"Genius? Not!" wrote in message
...

Someone mentioned somewhere that I should back in enough to get the bunks
wet, then pull forward until ...; it's the until that I haven't figured
out yet.


It's different with every boat/trailer combination, as well as the slant of
the ramp and the shape of the hull. My boat's small, and the hull's not a
deep V. On a steep ramp, if I put too much trailer in the water, the boat
doesn't contact the bunks until it's 90% on the trailer, at which point it's
probably not sitting straight relative to the trailer, due to wind or
whatever. The boat's light enough that I after I pull away from the ramp, I
can shove the boat into position just by lifting it, but that's just so
un-stylish. :-)

Then, there are the ramp demons. I'll launch & pull out 50 times in a row,
getting everything perfect. And then, the 51st time, on a day with no wind,
no rush to get out of the next guy's way, no beer in the captain, same ramp
as always, and everything turns to crap and it's like I'm a blind man trying
to steer the truck with one toe while being shot at AND swarmed by bees.
Ramp demons are the only explanation.

"Genius? Not!" wrote in message
...

"lars" wrote in message
. com...

We've got the routine down pretty well after 20 years of trailering, but
we still make the boneheaded move now and again. That very 4th of July
week I got home (only a few miles) after an outing and realized I hadn't
put the tie down strap on the back. Fortunately the boat didn't go
airborne going over the bump leaving the parking lot (well, I don't think
it did ).

So I'd like to say it gets easier with experience, but...

Lars

It is getting easier each time we go out; at least the things I've screwed
up haven't been repeated yet.


Some perspective: When I was around 12 or 13, my parents had a 47 foot
Concord (IIRC). They apparently didn't compare their visions of how boating
would be. My dad, who spent time on an aircraft carrier in WWII, thought
nothing of taking us through some scary water in an area defined by Montauk
to the west and Nantucket to the east. I guess he handled it well because
I'm still alive. My mother, on the other hand, thought it would be nice to
have real dishes on the boat instead of plastic ones. Not fancy stuff, but
probably the first wave of inexpensive Japanese ceramics from companies like
Mikasa (when it was cheap).

Anyway....one day, my dad was trying gracefully manage a combination of a
wave and a wake and ended up making the boat roll a bit too much and too
quickly. We discovered that the cabinet locks in the galley were not
designed to deal with stacks of heavy dishes. My sisters and I thought this
was funny until we noticed how quickly icicles can form on a boat in the
middle of summer. :-) Interesting parental dynamics for a few hours after
that.

On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 14:23:21 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

~~ snippage ~~

Anyway....one day, my dad was trying gracefully manage a combination of a
wave and a wake and ended up making the boat roll a bit too much and too
quickly. We discovered that the cabinet locks in the galley were not
designed to deal with stacks of heavy dishes. My sisters and I thought this
was funny until we noticed how quickly icicles can form on a boat in the
middle of summer. :-) Interesting parental dynamics for a few hours after
that.

You guys and your trailer stories. I never, except for once when I
was much younger that I am now, have launching or recovery problems
like others have.

Ever.

Then again, I am a superior human being - it's a burden, but I try to
deal with being perfect.

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 14:23:21 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

~~ snippage ~~

Anyway....one day, my dad was trying gracefully manage a combination of a
wave and a wake and ended up making the boat roll a bit too much and too
quickly. We discovered that the cabinet locks in the galley were not
designed to deal with stacks of heavy dishes. My sisters and I thought
this
was funny until we noticed how quickly icicles can form on a boat in the
middle of summer. :-) Interesting parental dynamics for a few hours after
that.

You guys and your trailer stories. I never, except for once when I
was much younger that I am now, have launching or recovery problems
like others have.

Ever.

Then again, I am a superior human being - it's a burden, but I try to
deal with being perfect.

I know, and that's why I never ask how you've achieved this state of grace.
I know I just would not understand, Tom. :-) Maybe in the next life....

On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 15:53:28 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 14:23:21 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

~~ snippage ~~

Anyway....one day, my dad was trying gracefully manage a combination of a
wave and a wake and ended up making the boat roll a bit too much and too
quickly. We discovered that the cabinet locks in the galley were not
designed to deal with stacks of heavy dishes. My sisters and I thought
this
was funny until we noticed how quickly icicles can form on a boat in the
middle of summer. :-) Interesting parental dynamics for a few hours after
that.

You guys and your trailer stories. I never, except for once when I
was much younger that I am now, have launching or recovery problems
like others have.

Ever.

Then again, I am a superior human being - it's a burden, but I try to
deal with being perfect.

I know, and that's why I never ask how you've achieved this state of grace.
I know I just would not understand, Tom. :-) Maybe in the next life....

It's all in the reflexes (gratuitous cultural reference).

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 15:53:28 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
. ..
On Wed, 27 Jul 2005 14:23:21 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

~~ snippage ~~

Anyway....one day, my dad was trying gracefully manage a combination of
a
wave and a wake and ended up making the boat roll a bit too much and too
quickly. We discovered that the cabinet locks in the galley were not
designed to deal with stacks of heavy dishes. My sisters and I thought
this
was funny until we noticed how quickly icicles can form on a boat in the
middle of summer. :-) Interesting parental dynamics for a few hours
after
that.

You guys and your trailer stories. I never, except for once when I
was much younger that I am now, have launching or recovery problems
like others have.

Ever.

Then again, I am a superior human being - it's a burden, but I try to
deal with being perfect.

I know, and that's why I never ask how you've achieved this state of
grace.
I know I just would not understand, Tom. :-) Maybe in the next life....

It's all in the reflexes (gratuitous cultural reference).

So, you're saying I'm old? :-)

I think it may also have to do with my adding a tonneau cover to my pickup.
Before that, simply lowering the tailgate made life easier.

"FREDO" wrote in message
.. .
Does anyone still have all those fine old ramp stories circulating on here
about a year or two back?
The best was the one about Bubba and his 300 HP racing merc OB and how he
pulled the tow vehicle into the lake with it!
Fredo

Fredo,
It took only two sentences to give me a great laugh! The imagery is
excellent.
Thanks

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Genius? Not!" wrote in message
...

Someone mentioned somewhere that I should back in enough to get the bunks
wet, then pull forward until ...; it's the until that I haven't figured
out yet.


It's different with every boat/trailer combination, as well as the slant
of the ramp and the shape of the hull. My boat's small, and the hull's not
a deep V. On a steep ramp, if I put too much trailer in the water, the
boat doesn't contact the bunks until it's 90% on the trailer, at which
point it's probably not sitting straight relative to the trailer, due to
wind or whatever. The boat's light enough that I after I pull away from
the ramp, I can shove the boat into position just by lifting it, but
that's just so un-stylish. :-)

Then, there are the ramp demons. I'll launch & pull out 50 times in a row,
getting everything perfect. And then, the 51st time, on a day with no
wind, no rush to get out of the next guy's way, no beer in the captain,
same ramp as always, and everything turns to crap and it's like I'm a
blind man trying to steer the truck with one toe while being shot at AND
swarmed by bees. Ramp demons are the only explanation.


I thought ramp demons were the unsupervised kids that walk right in front of
or right behind the truck or boat where they can't be seen until it becomes
a close call.

"Genius? Not!" wrote in message
m...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Genius? Not!" wrote in message
...

Someone mentioned somewhere that I should back in enough to get the
bunks wet, then pull forward until ...; it's the until that I haven't
figured out yet.


It's different with every boat/trailer combination, as well as the slant
of the ramp and the shape of the hull. My boat's small, and the hull's
not a deep V. On a steep ramp, if I put too much trailer in the water,
the boat doesn't contact the bunks until it's 90% on the trailer, at
which point it's probably not sitting straight relative to the trailer,
due to wind or whatever. The boat's light enough that I after I pull away
from the ramp, I can shove the boat into position just by lifting it, but
that's just so un-stylish. :-)

Then, there are the ramp demons. I'll launch & pull out 50 times in a
row, getting everything perfect. And then, the 51st time, on a day with
no wind, no rush to get out of the next guy's way, no beer in the
captain, same ramp as always, and everything turns to crap and it's like
I'm a blind man trying to steer the truck with one toe while being shot
at AND swarmed by bees. Ramp demons are the only explanation.


I thought ramp demons were the unsupervised kids that walk right in front
of or right behind the truck or boat where they can't be seen until it
becomes a close call.

Oh yeah...them, too. And their parents, 50 feet behind, feeding pickles and
french fries to the ducks. One of the ramps I use a lot has a serious design
flaw: 3 burger & ice cream joints a half a block away. Lots of pedestrians
who come to slurp an ice cream cone and pretend they don't notice the
trailers. My son and I initiated a new thing last week - we trying to see if
tapping the horn can make anyone drop their ice cream cone. :-)

"HarryKrause" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:
"Genius? Not!" wrote in message
m...
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
"Genius? Not!" wrote in message
...

Someone mentioned somewhere that I should back in enough to get the
bunks wet, then pull forward until ...; it's the until that I haven't
figured out yet.

It's different with every boat/trailer combination, as well as the
slant of the ramp and the shape of the hull. My boat's small, and the
hull's not a deep V. On a steep ramp, if I put too much trailer in the
water, the boat doesn't contact the bunks until it's 90% on the
trailer, at which point it's probably not sitting straight relative to
the trailer, due to wind or whatever. The boat's light enough that I
after I pull away from the ramp, I can shove the boat into position
just by lifting it, but that's just so un-stylish. :-)

Then, there are the ramp demons. I'll launch & pull out 50 times in a
row, getting everything perfect. And then, the 51st time, on a day with
no wind, no rush to get out of the next guy's way, no beer in the
captain, same ramp as always, and everything turns to crap and it's
like I'm a blind man trying to steer the truck with one toe while being
shot at AND swarmed by bees. Ramp demons are the only explanation.

I thought ramp demons were the unsupervised kids that walk right in
front of or right behind the truck or boat where they can't be seen
until it becomes a close call.

Oh yeah...them, too. And their parents, 50 feet behind, feeding pickles
and french fries to the ducks. One of the ramps I use a lot has a serious
design flaw: 3 burger & ice cream joints a half a block away. Lots of
pedestrians who come to slurp an ice cream cone and pretend they don't
notice the trailers. My son and I initiated a new thing last week - we
trying to see if tapping the horn can make anyone drop their ice cream
cone. :-)


At the Beach Boulevard public ramp in Jacksonville, FL, if you're really
lucky, after you've made sure the ramp is clear and you start backing down
your rig, some yahoo in a jetski will pull right into the base of the ramp
on his boat so he can chat with the three jetskiers chatting at the base
of the adjacent ramp. There's a really good chance you'll be able to prong
one of his earrings with your lower unit or, if the gods are really with
you, push that lower unit right through the jetski.

Note, please, that up here in the mid-Atlantic, jetskis aren't much of a
bother, but in NE Florida, they're worse than no-see-ums.

Some communities here in the Finger Lakes are really grinding their heels
into the jet ski nonsense. The local news two weeks back included an
interview with the sheriff, who said they're going to be pulling people over
(mostly jet skis, but also boats) and "advising" them that the 200 foot
no-wake rule should be interpreted to mean 500 to 1000 feet, especially
around anchored boats, since it's absolutely no inconvenience to allow the
extra space. I think the county's trying to change the law, but I missed the
first 20 seconds of that news story.