Best Ramp Stories – names removed to protect the not-so-innocent.

OK, I got one. I was living in Lacrosse Wi about 30 years ago. I decided to go fishing after too many beers immediately following the Octoberfest parade. Drove to the Genoa Landing was in the process of launching my boat. At the time I was using a long rope attached to the trailer and the boat. When the boat would clear the trailer I would pull forward and the boat would float to shore behind the trailer. I forgot to attach the rope to the trailer. The boat floats out past the trailer into the current. Not a sole in site and my boat is floating down river. I Stripped down to my under wear and had to swim after the boat. I must have looked like a albino walrus attempting to drag myself over the side of the boat after I caught it.

Not that many years ago a resort manager left his right hand man in charge of the resort.
A rental boat was needed and said right hand man (RHM) started up the tractor to launch the boat. Using the 3 hydraulic hitch the ball went right into trailer socket and he raised the front trailer wheel off the ground with out raising the wheel or locking the hitch.

As he was backing at the top of the ramp, the wheel hit a high spot and of course the trailer left the ball rolling all the way down the ramp and into the river. Boat, trailer and all.

Good thing there was a dock there to catch it. Since there wasn’t anyone around to witness this, he proceeded to take photos.

This does prove that a boat will float a trailer, at least in this case.

Name removed to protect the not-so-innocent.

Tightlines Hightones wrote:

I am not sure if this story is true or made up as I did not witness it. On Lake Antoine near Iron Mountain, MI an East Indian man launched his new boat. While driving around the lake he was informed by onlookers that his boat was sitting very low in the water. Maybe he forgot to put the plug in? When he would accelerate it was very doggy, and moving extremely slow. Upon returning to the ramp, onlookers reported that the trailer was still under the boat, winch rope attached and transom straps on too.

I think those bearings will need to be serviced.

I have heard this one too. How about the one where the guy puts his boat in by driving his truck in first !!!

Lillydale launch one time I saw someone pull up in the parking lot. Disconnect the boat then jump the boat with the car. Rehook everything up then back everything in. Had to be 10 mins of the IO running out of water while they did that.

many years ago at a small lake near my home a friend of mine was headed in after a long morning of fishing,as he neared the dock a guy was yanking the snot out of the pull start rope on an old ten horse evinrude cussing it the whole time.

my friend tied up his boat and had just started walking up the ramp to get his truck when he heard a tremendous KABOOOOMMMM!! he turned just in time to see the cover off of the old ten horse rocketing skyward with a fireball coming from underneath of it,it flipped over and crashed into the water still smoking.

Mark ran to the guy who was laying in the bottom of the boat with the pull start cord still in his hand minus eyebrows and lashes,he asked the guy if he was okay,the reply??

cheesenrice!! it aint never done that before!!!

evidently the guy had flooded it forgetting that he had just replaced the spark plugs and had forgotten to hook the wires back up to them,when the mix was right under the hood,the stray spark touched it off.

Another story the Pool 2 landing under the 494 bridge. It was a holiday weekend and it’s impossible to get launched on the Croix, so we put our pleasure boat in at the P2 landing and went downstream.

On the return trip there was a crowd of boats waiting to get out. One rather crabby 60 something year old woman made it her business to tell everyone else how to do things. She and her husband had a new-looking bowrider and when they pulled up to the dock, she very loudly told another boat to get away when they tried to drop someone off at the end of the dock.

So Mrs. Loudmouth is standing there holding the lines on her bowrider while her husband ambles up to get the vehicle/trailer. She doesn’t seem to realize that this is not a “waiting room” and now she’s impeding other boaters from getting their boats out.

The guy who has his trailer backed in is forced to move his boat AROUND Mrs. Loudmouth’s boat to get it on his trailer. As he approached, Mrs. Loudmouth barraged him with loud warnings to stay away from her boat or he’d be paying for any damage. Couldn’t he have waited? He’s getting too close etc.

This guy ignored her and he was obviously very experienced because he managed to get his bass boat around Mrs. Loudmouth’s boat and get it on his trailer straight. However…

Because he couldn’t get a straight run at his bunk trailer, he kind of hung up a little about halfway on the trailer. So he did what we all would do. He gassed it!

Unfortunately, his 250 outboard was trimmed up just that little TOO much. He unleashed an absolute torrent of water went out like a rooster tail and he absolutely DRENCHED Mrs. Loudmouth. He could not have aimed and hit her any more perfectly than he did. In a matter of 3 seconds, he must have sprayed 300 gallons of water directly on to Mrs. Loudmouth.

The funniest part is that the guy with the bass boat seemed not to realize what happened. He never looked back, he just jumped off the bow when he got his boat on, hooked up the strap, and drove away. If he knew what had happened, he never let on.

Mrs. Loudmouth was so stunned that (for probably the first time in her life) she was speechless! She just stood there soaking wet and made gurgling noises. There was just a roar of laughter from the 40 or 50 people who had witnessed the spectacle.

Finally, Mrs. Loudmouth recovered her powers of speech and started yelling at the onlookers. “Shut up you people! It’s not funny, you stupid people! Did any of you idiots get that guy’s license number instead of just standing there laughing like the village idiots you are? He could have killed me…”

Just then her husband pulls his rig into the line of vehicles waiting for the ramp and hears his wife yelling, so he gets out and walks to the dock. He looks at her and says, “How the hell did you manage to fall in?”

As you might expect, that REALLY set her off…

Grouse

hahaha! great story grouse! feel bad for the ole boy who married her

I ripped the axle off my dads old boat trailer at the landing on Bear Trap when I was 16. There was a gap between the concrete slabs, and when I went to pull the trailer out of the gap, the drivers side wheel went right under the boat. We had to get help to push the boat off the tire, then park the boat at someones dock and leave the trailer and axle at the ramp. Drove 45 minutes to my buddy’s house and got his dads flat bed and diesel. Drove back to the ramp, loaded the boat trailer and axle, ran back to his house. Luckily his dad is an amazing metal fabricator and was able to weld the axle back on. We went back to the lake to retrive the boat, and found that the wind had picked up and waves had crashed over the transom and filled the boat with water. After using cups, cans, and the bilge we finally got it floating again. Actually fished our way back to the landing cause we were afraid to start the outboard cause we figured there was probably water in the gas. We didn’t catch anything that day…

This thread is great, I’m sure there will be some more stories after this weekend. It also leaves me with 2 thoughts.

1. Does glass or aluminum handle being dropped on the landing better?

2. Most importantly I think it goes to show whoever is being a jerk or in too big of hurry are usually the one’s that end up looking like donkeys!

Not a boat landing story but trailer mishap story that ill never forget. My buddy and I borrowed his dads truck and snowmobile trailer to go pick up my snowmobile for a trip we were taking. We get to my house and back up the trailer to load up my sled. He tilts the trailer and i drive my sled right on the trailer. Well as i got on the trailer it pops off the ball and the tongue of the trailer goes right into the tailgate leaving a nice dent. Moral of the story is always make sure you have the right size ball for the trailer. Luckily for us his dad owned a body shop and just gave us a nice truck and trailer lecture followed up by calling us young and dumb 16 year old’s. Over ten years has passed and we still have him telling us to make sure we have the right sized ball.

Ahem….. 13 yrs ago, I was dating a lovely lady who later became my wife, and we were only a few months into our relationship. We were heading to a cabin for a nice romantic fishing weekend in VNP.  Having landed boats solo countless times over my life, I did the only thing a young macho stud should do in that situation……I told my lovely gf “you just sit in the truck and I will load everything and launch the boat”. I expertly prepped the boat, expertly backed down the ramp, expertly grabbed a bowline from the deck, and expertly tied it to a handrail on the boat – expertly draping the free end of the line over the bow so that I could grab it when I rolled the boat off the trailer like an expert.

Well………… I unhooked the boat, grabbed the line, gave it a nudge and as the boat rolled off and into Kabetogama, I realized an important fact…… If one wishes to look like an expert, one should grab the end of the SAME BOWLINE THAT IS TIED TO THE BOAT!!! There I stood with a rope in hand tied to nothing, while my boat floated away.

To rub a little salt in my wounds, as I was starting to disrobe to swim out and get my boat, a friendly boat came around the point and fetched my boat for me. That was nice. When I took hold of it, he made the comment “That’s about what we expect from cheeseheads”. (I was a born/bred Northern Minnesotan who was temporarily living in Wi….lol) All I could do was stand there and take it.

We are still married, so it wasn’t the end of the world….lol.

1st off my camper is right in front of the double ramp at EVERTS Resort. The entertainment factor is Very High there.! During high water periods the entertainment increases the higher the water gets. I have seen about everything that can happen on a ramp. Here is one of my favorites. There were 5 guys in a runabout. They put the boat on beach rather than the dock. When they all got out of the boat it flowted up and away. So one of them went in up to his A$$ to retrieve it. Now to get the boat trailer in the water.? Now that was a HOOT. None of them spoke English, so I don’t know what they were saying. But After 20 mins. an many attempts they final got the trail in the water, but they put it in way to deep. Now ALL 5 of them got back in the boat an tried to put the boat on the trailer. By now there are a number of people watching the free show. Between the current an the trailer in to deep things did not go well for them again. After a number of tries 2 of them got out of the boat on the trailer to try and guide it on. Yup you guessed it, one of them fell in. Now by this time I have mixed 2 EJ 7s an drank both of them.! Smile. Yup they did finally get the boat on the trailer, an left us with a Great Memory. … rrr

Saw a guy with a small 14′ Alumacraft “camp” boat with 25 horse merc load the boat, ratchet it up, hop in the car and pull away. Only problem, the winch wasn’t locked so the boat started off the rollers. He hear it and stopped with the transom on the concrete but bow still on the rollers. I hopped out and helped him by lifting the rear of the boat while he winched it up. Don’t think there was any damage, but just added to the length of waiting at the busy launch. Then, after we launched, guy dumps his wife in in their new 24′ ski boat. They seemed to know what they were doing… Everything went well until she decided she was far enough out to put in in gear and turn around to head out. I was sitting in my boat at the console holding onto the dock when I noticed she wasn’t going to make the turn and was going to run into the rear of my boat. I quickly jump to the rear just in time to push her away (well, me towards shore really) to avoid her taking off my motor. No damage done, but could have been bad had I not been paying attention. 2 incidents in the same day….

Another time, a buddy and I were done fishing and ready to head in. We get towards the launch and there were some boats sitting, waiting their turns to load. There was one guy with 4 others in their older tin boat just kinda sitting there taking up space, pulling up and back. I have my buddy hop on the bow, I drive to the dock and let him off then go back out to get in line. This guy starts cussing me out to no end. I guess I did it wrong. Apparently you wait for a ramp to open, tie your boat to that side of the dock and then go get in your truck to load up. Blocking that launch for the other 10 vehicles in line. Correct me if my procedure is wrong, but I was under the assumption that we weren’t in the wrong. I think this guy was just mad that he couldn’t get to the dock between all the boats coming and going.

river rat randy wrote:

The entertainment factor is Very High there

This might be a good place to mention that I’ve seen RRR going down to the ramp to help people struggling as well.

At a bass tournament. 40+ boats. Usually unloading is very efficient. Brand new boat to hoot. Long time partners. They backed down the ramp, boat floated off. Truck and trailer pull up ramp. Problem is the bow eye winch strap got put on free spool but not unhooked. Pulled the boat right up the ramp. Boat needed repair. Bad deal. Complacency got them.

Down here most pleasure boaters don’t understand what the courtesy dock is for.

Here’s afew i have done, i was popping some nice walleyes in novemember on the croix, fished that night ,went the next morning,tied rope to trailer other was to boat backed down ramp hit brakes hard boat shoots like it should, i pull trailer out , no carpet on bunks ,carpets froze to boat. I take my dad and wife fishing, storms coming in, boats on the trailer, i tell pops stand back i will hook everything up, i race around boat hooking straps going fast trying to beat the rain, i go around the front of the boat going to the other side forget to pick up my feet ,hit trailer tounge. The old man after he quit laughing swore it sounded like a pumpkin hitting the blacktop . DK

Great tales here….

Here’s another from my embarrassed self……

2000-2001 or so on the rainy river….. Fished with a couple buddies all day and came back to the frontier landing around sunset. There were a couple dozen or more rigs all floating around waiting their turns, and I joined the crowd after dropping the driver off to retrieve the truck… I already had a couple beers in me and with the obvious hour or so wait in front me, I cracked a few more while floating and waiting for the trailer to show.

Well I finally saw my pal in his red pickup with my trailer in tow next in line. I positioned and approached and when he was ready I hit the trailer and powered up to the bow roller. After I trimmed the motor up and got prepped for pulling out I looked up to see a stranger standing at the back of his truck looking at me in wonderment. I guess there were two identical trucks and trailers in line and I just picked the wrong one. The driver laughed and pushed me off his trailer, and as I motored back out, the correct boat driver commented to me that it was great to witness as I drove past him…… Laughs all around and nobody angry or hurt….. Good times.

Here is the best one I’ve seen. Waiting in line to take out at a campground landing. About 3 units ahead a guy pulls out with a Caravan minivan pulling an old glass runabout. Back glass is busted out and roof is dented. I asked how it happened and the guy tried to power load. Trailer was too deep and right over the tongue and hit the van. Punched a hole in the bottom of the boat on the winch post. I commented you’re having a bad day. His reply was—-van and boat were borrowed!!! Ya gotta love it.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>river rat randy wrote:</div>
The entertainment factor is Very High there

This might be a good place to mention that I’ve seen RRR going down to the ramp to help people struggling as well.

…4 Sure 4 sure I have put #,s of helping hands on the ramp. But Butt sometimes you just have to Watch. … rrr

When I was a young lad (16-17ish) I took dads boat to Pulaski in Buffalo to do some late evening/early night fishing. On weekends during the summer this is the best time because during the day there are so many pleasure boaters, water skiers, jet skis, etc. When I got there the landing was packed with people trying to get off the lake. I waited my turnin line. The guy before me could not get his empty trailer into the water to save his soul. Kept jack knifing it. Brand new boat loaded with his and I’m asumeing another family. He spends a good 10 mins trying to get the trailer into the water. Can’t do it. Finally he walks up to me and asks if I would show him how to back a trailer. I jump in his suburban and effortlessly back the trailer in for him. As I jump out of his truck he grumbles I could have at least made it look a little difficult. I went back to my truck and waited till the got landed, when they were done the other guy comes up to me hands me a 10 and says thanks for the show. I made his night seeing his buddy get showed up by a kid.

Once my dad and I were coming into the landing on lake Ohahe SD. When we got to the ramp it was blocked by divers and a tow truck. The landing was a very long dangerous steep grade. Probably 4-500 yards coming down hill. Apparently a mini van was driving down the steep grade, couldn’t stop or slow down on the loose gravel and drove straight into the water. The driver and passenger escaped. The divers said the car ended up in about 30 FOW. It was kinda interesting watching them retrieve it.

Back in 1992 on the Missouri River south of Bismarck ND, we were on a long seem ramp.

My brother has a brand new 16′ Lund Pike Rebel with a 40hp and its the maiden voyage for this boat. He gets out of the truck and unhooks the entire rig and tells me to start backing down the ramp. Yep…..boat rolls right off the roller trailer onto the concrete. As I get out of the truck to see what happened is when his brand new portable depth finder that was not mounted in the boat but was just sitting in the boat stops rolling down the ramp and hits the water. Insurance covered the leaking lower unit and the water logged depth finder. Drove over 200 miles for a day trip on the river and the only thing that touched the water was the depth finder. Wasn’t a lot of talking for the 200+ miles home. To this day me and my friends make lite of it and tell my brother “What do you need the safety chain for?” LOL

It’s the best weekend of the year to grab a lawn chair and a 12 pk and head to the local boat launch. Keep the camera ready. Just remember to try and be understanding and patient…..

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My boat was slammed into while beached at a landing last year with us in it while the other driver (drunk of course) was going an estimated 20 mph. We all were ok though im still waiting for a settlement check. Funny to think of what would have happened to that guy and his friends in his dads speed boat if I wasn’t there to stop his progess. He would literally have driven that boat up on shore about 50 yards I think…. don’t drink and drive

Last year had new clip for leash rope. Was going to leave lake if course two boats waiting push boat off beached shore clip comes loose. Yelled at wife JESSICA she glares says WHAT! I say the boat! Throw my phone and keys at her on shore dive in swimming! Catch boat like a dang episode of bay watch bringing it back to shore. Our two year olds telling why’s daddy swimming? That’s silly! Best part old codger that was parking says to his wife what the hells he doing

Friend of mine was headed to Green Bay for the weekend last summer. He lives just south of Milwaukee. Well going through Milwaukee at 65mph on the freeway he thinks he blows a tire. Truck and trailer fishtailing all over the road. Gets it straightened out and pulls over to the shoulder. Guy behind him pulls over and parks behind him. The guy behind him had his cruise on and not paying attention runs into the back of his boat motor. $6500 damage to the Merc and no damage to the Ranger or trailer. Lucky it could have been worse. No fishing for 3 weeks for him.

My old man, bro, and myself watched a newbie sheriff try and back up his boat into the Minnesota river one time. Needless to say, he needed some practice. He jackknifed a good ten times while we were here, he was still trying when we left so who knows how long it took him to get the boat in water.

A couple years ago I watched a few guys who did not speak English rip their front bumper off their Honda trying to back their boat in on about the 15th try. They cranked it while looking backwards and caught a tree right in front of the front tire. They didn’t even notice it until after they unhooked the boat and began to pull forward…I was laughing so hard, I had to brace myself on the dock so I wouldn’t fall in. This was on a VERY popular ramp for the IDO river rats…

Tuma wrote:

Just this last weekend, the man in the truck before me puts his boat in with a hot babe in the boat. He is in and out in record time. I get my boat in, parked my truck, and was headed back to my boat when he asked if I could give him a lift. His boat was floating in the middle of the lake with the babe yelling back to him “I don’t have the key!” He had his boat key in his pocket. I gave him a lift to his boat and all was well again.

Blonde?