Boat Launching at French Creek

[Dgsafe]

Okay, I’m new to the boating world , got my boat last September and loving it, always travel from my home in Wall Beach all the way to Brechin to launch, cause it’s clean and everyone is courteous and never a headache. Today I got out after 10 am which I think is late and I found Brechin full for trailer parking, did find some cars parked in the trailers area and was choked that they were there, but that’s another story.
So I drove all the way to French Creek ( first time launch here )and actually found a spot to park, that’s when the fun began, wow what happened to courtesy and respect for fellow boaters.
I had everything ready to go, backed down the ramp, dumped the boat and tied it up at the rear of the dock, 4 minutes tops!
Jump in the truck and as I am trying to come up and park, a truck with a trailer and sea doo are coming at me, wait in front of him is a truck and 16 foot boat in front of him.
Okay, am I missing something, is their some magical way to perform this act that I am not aware of, should I have zig or zagged or just backed my entire rig in to the water? I just politely asked the guy where he was planning on going with me in the way, and his answer was “Lasqueti island”
Anyways that was over with, had a great time cruising around the islands for a few hours and decided to come back early to beat the rush of many fishing boats out there today.
On the way in 1 boat is ahead of me, I now got my bumpers on the starboard side and am pulling in behind the boat ahead of me as he runs up to get his tow vehicle. All of a sudden someone comes down the same ramp pulls in beside the guy ahead of me, and backs his boat off the trailer and in doing so, almost hits me as I am getting ready to tie up to the dock. WTF?

I hate to rant and I believe we all deserve our time on the ramp to launch or pickup , as long as your not wasting people’s time loading your beer cooler and water wings , while the wife is paying for parking, and 5 boats are waiting.

But this is crazy, is their no rules here? Does no one police anything? I must be missing something? Maybe bad day to go ?
I know someone here has the answer, either way unless this gets fixed I won’t be launching a brand new boat here ever again.
I will wait my turn ar Brechin, even if it’s not till the next day

 

[prodjsaig]

Entitlement you cant be accommodating to people who tell you how it is. Or they will walk all over you. Its stressful for sure. Ill tell you a story what happened to me. Two drunk guys in a pickup truck launched their seadoos and the one guy gave me a dirty look while I was loading the boat on the trailer. Well sure enough they had hit a jeeps winch that was sticking out opposite of the trailer parking lot. Had an rcmp officer come to my house. Ordinary day and because I was by myself some bozo lays the blame on me and I had to pay for it because I was by myself. So thats another thing being solo at a launch you can be taken for a ride.

 

[Dgsafe]

Note: I forgot to mention, I was with my wife while launching, she held the boat at the dock, while I ran to get the trailer.
She is never going back there

 

[adrian1991]

French creek is ducked butt hats everywhere go early in the am or on weekdays be assertive and don't be scared to tell the clowns I'm going down next when you were there first.

 

[Big Green Machine]

Sorry to hear the DGSafe. I had coffee and a sandwich on the picnic table at the top of that ramp from 10-12 yesterday and I think it was the busiest I have ever seen it. I think I saw the dude back up his jetski on the trailer and it looked like he was trying to backup and put in on the far side of the ramp, along the section with no dock, and was diagonal in front of you at one point, probably when you were about to leave. There is room for two trailers on each side, but some people are not comfortable in close quarters. In the two hours of watching most people tried to be courteou. The funniest was seeing a wife get angry because her husband almost backed over her. She ran up front, grabbed the bowline and chucked it in her husband’s face. Then some dude in crocs literally running from boat in the water, back to his parked vehicle, then to the parking pay station, to the the washroom, back to boat, vehicle, and finally back to boat.

 

[Dgsafe]

Sorry to hear the DGSafe. I had coffee and a sandwich on the picnic table at the top of that ramp from 10-12 yesterday and I think it was the busiest I have ever seen it. I think I saw the dude back up his jetski on the trailer and it looked like he was trying to backup and put in on the far side of the ramp, along the section with no dock, and was diagonal in front of you at one point, probably when you were about to leave. There is room for two trailers on each side, but some people are not comfortable in close quarters. In the two hours of watching most people tried to be courteou. The funniest was seeing a wife get angry because her husband almost backed over her. She ran up front, grabbed the bowline and chucked it in her husband’s face. Then some dude in crocs literally running from boat in the water, back to his parked vehicle, then to the parking pay station, to the the washroom, back to boat, vehicle, and finally back to boat.

That was me telling the jet ski owner to wait for me to pull out , but there was another trailer coming in front of him lol, It was definitely worse coming in though.
It was a big learning curve and I won’t be heading to French creek on a weekend , weekdays only for this guy
I should have parked and sat at the picnic table with you and enjoyed the show
Thanks for the reply

 

[Big Green Machine]

That was me telling the jet ski owner to wait for me to pull out , but there was another trailer coming in front of him lol, It was definitely worse coming in though.
It was a big learning curve and I won’t be heading to French creek on a weekend , weekdays only for this guy
I should have parked and sat at the picnic table with you and enjoyed the show
Thanks for the reply

We were back there again today and it was still busy, but not as busy as Sunday. Lots of people coming in with their limits.

 

[SpringVelocity]

That is pretty much standard. I don't get pissed off anymore there.

It's summer there is no ramp not busy. Great ramp and easy to launch. Really nothing to figure out there.

Not rocket science people make me laugh how there in such a rush there. You literally can troll out on your kicker. Like 5 minutes from putting lines down LOL.

I would go sunrise ~5am and just before dinner if you want slower times.

 

[Fisherman Rob]

I think the lack of clear or standard ramp protocols, the rush everyone is in to get in and get out, and the huge investment put at risk makes launching a boat a gong show pretty much anywhere when it's busy. In my experience it's not very often you run into someone who actually is trying to be an butt. It's just always a bit of chaos, which is why lots of people like to sit and watch, just for entertainment.

I notice this year at Tulista in Sidney they have now got a big sign designating the north side of the ramp for boats landing, south side for launching. This avoids the shenanigans on the dock where boats coming in have to get around boats going out. Only thing is the sign is pointing out to sea, so those launching don't know to not use the north ramp if there are boats landing (at least I didn't see it if there is a sign as I only saw it coming back)>

Main things are keep calm, be ready, be patient, and don't loose your head.

EDIT: LOL I see site admins have auto language censor when you post. (eg "Don't be an butt!" -> "don't be a butt")

 

[Trophy]

Dgsafe, welcome to the gong show ‘French Creek”. Been launching there 10 years and every year getting worse. We were trying to return on Monday around 2:00 pm and again experienced and observed inconsiderate jerks. The only time there are policing of the launch by the harbour authority is during the french creek fishing derby, the rest of the year its the wild west. We no longer fish on weekends in the summer because of this. Even off times are getting worse with the increase for the quest of the outdoor boating experience. Whats the answer ….more launches, rules, flag people, teach your children manners at a early age??

 

[Adler]

I am planning to launch here this weekend to head out fishing and to Hornby, but after reading this, am wondering about other options. Is this the only launch before Deep Bay heading North? Deep Bay is too sketchy for me and 25' boat, so it would seem French Creek or Comox, or am I missing something? Is there a launch at Union Bay that would work? Doesn't help that it seems to be low tides at the wrong times this weekend...Sorry, not intending to derail this thread, but wondering if not here, then where?

 

[disco]

If there are two of you and both can handle the boat or the truck and trailer you can use the outside of the ramps. It's the guys who can't handle the truck/trailer or the boat and show up unprepared and confused that screw up the system and complain that people are inconsiderate and rude. Go to the Save On parking lot and learn how to back up a trailer and figure out how to get the boat off and back on without being timed with a calendar and you'll do fine. BTW, after you launch, walk your boat back as far as possible before you park so others can get in or out ahead of your boat. Common sense!

 

[Reel Time]

Sunday was a good show there. Just took a peak as I considered launching.... nah, pass, amateur hour at its best.

 

[SpringFever552]

Sunday was a good show there. Just took a peak as I considered launching.... nah, pass, amateur hour at its best.

It was painfull to watch when i was there also, guys zigzagging down, pulling ahead to straighten out, backing down, pull ahead again, taking the whole ramp, it was more than just the one guy doing thst..painfull...
Then a poor guy forgot his plug when he launched, had to run back to his truck to put boat back on trailer only after he got down to boat and saw his bilge pumps pumping away...

 

[Reel Time]

It was painfull to watch when i was there also, guys zigzagging down, pulling ahead to straighten out, backing down, pull ahead again, taking the whole ramp, it was more than just the one guy doing thst..painfull...
Then a poor guy forgot his plug when he launched, had to run back to his truck to put boat back on trailer only after he got down to boat and saw his bilge pumps pumping away...

Yup saw that. 2 pumps working, they did well. lol

 

[Fisherman Rob]

If there are two of you and both can handle the boat or the truck and trailer you can use the outside of the ramps. It's the guys who can't handle the truck/trailer or the boat and show up unprepared and confused that screw up the system and complain that people are inconsiderate and rude. Go to the Save On parking lot and learn how to back up a trailer and figure out how to get the boat off and back on without being timed with a calendar and you'll do fine. BTW, after you launch, walk your boat back as far as possible before you park so others can get in or out ahead of your boat. Common sense!

... And (if you can) point your bow seaward so others know you are leaving, not waiting to land.

 

[Bryan Allen]

I am planning to launch here this weekend to head out fishing and to Hornby, but after reading this, am wondering about other options. Is this the only launch before Deep Bay heading North? Deep Bay is too sketchy for me and 25' boat, so it would seem French Creek or Comox, or am I missing something? Is there a launch at Union Bay that would work? Doesn't help that it seems to be low tides at the wrong times this weekend...Sorry, not intending to derail this thread, but wondering if not here, then where?

I launch my 20ft tin boat at Union Bay because the Comox Marina launch is a zoo other than at 5 am. The other launches in the Comox area are tide and wind dependent.... But be careful-- the ramp area at Union is crawling with yakers and paddle boards in the PM when they come back from Tree Island across the sound. Avoid the concrete part of the ramp if you have a low slung trailer. You will get stuck or damage your trailer. I have seen bigger boats than 25ft launch at Union Bay-- but realistically the municipal ramp in Comox handles bigger boats better. Just watch out for trailer light crunchers in the parking lot.