Boat Launch Idiots (BLI's)

[Drum_Master]

I was the boat ramp idiot BIG TIME once! Fished the Tarpon Rodeo, supposed worlds oldest fishing tourny, in Grand Isle LA several years ago with a couple locals from LA. Somehow, I'm given the task of getting the truck and trailer at the ramp. Needless to say, the parking lot and ramp was SLAMMED! Idiots everywhere, or so I thought. People just sitting with the rigs in everyone's way. Well, being the intelligent individual I am, decided to go around the fool in my way. So I did. It was smooth sailing to ramp at that point, so to speak. I know I passed at least 25-30 folks stuck in the mess. About the time I get ready to whip around and back down, I realize I had gone in the exit, and cut-off everybody! OOPS! I was quite embarrassed to say the least, but it got worse. Lucky for me, a freindly cajun, seeing my mistake, let me in line. So I back down the ramp and wait. And wait. And wait. Well, seems my buddy knew it would be a long while before I made it through the line, so he wasn't paying attention. Finally, my buddy realizes it is "him" holding up the ramp! He could not figure out how I made it so fast. I just told him that's how us TN boys do it! We got back to camp over an hour before our other buddies at the ramp! If I cut you off that day, I'm truly sorry! I was the BLI!

[Pat P]

I've had a few good laughs at launches but remember one in particular. In the late 80's the hubby and I were waiting our turn at the public launch at Metropolitan Park to fish in Anchor Bay, Lake St. Clair. There were a couple of young men prepping to launch what looked to be a brand new shiny all over small Boston Whaler. The guy working the winch gave the driver the OK to pull the truck away from the ramp. The driver proceeded to take the trailer back to the parking area and didn't hear his friend screaming for him to come back to the ramp. Apparently, the drain plug was not in place and the little boat quickly filled up with water. There wasn't much anyone could do at that point to stop the boat from bottoming out in the shallows of the ramp. I calmly walked over to the almost completely submerged boat and handed the poor guy a plastic bucket. He asked me what good that would do. I told him to get into the boat, put the drain plug in from the inside and start bailng. A couple of hours later we saw them fishing in the bay so I guess everything worked out OK afterall.

[2KanZam]

I used to have an office that overlooked the Verizon boat Ramp on the Kanawha River in WV and I saw some dandies!

My favorite was a time I looked out and I saw a Land Rover Discovery driving into the river on the ramp......then he turned, made a big circle and did it again but went a LITTLE deeper.....Then again and this time he went right off the end of the ramp sideways and the car "floated" into the river. Turns out some teenager parents had just bought him the Disco and he was "trying it out".

Saw alot of vehicles in the river from that office window. I think that's why everytime we launch from a ramp with my buddy's boat, I do as little as possible....

[helpme]

When I was in my 30s i owned a datson 210 auto 4 cyl that would hardly pull me and my wife around let alone a boat but I had bought a 14foot flatbottom boat with a 6 hp mercury outboard and trailer very light so i put a hitch on my datson 210 and the car pulled it fairly well down the road and down the ramp too. parked went fishing but when i got back and loaded the boat, it would not pull it out and up the steep ramp no one around i was the only one there. had to unload the boat pull out the trailer and drive about a mile to a bank down the river that was not as steep.parked the car then had to walk back to get the boat. got to the bank and had to use the boat winch to winch the boat and trailer to the road that was about 50 yards from the waters edge then hookup the boat and trailer to the car and findly got to go home I never told my wife or any one else for that matter.never got a bite either what a bummer..

[G.Gordon]

Guy backs boat, buddy holding bow line walking down the ramp and onto the convenience dock. Boat launched, driver pulls out and heads to park the truck. Buddy on dock trying to light a cig in the breeze, get frustrated and throws bow line in boat that was sitting right next to dock. Still looking away the spring breeze slowly blows the boat out into the lake. Driver of the truck comes over the hump of the parking lot and starts screaming... cig boy jumps in and swims for it. I would have asked the guy launching next (me) to give him a ride.

Friend shared this one. He's waiting to get clear to take out. Pleasure boat is in front with nice "boat dressings" if you know what I mean. He's coming in a bit hot to drop "boat dressing" on the dock so he pops it in reverse and guns it about the time "boat dressing" launches herself for the dock. She does a upper body/face plant into the dock, splat into the water and comes up spitting blood with a gushing nose.

Walking through parking lot I hear metal crunching. I look and a lady is getting out of a nice truck/trailer combo that she was trying to park. She pulled a bit early and creamed the trailer parked next to her. She let out curse words like a navy cook.

Warsaw, MO. Old pickup with a 10' jon boat and about eight pre-teens in the back. We're launched and go downriver and anchor to catfish. In a few minutes that jon boat with all of those kids, no PFD's, and only paddles comes by. There is at most 3-4" of boat sticking up out of the water. About 20 minutes later the water patrol full of sirens and lights comes full speed down the river. I can only guess their destination.

[gabowman]

And most of them are eligible to vote. Scarey huh?!?

[Locator79]

There are NO boat launch idiots...........Just idiots at the boat lauch!

[Stargunn357]

after reading some of these stories, i'm glad i use a Pontiac Sunfire to tow my 14' semi v bottom fishing boat. i do have problems with one ramp in particular. whoever designed it was a moron for putting a small grass patch with sign in the middle of the parking lot that is also dead center with the ramp. haven't done anything too funny, but backing the boat down does get a bit ugly as the trailer wont stay nice and straight for me, have actually had one trailer tire go off the side of the ramp. just glad i have yet to watch my car slide down the ramp. and pulling the boat out is always fun can anyone say burn-out central?

[Fishorhunt]

I know that this is an older thread but, I have 2 BRI's that stand out in my mind. The first. I was at Norris lake at dusk getting ready to go walleye fishing and I was setting on at the ramp getting ready when I hear this man screaming at a woman. The man was obviously drunk and the woman ( a VERY attractive black lady) was trying her best to get the trailor down the ramp. This man (her WHITE HUSBAND) was calling her every name in the book (some racial) and cussing every breath. I walked down and asked if she needed some help and the look on her face was that of relief so I yelled at the man that I would get it in the water. After I got it in the water the lady jumped in the drivers seat (after thanking me multipal times) and the man jumped up on the tongue of the trailor and was doing something and says "GO" (I heard him say it too). When she takes off this guy goes nuts screaming "stop" and when she does he jumps off holding his hand. I never did find out what he was doing or how it happened but, he cut his thumb (at the second joint) clean off. Only a 1/4 piece of skin was keeping it attached. We got him wrapped up and I took the boat off the trailor and tied it to the dock and another guy unhooked the trailor and they left heading to the hospital. She shouldn't have taken his sorry arse anywhere. Worthless.

Another was at the same ramp but, was sort of my fault. Another woman was having problems getting the trailor in the water and her husband asked me to help her so I said sure. I jumped in the front seat and two Weimaraner dogs that were in the back seat about tore my face off before I could get them beat off me. I jumped out yelling ( I did have enough wits about me to put it in park) with the dogs hot on my tail. The lady starts screaming and they stop their attack. LOL!!! She looks at me and says " LORD honey I am so sorry I forgot that they were in there and they have been trained as guard dogs". I thought they were going to pull her down when I got BACK in the truck to finish what I started. That was one of the scariest moments I've ever had at a ramp.

[Slabs Inc]

I watched my ex gf's new hubby try at least 20 times to back a trailer down the ramp, when he finally got he truck died because it was low on gas. I was next in line so I had to pull him up the ramp so I could load my boat.