Memorial Day and boating.

[Ol Mucky]

This has to be one of the best w/e for boaters.
In fact this coming Monday is probably the best day year round!

Of course I don't mean for boating. I mean for grabbing your cooler and chair, and heading to the local public boat ramps for the show!!

A couple years ago was the last time I ever took my boat out that day. :fish:
The boat ramp was just a joke.

8 slips all filled, 15-16 boats waiting to get onto their trailers and more yahoo's lined up in the parking lot to put their boats in. :yikes:

What a cluster it was. While I was waiting I saw more stuff that made me laugh; I had Gatorade coming out my nose. :dizzy:

Amazing these folks even make it back alive!!

The best was the 8 hispanic guys with the 28' cabin cruiser they were loading onto their rusted trailer, and trying to pull it out with a van.
The boat was crooked, they'd back down further, jump in the water and try to lift the boat sideways to straighten it on the trailer. Yelling stuff in hispanic, the tires spinning, the boat was rocking, the dudes were slipping on the algae on the ramp busting their ****'s, freakin hilarious. Then they decided heck with it, try to pull the boat out and the van starts smoking it's tires. All the dudes then jumped on the front of the trailer trying to give it more tongue weight. Classic I tell ya.
They got it out but it was crooked as snot. :tdo12:

Anyone else have a tale or two they'd care to share???

[wecker20]

can't even remember specifics cause it happens too often. I own a bass boat and can load it faster, by myself, than a lot of guys can w/ a driver. Ever watch someone try to dump a pontoon on a busted up ramp and low lake levels? I was hot after that.

[Salami]

I allways get a kick out of the ones that put there boat in for the first time on a holiday weekend:yikes:

[PencilPlugger]

I predict a substantial cabin cruiser hatch with the warmer temps expected this weekend.

[Slick fishing]

:lol: :lol: :lol: I predict a substantial cabin cruiser hatch with the warmer temps expected this weekend.

[waterfoul]

Ah... Mem. Day Weekend. The end of clear water lakes as we know it!! Nothing like a little recreational traffic to stir things up a bit.

[Brian S]

. . . and witness me docking my boat.:dizzy: Fortunatly, no one else was around.

We pulled into the boat launch at Grand Haven and the wind was whipping nicely. I lined the boat up for my approach to the dock compensating a little for the wind, ooops, not enough, hold on, I'll back up and try again, oops gimme a minute here . . . This went on for a few minutes. At one point, I missed the dock and my crewman said "Just drift over to the next one". Nope, not me. I'm gonna get this right. There wasn't a soul in sight so I figured "What the heck, I'll practice a little."

On my final approach the back end started swinging down wind so I put it in reverse and, well, I guess I goosed it a little too much and SPLASH. One crewman overboard.

We had a good laugh out of it but like I said, there wasn't a soul in sight so we were spared any embarassment.

Too bad the water was so cold. I kinda wanted to practice a little more.;) :)

[Ol Mucky]

I've had that same day before (without losing a crewman :lol: )
It was 20-25 kt NE, with a strong summer outgoing tide. No matter what I did I could not get my boat onto the trailer. I was like you trying trying trying :mad: finally I said heck with it and drifted into the dock.

Never too late to get a case of humility. :gaga:

[dtg]

I remember those days, fishing out of Grand Haven. I'd be out there all by myself and dock the boat, walk to get the truck, back it in and pluck out my boat, while the putz's in the next slip over struggle the whole time and I pull away laughing!!!!

The other thing is guys that have unloaded and just hang around on the dock, while people are aiting for a slip. They drove me nuts, you can BS and set up on the river, get the HE(( out of the way and let someone else put in!!!!

The trick is to get there EARLY, around 6-7am, usually does the trick. less people to deal with and the guys that are launching are the more hard core guys and they tend to have their shi! together. The later in the day, the more clowns to put up with.

[Jigawhat]

private lake for me. Only a third of the people are even launched yet.
Some great stories, above. had me laughing pretty good. Hispanics, Cabin cruiser hatch, goosed it too much, SPLASH. LMAO! :lol: :lol:

[ih772]

So I guess you learned your lesson and you'll have the wind working for you not against you next time. :lol: I love it when the wind will hold the boat against the dock instead of it trying to blow it away as I'm docking it.

. . . and witness me docking my boat.:dizzy: Fortunatly, no one else was around.

We pulled into the boat launch at Grand Haven and the wind was whipping nicely. I lined the boat up for my approach to the dock compensating a little for the wind, ooops, not enough, hold on, I'll back up and try again, oops gimme a minute here . . . This went on for a few minutes. At one point, I missed the dock and my crewman said "Just drift over to the next one". Nope, not me. I'm gonna get this right. There wasn't a soul in sight so I figured "What the heck, I'll practice a little."

On my final approach the back end started swinging down wind so I put it in reverse and, well, I guess I goosed it a little too much and SPLASH. One crewman overboard.

We had a good laugh out of it but like I said, there wasn't a soul in sight so we were spared any embarassment.

Too bad the water was so cold. I kinda wanted to practice a little more.;) :)

[DonP]

I will have to stop by one of my buddies boat this weekend. He has a boat slip only 5 spots upriver from the South Haven city launch. On a number of occasions after going out fishing... I will stop by and we will set up the lawn chairs and have an adult beverage (or two) and enjoy the entertainment!!

We keep talking about it... but someday we are going to setup a video camera on a tripod and let 'er roll!!! :lol: :lol:

[LabsRock]

A few years ago, at a private lake in Jackson County, I was working as a manger for a private club. I was watching one of the members back his relatively newer ski natique into the water at the club ramp. He had unhooked all safety straps before starting to back the boat in. After getting 3/4 of the way into the water he decided that he needed to pull out and check something. Now the ramp was a tad rough at the top and as he gunned it to come up out of the ramp he sent the trailer bouncing and in a split-second there was the boat laying on the ground and an empty trailer in front of it. Man was I torn between laying on the ground and laughing and actually being concerned for the idiot's boat. It was kind of interesting to look at such an expensive boat sitting on its hull on dry ground. Eventually we got a wrecker out to the site and put slings under the boat and got it back on the trailer. Surprisingly the screw was not bent and the guy used the boat for the day. Hysterical, I still laugh as I reminisce about it.

[Jason Adam]

I've seen no less than 10 boats(probably more) come off trailers at public launches in the past 10 years.. The launch craziness is a highlight of the holiday weekend..

[SalmonBum]

Hands down, the best place for idiot watching is South River Rd Launch on St Clair. Unbelievable what happens down there.

[FREEPOP]

On slow days I would hang around there (drifting in the boat) just to watch the funny stuff that goes on.

I know many divorces start at the launch. The smart women are the ones that walk away and don't even attempt to help.

My G/F and I had it down. I'd drop her off, she'd back the truck down, anywhere between the docks, I pull on, climb over the front, hook up and drive off.

The funniest thing I saw as I pulled in to the launch one day was a brand new 17-20 foot boat standing straight in the air. There was a guy sitting on the bow trying to hook the rope up but it was 18 inches too short. It was sitting on it's keel and the back of the roller trailer :lol: :lol: :lol:

Other than the guy that jumps ahead in line, and the idiot that has to wipe his boat down right in the middle of the drive is the adults that let their spawn run around impeding traffic :dizzy:

[Sampsons_owner]

They are all good places to watch SB. One of my best sights was this guy trying to launch his boat at Sanford lake in midland. His poor wife is trying to help him and he cant even back it in straight. He is barking back at her and she is just tryin to help him. He finally gets it launched. Goes and parks and sure enough it won't start. So she askes the wifely questions, is there gas, could it be this, could it be that. He is now gettin hot and all the time barking at her. He finally decides to pull it back out and as he walks away he forgot something on the boat. He turns around and , Yep steps right off the dock. SPLASH !!! He bobs up spittin and coughin. Yellin at her as to why she let the boat drift out. As he climbs outta the water I spot his wallet in one pocket and his checkbook in the other. My wife leans over and says "serves him right, he should talk nicer to her". He goes and gets in his truck soaks the inside. Loads it up and drives off. S

[Ol Mucky]

They are all good places to watch SB. One of my best sights was this guy trying to launch his boat at Sanford lake in midland. His poor wife is trying to help him and he cant even back it in straight. He is barking back at her and she is just tryin to help him. He finally gets it launched. Goes and parks and sure enough it won't start. So she askes the wifely questions, is there gas, could it be this, could it be that. He is now gettin hot and all the time barking at her. He finally decides to pull it back out and as he walks away he forgot something on the boat. He turns around and , Yep steps right off the dock. SPLASH !!! He bobs up spittin and coughin. Yellin at her as to why she let the boat drift out. As he climbs outta the water I spot his wallet in one pocket and his checkbook in the other. My wife leans over and says "serves him right, he should talk nicer to her". He goes and gets in his truck soaks the inside. Loads it up and drives off. S


I swear I have seen that sooooooo many times. It amazes me that the wife's don;t haul off and conk the fella's :corkysm55

[Jigawhat]

so, any good stories from the weekend? All I witnessed were a couple stranded jet ski-rs and a lady plow into her dock with her husbands new boat. :yikes:
oh, I also had a guy pull anchor and drift into me, but no damage, so no biggie.
Sure was a nice weekend, weather-wise. There has GOT to be a bunch of bonehead, Memorial Day, boating stories out there.
Lets hear em! :D

[PencilPlugger]

The only funny thing I saw was a guy with a brand new $30k boat trying to anchor up in the St. Clair River with a $20 anchor.

[Ol Mucky]

The only funny thing I saw was a guy with a brand new $30k boat trying to anchor up in the St. Clair River with a $20 anchor.

not to derail my own thread, but i have seen that before on a 70K boat.
Guy went 1st class all the way on the boat then cheaps out on 3/8ths anchor line and el cheapo anchor :cwm27:

I haven't heard any stories either from monday ..............yet