Boat ramp comedy

[Gerry]

Why pay $100 to see a live comedy show when you can have as much (or more) fun just sitting at a boat ramp for an hour or so. Have a look at these clips:

 

 

[vince.bornais]

You should see the idiots @ the Tiffin Boat launch here in Barrie on a weekend. It's hard to believe that there are that many clueless people in the world. I have seen stuff that would make you laugh your arse off and stuff that would make you wonder why some people are still alive.

[fish_fishburn]

Instead of sitting there laughing my ass off, I usually go and ask if they need assistance. Usually there new to the hole deal and have no idea what there doing. And there in the way and I want to go fishing

[vince.bornais]

I've helped them out @ times as well. After awhile it just becomes sad to watch. Sometimes they won't take the help though. And, I believe that if you are new to the whole deal, than you should really try to 'learn' at a time that is less busy, maybe take a day off during the week. A busy,hot summer weekend is not the time to 'learn', when there are line-ups of people trying to get in and out. If more people knew what they were doing, this launch in particular would run alot smoother. You should see it in the fall when it is just fisherman.

[lookinforwalleye]

You should see the idiots @ the Tiffin Boat launch here in Barrie on a weekend. It's hard to believe that there are that many clueless people in the world. I have seen stuff that would make you laugh your arse off and stuff that would make you wonder why some people are still alive.

 

 

Lots of fun laughing at the newbie boat owner,cut the idiots as you call them some slack.

The first few times I launched my boat were not as smooth as I would have liked but hey it takes a little practice we can`t be perfect like you right off the bat!!!

[Basskicker]

Speaking of boat launch comedies....I've experienced my own!!!

 

I usually go fishing with my good buddy and we have our launching routine, I sit in the boat and he backs down the ramp and goes to park the van and empty trailer.

 

I usually sit there and idle the boat and wait for him to come back and off we go.

Will this morning was different...we launched...he left to go park and I had to take a number #2 in the port-a-bote next to the launch and couldn't wait for him to come back.

 

So I QUICKLY tied up the boat and QUICKLY ran to the washroom...it was an emergency at this point!!! So I'm sitting there in the washroom taking care of business when I hear him yelling....the boat!!!...the boat!!!

 

So I'm thinking to myself that the boat had come untied at the dock and was drifting out in the lake....nope...in my rush to take care of business I forgot to put THE PLUG in the boat and it was sinking FAST!!!

 

Thank God my buddy was there or it would have sunk to the bottom of the lake....there was a TON of water in the boat but we managed to get the plug back in and use the bilge and drive very fast out into the lake while pulling the plug back out to drain the rest of the water!!!

 

I never take the boat plug out exempt for winter storage...but it had rained LOTS during the week so I decided to pull the plug to drain the water while it was sitting in my driveway and forgot to put it back in!!!

 

 

I'm sure there have been a few of us with accidents at the boat launch over the years. Let's hear some.....

 

Jason

[Gerry]

Whenever I'm asked for advise by a newbie (and yes, I was one once too) I always say that before taking the boat to the ramp for the first time, they should go to a ramp with the sole purpose of observing. I also say that it if you have an experienced partner it should take less than 1 minute to launch and less than 3 minutes to pull out. I stress that it's important to not impede others from using the ramp if you are not yet ready and to vacate the ramp as soon as possible. If you don't have an experienced partner then take the time to teach that person some of the basics of backing up and/or in handling the boat.

 

I agree with the other poster in offering assistance to those who are new to the game, but I do so mostly in educating them (in a polite way) about 'ramp ethics'. Sometimes it's maddening to put up with people who don't care to learn, it's also quite humorous at other times.

Edited May 12, 2010 by Gerry

[fish_fishburn]

Or the knob that pulls his boat 10 ft up the ramp and gets out of his suv and starts unloading the boat into his suv when theres boats lined up waiting to put in. There the ones I have no patience for and will immediately ask them to politely move there boat. Some do move and others won't.

[POLLIWOGG]

I provided some comic relief at the ramp the other day when I fell of the boat. Water was deeper than I thought.

[kickingfrog]

Water was deeper than I thought.

 

Betcha it was colder to.

[fish_fishburn]

Been doing it 25 yrs and still provide comic relief, ie leaving the straps on once in awhile.

[fish-miester]

haha

Edited May 12, 2010 by fish-meister

[fish-miester]

haha yup that was me.. normally me and one of my buddies go.. one in the truck one in the boat kinda deal and tag team the launch..back the boat off and park the truck.. well this morning I went solo for an hour or two.. and there was no dock.. launched fine..plopped the ancor on shore..parked the truck etc.. then on the way out..I backed the trailer down to put the boat on.. pulled the boat over the the trailer.. and it got hung up on one of my pvc pipe guide/poles.. no one was waiting but there were a few people watching.. I really didnt mind.. so I tossed the shoes off and walked into the water.. wich was surprisingly not that cold.. pulled the boat half way up the trailer and went on with my regular buisness.. the trick is.. keep a straight face and always make it look like you know what your doing

[DanD]

Speaking of trailer straps, being left on; we pulled that stunt.

My buddy’s boat, first time at this launch and we’re thinking it must be a real shallow ramp.

He kept backing in, waiting for the tops of the fenders to under water; then we realized that we were floating the trailer. LOL

 

Dan.

[skeeter]

with 2 people doing it, it is a piece of filet...

it takes tracker and I about 30 seconds to launch and the same to load.

even faster when we use my golf cart instead of the van...

 

and no thats not a typo..

my golf cart pulls the boat out of the water no problem....

 

Dann

[DRIFTER_016]

with 2 people doing it, it is a piece of filet...

it takes tracker and I about 30 seconds to launch and the same to load.

even faster when we use my golf cart instead of the van...

 

 

 

Dann

 

Yep, doesn't take long if you have 2 people that know what they're doing.

 

I launch solo now and it's about a minute to launch and 2 to recover.

[fish-miester]

Yep, doesn't take long if you have 2 people that know what they're doing.

 

I launch solo now and it's about a minute to launch and 2 to recover.

 

key word "recover"

[purekgw]

i will soon have a trailer hitch on my truck and be pulling a small tiny i will be one of those idiots probably, but i am going to a ramp on a week day after work to practice some backing up.

[fish-miester]

i will soon have a trailer hitch on my truck and be pulling a small tiny i will be one of those idiots probably, but i am going to a ramp on a week day after work to practice some backing up.

 

good call! practice makes perfect!

next tip would be Go slow. and everything will be A-oh-kay

[POLLIWOGG]

When you get lots of people waiting you get careless trying to hurry. I missed seeing some guys drop a Trojan on the ramp, that would have been something to see. I don't remember if they had to get a crane in to lift it or not.

[IndySKS]

Nothing like sitting on the boat just off shore on a long weekend watching the show !

 

One of my last outings last fall there was only one ramp to use for both in and out, usually there is two. So the guy in front of me is pulling out,we both arrived at the same time but being courteous i let him go first. It was him and his wife and they had a small boat...no big deal right. Well this guy couldn't back up for the life of him, he tried and tried and tried, though this the wife is standing on the dock holding the boat, she was trying to give directions and was doing a good job of it, however no matter what she said he had to stop open the door and ask her to repeat herself, this went on for a good 5-8 minutes, the guy waiting behind me came over and needless to say we were a bit unhappy. Finally he gives up and unhooks the trailer and backs it in by had to in front of the boat, he set the tongue down on the ramp and turned to go get the truck....wait for it ...here it comes....yup you guessed it the trailer rolls into the lake...something to do with gravity i think. Well me and the other guy are busting out selves laughing....did i mention 2 more boats are waiting to come out and one other also trying to get in ? Well he waded in and got the trailer and pulled it out and hooked up, now to back up a bit more...you guessed it the trailer hit the dock..ok pull ahead...back up...bad move, the show starts all over. Finally he gets it in and after another 5 min or so he gets it alllllmost on the trailer and decides to pull out with the boat still back about a foot. He pulled out of the dock and i proceeded to back in, now for the next show.

 

There is two boats waiting to come out and one is tying up to the dock just too close for me to launch, I backed up to the edge of the water while mr pleasure boater is unloading 4 kids and a wife, i asked nicely for him to back up a few feet so i could get in. I was informed he was next....well a small discussion happened and i showed him the sign stating to alternate. Not interested... him and the kids were going to get the car and trailer. A couple other relatively heated people turned their attention to him, i went to the wife and low and behold she had some sense of reasoning and backed up. I backed in and launched, (did mention i do this alone), parked the truck and jumped on the boat, dropped the trolling motor and was gone. Well still no sign of mr pleasure boater so in backs the next guy, off loads and is parked before our friend comes back with his car and trailer.

 

I know we could have helped the guy....but it was just too dam funny.

Ever trip out it's a new show.

[IndySKS]

ok one more...not really a dock story but still funny.

 

 

It was my last trip out to the lake last fall, there is a small sailing club on the one side. The place is pretty well abandoned since the water levels were being lowered and it was cool and windy out. Well trolling along the sailing club side with my electric, i notice a trailer backing in to pull out one of the last few sail boats, few minutes later and older guy paddling comes out of the cove on his 15 or 16 foot small sail boat, no sail no motor just a paddle. Well the wind catches him and out to sea he goes, the poor guy paddled for all he was worth but tired out and lost all ground he had gained, he was just about to panic as i noticed what was going on, I waved to him that i was coming to help. So over i go on the electric and meet up. The guy is just about exhausted, well i got his bow rope and tied it off to my boat at the back, we started filtered try again please chatting as i sat in my chair at the bow, i had the electric on fairly low but we were moving. After about 3 minutes he asks me if im going to tow him in or just sit here. I took me a good couple minutes to explain how we were moving,he just couldn't understand it cause my gas motor was out of the water, i even went as far as turning the boat and showing him the electric motor.....he had never seen anything like that. The story ended happily with me landing him right on his trailer.

[DRIFTER_016]

ok one more...not really a dock story but still funny.

 

 

It was my last trip out to the lake last fall, there is a small sailing club on the one side. The place is pretty well abandoned since the water levels were being lowered and it was cool and windy out. Well trolling along the sailing club side with my electric, i notice a trailer backing in to pull out one of the last few sail boats, few minutes later and older guy paddling comes out of the cove on his 15 or 16 foot small sail boat, no sail no motor just a paddle. Well the wind catches him and out to sea he goes, the poor guy paddled for all he was worth but tired out and lost all ground he had gained, he was just about to panic as i noticed what was going on, I waved to him that i was coming to help. So over i go on the electric and meet up. The guy is just about exhausted, well i got his bow rope and tied it off to my boat at the back, we started filtered try again please chatting as i sat in my chair at the bow, i had the electric on fairly low but we were moving. After about 3 minutes he asks me if im going to tow him in or just sit here. I took me a good couple minutes to explain how we were moving,he just couldn't understand it cause my gas motor was out of the water, i even went as far as turning the boat and showing him the electric motor.....he had never seen anything like that. The story ended happily with me landing him right on his trailer.

 

 

What's that sonny? A what, Telegraph!! Well what will they think of next? Moving pictures?

[DRIFTER_016]

i will soon have a trailer hitch on my truck and be pulling a small tiny i will be one of those idiots probably, but i am going to a ramp on a week day after work to practice some backing up.

 

Just head down to an empty parking lot and practice your backing there.

Focus on getting you trailer straight in between the parking stall lines.

[spincast]

for years I made my living backing up 48 and 53 footers into spaces a dissapointing amount of people cant seem to park get cars using nothing but mirrors and practice. When I have the van and a boat - especially when I cant see the wheels in the mirror --I just open the gate and watch it. WAY easier. Its amazing how much faster and accurately it goes in when you do it slowly. Its also a nifty shortcut from release rope to drivers seat if launching solo.