Violence at the boat ramp...

3706 Views 24 Replies 21 Participants Last post by speckle-catcher, Jun 28, 2006

huntnetime

Discussion Starter · Jun 27, 2006

I know we see the threads from time to time about "this idiot" or "that idiot" who messed up everything at the boat ramp or potlicked someone out on the water. I just wanted to share something that I witnessed this weekend. As my friends and I pulled up to the boat ramp, we came up on a scense that goes something like this. A middle-aged man pulled his boat up to a local boat ramp after a long day of fishing(and apparently drinking). As he was heading to get his truck(which he should not have been driving anyway), some younger fellas (I'm guessing mid-20's) had backed their truck and trailer down into the water. Well, they either weren't very good at backing up a trailer or didn't realize it is a two boat ramp. Either way, their truck and trailer wound up caddy-whompus and taking up most of the ramp. The older gentleman started laying into one of the kids after he realized he wasn't going to get his trailer in the water right away. An argument ensued and the older gentleman popped one of the younger men in the face...HARD. Well, as it turns out, the group of younger guys had been shark fishing and were carrying a pistol with them. It must have been close at hand 'cause the kid that got punched grabbed it and popped the older fellow in the nose with the butt of the gun. His nose was definitely broken. Fortunately, that's where the violence ended. The police were called and I was afraid that they would take the older gentleman's word over the kids and arrest them, especially since the kid opted to use a weapon. Well, some notes were taken and names written down and the older fellow was placed in handcuffs. I was glad to see this as the kid was just defending himself. The reason I bring all of this up is because it could have turned out a lot worse. The younger bunch could have jumped the older guy and beaten him to within an inch of his life like so many young "punks" tend to do these days. Or, they could have used the business end of the gun. Fortunately for everyone these kids were not punks. All of this could have been avoided if the older fellow had just shown some patience. Five more minutes and those kids would have been out of his way and he would have been on his way home instead of sitting in jail. I know we all get frustrated with folks who seem like amateurs or are disrespectful or just plain rude. But, in the end, cooler heads prevail. I'll get off my soapbox now.

Sonny

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300X

· #2 · Jun 27, 2006

dannnng....to tell you the truth, i see that alot. the kid with the boat, owns it i mean, normally doesnt let anyone touch the boat and he gets a friend to back the trailer up. so im assuming that a friend of his that doesnt fish much was trying to back the truck up, and the kid who owns the rig was in the boat.

i have seen this plenty of times on the coast wherever i go...

but that sucks for the young guys...

kdubya

· #3 · Jun 27, 2006

I remember going to Poco Bueno when I was in my late teens. They could have charged admission to the tables around the boat ramp at The Fishing Center.

Sittin' there for a couple hours was a hoot. Sometimes I'd wish I had a video camera.

Kelly

Argo

· #4 · Jun 27, 2006

oil and water.......

should not drink while boating, glad they arrested him but I am sure he thinks that it is all the kids fault still. Glad he got what was comin to him though. I have seen plenty of these altercations at the ramp. Generally I will just try and assist the inexperienced person out a bit to get them going on their way. There is no reason for stupidity.

vinsp

· #5 · Jun 27, 2006

A little help or coaching in a friendly manner can go a long way.

mastercylinder60

· #6 · Jun 27, 2006

Argo said:
oil and water.......

should not drink while boating, glad they arrested him but I am sure he thinks that it is all the kids fault still. Glad he got what was comin to him though. I have seen plenty of these altercations at the ramp. Generally I will just try and assist the inexperienced person out a bit to get them going on their way. There is no reason for stupidity.

even if you do choose to drink, it is no excuse to act uncivilized.

salth2o

· #7 · Jun 27, 2006

vinsp said:
A little help or coaching in a friendly manner can go a long way.

AND A LITTLE PATIENCE!!!

We have all been there (not being the best of "trailer backer uppers") and there is no low, lower than being the guy at the boat ramp who is having trouble backing up.

BTW, it sounds like the old man got what he deserved.

txjoker

· #8 · Jun 27, 2006

At least it did not end up with someone getting shot...

Misty Dawn

· #9 · Jun 27, 2006

Boat Ramp

My wife isn't afraid of the Gulf of Mexico...she's not concerned about being out of sight of land...huge seas at the jetties don't really concern her. But the boat ramp TERRIFIES her! If she has to back the boat down the ramp or pull it out, she's a basket case before and after, just because of some of the scenes she's witnessed at the ramp. She thinks that someone's going to yell at her or make fun of her like she's seen happen to others.

Deep down she (and I, because it concerns me, too) knows that 99 out of a hundred people at the ramp would gladly help out. Heck, 90 out of a hundred would get in the truck with her and leave me at the ramp!

Impatience, inconsideration and alcohol are a bad combination. Thanks for all the patient, considerate, sober folks out there.

Bucky

enielsen

· #10 · Jun 27, 2006

So who trailered the old mans boat since he was hauled off in cuffs?

85LoneStar

· #11 · Jun 27, 2006

At the risk of turning this into a boat-ramp story thread I thought I'd share this.

Several years ago on one of the TX City boat ramps, I was waiting to put my boat in the water. A man and his wife had just launched their boat and he was standing in it at the dock. His wife came up to me in somewhat of a panic, handed me some keys and asked if I would get their truck and back the trailer down the ramp. She then pointed to a fairly new Suburban. I backed the trailer down and helped him load his boat. Apparently he had left the plug out and it was taking on water. I've since wandered what was going through his head. Was he planning on "going down with the ship?" I could have easily driven the opposite direction in that nice Suburban.

I guess it's hard for some people to stay calm on the water.

huntnetime

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jun 27, 2006

ENIELSEN....he had someone else with him. That guy stayed out of all the trouble. And I believe he sided with the kids when the police showed up. Not sided with them but rather confirmed that the older guy struck first.

Sonny

BEER4BAIT

· #13 · Jun 27, 2006

Pulled a gun and hit him with it..............................................I wonder if he shot the sharks or beat them.

Capt Ahab

· #14 · Jun 27, 2006

Classifieds

FOR SALE: Nice boat and trailer. Used by older gentleman who is tired of fishing. Comes complete with drinks, ice, rods, tackle box, and the day's catch. Cheap. Make Offer. HURRY!!!

ROBOWADER

· #15 · Jun 27, 2006

At what is formerly know as the Bait Dock in POC there are 4 ramps. 2 on each side of a dock which are divided by a concrete "Curb".
A few weeks ago we were pulling out the boat. These guys in an offshore boat are just sitting in the boat blocking one of the ramps and tied to the dock that the bait stand is on. Just sitting there hanging out, drinking beer, etc..........

See it all the time and it just flames me......

GET OUT OF THE WAY

mastercylinder60

· #16 · Jun 27, 2006

when i was a teenager, i worked at the old bait camp and marina that used to be at the end of the texas city dike. one morning we put this guys boat in the water that obviously hadn't been used in a long time. it had 4" of dead leaves on the deck floor. we got him in the water, but he had some serious problems getting it started and was holding up the line of people waiting to be put in. we moved him out of the way the best we could.

he finally got it started, but was having trouble getting it to idle smoothly(duh), so he decides to rev his mercury up a little bit to "blow it out." he slammed the throttle down so hard that his entire engine came off of the transom and sank into the water. a buddy of mine and i jumped in and pulled his motor out of the water, and he gave us $5.00 each. ($5.00 was three hours pay back then).

moral: always check your boat, motor and trailer out before leaving home - especially if you haven't had it out in awhile.

Gottagofishin

· #17 · Jun 27, 2006

As the owner (father) of two young men ages 21 and 17 I've discoverd that even though they sometimes look weird to us, just like we did to our parents, most of them are really great kids, just like most of us were.

Glad to hear the old man got what he deserved, but the kid probably should have left the gun in its holster. I'm in pretty good shape for my age, but I don't think I could take my 21 year old in a fair fight anymore. The kids probably had the advantage without the gun. That could have gotten really ugly and that kid could have ruined the rest of his life.

huntnetime

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jun 27, 2006

The gun was still in its holster...heck, it may not have even been loaded. It looked like that man clocked that kid pretty good and I'm sure the kid wanted to make sure the older fella knew he didn't appreciate it. They all looked like good kids and none of them appeared to have been drinking while out on the water. They were all real subdued and I think handled the situation very well. They didn't do anything rash, besides brandishing the weapon. But even then, the police obviously had no problem with that.

Sonny

Walkin' Jack

· #19 · Jun 27, 2006

I have seen two fistfights at boat ramps in my life. The best one was between a man and woman that I assumed were man and wife. He got in the first lick but that was also the last lick. she put a good old Texas ash-whuppin' on that guy and drew a hearty round of applause from the crowd. Sometime when I have more time I'll run it down for ya. It was actually pretty funny. Besides I don't wanna hijack this thread! One of them mean ole mods might get after me!

BayTex

· #20 · Jun 27, 2006

Boat ramps has always made me a nervous wreck!!!

I can back anything, anywhere, anytime....but the nerves get going because of the others that can't back a trailer and panic or get pi55ed.

Had 1 altercation when my wife and I had just started dating when there were 2 different groups of people putting their boats in the water, and both were taking up 4 spots. I whipped in and strategically placed my trailer between them. When 1 of the groups finished and pulled out another group started backing in and proceeded to get as close to my truck as possible, because he ASSumed I was the one holding everyone up. I had to sit and wait for him to put his boat in and get everyone and everything in his boat and mouth off at me for about 10 minutes because he thought he was a better person and could talk tough around a young couple and be cool around his friends. He finally moved and parked his trailer and walked by me mouthing again as I tied down my boat, all the time I never said a word, because I tend to be pretty vengeful and knew he would be driving off in his boat pretty soon, and he did.

I've changed my ways since then, BUT it sure felt good when I walked around his truck and kicked every valve stem off of it and the trailer!

Now I was never one to shy away from a good fight, but please be careful out there, because so many people out there carry guns and will shoot nowadays!

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