Thread: boat ramp near tragedy

This morning almost started and ended badly. After a routine solo deposit of my boat to the water, I was about to grab the boat's leash attached to my trailer to guide it to the dock like I've done a million times before. Wearing my knee high 'long shoreman's boots', I stepped into the water. Instantly, like I was on a downhill sheet of ice, I went south down the ramp on a super slick mat of algae. Before I could react I was in water over my knees and boots totally full of water. By some miracle I stopped and was able to get back up the ramp. I'm a careful person but this really got me. Somehow I did not panic. I didn't fight it, was able to keep from falling, and made it out. A variety of things could have happened that ended with a terrible outcome. I'm still pretty rattled by it. So I share this will all of my fellow fisherpeople, use an abundance of caution on the Lake Shelbyville ramps at this time. Lesson learned: carefully check all conditions and stay completely out of the water unless absolutely necessary when launching.

I'm interested to hear about your boat ramp near misses.

I haven't had a near miss yet. However I really appreciate the heads up, we can all use a reminder once in a while.

I was over at Clinton lake last week at the marina launch and I noticed the slime on the ramp at water's edge. I take baby steps when I'm that close to the edge. This last march at Wolf creek early in the morning I got out of the truck to inspect the condition of the ramp only to slip on ice and come down on my back. Nothing hurt but my pride. Been here done that a whole lot of times with no issues but just one incident reminds you that you could be the guy that doesn't get up.

Glad you are OK...

I launch solo all the time like that....but I use a VERY long rope attached to the trailer winch...after the boat begins to slide off, I pull the truck up a little so I don't have to get my feet in the water....then pull the boat over to the side....

actually, I once slipped on the algae that was out of the water....another time I had a hard time getting the boat to slide off so I tried walking out on the trailer to push it off.....made the mistake of stepping on the carpeted runner.....the runner twisted sideways and dropped me all over the trailer in two feet of water....almost broke my leg....bruised my arms and ribs....you only make that mistake once....

I have a 50 foot rope that I hook around a cleat on the boat and then put a loop around my winch handle and let the boat float off and pull up enough to keep my feet dry and then just tie it up to the dock.

In the tailraces below dams the water fluctuates a lot some days exposing the algae covered rocks and concrete.Have seen and took myself some bad spills. I had a gaff made from a 10/0 treble hook soldered to a copper pipe handle for landing catfish.I had it laying on the gunnel.I had the boat loaded but not quite all the way out of the slick stuff,I stepped on to it and as I was going down I grabbed the gunnel....right where that gaff was laying and drove one of those 10/0 hooks all the way in between two fingers.

Thanks for sharing this. I have never took a boat ramp spill and a big reason for that is because stories like this remind me just how slippery that algae is. Glad this turned out to be nothing more than a wet reminder for you.

For you guys that use the rope to trailer method use good knots. I know from experience. You feel pretty stupid watching your boat float away down the Mississippi River. It is also a tough swim dragging your boat back to shore because you can't get in.

I too fish by myself often . Once a year or two ago i was going fishing in Nov. or Dec. and when i launched the boat the strap for the boat hooked to the winch broke and the boat just took off and went out in the lake so i tried to walk on the trailer to get it and i did but fell in the water , boy was it cold . I now use a 2nd rope beside the winch strap to make sure the boat does not get away from me . I hooked my boat back up and went back home that day, water was cold and i was wet . Learned a thing or two that day. Never again.

https://youtu.be/y5ejwRj9t1Q If only we all could afford it.