Slipway Priority, (Northney)

[Mike C]

A question about slipway priority preferences.

I came back into Northney Marina yesterday, (Sunday 9th) after a day on the Solent. As predicated there were a large number of boats waiting to recover at the slipway, so a wait was inevitable.

The collection of boaters waiting, seemed to be operating a system of first BOAT arriving back, first out. While this seems fair on the surface, in practice it was to my mind causing huge delays.

Some people had their trailers stored at the top of the slipway with car attached, others were a 5 minute walk away. Thus, cars and trailers ready to pull out at the top of the slipway had to wait for the ‘next’ boat in line’s crew to return with their trailer. The result was longer than necessary periods when the slipway was not in use!

I will admit that since my boat was ready to pull out and I was there with car and trailer and no-one else was, I used one of these periods to get my boat out, being accused of ‘pushing in'.

Think about this people, and this applies at any slipway. Surely, the most economical use of time is to tie up your boat anywhere, not necessarily one behind the other in line, and go get your trailer. Trailers could be anywhere and people get them ready at different speeds. When you’re ready to recover, GET IN THE TRAILER LINE! When the car/trailer in front of you is pulling out their boat, advise your crew that they are next and to get ready. This way its one car up, next one down – Slipway in constant use. Everyone goes home quicker!

This also allows for people to LAUNCH in turn too, (as someone was trying to against the intermittent flow on Sunday). OK, for single handed crew, car & trailer will sit on the slipway while you get back in your boat but that’s better than everyone waiting while you fetch your trailer too!

I might also add that at least one hard boat only arrived back at Northney ‘first’ by paying total disregard to the Harbour Speed Limit as it zoomed past me and another boat at 15 knots plus. Using the trailer first method may resist the temptation to speed too!

Thoughts please,

Mike C

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Mike C

A question about slipway priority preferences.

I came back into Northney Marina yesterday, (Sunday 9th) after a day on the Solent. As predicated there were a large number of boats waiting to recover at the slipway, so a wait was inevitable.

The collection of boaters waiting, seemed to be operating a system of first BOAT arriving back, first out. While this seems fair on the surface, in practice it was to my mind causing huge delays.

Some people had their trailers stored at the top of the slipway with car attached, others were a 5 minute walk away. Thus, cars and trailers ready to pull out at the top of the slipway had to wait for the ‘next’ boat in line’s crew to return with their trailer. The result was longer than necessary periods when the slipway was not in use!

I will admit that since my boat was ready to pull out and I was there with car and trailer and no-one else was, I used one of these periods to get my boat out, being accused of ‘pushing in'.

Think about this people, and this applies at any slipway. Surely, the most economical use of time is to tie up your boat anywhere, not necessarily one behind the other in line, and go get your trailer. Trailers could be anywhere and people get them ready at different speeds. When you’re ready to recover, GET IN THE TRAILER LINE! When the car/trailer in front of you is pulling out their boat, advise your crew that they are next and to get ready. This way its one car up, next one down – Slipway in constant use. Everyone goes home quicker!

This also allows for people to LAUNCH in turn too, (as someone was trying to against the intermittent flow on Sunday). OK, for single handed crew, car & trailer will sit on the slipway while you get back in your boat but that’s better than everyone waiting while you fetch your trailer too!

I might also add that at least one hard boat only arrived back at Northney ‘first’ by paying total disregard to the Harbour Speed Limit as it zoomed past me and another boat at 15 knots plus. Using the trailer first method may resist the temptation to speed too!

Thoughts please,

Mike C

Ask Nos about the "Fowey system"

[Mike C]

Originally Posted by bedajim

Ask Nos about the "Fowey system"

Pray tell......

I launched at Penmarlam Quay, River Fowey earlier this year. It was mid week and pouring down and there was only me and one other RIB so no problem... But yes, if you mean Penmarlam that must be a nightmare on a sunny Sunday!

Mike C

[PeterM]

Similar things have occurred where I launch in Christchurch , but there is a fairly sensible approach - very like the trailer system you mention. You do get the odd twat turn up , reverse down & then start to un-strap , load the boat up , get an ice cream , feed the ducks - oh and then think about launching thier boat as there are 6 other waiting. These are the same people that object when someone asks if they can go in front as they are ready.

Slipways offer a whole new pastime for me when I dont have time to go out myself hours of fun watching - but scares the life out ofme that these poeple cant even launch a boat , let alone safely operate one .

Best was a guy with a nice new 6m + boat , unstrapped , every thing checked out , ready to go , undid the winch strap at the top of the ramp - reversed slowly back , touched the brackes on the car & the boat gracefully rolled off the trailer . Unfortunately the trailer was still at the top of the slip , so a large crurch later & a great photo op of car , trailer , boat - all 30 feet from the water. It really is amazing how strong transomes are !

[tinker]

Trailer q every time, sitting waiting while the slip is idle aint gonna happen.

The amount of people who turn up on the slips and then prepare boat's/ Trailers you could wait hours, think its all part of the pleasure for em.

Cant say I aint had problems with this approach though, namely salcombe but thats another tale

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by bedajim

Ask Nos about the "Fowey system"

Yeah, Penmarlam.
Works something like this:-

Most people tie up on the pontoon, go and get the car/trailer (which are always separate and can take up to 15 minutes), join queue of cars/trailers, back down, recover, drive up. Takes under a minute as long as the boat goes on straight.


However, when the knobs in shite 70's ski boats arrive it goes something like this:-

Dump 2 boats on slipway leaving room for one person to recover. Leave wives/kids with boats to mill around aimlessly. Wander off and get trailer while having many random conversations on the way and take as long as possible.
In comes me-ties up to pontoon,gets car, hitches up trailer, leaves Sixy to reverse trailer down slip while I get the boat. I don't even clock that the knobhead is intending to recover-he's deep in converstion with someone.
Six reverses rig down slipway.As I'm untying the boat, said knobhead finishes his conversation, drives to the slipway,arrives and reverses straight at my car. He doesn't look like he's going to stop either and Sixy hasn't seen him as she's by the trailer.
i shout 'Oi watch out. Whats this f*cking knobhead think he's doing?'
Reply from his wife-'That's my husband'...
Knob misses my car by chance and a bee's dick then tries to push us out of the way (bearing in mind he's taken over half an hour to recover so far) and we've taken under a minute...
Knobs wife has a go at Six because we're apparently blocking the slipway.

Was there a different tale you're thinking of Bedajim? There were quite a few:- German ramming slipway at WOT, fourtrak off the end of the slip and skeg smashing etc etc

[Tomas]

Ramp behavior is like a concentrate of all the aspects of how people operate when underway, the good, the bad and the ugly. West Indian ramp behavior is no exception but the general rule here is that we must subscribe to the concept that time has no value therefore attitude related to its usage is forbidden.

For all the frustration encountered in the process, some of the most entertaining boat related behavior ever witnessed, will be at a ramp. Sit back and enjoy

[The Edges]

Originally Posted by Mike C

A question about slipway priority preferences.

I came back into Northney Marina yesterday, (Sunday 9th) after a day on the Solent. As predicated there were a large number of boats waiting to recover at the slipway, so a wait was inevitable.

The collection of boaters waiting, seemed to be operating a system of first BOAT arriving back, first out. While this seems fair on the surface, in practice it was to my mind causing huge delays.

Some people had their trailers stored at the top of the slipway with car attached, others were a 5 minute walk away. Thus, cars and trailers ready to pull out at the top of the slipway had to wait for the ‘next’ boat in line’s crew to return with their trailer. The result was longer than necessary periods when the slipway was not in use!


I will admit that since my boat was ready to pull out and I was there with car and trailer and no-one else was, I used one of these periods to get my boat out, being accused of ‘pushing in'.

Think about this people, and this applies at any slipway. Surely, the most economical use of time is to tie up your boat anywhere, not necessarily one behind the other in line, and go get your trailer. Trailers could be anywhere and people get them ready at different speeds. When you’re ready to recover, GET IN THE TRAILER LINE! When the car/trailer in front of you is pulling out their boat, advise your crew that they are next and to get ready. This way its one car up, next one down – Slipway in constant use. Everyone goes home quicker!

This also allows for people to LAUNCH in turn too, (as someone was trying to against the intermittent flow on Sunday). OK, for single handed crew, car & trailer will sit on the slipway while you get back in your boat but that’s better than everyone waiting while you fetch your trailer too!

I might also add that at least one hard boat only arrived back at Northney ‘first’ by paying total disregard to the Harbour Speed Limit as it zoomed past me and another boat at 15 knots plus. Using the trailer first method may resist the temptation to speed too!

Thoughts please,

Mike C

Mike
It may be of interest to you that there is another "unofficial" slipway at the back of the dinghy park little used and if the tides are right, with your 4x4, you could avoid the chaos on the other side
Generally at Northney I find recovery fine but on launching you often get folks launching and then just leaving the boat at the bottom of the slip so that others have to wait until owner returns after parking the car, trailer , pack for the weekend, visited the toilets etc etc

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Yeah, Penmarlam.
Works something like this:-

Most people tie up on the pontoon, go and get the car/trailer (which are always separate and can take up to 15 minutes), join queue of cars/trailers, back down, recover, drive up. Takes under a minute as long as the boat goes on straight.


However, when the knobs in shite 70's ski boats arrive it goes something like this:-

Dump 2 boats on slipway leaving room for one person to recover. Leave wives/kids with boats to mill around aimlessly. Wander off and get trailer while having many random conversations on the way and take as long as possible.
In comes me-ties up to pontoon,gets car, hitches up trailer, leaves Sixy to reverse trailer down slip while I get the boat. I don't even clock that the knobhead is intending to recover-he's deep in converstion with someone.
Six reverses rig down slipway.As I'm untying the boat, said knobhead finishes his conversation, drives to the slipway,arrives and reverses straight at my car. He doesn't look like he's going to stop either and Sixy hasn't seen him as she's by the trailer.
i shout 'Oi watch out. Whats this f*cking knobhead think he's doing?'
Reply from his wife-'That's my husband'...
Knob misses my car by chance and a bee's dick then tries to push us out of the way (bearing in mind he's taken over half an hour to recover so far) and we've taken under a minute...
Knobs wife has a go at Six because we're apparently blocking the slipway.

Was there a different tale you're thinking of Bedajim? There were quite a few:- German ramming slipway at WOT, fourtrak off the end of the slip and skeg smashing etc etc

No that’s the one, then you drive off and I back down, one of the wafi knobs backs down in front of me and strips his dinghy loading it piece by piece into the disco totally blocking the slip and me + anyone else

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Mike C

The collection of boaters waiting, seemed to be operating a system of first BOAT arriving back, first out. . . . I will admit that since my boat was ready to pull out and I was there with car and trailer and no-one else was, I used one of these periods to get my boat out, being accused of ‘pushing in'.

Ludicrous. How can you be pushing in front of someone when they're not ready to recover?

First boat and trailer ready to recover, first out.

John

[MikeCC]

Seems the attitude sometimes is that in whatever way they are there 'first', whether with boat, trailer (or perhaps even just standing there), that reserves their right to use the slipway (exclusively) for the duration.

Bit like people who get in the checkout queue at the supermarket with a basket and the other half comes along with a £$%*ing great trolley full.

First ready to go should be obvious and no faffing about blocking the slipway getting ready - there's usually plenty of room nearby for that.

Of course it can be tricky at some places where there's limited (or no) waiting pontoons and you need to go any distance to fetch the trailer.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

First boat and trailer ready to recover, first out.

Don't you go being all sensible here! I'll have you know I died in 4 world wars to support my right to be a total pain in the arse. It's MY slipway and I own Portsmouth too.

[Stoo]

In Tobermory, our ramp (slipway) is at the busiest intersection in town. (OK, it's the only intersection, but it is busy on summer weekends...)

The Harbour Master's office is at the far end of the harbour. They never have anyone at the ramp to direct traffic or collect fees. To complicate things, public parking is a good 5 - 7 minute walk away (each way). It's not unusual for some doink to tie up at the finger dock, then waddle off to retrieve his trailer. I also love the folks who use the ramp to rig their boats coming in or out... Why don't they do this someplace else? I can launch my boat and be clear of the ramp in less than 2 minutes. It ain't that complicated!

I have spoken to the Harbour Master on occassion about putting a staff person (usually students) at the ramp to keep things moving along and since they could collect ramp fees at the same time, it would actually be a money-making step. So far, there has been no movement to do so.

Because the ramp area is so congested, it's just a matter of time before someone is hurt there, as the ramp is used for everything from folks getting their dogs a drink to kids feeding ducks to kayakers launching... I've had tourist step over the tongue of my trailer while as I was backing up, completely oblivous to the fact I was moving.

Mercifully, this is really only a problem a few weekends a year, but it seems that with a little "official" help, things could move along a lot more easily.

Incidently, the reason the ramp is located where it is is because everywhere else, the water is about 100' deep right off the shore...

[PeterM]

I think most are happy to wait if its busy or people are having problems, but why should people have to wait for others lack of common sense and stupidity ?

Surely common courtesy would suggest that if you are not ready to launch dont get in the way of those that are.

I get very frustrated with people taking up a slipway (that can launch two side by side 7m + boats) with a canoe that could easily be pulled out of the way & on to the shingle bank. Like wise I have often towed boats out at low water when thier 2wd tow car clearly has no chance on a wet slip.

When simple rudeness stops me enjoying myself I will often say in a nice freindly way -' Hi mate evrything OK or will you be long as I'm ready to go '- to get a response of 'F off - I have driven 1000 miles to launch - I'll take as long as I fing want and you can sod off ' etc etc

After a few of these types of abuse every year I stop asking & like wise have stopped offering to help. So even the nice poeple who have problems no longer have my help !

[Biggles]

Originally Posted by Tomas

For all the frustration encountered in the process, some of the most entertaining boat related behavior ever witnessed, will be at a ramp. Sit back and enjoy

That's why there is a pub at most busy ramps around Southampton and Portsmouth.
Just adds to the frustration of it all when you know there are people hanging around waiting for a cock up.

[Mike C]

Originally Posted by The Edges

Mike
It may be of interest to you that there is another "unofficial" slipway at the back of the dinghy park little used and if the tides are right, with your 4x4, you could avoid the chaos on the other side
Generally at Northney I find recovery fine but on launching you often get folks launching and then just leaving the boat at the bottom of the slip so that others have to wait until owner returns after parking the car, trailer , pack for the weekend, visited the toilets etc etc

Well this thread seems to have caused some interest!

Andrew, yes I know about the 'other' slip, but on Sunday I was there at low water and it's getting springy so the other slip was dry at the time. Never needed it before, apart from when they re-built the main slip, as Northney is usually not so busy.

John K - Thanks, not just me then!

Thomas - Didn't use any slips when I was in the USVI this year... but I did hit a lump of coral and bent the prop near Hans Lollik Island. Naughty Nymph where understandably keen to relieve me of the price of a new one! Oh Well!

As for Penmarlan…. Its not so much the slipway itself that frightened me, it was the thought of meeting a car, boat and trailer coming the other way as I climbed that near-vertical single track road to the top of the hill!!

Anyway, thanks for the comments and thoughts…. I will take a copy of this thread with me next time I ‘push in’ at Northney!

Mike C

[Roy Smith]

Littlehampton Mariner use tractors for launch and recovery great idea as you have to be ready as they are putting you in the water also stops the non paying
i can do what i like band of sub humans.
The money its costs at northney mariner to launch there should be some one on duty on the slipway, it would also net them a fortune in money from slip fees.
but unfortunately this would all be to easy, small example of peoples behaver,
on the way to my office i called at Nero,s coffee, tall skinny man mid twenty tattoos every where baseball cap on mobile at the counter desided that after he had got his drink he would block all others from getting theres while he talked to his mates on the mobile when young women asked him to please move you guessed it p-off i,am busy not until three of us told him to move or we would move him he stormed out fingers up doing the pompey swagger walk, all this at 8am. BRING BACK HANGING THE BIRCH NATIONAL SERVICE
AND ANY THING ELSE TO KEEP TWATS OUT OF CIVILIZATION,
Ah a them stupid big exhaust

[Mike C]

Originally Posted by Roy Smith

The money its costs at northney mariner to launch there should be some one on duty on the slipway,

That’s not a bad idea…….. If anyone from MDL is reading this, perhaps they would like to comment!

If you really want to see an organised launching facility you should visit Bolis Marina in Vercurago, near Lake Como Italy. I had the pleasure of launching my first boat from there about 8 years ago.

It was a crane-lift, (costing less than the average slipway here) and was done with superb precession. The queue of cars towing boats was backed up about 200 yards before the entrance but every 30 seconds or so we moved forward a car/trailer length. Before long we were in the compound and were directed to a waiting area in range of one of the two cranes. At this point we were instructed to detach the car which we then drove to a nearby field to park. By the time we got back from there, the boat was ready to be lifted into the water, (or had already been). The fee was paid and a ticket for the trailer was issued. The trailer then being manhandled by the marina staff into a compound that must have contained almost a hundred others.

On return at the day’s end, the procedure was in reverse. On mooring up, the ticket was handed to the staff who retrieved the correct trailer. When it was ready they lifted the boat onto the trailer, the car was attached and off we went. Most efficient – a real production line!

Can’t see it happening here!

Mike C

[ian parkes]

Makes me realise how lucky iam with our local slip , rerely more than a 1 boat wait free to launch and park free pontoon . Location secret

i witnessed the Penmarlem incident from the top as i had just recovered my boat , I thought Nos was very polite considering what happened .

We got in a bit late last night and stood at the slip watching the boats and launching fiascos while eatin fish and chips , its great entertainmant , and why do people have such problems ? main problem seemed to inability to reverse a trailer and then putting it into the water too far so the boat won't sit down square on it .

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by Stoo

I also love the folks who use the ramp to rig their boats coming in or out... Why don't they do this someplace else?

At the ramp I normally use, there's a mix of inflatables and hard boats (mostly recreational fishermen.) Invariably, the fisher-folk will completely ignore the 17 open parking spaces, and simply park the rig in the traffic aisle to stow the gear, tie the boat down, find the leftover beer, etc. That's assuming they actually pull clear of the ramp.

I just don't get what's so undesirable about pulling into a parking space to secure the boat to the trailer?

jky