttles got until the prop finally catches and stands the boat straight up. Then he would let off the throttle and the boat would settle back down. He had his whole family on the bow trying to level the boat out. Needless to say, about 5 minutes later the boat was getting towed in. Im sure he fried a few things on that boat.

The story went from "what the hell" to holy cow this is comical for about another 5 minutes.

s022mag

The only thing that bugs me is when people dont use the courtesy docks for you to tie your boat up at while you park your rig or go get. Instead they just leave the boat on the dock blocking the lane, so I'll you can do is back in partially but wait for them to move.

My gf is not comfortable loading our boat or backing the trailer, she'll park it with a empty parking lot but that's about it. I don't get upset with her either I understand it can be difficult especially with people looking. That's why I use the courtesy docks, and if there aren't any then I plan to go with someone who can help or do a early departure when it's not crowded. People are going to make mistakes and forget things, god knows we've all done it. I try to just laugh at it, getting upset is the whole thing I try to avoid when I go boating.

Perlmudder

I do not mind waiting for people who are having trouble loading or unloading their boat, it takes a lot of practice to do it quickly and efficiently. I do get angry when people either pull onto the ramp, then proceed to load the boat and get it ready when there is a staging area for that precise activity. Or when someone pulls their boat, then stops at the top of the ramp to get it packed up to leave, when there is an entire parking lot where you can take as long as you want to get your stuff ready for the ride home. It seems to me that common courtesy, and common sense lack in a vast amount of people.

going bigger

where i launch, there is 4 spaces to do so. however, only the two outer ones can handle a boat over 20'. Its frustrating when i go to launch and some douche has his jet ski tied up to the longer dock and there is no one in sight.....anywhere.

My wife, son and I launch the boat usually with no problems. I always remember to just relax. If the boat bumps the dock, i am just glad there wasnt a foot in the way that coulda been broken. Calm and cool = good times.

Nightlife1970

Had one a couple years ago. We were in South Haven and there had to be 6 boats in line waiting to get to the launch, I was second in line at the time after waiting about 20 min. Few people were slow, or could not back up a trailer as it's kind of a funky ramp anyway. The this douch from Illinois pulls rght around everyone in line pulls up and blocks all the lanes so no one can pull a boat out or in. Gets out and starts undoing his cover. Man I was the 3rd guy to jump on this clowns ass.

He starts mouthing off to the 3 of us who are tellig him to pull his crap back around and get in line. His says I don't see any line I just pulled right up. By this time there are a few more people jumping in to chew on this guy. One guy says how could you miss the line you drove right by everyone. At this point the guy is telling everyone to F' off he is not moving. Thankfully a DNR guy was sitting at one of the docks checking a guy catch and noticed the gathering, because I think the guy was about to get his butt kicked. DNR told him to leave, not get in line but pack is crap up and leave.

soldier4402

Everybody has hang ups and as long as you are trying to move things along Im fine with it. But the people that sit in one spot either pre launch, launch or post launch, just clogging things up. On a busy day its not the time to do a ful wipe down and wax after pulling it out, get out of the way.

sommerfliesby

A few years back, when we had a slip in the marina, it had a decent view of the ramp. We would come in on Sunday night, put the boat up on the lift, and order a pizza to the dock and watch the fun.

One particularly crowded evening, a guy came in with a completely ratted-out 24 or 25 foot cabin cruiser...and went to pull it out with an equally-ratted-out front wheel drive minivan. He would get JUUUUST about out of the water, and the boat would be too heavy, his tires would spin, and he'd slide back down. This happened no less than 5 times...meanwhile, his kids (all 10 years old or younger from the looks of it), are running around on the ramp. He almost backs over one kid when he slams the boat in reverse and backs down to try again. People are watching and very concerned, but this guy is out of his head. He yells at anyone that offers to help, yells at his wife and kids to get in the van, then gives it one last heroic effort. As soon as the boat is high and heavy enough, his tires break loose...but this time, he's not giving up. He stays in it and puts his foot on the floor. The boat INCHES forward as the entire launch ramp area is rapidly enveloped in a cloud of smoke from the burning rubber. It takes him a good 3 minutes of smoking the tires to make it to the top of the ramp, and when he finally does, a cheer erupts from the entire marina. It was awesome.

ICDEDPPL

UGH I know them douches from Illinois, wtf!!!

Eliminated572

Us Illinois douch boaters Seriously what I have ran into the most around here is tieing up to the ramp....really pisses me off. Happens every time we go out. I can understand if a guy was by himself or just with his kids or wife but what really f**k'n gets me is when the captain of the boat ties off blocking a ramp when walking to get his rig while 3 other couples in the boat are hanging out partying, music up....You cant tell me one f**k'n person in that boat cant back down a trailer so the captain could drop off like the rest of us???? I can understand newbie's, wives, kids, but I see this way too often. Not shy at all about saying anything either. I should dress up as a ranger next time and take all their beer!

THINK THEY WERE ALL FROM MICHIGAN?!? LOL