Please warm up your motor

[habberdasher]

In my over fifty years of trailering boats I have found that warming up my motors before leaving for the ramp saves a lot of frustration for both myself and others wanting to use the ramp. It not only helps with quick starting but alerts you to mechanical problems. Yesterday I gave up waiting at the main Cattle point ramp and unfortunately with the northeast wind my boat got quite banged up using the other ramp.

 

[Foxsea]

It's a good practice. Even at the marina, if you are taking friends or family, get there earlier, check fluids, get life jackets organized, remove spring lines, etc. all while the engine is warming up.

 

[N2013]

Not practical for everyone. Don’t think my
Neighbours would like be too happy hearing me warm the boat up ar zero dark thirty. Agree that boats need to be ran prior but maybe the night or day before you go fishing. That’s a tough launch in the wind. No other launch at OB Marina?

 

[habberdasher]

LNot practical for everyone. Don’t think my
Neighbours would like be too happy hearing me warm the boat up ar zero dark thirty. Agree that boats need to be ran prior but maybe the night or day before you go fishing. That’s a tough launch in the wind. No other launch at OB Marina?

I think the oak bay marina ramp is chained up most of the time and it would almost be impossible to back on it from beach drive I should have gone to Fleming or James bay

 

[tinboatrobb]

I think the oak bay marina ramp is chained up most of the time and it would almost be impossible to back on it from beach drive I should have gone to Fleming or James bay

the real issue here is , did you catch any fish?

 

[RogersonCrusoe]

In my over fifty years of trailering boats I have found that warming up my motors before leaving for the ramp saves a lot of frustration for both myself and others wanting to use the ramp. It not only helps with quick starting but alerts you to mechanical problems. Yesterday I gave up waiting at the main Cattle point ramp and unfortunately with the northeast wind my boat got quite banged up using the other ramp.

Starting my boat in the driveway is priority. I really enjoy starting it early morning next to the party house on the block. "It'll start" just means that it won't.

 

[habberdasher]

the real issue here is , did you catch any fish?

Needed you for a guide one just legal dunny

 

[tinboatrobb]

I am hoping to get out tomorrow. Weather and tides are looking promising.

 

[eroyd]

oops wrong thread.

 

[sly_karma]

See this way too often in the Okanagan. Tourist folks arrive at the ramp full of anticipation for a fun day on the water... and then the trouble begins. He says, "You back it down the ramp and I'll direct you." Little do they know that decision will cost them a couple grand in marriage counseling sessions. After 15 minutes of reverse-forward-reverse-forward, yelling, swearing, unhelpful hand signals and a few tears, the boat is in the water at last. The junior and canine members of the family are corralled and loaded aboard, along with many coolers and inflatables.

OK kids, here we go. And of course now the boat won't start. The frustration-anger-crying cycle begins anew. Surely it makes sense to start up and check everything out ahead of time before leaving home? Maybe hitch up the boat and find an empty parking lot for a refresher on backing up the rig? I can't be the only one who's rusty after a winter of no towing.

 

[Foxsea]

See this way too often in the Okanagan. Tourist folks arrive at the ramp full of anticipation for a fun day on the water... and then the trouble begins. He says, "You back it down the ramp and I'll direct you." Little do they know that decision will cost them a couple grand in marriage counseling sessions. After 15 minutes of reverse-forward-reverse-forward, yelling, swearing, unhelpful hand signals and a few tears, the boat is in the water at last. The junior and canine members of the family are corralled and loaded aboard, along with many coolers and inflatables.

OK kids, here we go. And of course now the boat won't start. The frustration-anger-crying cycle begins anew. Surely it makes sense to start up and check everything out ahead of time before leaving home? Maybe hitch up the boat and find an empty parking lot for a refresher on backing up the rig? I can't be the only one who's rusty after a winter of no towing.

Rusty? Spring-time it's like I've never seen a trailer before. My solution is back to basics: set the mirrors up, hand on the bottom of the wheel, everything in slow-motion, small movements on the wheel and get the rig straight before approaching the ramp. And be there without an audience or "helpers".

 

[eroyd]

. . . and on the flip side. When pulling your boat out, and others are waiting, park your rig away from the top of the ramp before dicking around with your straps etc.

 

[Tom Mac]

. . . and on the flip side. When pulling your boat out, and others are waiting, park your rig away from the top of the ramp before dicking around with your straps etc.

This just drives me the craziest, I all most have to take medication to deal with it.

 

[seahorse]

I made a total rookie mistake this past spring at Comox lake taking the boat out for the first time. I have too many wires going to the house battery and didn’t see the main engine neutral wire fall behind the battery when I put it in the boat. Got to the ramp, tried to start the main engine while still on the trailer, nothing, just clicking, pulled it out of the water, checked the wiring but nothing, run 10 minutes home got a light and found the wire. Fired everything up in the driveway to check and then back to the ramp. There’s a bus bar coming to clean up the wires at the battery.