Once the
boat trailer was finally free, my next concern was retrieving the sailboat. So
I asked one of the men I had approached earlier if he would give me a hand with
getting the boat on the trailer. Thankfully he said that he would. So I went
over my plan with him as follows, First, I would bring the boat over from the
dock to the vicinity of the trailer using my outboard. Then I’d throw the bow
line to him so he would pull the boat to the trailer. After walking back to
where my sail boat was docked about 100 yards from the ramp, I now put my plan
into action.
Everything went
according to plan, and I was finally able to get my boat on the trailer and get
off that miserable boat ramp. In the meantime, I stopped by briefly and thanked
both gentlemen who assisted me in this plight, as I felt that’s the least I
could do for I was very appreciative for them helping me to say the least. As I was getting ready to secure the boat to
the trailer, one of guys began relating to me that my experience was nothing to
what he had witnessed on this boat ramp over the years. He lives nearby, and
frequents this ramp on an ongoing basis. He was telling me that he likes to
come down and watch other people using it. And with a grin on his face he
commented that it’s great amusement, even though it’s at the expense of others.
With that said, he began to relate a few of his fondest memories to me.
His first
recollection was how one guy backed down on the ramp and both his truck and
trailer ended up floating out in the water a ways before it sunk. Needless to
say, what a mess that situation must have been for that individual. Can you
picture submerging your truck and boat and trailer? I grateful that it wasn’t
me! Another time, this guy backed his trailer so far into the water, that even
his four wheel drive truck and that of another could not pull the boat trailer
out. Fortunately, he had a friend nearby with a Bobcat loader who in
conjunction with two four wheel drive trucks was finally able to pull it out!
Then last
but not least, another time this guy was driving off the boat ramp after
retrieving his boat, and to his surprise the boat fell right off onto the ramp.
Can you believe it? It must have been quite embarrassing to say the least! It
took him and a bunch of other anxious boaters wanting to use the ramp over an
hour to get the boat back in the water.
After much controversy over the best
solution to solve this problem by all the bystander’s various opinions, the
boat owner settled on the idea of pulling it back down the ramp by using two by
fours to slide it back into the water until he was able to retrieve the boat
back on the trailer. Bet he didn’t make the same mistake twice! So after
hearing about these other disasters to say the least, I don’t feel so bad after
all, but that boat ramp should be fixed before someone else damages their marine
equipment or vehicle. Or worse yet, someone gets seriously hurt using it.
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