Very guilty on the kill switch, engine "quit" in the middle of a very large lake lanier outside of atlanta once, just about burned up trolling motor getting to nearest marina, called wife who had to load up new baby and drive 1 1/2 hours to pick me up so I could go get my truck and trailer. At the absolute second she pulled up, I look at the kill switch and see it down. After a few naughty words, i flipped it up and the engine started like a dream. I can tell you this, it will never happen again.

:p I wouldn't take that bet. NEVER say never.

I think after reading these stories, I'll get a wheel chock with a rope on it, so I can pull it up to me as I pass it going UP the ramp.

I used to know a guy that did that. I think I will make a chock-on-a-rope this weekend.

I wonder... If the rope was only a few inches long, and also attached to a broom handle... could you put it in place before you even took your foot off the brake? Hmmm....

I guess the kill switch is a common one. Guilty myself just a few weeks ago. Pulled up the TM, tried to crank the big motor. Nada. Took the cowl off (like I would know what I am looking at anyway), pumped the bulb, disconnected the fuel line. Sitting there thinking why won't this dang thing fire up. Glance at the floor of the boat........KILL SWITCH.....Doh !!!

Guilty here too. I had just bought my first boat and put in no problem and took out across the lake and got to a spot my father and i used to fish out of his boat. well after about 20 min of fishing I got down off the deck to get something (I don't remember what) and splash. the center of the boat had about a foot of water in it. (THE PLUG!!!!!!). OOPS. so I tried to start the motor and take off across the lake to suck the water out and help the bilge but the motor would not turn-over. I jumped in and put the plug in and ended up having to use the pull rope to start it. later i was told the engine would not start because the cranking battery was totally submersed. I guess that might be true because the motor fired right up later with the key after a majority of the water was out.

Once again Fayette County has a story. A friend and I were bank fishing one morning at the Old Park boat ramp when a group of college aged guys began to get loud. They had been partying for two days were getting pretty obnoxious. Evidently on the way to the lake the previous day they had a problem with the trailer and lost control. I couldn't get all the details but I knew this because they were slurring so loud the whole park could hear. They must've cracked the hull or something because they were complaining that they could only use the boat for short periods of time.

Now obviously getting hammered was more important to these guys than anything else because a normal person wouldn't launch a boat after damaging it, much less on the second day after all night binge drinking. There must've been some hard feelings about the accident because these guys were snapping at each other all morning. The lead drunk finally got up and slurred "let's go out one more time!!!" They piled in and rode off.

Just when we thought we were about to enjoy some much deserved peace and quiet, the unexpected happened. The boat came screaming back straight towards the park about 30 mph and launched itself about 20 yards onto the shore narrowly missing a family camping nearby. Then the angry screaming began. The mother was screaming at the drunks, the drunks were screaming at each other, and the engine was screaming on shore. The boat was beached like the SS Minnow and it's castaways were "almost" as bright as Paris and Nicole.

I couldn't see if punches were thrown, but if they were, I bet that woman hit really hard.

Know when to say when, and never turn your back on obnoxious drunks.

Amen! I have eaten every NEVER I ever said.
ie. I'll never live in Houston,
I'll never live anywhere but Texas,
I'll Never live in New Orleans
I'll never get married,
I'll never have children,
I'll never quit smoking,
etc.

Keep it alive. Guys...you know you have a great ramp story that everyone needs to hear....so POST IT! Please

Sandspike, are you writing a collection of these stories?

I was at Lake Waco several years ago waiting for the ramp to clear so I could load my boat. There was a guy in a old red ford pickup (standard) backing his fiberglass boat in to be launched. The boat was nice and proable cost three times as much as the old truck. He exited the truck climbed into the boat and backed away from the trailer. As he was about 30 feet from the trailer the clutch started to slip on his truck and it was slowly sliding futher into the lake. The guy then jumped out of his boat in an effort to save the truck. Well while jumping out of the boat he hit the throttle with his leg and the boat took off. He made it to the truck which had now settled into the lake with only the very top of the cab visible. He climbed on top and sat there while he watched his boat circling him at about half speed. Then the Fire Department shows up in an attempt to rescue the man. The boat still circling the truck. Mean while the boat is getting closer to the truck. They tell the man to stay where he is and not to attempt to jump into the boat when it comes around again and he agrees. Few minutes later the boat comes close enough to the truck that the prop strikes the hood of the truck. This redirects the boat and now it is heading for the large rocks next to the ramp. The boat hits the rocks and drives itself all the way out of the water. The Fire Department then floods the boat with water because the motor is smoking after it shut down. Tow truck arrives on scene and pulls the truck out of the water. The trucks hood was shredded by the prop. The boats hull is split from hitting the rocks. Only good thing is the guy made out with no injuries.

hey one more, you need ONE more till you get a hundred posts

Humm....good Idea

So...give it up...

A couple of years ago, my dad and I were down at Bob Hall Pier and watched a scene for the ages unfold. About 300 yards South of the pier a brand new black Z71 pulls up. All jacked up and big tires. Pulling a 25' or so bay boat. Man gets out of truck and climbs into boat. He then hollers at his wife to back him into the surf. She backs up, farther, farther, farther - to about the second cut. He starts the engine and throttles it but I doesn't come off the trailer. Oh no- the straps are on and the surf is breaking in the boat. He hollers at his wife to pull up but by this time the truck has sunk to the axles in the sand and won't go. By now the tide is coming in and the water is about to the bottom of the doors... An hour later the water was at the windows. The tow truck driver asked him why he was trying to launch in the surf and his answer - wanted to save the launch fee at the boat ramp. Hmmm... I wonder how much money that $5 ramp fee cost him in the end...