VTSeaRay
Active Member
- Feb 19, 2008
- 1,905
- Boat Info
- 2007 210 Select w/5.0L 260HP MPI Mercruiser Alpha 1
- Engines
- 8 cyl 5.0 Merc mpi, w/alpha 1 with 19" prop, with the speedo hole on the leading edge just above it
So, one of the ramps I've been using lately, has 2 sides, one is state owned, with 1 boat width, and a dock. The other is private, and they charge $8/day for it's use, and still 1 boat width launching, but much more extensive dock areas for queuing up boats for either direction (in/out). The State owned dock can hold 4 boats at high water, and 2 at low water. And, at low water, one of those is basically for the boat being loaded/unloaded. Well, to get to the launch area, you have to cross a private road that has an entry from/to the main highway just a hundred feet or so from the two launch areas. (private first, then state).
So, for most of the time up till near the end of last year, I have used the State owned dock/launch area, but at least a couple times last year, made me change my mind for using it much anymore.
I boated alone most of last year, which requires some extra pre-planning for launching/retrieving the boat.
So, first time, there was a lot of boats queued up in the staging area to launch. After waiting 20-30 minutes to get into the launch area, I was finally the next in line to launch.
I go to put the truck in gear, and this guy in a out of state licensed Mercedes SUV towing a 18' or so boat, comes flying by me, pulls into the launch area, and stops partly backed down to the ramp. He and his family jump out and proceed to start unloading the SUV contents into the boat. They had everything, blow up floats, fishing poles, coolers, etc. I was livid, but kept my cool, and drove my rig up next to them, rolled down my window and told them that I realized they might be new to the area and that there is a staging area - and pointed to it. The father starts yelling at me, not to get my panties all up in a wad. I told him I wasn't, but that there were some of us that had been waiting there for almost 30 minutes. I was able to work my way around him and into the water, had the boat off, and tied it off to the dock, and I look up, and he is walking down the dock to me. I'm thinking, great, this guy is going to keep this going. But, then he surprised me, and apologized... I saw his wife(?) right behind him on the dock, to make sure he did. I told him apology accepted, I just figured they were new to the launch site.
Another time, there was a fishing derby going on, and I was heading into shore. So, a guy with his 2 kids in another boat and I were waiting, and waiting, and... well, 20-30 minutes later, the dock finally cleared, so, we both went in, I tied the boat off on the ramp side, and he tied his on the other side of the doc. I ran up to get my rig in the parking lot, got it down fast as I could, and I look down, and another guy had backed his rig down to launch. So, I waited for him. And then, I was not seeing any movement, so I'm wondering what is up. I get out, and walk down to see what he's doing. He's sitting there with his arms on the bow of his boat on the ramp. Resting, looking out at the lake. I said to him, are you launching, or what? He looked at me, and said, is that your boat there? I said yes. He said I can't launch until you move it out of the way. He was like 2' in front of my boat with his boat on his trailer. I said well, if you pull forward, I can have my boat out in less than 5 minutes. He said why didn't you have your buddy take your boat out while you were getting your rig. I swear he was almost ready to start a fight. I told him, "buddy, I'm all alone". He's like "oh." and gets in his rig and pulls it up so I can get mine in the water and out. And, I was out in about 3 minutes.
Unreal. This year, I'm going to the private ramp.
VtSeaRay
So, for most of the time up till near the end of last year, I have used the State owned dock/launch area, but at least a couple times last year, made me change my mind for using it much anymore.
I boated alone most of last year, which requires some extra pre-planning for launching/retrieving the boat.
So, first time, there was a lot of boats queued up in the staging area to launch. After waiting 20-30 minutes to get into the launch area, I was finally the next in line to launch.
I go to put the truck in gear, and this guy in a out of state licensed Mercedes SUV towing a 18' or so boat, comes flying by me, pulls into the launch area, and stops partly backed down to the ramp. He and his family jump out and proceed to start unloading the SUV contents into the boat. They had everything, blow up floats, fishing poles, coolers, etc. I was livid, but kept my cool, and drove my rig up next to them, rolled down my window and told them that I realized they might be new to the area and that there is a staging area - and pointed to it. The father starts yelling at me, not to get my panties all up in a wad. I told him I wasn't, but that there were some of us that had been waiting there for almost 30 minutes. I was able to work my way around him and into the water, had the boat off, and tied it off to the dock, and I look up, and he is walking down the dock to me. I'm thinking, great, this guy is going to keep this going. But, then he surprised me, and apologized... I saw his wife(?) right behind him on the dock, to make sure he did. I told him apology accepted, I just figured they were new to the launch site.
Another time, there was a fishing derby going on, and I was heading into shore. So, a guy with his 2 kids in another boat and I were waiting, and waiting, and... well, 20-30 minutes later, the dock finally cleared, so, we both went in, I tied the boat off on the ramp side, and he tied his on the other side of the doc. I ran up to get my rig in the parking lot, got it down fast as I could, and I look down, and another guy had backed his rig down to launch. So, I waited for him. And then, I was not seeing any movement, so I'm wondering what is up. I get out, and walk down to see what he's doing. He's sitting there with his arms on the bow of his boat on the ramp. Resting, looking out at the lake. I said to him, are you launching, or what? He looked at me, and said, is that your boat there? I said yes. He said I can't launch until you move it out of the way. He was like 2' in front of my boat with his boat on his trailer. I said well, if you pull forward, I can have my boat out in less than 5 minutes. He said why didn't you have your buddy take your boat out while you were getting your rig. I swear he was almost ready to start a fight. I told him, "buddy, I'm all alone". He's like "oh." and gets in his rig and pulls it up so I can get mine in the water and out. And, I was out in about 3 minutes.
Unreal. This year, I'm going to the private ramp.
VtSeaRay
