Lol I love that meme – Jimmy's a playa mang! 😁 Okay to the Q:
I get that everyone's ramp situation is different. I hear in south Jersey they only have dirt "ramps." Some of you fish where there's big parking lots and many ramps. REgardless, pretty sure all of us have to deal with ramp clownage of some kind.
I think a LITTLE of it is beginner stuff. I get that everyone can't be great at it and you gotta start somewhere. But I do believe most folks just have no idea what they're supposed to do or for whatever reason don't care – and it can affect our days (or at least my day).
Here's what happened Sunday on my little feesh-less trip:
Pulled up and the ramps were "full" – 4 ramps each 1 boat wide + 2 boats = full! 🙄 There's 4 ramps, but only 1 set has a dock that actually goes into the water...barely – you can only tie off at the bow and will still bump the boat pulling the trailer out.
Anyhow, one of the usable ramps has a guy coming out, and the other (plus 1 more) has some folks putting in. The guy coming out, like just about everyone at this lake, doesn't just pull his boat out. They sit there and mess with it on the ramp.
The folks going in were parked diagonally across 2 ramps – which they appeared to have no clue about. Guess they thought they lucked out with the one "wide ramp." Couldn't tell if they were going in or coming out because nothing was happening. The boat was some kinda rubber deal, like a Zodiac – meaning it does not need a dock.
I asked 'em what's up and they said they were putting in...which ended up taking 10 dang minutes. They finally got the boat "launched," then the wife of one of the guys pulled their vehicle up the ramp a little and parked it...to get 2 dogs out to load 'em in the boat. Guess I don't get it because I bring my dog from the parking lot to the dock??
They get that done, and then they sit there with the boat at the dock – one dude standing in the water holding it – while the gal takes another 10 minutes to park their vehicle and walk back. I mean, parking and walking is 2-3 minutes max.
That was putting in. Took about 15 minutes for 1 of 2 ramps to clear – amazingly it was the Zodiac peeps. After that I jammed the boat in there as fast as I could and we were gone!
After Lucky the Lab and I sweated our tails off for a few hours, we went back to the ramp – and guess who's there?? Yep, the Zodiac peeps. Couldn't believe it!
The gal did the classic zig-zag deal to get 'em out, once again occupying 2 ramps. While she was doing that, another boat was putting in next to the only dock. These guys got the boat off the trailer, but did not park the truck. The guy in the truck got out and tried to start the outboard, but it wouldn't fire. Dude looks at me waiting and says, "Sorry I'm gonna be here awhile." Ooookay.
The Zodiac zig-zag finally gets done, they pull the boat out, and I guess because I'm by myself with my dog, one of the dudes walks down the ramp and asks me if I need help. I'm thinking, You must be kidding. I was like, "Man I'm good thanks!" I was kinda feeling like: Get gone!
Forgot to mention that before I got near the ramp I watched a guy winch a tin boat from one ramp to another – straight across one ramp to the other.
What a dang mess!
Lookin' fer solutions – anyone got any? I get there might not be anything to do in 90%+ of ramp situations. Or maybe there is, who knows. But here's some ideas:
1. One or all ramps only for people who know what they're doing either for a certain time(s) of day(s) or permanently. BUT this makes me think we'd need some kinda $ sticker from the state or whatever – no thanks. OR we could have a local bassin' club set up the quals?
2. "Bass boats only" ramp – This would help at my 2 local lakes but maybe not yours if it's mostly bass boats? (Also a yaks/paddlecraft only ramp or area would be good. I know they have 'em at some lakes.)
3. Timer with an air horn or something that you have to reset if you take more than 5 minutes to get in or out. Hahaha! It'll never happen but if it did peeps would be motivated!
4. Make 90% of any boating ed course be trailer- and ramp-related along with basic navigation and courtesy.
Any ideas? I mean, I wanna hear 'em. Our biz can talk all they want about growing participation and selling stuff, but if peeps are cloggin' ramps all over for no reason, that ain't good!