"Ray" wrote in message
om...
Spent a few hours at the launch ramp yesterday Check out the video's.

AWESOME!

My In-laws rented a cabin for a week over the 4th here in town right next to
the state launch ramp. They were rewarded with an unending show... pure
entertainment!

On the 4th, I got a chance to sit and watch for a few hours over cocktails
and dinner, followed by fireworks. Oh how I was wishing for my camcorder
and a tripod! In that short window, I saw a little bit of everything, from
three people at water's edge trying to get the quick-straps off the stern
for fifteen minutes, to a complete idiot on a Sea-Doo trying to reverse
thrust himself and a teen daughter off the trailer while he kept telling his
buddy driving the F-350 PowerStroke SuperDuty to back up more. The truck
was not on the ramp area, it was in the sand, and in 2wd to boot. By the
time the PWC broke free of the bunks, both truck axles were completely under
water and the driver had to get out to lock the hubs and then started
"holing in". Braniac dad on the PWC finally did get off his throne to drive
the truck out. Those axles now have a limited life span unless the oil is
changed soon.

I saw some nice work too, but all too many, an easy majority, were not ready
to launch when they reached the ramp...

Saw one Mercruiser skeg dragged across the pavement... husband yelling at
wife driver... "I"M NOT READY YET - STOP STOP STOP!"

And later, at dusk, the fire dept. launched their rescue boat, an air boat
for water and ice, and they left the trailer submerged for the two + hour
outing. I suppose they have to be ready to change lakes fast, but can this
really be good for the bearings?

Post more video links! These were great.

Rob
*
*
*

"Trainfan1" wrote in message news:3f1314ef_3@corp-

AWESOME!

My In-laws rented a cabin for a week over the 4th here in town right next
to
the state launch ramp. They were rewarded with an unending show... pure
entertainment!

Seems like there are more idiots on the river than not, and boat size/value
is no factor.

But, I think the mockery and the dock ghouls only make things worse. If it
was my boat that somebody kept colliding into because they were increasingly
stressed out and nervous, I'd tell that instead of standing around laughing
and making him MORE nervous, maybe they should shut the **** up and give the
guy a hand. Out of respect for the other boats in the area if not that
skipper himself.

Took a new boater out this weekend to show him what to do. Saw a ski boat
towing somebody at about 40, actually slaloming between the No Wake signs on
the Willamette while the local sailing club had all their newbies learning
how to right a capsized boat. Not only were there a bunch of kids floating
around in the channel, there were sewage overflow warnings just upriver.

A couple miles further upriver, a kid tubing behind a ski boat was hit by a
jetskier that was jumping the wake. No deaths but the kid who was being
towed is in serious condition and, of course, the guy on the jetski
sustained no injuries.

-c

Some of the movie links ask for a password. Got one?

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
Some of the movie links ask for a password. Got one?

Nope. I skipped those.

Plus, if I want to see boat ramp follies, I'll just go down to a boat ramp.
That's what I did for several Sundays before I bought my first boat 'cause I
wanted to learn how the experienced boaters did it. Turns out I learned as
much about what NOT to do as what to do. Fortunately I found an instructor.
:

People are clueless and crazy everywhere.

-c

Observation...
The jet skier hasn't sustained any injuries YET! (With any luck,
natural selection will kick in.)


"gatt" wrote in message
...

"Trainfan1" wrote in message
news:3f1314ef_3@corp-

AWESOME!

My In-laws rented a cabin for a week over the 4th here in town right
next
to
the state launch ramp. They were rewarded with an unending show... pure
entertainment!

Seems like there are more idiots on the river than not, and boat
size/value
is no factor.

But, I think the mockery and the dock ghouls only make things worse. If
it
was my boat that somebody kept colliding into because they were
increasingly
stressed out and nervous, I'd tell that instead of standing around
laughing
and making him MORE nervous, maybe they should shut the **** up and give
the
guy a hand. Out of respect for the other boats in the area if not that
skipper himself.

Took a new boater out this weekend to show him what to do. Saw a ski boat
towing somebody at about 40, actually slaloming between the No Wake signs
on
the Willamette while the local sailing club had all their newbies learning
how to right a capsized boat. Not only were there a bunch of kids
floating
around in the channel, there were sewage overflow warnings just upriver.

A couple miles further upriver, a kid tubing behind a ski boat was hit by
a
jetskier that was jumping the wake. No deaths but the kid who was being
towed is in serious condition and, of course, the guy on the jetski
sustained no injuries.

-c

On Mon, 14 Jul 2003 11:54:50 +0000, Ray wrote:

Spent a few hours at the launch ramp yesterday Check out the video's.
You may need to download the free quicktime player at
www.quicktime.com


OK - for me they ALL seem to want username/password. Maybe it's because
I'm Canadian?

Lloyd

"t hicks" wrote in message
...
Observation...
The jet skier hasn't sustained any injuries YET! (With any luck,
natural selection will kick in.)

Well, I don't want to sound boastful, but my father-in-law is a retired Air
Guard air crewman who gave me an old pen-style flaregun and I might not
hesitate to use it next time.

The day after the THIRD accident this month on the same river involving PWCs
jumping wakes into boats, tubers and skiers, I took my wife and another girl
out and sure enough some asshole in a bass boat was following us less than
fifty yards behind our skier at 35 mph. I was trying to keep it at a slower,
safe speed and this asshole was tailgating and approaching like he was on
the freeway and late for work.

My spotter waved the ski flag and I honked five times and all that and after
a couple of minutes the guy backed off. The rest of the day I had the
flaregun unloaded but ready. In the Multnomah Channel you can't always turn
and just let the guy pass. I'd tell the river patrol straight up that I'd
rather fire the proverbial shot across some drunk's bow to prevent an
accident rather than use it in distress after my wife or other passenger
ended up under some asshole's boat.

Not that the big river cruisers are any better. Some of those guys are as
clueless and dangerous as any sixteen-year-old on a PWC.

-c

"gatt" wrote in message
...

"t hicks" wrote in message
...
Observation...
The jet skier hasn't sustained any injuries YET! (With any luck,
natural selection will kick in.)

Well, I don't want to sound boastful, but my father-in-law is a retired
Air
Guard air crewman who gave me an old pen-style flaregun and I might not
hesitate to use it next time.

The day after the THIRD accident this month on the same river involving
PWCs
jumping wakes into boats, tubers and skiers, I took my wife and another
girl
out and sure enough some asshole in a bass boat was following us less than
fifty yards behind our skier at 35 mph. I was trying to keep it at a
slower,
safe speed and this asshole was tailgating and approaching like he was on
the freeway and late for work.

My spotter waved the ski flag and I honked five times and all that and
after
a couple of minutes the guy backed off. The rest of the day I had the
flaregun unloaded but ready. In the Multnomah Channel you can't always
turn
and just let the guy pass. I'd tell the river patrol straight up that I'd
rather fire the proverbial shot across some drunk's bow to prevent an
accident rather than use it in distress after my wife or other passenger
ended up under some asshole's boat.

Not that the big river cruisers are any better. Some of those guys are as
clueless and dangerous as any sixteen-year-old on a PWC.

-c

Dial 911. Tell them "I'm pulling a skier, there's a boat tailgating the
skier and driving very eratically. I need to slow down so the skier can
rest, but this other boat's so close that I'm afraid he won't see her
because of his bow. I have a hunting rifle, loaded and ready. I think the
only way to remedy this situation is to put 4 shots through the tailgater's
hull. Can you get the cops here before I do that? Thank you."

Make damned sure you don't have a rifle on your boat when the cops arrive.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message ...
Some of the movie links ask for a password. Got one?

I had to password protect it before I pay a small fortune on download
bandwidth fees. Mail me and I'll create a temp one for you.

Thanks

Ray

These movies look like they are doing as they were intended, To raise
awareness to the problem. Just received communication from the media
wanting to do a story on it. In the meantime here is a movie of someone
doing things right. Harry will like it I think..

http://members.cox.net/vhf2/irishjig.mov

Ray