So where WOULD you practice with your boat?

mike5097 · 04-26-2002, 09:02 AM

After reading the thread about the Meldrum Bar boat ramp yesterday, you can imagine what it was like to pull around the corner to my house and see my neighbor standing next to his brand new 18’ Bayliner!

I am completely serious. This is not a joke!

Of course he wants to take out to the Willamette on Sunday to try it out for the first time!
Knowing him and his demeanor I can see it coming!

I tried to clue him in about what to expect out there, but unfortunately he is a brusk type of guy who gets an idea in his head and it takes an act of god change it.

His wife, however, is one smart cookie and knows how to play him like a finely tuned violin.
She got him to change his mind about where, but not when.
Of course, both of them want me to go along to help out.

Does any body have a recommendation of where to let him play with his new toy?
He has little to no boating experience, although he can back any type of trailer like an ace.
At least that won’t be a problem.

I really want to keep him off the lower Willamette and I suggested the boat ramp above the falls on the west linn side.
If anybody has any better suggestions PLEASE let me know!

Please Help!!

hookem · 04-26-2002, 09:09 AM

I think your right, any place above the falls would be very good. There he will have mosty other fiberglass types who will be at a slower pace.

Bait O' Eggs · 04-26-2002, 09:24 AM

The Kokanee should be biting at Suttle lake.

mike5097 · 04-26-2002, 09:37 AM

Come on guys! Seriously!
Launching at a slower pace is OK, but going slow is not what I'm worried about!
It will be the "everybody can wait till I'm da** good and ready" attitude at the ramp, and the "get out of my way you a**-holes, I'm trying to have fun here" attitude when out on the water.
Mike

[ 04-26-2002, 10:39 AM: Message edited by: mike5097 ]

Smj · 04-26-2002, 09:50 AM

Perhaps the Gleason ramp, around 9:00-10:00 am when the majority of salmon fishers have already gone and before the pleasure boaters show up en-masse?
just a thought. Bayliner huh...? hehe

Smj

Tanner · 04-26-2002, 09:58 AM

A really good place for this would be Hebb Park in West Linn. Take Stafford rd. to Mountain Rd. Follow Signs to Canby Ferry. As soon as you pass Sandalee Golf Course you will see a sign that says Hebb Park. Turn left there and follow the signs to Hebb Park.

Shouldn't be a whole lot of anything going on there and there is enough water in the Willamette right now that you shouldn't have to worry about the shallow water downstream from there.

Another good place would be the boat ramp right below the I-5 bridge in Wilsonville. Take the Charbonneau exit and turn right on Butteville Rd. It will take you right down to the ramp.

[ 04-26-2002, 11:00 AM: Message edited by: Tanner ]

CAGEY · 04-26-2002, 10:04 AM

Mike, check your email....Cagey

mike5097 · 04-26-2002, 12:42 PM

:shocked: YES IT IS A WHITE BAYLINER!! :shocked:
No chance about delaying the trip past the weekend. The wife says he's been out playing with his boat all morning.

Oh well, I might get some good stories out of this at any rate,

Mike

husker · 04-26-2002, 12:47 PM

i was at hagg lake last weekend.....boats coming in and going out.....basically combat launching and loading ..... i would try somewhere else personally for training.....

Phish_on · 04-26-2002, 01:13 PM

The Willamette below the falls is NO PLACE for a rookie boater. The river is full of wood and boats. Above the falls - Willamette Park in West Linn (10th st exit off I-205) - you can take a nice run up the river. Stay midstream and you shouldn't have any rocky surprises.

It's probably full of timber up there too. A nice lake would be better - how about N. Fork Res (Clackamas, above Estacada) you'd probably have it to yourself

mike5097 · 04-26-2002, 01:52 PM

North Fork/Promontory park sounds like a good place. Or maybe Estacada lake?
I thought it was closed though.
Is it open for boating but not for fishing?
Anybody know?

AngleThis · 04-26-2002, 02:43 PM

Assuming the boat is an I/O, unless he really knows the river and is an experience boater, the Willamette would NOT be a wise place to learn. I learned some expensive lessons with my I/O there which I would not wish on anyone. Just launching and retrieving could easily cost him a prop and prop shaft. (And if his drive is a Mercruiser (probably is), be sure to tell him to NOT run the engine AT ALL with the drive raised higher than the maximum trim position, in case he forgot to read the operation manual. Running with the drive higher than that equals compromised bellows. Leaky bellows equals gear lube displaced by water, and water in the outdrive for very long is a $4,000 owie.(

I suggest Merwin Lake. This lake is clear and deep, with steep shores, no bars or pinnacles, and little floating debrit. Just dont go above the bridge toward the headwaters; it gets shallow with prop shreding giant stumps a little above there.

[ 04-26-2002, 03:51 PM: Message edited by: ********* ]

chromer · 04-26-2002, 04:14 PM

I agree with husker that Hagg Lake can be busy this time of year, but if you go at non-peak times you can have the whole place to yourself. This is especially true if the weather is a little on the crappy side. I've been out there several times the last couple of weeks after work and there's only maybe 6 or 8 boats on the west end of the lake. Will get more crowded as the days get longer and weather warms, and once school's out forget it.

I definitely recommend boat ramp "C" rather than "A" if you want to stay away from the crowd. Remember that end of the lake is "no wake", so keep her slow until you cross the buoy line.

STGRule · 04-26-2002, 05:23 PM

mike5097: Don't forget the video and still camera. If nothing else it could help with the court case. Just stay back a good 100' and pretend you don't know him. Film away, who knows, you might have a new America's Funniest Videos winner.

Salmonator · 04-26-2002, 05:39 PM

Alright, no more white bayliner jokes. I've by far seen more idiots in "silver aluminum" boats than I have in white bayliners even if only due to sheer numbers. Besides, i've seen a few 40' "white bayliners" that probably have some serious experience behind the wheels.

It's time for white bayliner owners to unite to stop the oppression!!!

First rally will be at Halibut Hill in two weeks

[img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img]

[ 04-26-2002, 07:57 PM: Message edited by: Salmonator ]

Joe Schwab · 04-26-2002, 06:33 PM

I wonder where all the "experts" who have no tolerance for beginners got their experience.
They must have been born with expertise and of course never in their lives did they ever inconvenience anyone else at a boat ramp or anywhere else for that matter.
Lighten up folks! It's supposed to be fun.
Yes go to a ramp that has multiple lanes so the guy who is really in a hurry can get in and go. You probably don't want to ask him for help anyway. Check with locals to see if there are hazards such as submerged rocks near the ramp. Those can ruin you day. Gleason, 42nd, St.Johns, all good ramps with deep water. [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

Hooked on fishin · 04-26-2002, 07:37 PM

OK Salmonator, I'll join your party, I have a 2052 Bayliner Trophy, White, and I'll bet I can get in and out faster then 90% of the Sled boys. Thats also after I got my limit and leave you in the water.

04-26-2002, 07:58 PM

I learned by backing up farm equipment before I could drive on public roads.

Courtesy goes a long ways when you are having problems.

The worse case of anusitus at a boat ramp that I
have experienced was one afternoon after work we went down to the Mt Point boat launch south of Ketchikan to hit the evening bite. There were two rigs in the parking lot ahead of us and two boats in the basin waiting to come in. Parked at the bottom of the ramp was a car with two dinks and their kayak. They carried the kayak up to their car and set it on the ground. Then they got their gear out of it one piece at a time, folded it and put it in the trunk. Then they put the kayak on top of the car and tied it on so well that they could have driven 80 mph, the highest speed limit on the island was 45 mph. Then she stood by the passenger door and waited for him to come around and open the door for her. He made sure that she had her seat belt fastened and then double checked the kayak. Then he drove to the top of the ramp got out and checked the kayak AGAIN!!!! 45 minutes with 4 boats waiting to use the ramp. Fortunately everyone else had it together and we let the two boats come in and we got out fairly quickly!

I think that these JERKS were doing this

deliberately to antagonize the power boaters!

jayman · 04-26-2002, 08:57 PM

hey, mike 5097...try the boones ferry ramp on the willamette. it's right off of I-5 just south of wilsonville. it has two lanes with a dock in the middle and lots of water to learn on. if your going south on I-5 take the first exit after you cross the willamette after you have gone by wilsonville. take a right and the ramp is down the road about a mile and a half. great ramp, no crowd and safe river. i highly recommend this area for learning. one warning- do not go below the canby ferry more than a half mile (which is about 4-6 miles downriver from the ramp) there is some shallows there on the starboard side that can be a pain. stay upriver from the ferry and you should be good to go. :smile:
have fun :shocked:
jayman

Salmonator · 04-26-2002, 09:01 PM

WoooHoooo! 2002 Trophy "white". Maybe Jen could start a Trophy owners section on the site :grin: ?

Firedog · 04-26-2002, 09:05 PM

I would say if he wanted to get out this weekend to go to the columbia or a lake somewhere. The Columbia has a lot of room and other than a wingdam here and there, everything thing else is just sand for the most part and as high as the water is there arent really any sandbars around. A few logs but not much lately. The Gleason ramp (42nd Street) has a lot of room and the river is big in that area. I have been fishing out of there all week and very few boats up there.

Salmonator · 04-26-2002, 09:17 PM

Last year at a ramp on the Siletz myself and three other driftboats waiting to take out watched as a guy in a van backed his trailer to the water, then proceeded to put his poles, tacklebox, rain gear and everything else that needed to be put away into his van BEFORE he put the boat on the trailer and pulled to the top. I even think he gathered garbage and organized the loose tackle in the trays. In other words, when he got to the top of the ramp he was ready to hit the road. Two people could have taken out while he did this. I'm assuming it was revenge since his fishbox was empty and I know he saw us fighting at least 4 fish while in our vicinity

fishwish · 04-26-2002, 11:27 PM

Here here !! . I just baught a 95 1952 about 6 weeks ago and like it. paid 6k for it and it's in great shape.I've had my boat with blue stripe out 5times without any problems and quick launches and takeouts :grin: :grin:

Bounty Hunter · 04-26-2002, 11:38 PM

What about Chinook landing? There are several boat lanes there so one guy taking his time doesn't shut down the whole ramp.

Hoosier Daddy · 04-26-2002, 11:53 PM

Hey, can I go with you guys!!!! :grin: :grin: :tongue:

Seriously, the only question that really matters is: Is it a WHITE bayliner? If not, you're OK.

Anybody know how busy Hagg Lake is this time of year?

Can you get him to wait till Monday? or next Sunday after the closure?

bigtrout · 04-27-2002, 05:51 AM

I to am one of those big white owners just got mine.Had a small alumaweld before wanted to be safer in big water.Hagg Lake is a good place to practice when the weater is bad most everyone leaves.The lanch at Scappose is not bad either during none peak times.

Hoosier Daddy · 04-27-2002, 07:45 AM

Hey, Trophy's don't count. I was talking ski boats!!!! :tongue: