truecrimson
Well-known member
Assholes are everywhere, in every group of people. You have kayakers clogging the ramp and I have grade school dropouts who can't read "No Wake Zone"
As I've said before I try to rig away from the ramp and pull over to it. At Memorial they have a little parking area right off of both boat ramps and I usually use those. Sweet Arrow had 2 sides to the ramp so if I was one the other was available. But I rigged where I parked and then wheeled over. Stoever's Dam doesn't usually have many boats, but I follow the same procedure. None of those places have paddle launches.
Don't think I have ever been in anyone's way. If I was on the ramp for a while for some reason and a boater pulled up I'd just drag off into the grass and get out of the way.
Like Boot, MB3 and Sheila I avoid state parks on holiday weekends. I try to avoid them on all weekends as much as possible but my schedule limits that.
Wow, that was a lot of paddle launches. If I had those I would certainly use them. The only reason I can think of not to is if they are too far from where you want to fish or bird watch or whatever.
The only lake I have ever been to with separate paddle launches is Blue Marsh. They supposedly have about 6, I can only find 3, and 2 of those are ridiculous brutal drags to the water. Like if I have to pull the yak 150 yards down a steep incline or narrow ditch and make a sharp left or fall off an escarpment at the end, that's not really a launch I am going to use. The third launch I have actually located is that tropical rain forest adventure stream I launched at last year. It gets shut down when they draw down the lake for winter. At the Sheidy boat launch I did see some cut in kayak launches. I don't think thy were official, I think people were just launching there to avoid the boat ramps. Until I saw someone using them I thought they were just fishing spots.
I know you shouldn't have to, but maybe saying "Hey guys, I'd like to launch my boat and you're blocking the ramp." might get them to move. Hell, if I saw anything like that I would say something to the guy.
As I've said before I try to rig away from the ramp and pull over to it. At Memorial they have a little parking area right off of both boat ramps and I usually use those. Sweet Arrow had 2 sides to the ramp so if I was one the other was available. But I rigged where I parked and then wheeled over. Stoever's Dam doesn't usually have many boats, but I follow the same procedure. None of those places have paddle launches.
Don't think I have ever been in anyone's way. If I was on the ramp for a while for some reason and a boater pulled up I'd just drag off into the grass and get out of the way.
Like Boot, MB3 and Sheila I avoid state parks on holiday weekends. I try to avoid them on all weekends as much as possible but my schedule limits that.
Wow, that was a lot of paddle launches. If I had those I would certainly use them. The only reason I can think of not to is if they are too far from where you want to fish or bird watch or whatever.
The only lake I have ever been to with separate paddle launches is Blue Marsh. They supposedly have about 6, I can only find 3, and 2 of those are ridiculous brutal drags to the water. Like if I have to pull the yak 150 yards down a steep incline or narrow ditch and make a sharp left or fall off an escarpment at the end, that's not really a launch I am going to use. The third launch I have actually located is that tropical rain forest adventure stream I launched at last year. It gets shut down when they draw down the lake for winter. At the Sheidy boat launch I did see some cut in kayak launches. I don't think thy were official, I think people were just launching there to avoid the boat ramps. Until I saw someone using them I thought they were just fishing spots.
I know you shouldn't have to, but maybe saying "Hey guys, I'd like to launch my boat and you're blocking the ramp." might get them to move. Hell, if I saw anything like that I would say something to the guy.