Rockefeller

[cajun bill]

Went to "da Rock" for the first time since they finished the launch. First observation, very nice parking and lighting (which I'm not sure is needed since we have to be off the refuge by sunset). The launches themselves are very nice, but narrow. Now for the worst part, the tide was low when I put in and as I drove up, two fellow fisherman came over and told me that they were not able to launch their boats because their trailers were falling off the end of the concrete. It appears that the concrete ends at the back of the launch bulkheads, which if my memory is correct, is not as long as what was there before. Anyway, since I have a small 16' flat, I decide to launch anyway and sure enuf, trailer wheels go over the edge. Was able to get the boat off the trailer, but when I tried to pull the trailer up, naturally, it hooked up on the concrete. I was finally able to bounce the trailer up and over and got it out of the launch. When I returned to the launch from fishing, it took me about five tries to get the trailer lined up. There was plenty of water because the tide had come up, but after I got the boat up, I realized that the problem was that I had pulled the axle back on one side so I had to drive home kind of "sideways". Not so bad that I couldn't keep it in the lane, but not good.

So bottom line, after numerous delays, this is what we've got. Maybe I'm expecting too much, but shouldn't someone have allowed for low water conditions?

Oh, BTW, caught one red, only bait shrimp in the castnet, but crabs were biting.

[RickLafayette]

Bill,
Is the other launch finished? I'm wondering if they came up short on that one too.

[cajun bill]

oh yeah, they're finished (if you want to call it that)

[flounder_smacker]

they should at least have some kind of marker telling you where the ramp ends. i was on a lease around berwick where we had this little private launch that was the shortest ive ever used. you could only put down when the tide was really high without going over. another guy on the lease put two 8 foot sections of 4inch pvc with caps under his trailer so when the boat got off it would float and when he picked up it he just winch it on. worked pretty good. i wouldnt do it with a heavy boat though.

[swampman46]

Cajun bill, no that shouldn't happen. Initially it was said these ramps would be longer and wider...that people wouldn't have to worry about falling off the end. All the money used to rebuild this thing, and they screwed it up. If they wanted to do this right, they would have eliminated the lights and sidewalks etc. and had the money for 3 wider ramps. On the surface, it looks good, but it's primary purpose is a boat launch. They missed a golden opportunity here, to do something that would actually "help" the boaters.