Looks like Michigan is going to improve launch access...
 

Yogi of Woodstock wrote:
On Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:49:49 -0400, H the K
wrote:

Tim wrote:
On Jul 16, 6:01 am, Captain Wizard of Woodstock wrote:
On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:08:51 -0700, "Calif Bill"



wrote:

"Tim" wrote in message
...
On Jul 15, 5:51 pm, "Don White" wrote:
"Tim" wrote in message
...
And make boating better in general at the Groveland Mine Recreation
Area in Dickinson County .
Sounds to me like a good idea.
http://www.connectmidmichigan.com/ne...aspx?id=324844
Good news for locals there.
That's one weak point here...the launch ramps are a bit crappy...some only
usable at half or high tide.
This is one of the big reasons I went with a smaller open aluminum
boat....something that can be launched & retrieved singlehanded easily.
i can understand that, Don. If I had to go down some dirt/gravel or
busted up ramp to boat, I just wouldn't boat. That's what I like
about where I go. The AC of E. keep all the ramps and docks in good
shape.
Heh - all depends on where you live. You can't depend on the AC of E
to do anything much around here other than sit around and drink coffee
while looking at a ramp and deciding that, well maybe we can get to it
eventually in the next - um...we'll get back to you on that.

Used to be you'd call the AC of E about a problem and they'd have
somebody out in a few days to look at it and (1) recommend a course of
action or (2) at least tell you where you could go to get the
clearances and information on the fix - hell, if they had time, they'd
do it themselves.

Now - HA!!! The dam and pond at the head of the stream that feeds my
pond needs repointing and the silt buildup behind the dam needs to be
pulled clear along with getting a drag line into the pond and clearing
out the silt from the flood we had five years ago - it's gotten really
bad.

Pffff - no help at all - none. If they can be bothered to even answer
your calls, that's a plus. A few of us who have fished that stream
for thrity years (a couple of guys more than that), the local fish and
game clubs - we've tried and tried to get the AC of E to give us an
engineering plan so we can pay for it ourselves - we're not even
asking them to do it - nope, can't get a thing out of them.

The ramp at the Thompson Dam is AC of E's responsibility - it's been
closed for three years to the general public because of it's
deteriorating condition.
Tom, I don't' think you're congressmen are getting enough under-the-
table money!

AC of E keeps Southern Illinois access in great shape!
Wasn't the Corps budget cut drastically a couple of years ago?

Don't know. I'm sure they have bigger fish to fry and would rather be
doing major projects than a rinky dink 4 acre pond/stream complex in
NE Connecticut.

The larger point is that we're willing to pay for it, have it
repaired, dragged, deepened to improve water flow - we are even
willing to pay for the engineering work - we just can't get them to
even look at the project we're proposing to improve the wetlands, pond
and stream.

And it's their baby - they have to approve it before we go to the
state.

And I might add that our Congressional Representative, Joe Courtney,
is as useless as tits on a bull, Dodd doesn't want to hear it because
- well, because he's Chris Dodd - Super Senator concerned with "other
things" and Joe Lieberman has tried, but he ain't got no answers
either.

Plus, we're East of the river and North of Norwich - the loneliest
part of the state - we're almost on our own up here when it comes to
the state and any help from them.


North of Norwich? Been there. My senior year in high school, I drove up
to Storrs a couple of times to visit friends at UCONN. Stayed in a north
campus dorm, a really weird place...a bunch of connected dorms going up
the side of a hill, with a cafeteria at the apex. The food was terrible.
Ate the rest of our meals that weekend at a joint called Fred's across
the street.

Actually, I drove through Norwich once on my way from New London to
somewhere...damned if I remember where.

Looks like Michigan is going to improve launch access...
 

"Captain Wizard of Woodstock" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:08:51 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"Tim" wrote in message
...
On Jul 15, 5:51 pm, "Don White" wrote:
"Tim" wrote in message

...

And make boating better in general at the Groveland Mine Recreation
Area in Dickinson County .

Sounds to me like a good idea.

http://www.connectmidmichigan.com/ne...aspx?id=324844

Good news for locals there.
That's one weak point here...the launch ramps are a bit crappy...some
only
usable at half or high tide.
This is one of the big reasons I went with a smaller open aluminum
boat....something that can be launched & retrieved singlehanded easily.

i can understand that, Don. If I had to go down some dirt/gravel or
busted up ramp to boat, I just wouldn't boat. That's what I like
about where I go. The AC of E. keep all the ramps and docks in good
shape.

Heh - all depends on where you live. You can't depend on the AC of E
to do anything much around here other than sit around and drink coffee
while looking at a ramp and deciding that, well maybe we can get to it
eventually in the next - um...we'll get back to you on that.

Used to be you'd call the AC of E about a problem and they'd have
somebody out in a few days to look at it and (1) recommend a course of
action or (2) at least tell you where you could go to get the
clearances and information on the fix - hell, if they had time, they'd
do it themselves.

Now - HA!!! The dam and pond at the head of the stream that feeds my
pond needs repointing and the silt buildup behind the dam needs to be
pulled clear along with getting a drag line into the pond and clearing
out the silt from the flood we had five years ago - it's gotten really
bad.

Pffff - no help at all - none. If they can be bothered to even answer
your calls, that's a plus. A few of us who have fished that stream
for thrity years (a couple of guys more than that), the local fish and
game clubs - we've tried and tried to get the AC of E to give us an
engineering plan so we can pay for it ourselves - we're not even
asking them to do it - nope, can't get a thing out of them.

The ramp at the Thompson Dam is AC of E's responsibility - it's been
closed for three years to the general public because of it's
deteriorating condition.

Just get the right boat and the right tow vehicle and you can launch most
places. River jetboaters launch off unimproved ramps and gravel banks all
the time.

River jet boaters should be banned as a nuisance to society. :)

Yes, there is a story behind that statement - I'm just not going to
tell you. :)

You floaters should be banned. You do not contribute any money to the
ramps. :)

Looks like Michigan is going to improve launch access...
 

"Just John Again" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:08:51 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"Tim" wrote in message
...
On Jul 15, 5:51 pm, "Don White" wrote:
"Tim" wrote in message

...

And make boating better in general at the Groveland Mine Recreation
Area in Dickinson County .

Sounds to me like a good idea.

http://www.connectmidmichigan.com/ne...aspx?id=324844

Good news for locals there.
That's one weak point here...the launch ramps are a bit crappy...some
only
usable at half or high tide.
This is one of the big reasons I went with a smaller open aluminum
boat....something that can be launched & retrieved singlehanded easily.

i can understand that, Don. If I had to go down some dirt/gravel or
busted up ramp to boat, I just wouldn't boat. That's what I like
about where I go. The AC of E. keep all the ramps and docks in good
shape.

Just get the right boat and the right tow vehicle and you can launch most
places. River jetboaters launch off unimproved ramps and gravel banks all
the time.


I'll bet they're not pulling a 1992 26' Chris Craft with a 1978 Ford
Station Wagon!
--

John H

Not unless they added 4 wheel drive.

Looks like Michigan is going to improve launch access...
 

Don White wrote:
"Tim" wrote in message
...
And make boating better in general at the Groveland Mine Recreation
Area in Dickinson County .

Sounds to me like a good idea.



http://www.connectmidmichigan.com/ne...aspx?id=324844


Good news for locals there.
That's one weak point here...the launch ramps are a bit crappy...some only
usable at half or high tide.
This is one of the big reasons I went with a smaller open aluminum
boat....something that can be launched & retrieved singlehanded easily.



Singlehanded again? It must suck to have no friends or family to
accompany you on your adventures in the rowboat.