Got My Dander Up!!!!

[Paul Housman]

I've heard you guys bashing the the Skee Doo's on the lake. How about this for you Trailer Sailers. I sail a H140. We just came back from a great day of sailing. We were manuvering toward the dock where we had launched our boat when a powerboater cut me off and beat me to the landing. Well, being that all sailors are patient I tacked around to get in to position again. By the time I came around two other powerboaters had got in line to dock their boats. So we went around again and watched them fish their boats out of the water and in the meantime we watched another guy launch his bass boat. By this time I'm starting to get irked. I told my wife I'm heading for the dock even if means full ramming speed. Well,fortunately for me they moved by the time I got in position. I ended up cutting a late comer off. They yelled at me and I just shrugged my shoulders. Got lots of dirty looks. Anyone else run into this problem?

 

[Les Murray]

Not yet...

I have only had my H20 for a couple of months now, but I have found most people to be more helpful. We usually struggle getting our boat launched and others are always giving us a hand. I think it depends on your area. If your in an area without alot of sailboats, they may not understand our needs.Les MurrayH20 Limerick

 

[Stephen Ostrander]

all the time

You may as well get used to it. I've experienced this many times. One of the advantages of now owning a boat too big to trailer is having your own slip to park in.

 

[Wanderer138]

This has happened to me

When I sail my 16 ft dinghy I have the same problem at the ramp. Yes, the bass boters and jetskiers are the worst. I almost got run over once by some yahoo backing away from the ramp while I was in the water getting my boat on the trailer.I hate to stereotype, but most power boaters consider a small, engineless sailboat as some sort of toy or a nuisance rather than a "real" boat. I say this because I don't have this problem when sailing my H23.My solution when dinghy sailing is to make one pass to see whats going on at the ramp, advise whoever is there of my intention to land and then make the approach, keeping an eye out behind for latecomers who might try to cut in and adjusting course slightly as needed to discourage them. Most people hate to have their boats hit. If I have to, I use my airhorn and then yell "This is a sailing vessel and legally I have the right of way. Back off". People may think I'm a jerk, but I haven't had any collisons yet and I get the room I need to land safely. Good luck.PeterS/V Raven

 

[Ed Smith]

I Just Note The Source

They are just casual boaters and probably only have time to fill the cooler with beer and ice. They tink that you only have to drive up onto the trailer, latch down and drive away. Little do they understand that we have an hour of preping and derigging after we get out. I have H170.

 

[MIke B]

..it happens

One of the most perplexing things about boating, run into a problem on the water and my experience has been , regardless of type of boater, fisher, we all seem to be willing to help , power ,fish, sail, but when it is at the ramp, it appears many times to be every man for himself,Some of our Ohio ramps now have the statement , your vehicle determines your place in line, so get someone on land , back down , and load, take time do it right, fair winds Mike

 

[TODD]

Rodney King

Just when you give up on all power boaters, one or two go and wreck it!!! We've had many similar encounters at the ramp over the years. Last year we all but gave up on even talking to "THEM", now this year we've seen two or three acts of random kindness.!!??? What are we to think??? "THEY" should all decide at the next powerboater meeting what to do with us---for consistancy sake ; ).

 

[Guest]

Just for fun....

mount a manequin arm minus 3 fingersand a thumb as a figurehead.. that will get the point across

 

[Mike Pajewski]

Stay away on holiday weekends

We used to keep our boat at Red Rock lake in Iowa. This ram had no docks, so you had to wait until the trailer was in the water, so we didn't get cut off too much. What irks me is people who tie up the ramp while chewing the fat, getting a drink or screewing around. We would always rig in a remote corner, then launch only when ready and haul her off the ramp to de--rig later. Some guys would sit on the ramp, stack their skis, tie off the water toys and all the other stuff while the line was forming behind them. Very frustrating.Mike PajewskiH26 "Loon"