Boat Ramp Frustration
Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 7:37 pm
Well today after launching from East Arm the wind again made us work hard. We picked up a Barra and dropped another one in East Arm. The wind drove me nuts so I headed in. I was poking along watching a couple a grey nomads doing it hard punching into the East Arm slop. Their little tiny was bobbing around but they finally made it to the pontoon. We awaited their dismount from the boat to the pontoon. It was then I saw one of the grey nomads was about 80 in the shade. He was doing it hard on the pontoon holding the boat and trying to keep his balance. It took ages for the crew to sort themselves out and took a month to Sundays to take the first steps towards the car and trailer.
I off loaded the deckie with the bow and stern rope and followed the younger grey nomad up the wallowing pontoon. After another millennium the younger of the two chaps gets his car and trailer into position. Now this is where life got interesting. His trailer is one of those assembly and tow things. Dam wheel barrow is bigger. He had all manner of trouble backing it down the ramp and it attempted to jack knife itself a multitude of times.
I await another millennium whilst the two sort themselves out on the ramp and hook the boat onto the trailer. It was my turn and down the ramp I go, to have the deckie position the boat right into the rollers and we hook it up and crank her on.
I ask him how he was going and he said he’ll tell me later. I look over to the other side of the pontoon to see another fisho smashing his boat into the pontoon with his wife unable to control the thing. He’s got his trailer that far in the water he’s up to his chest in the brinny. His boat is not on the lee side it’s on the side the wind is pushing onto the pontoon. He’s placed himself in amongst his rollers and attempted to guide the boat onto the trailer. I ask the dumb question of ”do you want any help”. He politely declines the offer. His boat is belting into the pontoon and he’s in the water?
We get to the top of the ramp and I ask the deckie what happened down there. He informs me old matey who swims his boat on, came in fast onto the pontoon and belted it that hard he and the old fella fell over. The grey nomad gave the kamikaze boater a bit of an ear full.
We then follow said kamikaze and watch in amazement as he releases water from his bung all the way from the ramp up to the rail overpass. He had some water on-board.
Just another day on the water in Darwin.
Dex
I off loaded the deckie with the bow and stern rope and followed the younger grey nomad up the wallowing pontoon. After another millennium the younger of the two chaps gets his car and trailer into position. Now this is where life got interesting. His trailer is one of those assembly and tow things. Dam wheel barrow is bigger. He had all manner of trouble backing it down the ramp and it attempted to jack knife itself a multitude of times.
I await another millennium whilst the two sort themselves out on the ramp and hook the boat onto the trailer. It was my turn and down the ramp I go, to have the deckie position the boat right into the rollers and we hook it up and crank her on.
I ask him how he was going and he said he’ll tell me later. I look over to the other side of the pontoon to see another fisho smashing his boat into the pontoon with his wife unable to control the thing. He’s got his trailer that far in the water he’s up to his chest in the brinny. His boat is not on the lee side it’s on the side the wind is pushing onto the pontoon. He’s placed himself in amongst his rollers and attempted to guide the boat onto the trailer. I ask the dumb question of ”do you want any help”. He politely declines the offer. His boat is belting into the pontoon and he’s in the water?
We get to the top of the ramp and I ask the deckie what happened down there. He informs me old matey who swims his boat on, came in fast onto the pontoon and belted it that hard he and the old fella fell over. The grey nomad gave the kamikaze boater a bit of an ear full.
We then follow said kamikaze and watch in amazement as he releases water from his bung all the way from the ramp up to the rail overpass. He had some water on-board.
Just another day on the water in Darwin.
Dex