A unique website dedicated to fishing information from Florida's Northern Big Bend. This includes the area from the Econfina River west to the Apalachicola River
Boat ramps on a busy day are a case study of human emotions.....all the bad ones anyway.
Lanark can work pretty smooth if the folks will get their trailers in line. One in the water, one on deck behind the store, one pulled up to the sign that says "pull up to here". The problem I have seen recently is the "guides" launched early, so their trailers are close to the end of the ramp. They see a little gap in the line (or imagine a gap) and back in quick. They are there every day and its just work to them. They have been jockeying and jousting with each other all day so they are amped up and tired at the same time.
However......Cursing and threatening a fellow boater is inexcusable. He owes MD and everyone there an apology.
Personally, I have had to learn to just roll with it. (very hard for me)
If I see a guy who seems hell bent to go first....I just say go ahead friend.
“It's hard to measure almost.....because almost doesn't matter”
― John Dutton
Gulf Coast wrote:I'm sure a lot of folks have Lanark at scallop season,parked on the side of the road forever....so if I'm 3rd in line at the dock and parked 1/4 of a mile away do I pass folks to get my boat out of the way or get in line and let folks go around my boat cause it's in the way ? And you yakers should have to put a dune buggy flag on those yaks....for your saftey
I'm not sure if this is how your supposed to do it, but we usually pull up and tie up to the floating dock if possible ( not always space), then whoever is backing the trailer will ask Mike where the line starts. He's pretty good at keeping that ramp moving. With that said, it took us an hour to pull out last time we went. That has kept us away the last few weekends
Catholic girl pray for me, you’re my only hope for heaven
Gulf Coast wrote:IDK the rules down there,,,so if there are a line of boat tied up waiting to take and I understand you to say you take out the order that your tied up ? Or in order that your truck is in line ? Someone on the forum may yet learn something from your mishap...BTW the NFGFC is having a tourney the opening weekend of scallop season at Lanark (I think) so someone lay it down
You tie up to the dock as you come in and you take out in the order that your vehicle is in the line, just like most such ramps. The line up of the vehicle naturally controls the take out, unless your boat has those fancy retractable wheels that lets you drive it up the ramp. I won't be launching this weekend due to the crowds and family obligations.
Gulf Coast wrote:So Dom, if I cut in front of you what is going to happen ? I'm sure your going to say something to me, right or wrong ? Most anybody would, I think M/D fired the first shot and then got bombed. But as you said two wrongs don't make a right
if you cut in front of me? nothing, I would assume you didn't know any better and I would move on with life. I'm not going to throw my sucker in the dirt over it. MD had every right to call the guy out about it. regardless who fired the first shot, MD is not at fault in any way. you even agreed and said so yourself that anyone would say something (apparently it would only be allowed if the one in the wrong speaks first)...now if you where a clown about it and got bent like the so called guide did, then we would both be embarrassed after that conversation was over. I would expect more professionalism out of someone who is a "guide". he's not new to this sport. MD was in the right completely and did nothing wrong.
Not getting into this argument cause I've only launched out of Lanark twice and it went pretty smooth. On the other hand I've seen this several times at Keaton and it pisses me off: during scallop season everyone knows it's goin to be backed up at the ramp. I've seen people let someone out of there boat up the canal and they go run to the truck. Get in line and the a-hole speed right past everyone in line and load up and be gone. They never waited a minute.
There will always be people willing to risk their their reputation and sometimes their lives to save a few minutes. No different than the cars who speed down the merging lanes just to jump 7-8 cars ahead. 2 red lights later we are side by side again.
Doesn't make sense to me why they do it but I'm not gonna let it ruin my day either.
I guess when you launch there 7 days a week you feel some kinda entitlement when it comes to launching or retrieving your boat.
This is the way we operate tell me if I'm right or wrong. When we come in I let the truck driver out at the most convenient place. They get the truck and take there place in the line of vehicles ready to access the ramp and wait their turn. When their turn comes around we take the boat out and get out of everyone's way. Have never had a problem I can remember.
THOMAS CITY CURVE wrote:This is the way we operate tell me if I'm right or wrong. When we come in I let the truck driver out at the most convenient place. They get the truck and take there place in the line of vehicles ready to access the ramp and wait their turn. When their turn comes around we take the boat out and get out of everyone's way. Have never had a problem I can remember.
Seems you do it the way most normal folks do.
How boats are lined up in the basin has no merit on when they take out.
THOMAS CITY CURVE wrote:This is the way we operate tell me if I'm right or wrong. When we come in I let the truck driver out at the most convenient place. They get the truck and take there place in the line of vehicles ready to access the ramp and wait their turn. When their turn comes around we take the boat out and get out of everyone's way. Have never had a problem I can remember.
That is the way I've always done it and from what I've seen, so does everyone else. Until that weekend, I too, had never had a problem. I hope to not have one again. BTW, I've even let folks break in front of me, like an old couple who looked exhausted from the heat and and a young couple who were too in love to be separated for long. If asked, I usually oblige. Not saying I would have that day, because I had a lot more things to do before I left the area that day.
Oh and I even had a guy accuse me of that duck hunting one time. I stopped, got out and pointed out that I had arrived before him behind the truck that had just launched, but that if had a problem, he could go ahead and launch. He looked around, realized he mistook me for another smaller, but similar truck and apologized. He and I now attend Bible study together.
All I know is rude people suck. Makes no difference why. They are just saying they think they are more important than you. A big reason I am glad I don't live down south where it is often just a way of life - rude driving, rude at the bait shop, rude at the ramp and rude on the water.
Had some kids cut in front of us at the boat ramp where we were in line getting everything ready with 2 other trucks at Lake Seminole to duck hunt. Pull over, get your stuff situated and then pull in to the ramp and take minute to launch is how normal folks do it from Florida to Mississippi. They cut past the three parked trucks (me with my mud motor running, in neutral of course) and proceed to start off loading and getting prepared to launch while we waited. I said F this and walked over to them and said in my Dad voice, "Guys, you just cut three trucks off, are not close to ready to launch and need to wait your turn". They apologized and said they thought we were waiting for someone (ummm, no they did not). I was polite but firm and maybe they learned something. Not sure how I would have reacted if they had cussed me, but would not have been happy if they had done it in front of women or kids. The problem with fighting is the loser goes to the hospital and the winner goes to jail. I actually have something to lose, so not as quick to accept an offer as I used to be.
Sounds to me like GC's buddy was a jerk and did not learn a thing. I hope his boat breaks down.
Ducks, turkeys, flats fishing. Who has time for golf?
Oh yeah, every boat ramp works the exact some way. You know if you are cutting someone off. If you do it, it is just because you don't care if you cut them off.
How many folks on here have helped someone launch or load- older folks, new boaters, or to preserve marital bliss with a married couple when you know things are getting tense? I can think of a minimum of 10 times over the years, probably double that.
Ducks, turkeys, flats fishing. Who has time for golf?
onefishtwofish wrote:All I know is rude people suck. Makes no difference why. They are just saying they think they are more important than you. A big reason I am glad I don't live down south where it is often just a way of life - rude driving, rude at the bait shop, rude at the ramp and rude on the water.
Had some kids cut in front of us at the boat ramp where we were in line getting everything ready with 2 other trucks at Lake Seminole to duck hunt. Pull over, get your stuff situated and then pull in to the ramp and take minute to launch is how normal folks do it from Florida to Mississippi. They cut past the three parked trucks (me with my mud motor running, in neutral of course) and proceed to start off loading and getting prepared to launch while we waited. I said F this and walked over to them and said in my Dad voice, "Guys, you just cut three trucks off, are not close to ready to launch and need to wait your turn". They apologized and said they thought we were waiting for someone (ummm, no they did not). I was polite but firm and maybe they learned something. Not sure how I would have reacted if they had cussed me, but would not have been happy if they had done it in front of women or kids. The problem with fighting is the loser goes to the hospital and the winner goes to jail. I actually have something to lose, so not as quick to accept an offer as I used to be.
Sounds to me like GC's buddy was a jerk and did not learn a thing. I hope his boat breaks down.
I agree from the way it sounds the person MD is talking about was in the wrong for sure. I also agree about getting in line with your empty trailer and wait your turn. What I bolded above gets to me too though. When I pull to a ramp to fish or hunt my stuff/boat is ready to launch. If I need to, I pull over well before the ramp and out of the way to do so so those ready can launch. It is aggravating to have someone in line or blocking the ramp because they are getting their stuff/boat together to launch.
