Launching Chaos

[Kate]

Why do some men insist on teaching their wife/girlfriend how to launch, while sitting at the top of the ramp? Why do some then get publicly angry at the poor woman when she doesn't immediately digest and execute perfectly everything that is completely new to her? It's not her fault that those waiting in line are giving you angry stares.

[ajcampen]

[dsthomas]

Pretty un fair to start anyone out at a busy ramp. The boat ramp is not a place for someone short on patience. Just to brag a little on my wife. She backs our trailer better than most men I know. She's been doing it for ten years. We started with an empty parking lot and worked from there to the ramp as she got comfortable.

We've witnessed couples fighting at the ramp and it's often the main topic of conversation on the way home. My wife also likes to tell stories of guys that will offer to help her before she even gets to the truck. She kindly declines the offer and then backs the boat down like a pro... she just gets irritated that they just assume a woman is going to need some help (she wouldn't mind accepting help if they witnessed her struggling). One time we had a guy yell out "I wish my wife could do that" I assume the woman on the dock was his wife, she shot him a look that was, well... less than approving.

[Kate]

"I wish my wife could do that"

Which reminds me of the flip side of the angry male.

I've seen long-time couples where the man might as well have been launching and trailering solo. He backs the boat down. Climbs into the boat. Launches. Docks. Returns to drive vehicle up ramp. Trailering -- rinse and repeat. All the while the woman is just standing there, watching.

Maybe your wife should offer online counseling/launching and trailering advice.

I've always wondered why more people (men and women) don't use the empty parking lot method to practice and gain confidence.

[Canterbury]

I believe many of us need to purchase this t-shirt.

[dsthomas]

There is a YouTube channel dedicated to what happens at the boat ramp. It's called Miami Boat Ramps. It's crazy, funny, and maddening all at the same time. Of course the guy never films those who know what they are doing, only the newbs it seems. Though I've never seen a Cobalt on his channel.

[Canterbury]

To expand on Kate's point above, My belief is that a lot of the launching "chaos" for couples and families could be greatly decreased if EVERYONE was actively engaged in the process. There is a process and steps that ALWAYS need to happen to make a launch successful. These don't magically change if there is 1 person, a couple, a family of 5 or a group of drunken friends. There is a ramp, a tow vehicle, trailer, boat, ropes, plugs, winches, motors to raise, covers to deploy........ and more than likely, several other boats+people trying to grapple with the same things/processes at the same time.

If this is your first rodeo, watch from the sidelines but also watch the process AND ask questions AFTER the boat is on the trailer and in the parking lot. I wouldn't expect a non-boating spouse or family member to be an expert at the first launch, but maybe by the 5th? Or the 10th? Certainly by the 20th ......... hopefully.

Thank you for letting me tell MY side of the story. Now I have to go and finally purchase that shirt.

[jhnmdahl]

If the first time you throw a baseball is as a pitcher in a baseball game, it's not going to go well. Same applies for loading and unloading a boat, and backing a trailer. Start slow, where nobody's rushing you, and don't be afraid to take multiple attempts and learn a little from each try.

[NautiWeasel]

It's a process that can test any relationship, let alone a marriage, but with practice, patience, and good communication, it can be an enjoyable experience as well. My wife, over the past 15 years has gone from by stander, to doing more than 50% of the work at times to get the boat launched or retrieved. I've learned along the way just as much as she has, and now there are very few curve balls we can't quickly figure out, and still get the boat in or out of the water safely.

[Homeskillet]

We've had the same routine for a bazillion years: We back up to the staging area and both get out. She walks the dog to the pee/poop area while I unhook everything. Then we put the pooch in the boat, and while I creep toward the ramp as others pull out, she runs our "pass" card at the kiosk, hands me the slip and grabs the lines. I launch and she ties it up while I run the trailer up the road... a LONG way mind you, and then I ride my scooter back to the pier. When I hook the boat back on the trailer (while sitting on the tailgate) I give a little "slap-slap" on the tailgate when I'm ready for her to yank us out, and she pulls the boat out and up the way so we can secure everything. We even have a routine back at the garage for retrieving drinks, garbage, food, etc lol!!!!!