Entitled boaters

[I_squared_r]

There was a guy with his son, maybe 12 years old, and they were backing the boat into the water. No one was at the ramp and I was pulling my jet ski out. I couldn’t help but notice how this guy treated his son. He seemed to be nervous about launching the boat and he projected that at his son. He was barking orders at him and saying things like “COME ON, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!”. The father was frustrated with his own launching inexperience and was acting unfairly to his son. The poor kid.

I was a lot younger at the time and didn’t say anything. The more mature version of myself would try to reason with the dad or try to help. All I know is that when I have kids, I would never do that. Because you will discourage the kid from doing many things and instill low self esteem.

 

[AboveTheBest]

The two most-tense parts of being on the boat (usually) are launching and retrieving/parking in the slip.

For my family it’s “all hands on deck”, and pleasantries are suspended until the operation is complete, and sometimes directions (not just from the Captain) can come abruptly.

It’s a good time to practice good Crew-Coordination, and talking to your crew beforehand about how things can get stressful has helped us out tremendously.

 

[Garrett C]

@Gunner yeah I did think about that as I left my truck there on the ramp while I brought my boat around, but it would have really gotten real at that point. Glad it didn't and I left the situation with a wave which they didn't reciprocate, but hey life went on.

 

[BlkGS]

Years ago when I was a cop I would love to spend time at the boat ramp watching ppl. Just because you can afford a boat doesn’t mean you should have one.

So true. Last year on mothers day we were at the boat ramp with a jetski. A family with a big Chapparal and a Mercedes GL was attempting to pull out their boat. Grandma was driving, windows up, ac blasting, music on. Dad is on yhe boat trying to guide.

Well, wouldnt you know it they dont have the boat all the way forward on the trailer. Grandma starts to pull the boat out, the outdrive makes the most god awful screech as it drags. Dad is on the boat saying stop increasingly louder but calm. The drag it a good 10-15 ft before we make it to the horn to get her attention. Once she stops and puts her window down, the guy RIPS into her, screaming bloody murder. They made a spectacle now. They start yelling to reverse it back in the water and the whole ramp yells at them not to do that. By this time an experienced boat is over there instructing them to get the outdrive off the ground first, so they get it winched up enough to cleaf the ramp, and then put it back in the water and the boat on the trailer.

They probably never realized how lucky they got, but they definitrly ruined their mothers day.

 

[BlkGS]

I think your math is wrong, 10% aren’t assholes, the 90% are!

Actually his math was 1%...

 

[\\\Wolverine///]

@Garrett C
I live on Sigsbee and have had my 242 several months now. Thankfully I haven't had any issues at our ramp on base. I usually am in the boat and my wife in the truck to launch and recover and pull over to the little floating dock by the ramps to wait for her. Hope you haven't had anymore run-ins. There's all kinds of clowns out there.
Was at Jewfish Basin Friday and was the first boat there. Later in the day people start coming in and it amazes me with all that sandbar to anchor they come right up on us, Coast Guard warnings about the FWC 50' rules and all (doubt they were monitoring Channel 16 to hear them). Like everyone needs to be in that very section of sand. Crazy

 

[Garrett C]

@\\\Wolverine///
Nice boat you have there, love the color, I have seen it around on base. So far so good, just laugh at how some make it so difficult to launch and recover here. Its funny you say about the Jewfish anchoring. It almost seems like every time we go to Snipes, we will be that first boat there with tons of open, OPEN (can't stress to people who don't know snipes how big it is) space as you know how big that place is and 90% of the time people anchor right next to us, especially when the snow birds are here. I have always just sat in amazement. I will also throw two anchors as the stern is always shifting there, they will throw one then wonder why their boat almost always hits us. It is a very nerving thing especially when there is so much space. Hope your loving your boat and see you out at the sandbars. We have been hitting up Boca Grande lately and it is great.

 

[Ratket]

Play stupid games... Win stupid prizes... pretty much sums up 50% of encounters. We went out this weekend and had to use the “ Free public” ramp as the state park ramp we usually use was “ At capacity”. Needless to say, launching and retrieval went very smooth considering the shit show that was going on @ the ramp and docking area. My wife killed it on launch and retrieval and I told her” we can tie up and I will go get the truck, it will only add about 3minutes, I do t want you getting frustrated or overwhelmed”, but nope she’s all “ I got this” ... after words she told me the whole time she was backing in to retrieve the boat she was all, “ Please don’t let me wind up on you tube, Please don’t let me wind up on you tube”. Some good ramp fails on you tube of “ Site 6 Lake Havasu City”. Due to my wife’s good driving skills, fortunately we are not on any of them lol.

 

[Noko]

"We are always right and everyone else is wrong" Sometimes its time to take a deep breath and relax. We think we are right, but most times, we aren't. George Carlin had a great quote. He said about driving, "Everyone faster than you is a manic and everyone slower is a moron".

 

[Beachbummer]

"We are always right and everyone else is wrong" Sometimes its time to take a deep breath and relax. We think we are right, but most times, we aren't. George Carlin had a great quote. He said about driving, "Everyone faster than you is a manic and everyone slower is a moron".

This is so perfect, I will need to use it in the future...It's too good.

I think the most irksome situations are not about speed of execution but about consideration for others. If you block a ramp to do what you could do 20 yards out without affecting others, that's uncool. If you tie up to block the ramp instead of 2 cleats out to allow operations to continue, that's uncool. If you are clunky and slow but making progress as best you can, aware of your surroundings, and taking the space and time you require, you are likely learning (or a very infrequent boater) and that's OK. You have my sympathy and my help if you require it.

 

[Gunner]

I dont mind slow people, I dont mind people who aren't as organized as some, I dont mind people who are new at it, I just hate ignorant, selfish assholes that seem to come in all ages and experience levels.

 

[ScreaminJay]

Reading this thread reminded me of probably the third time we went out in the new boat. Wife had the trailer wet and I’m headed her way with the boat... no one else on the ramp but a few boats meandering around the slips/ramp. I was pretty nervous and new. Reached down for the no wake rocker switch and hit the horn instead while there were boats pretty close by just minding their business.

I just wanted to die of embarrassment right then. Haha

 

[bronze_10]

Who else just kinda drifts waaaaay back out of the way but close enough to the ramps when it is crazy busy?? Some times we will go and just sit and watch for like 100 yards away and to the side just to see the idiots. I make sure to point out that stuff to my kids and explain what those people are doing wrong and why we stop in the rear of the parking lot to prep...

 

[granpachuck]

Who else just kinda drifts waaaaay back out of the way but close enough to the ramps when it is crazy busy?? Some times we will go and just sit and watch for like 100 yards away and to the side just to see the idiots. I make sure to point out that stuff to my kids and explain what those people are doing wrong and why we stop in the rear of the parking lot to prep...

3 or 4 years ago, we ran into a group of people, that were more ignorant, and pitiful, than entitled. My wife dropped me at the ramp after a long day on the lake, it was crowded, so she planned on circling while I retrieved the trailer. She had several tired kids on board, so I was hustling to get backed in. This particular location has 4 ramps, 3 docks. The last ramp on the right was open, so I started swinging around to back in, when a lady in car, no trailer, cuts me off and parks sideways , blocking the ramp I was about to back into. She hops out and starts assisting 2 older people down to the pontoon docked on the 3rd slip. So while I annoyed that she is effectively taking up 2 ramps, and decide to sit and wait, and keep my trap shut. She is doing a good deed... In the meantime, my wife is doing that hands in the air thing, " whats going on ?" So while I am standing there, the line behind me is getting longer, and a Wildlife officer shows up, and asks me what the deal is. I point out the car, the pontoon, the blocked ramp, and he offers to ask the lady to unblock the ramp.

Here is where things got weird.

As he walks towards her, she starts jogging, sort of, up to him, yelling, " Can I take a dump in the woods? "
The officer says sure, I guess, but could you move your car so other people can use the 2 ramps you are blocking?
She is still yelling about pooping in the woods, and she jumps in the car, moves it 2 feet, and now completely blocks the end ramp where my wife is still hovering.
I look at the officer, and he just shrugs, and says, " we are all just doing our best" The lady flies out of the car, into the woods, comes back a few minutes later explaining more than she needed to, and off she went.
I believe that was our last outing at that particular free ramp.

 

[Dixie Highway]

Who else just kinda drifts waaaaay back out of the way but close enough to the ramps when it is crazy busy?? Some times we will go and just sit and watch for like 100 yards away and to the side just to see the idiots. I make sure to point out that stuff to my kids and explain what those people are doing wrong and why we stop in the rear of the parking lot to prep...

I do this when weather comes in. Our Midwest thunderstorms can sometimes pop up out of nowhere, and the lake I frequent is large and shallow. There aren't a TON of ramps on it, the county ramp is the nicest so that one is busiest. When it start pouring I'll head for the ramp, and just "hover" about 100 yards out and watch the madness ensue. People cutting others off, tying up to the dock at the ramp while someone else is backed in already to retrieve. Usually someone will approach behind me, and ask if I'm in line. I tell them "No, you go ahead I'm going to wait under my dry T-top and watch the $hit-show". Usually gets a good chuckle.

 

[Dixie Highway]

3 or 4 years ago, we ran into a group of people, that were more ignorant, and pitiful, than entitled. My wife dropped me at the ramp after a long day on the lake, it was crowded, so she planned on circling while I retrieved the trailer. She had several tired kids on board, so I was hustling to get backed in. This particular location has 4 ramps, 3 docks. The last ramp on the right was open, so I started swinging around to back in, when a lady in car, no trailer, cuts me off and parks sideways , blocking the ramp I was about to back into. She hops out and starts assisting 2 older people down to the pontoon docked on the 3rd slip. So while I annoyed that she is effectively taking up 2 ramps, and decide to sit and wait, and keep my trap shut. She is doing a good deed... In the meantime, my wife is doing that hands in the air thing, " whats going on ?" So while I am standing there, the line behind me is getting longer, and a Wildlife officer shows up, and asks me what the deal is. I point out the car, the pontoon, the blocked ramp, and he offers to ask the lady to unblock the ramp.

Here is where things got weird.

As he walks towards her, she starts jogging, sort of, up to him, yelling, " Can I take a dump in the woods? "
The officer says sure, I guess, but could you move your car so other people can use the 2 ramps you are blocking?
She is still yelling about pooping in the woods, and she jumps in the car, moves it 2 feet, and now completely blocks the end ramp where my wife is still hovering.
I look at the officer, and he just shrugs, and says, " we are all just doing our best" The lady flies out of the car, into the woods, comes back a few minutes later explaining more than she needed to, and off she went.
I believe that was our last outing at that particular free ramp.

This is a case of "truth is stranger than fiction" LOL.

 

[Garrett C]

"We are always right and everyone else is wrong" Sometimes its time to take a deep breath and relax. We think we are right, but most times, we aren't. George Carlin had a great quote. He said about driving, "Everyone faster than you is a manic and everyone slower is a moron".

While I will agree with you in most cases, but on that day last year like I explain I am a very patient person and I stress patient. When that boat pulled up and had 4 people on it and it is just me, that's where I needed to put a foot down. There are two lanes and they were just ignorant or entitled or probably both, I never saw them again. Most days I am by myself putting the boat in the water (I have a wife, a 5 year old and twin one year olds at the time), hustling back to my truck to get out of the way or vice versa while on the other lane the same truck and boat are there trying to get off or on their trailer. It was just a very weird situation and I hope I won't have to encounter that again, but we shall see.