Okee- Ouch is all I can say...kicked in the chest? Good grief! The only time I was hurt by a horse was when I was 12. I walked in front of a Tennesse Walker and he hit me on my leg with his front hoof. Bruise was there forever. Can't imagine getting kicked in the chest!

Everyone- Thanks for the sympathy and advice! We don't go when others are around or we wait until no one wants to load or unload. If that guy had tied up his boat so that his boat didn't swing around on mine, I could have backed up. He was cleaning fish and I guess he only had the one rope. I have a hard time turning my head to look backwards though because I have a metal plate and 4 screws in my neck. I can't tell you how many times I have whacked my head trying to get into a car. I go to bend it and it doesn't bend or turn well.

We are pretty careful with the boat checklist and make sure the plug is in place. The winch snap is attached where we have to attach the rope on the front of the boat so he forgot to attach the rope after unhooking the winch.
I think I am trying to go too slow when loading the boat. We go really slowly when driving the boat too. I think we troll faster than we drive the boat.

OkieDon, I am impressed that you are helping your family learn to fish. I have to tell you that I would be screaming too if a snake snuck up on me. Don't let them see the You Tube video of Bill Dance yelling when a snake crawled up out of the water and into his boat!

FishTaco, Watch that snorting! Tea is NOT good for your sinuses! :D I think you are right about the paddle wheeling. I think that is what is happening. I am going way too slow and at the wrong angle. I try to drive it straight up after aligning it in the center. When you said to come in at an angle, do you mean like a 45 degree angle with the bow going past the trailer, then turning it at the last second? I am not sure I have the right picture in my mind.

OK! I should send out PMs when we go boating. I should also send a picture of my boat so you can either run the other way or get the video camera going. Don't forget to share the money when you win with a video of our boat sinking! :D I wonder if it would make a good crappie habitat??

So when my depth finder says 8 inches deep, is it telling the truth or just bouncing off something? Maybe I need a new one. Blue Creek ramp area is really small and shallow. There wasn't much room to maneuver. We only had about 8 feet of water to get around all the people fishing too close to the ramp. We will try a bigger area next time.

Peke (hanging in there and staying out of people's way.)