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Adventures at the boat ramp - two collisions and a reel goes swimming

3K views 15 replies 12 participants last post by  softbutchharley 
#1 ·
I know this is probably just a typical day at the ramp. I was at the Panama City marina today loading up. The ramp is a double ramp. The left side of the ramp had a trailer that was leaning over. Apparently the person backing it down ran the left side up on the sidewall of the ramp, so that was out of commission for a while.

The people on the right side took about 5 minutes longer to pull out than was needed. I was along the seawall waiting when the next boat up backed up and then swung his bow into the side of my boat because he turned too sharp. He did come up and apologize later.

While I was in the car waiting my turn to load up, I noticed a guy jump out of his boat right in front of ours and help my wife push off a big cuddy cabin that let himself get blown over into my boat. He hit my boat twice, and his bimini grabbed one of my good spinning reels and pulled it out of the rod holder. My wife yelled, but he kept on going and it dumped it into 8-10 feet of muddy, dirty water.

When I put my trailer in my wife told me that the boat just pulling out had knocked the reel out. I didn't realize it until then, so I ran up to where they were parked and asked them if they were the ones who knocked my reel into the water. They weren't surprised and they said they would give me one of theirs if they couldn't fish it out.

After about 5 minutes they were able to hook it with a treble hook and pull it out. They then apologized and I got to head home. So tonight instead of relaxing after cleaning the boat and fish, I got to take my reel apart and clean it up.

I think I'm going to find a different boat landing when snapper season starts up.
 
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#8 ·
I used St. Andrews during the spring sheepshead run because I had my dad with me and we bought shrimp at Howells nearby. But my dad knows how to drive a vehicle with a trailer behind it - so I could launch the boat and he could drive it around to the parking where I would meet him with the boat.

My wife doesn't know how to do that, so I would have to launch it, park the boat and then run back around to the landing. Since they don't let you park boat trailers in the dirt parking lot in front of the landing, it makes it inconvenient.
 
#10 ·
I hear ya. To retrieve the boat I have to go get the truck, back it down, go over get the boat and drive it on to the trailer then get out attach it, then the wife drives the truck up the ramp. I'm not sure why I'm right there and could just jump in and drive. But anyway, I don't see a problem with what you would have to do.
 
#11 ·
I launched at Jim’s on Monday. They have 2 ramps. The right side ramp was pretty much blocked by a 2005 or so Blue Silverado with a trailer behind it.
I was just amazed by this, that somebody would launch, pull up a few yards, park and go fishing. A small boat with a small truck could have probably snaked around him at an angle but they shouldn’t have to.
The owner of the place put a note on his windshield but dang man, use some common courtesy. Good thing it wasn’t Saturday. It could have gotten ugly.
 
#13 ·
I am still trying to get over my anxiety at boat ramp. My small boat is easy, but the larger 21 footer is a lil bit of a thang for me. I almost always launch by myself, and the whole park boat, get trailer, back down and load (sometimes takes me a couple tries), then drive out to tie down etc... . I am so scared most times that folks will get all weird and angry with me. I have almost stopped entirely with weekends, but my partner works and weekends are the only time for her and daughter, so Juana's and that show it is for me sometimes. For the pro boat launchers out there, PLEASE have patience with us novices. Most men I have run into seem pretty ok with letting me load her up and most times an offer of help is given. But sometimes I can see guys getting all weird and testosterone fueled trying to get their boat taken care of. TY to those who understand that not all of us are experts :)
 
#16 ·
She's working :) I am retired, she has 9-5 . Baby is a trooper when it's her and I . But like I said, I mostly go solo . And yes, surprising how many folks seem to have never seen anyone launch alone.

Stay salty, goin for trout in the morning.
 
#15 ·
Only once have I ever been really aggravated at a ramp. There was only one ramp and the idiot spent a good 5 minuets revving his motor trying to get his boat off the trailer only to finally realize it was still strapped down. He pulled up the ramp just enough to undo the straps and then spent another 10 minuets getting his gear out of his suv and into the boat before finally getting his boat unloaded and his suv out of the way.


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