Good Day At Nolin

Took the wife to Nolin on 5 July. Got in the water at 7 am and was surprised to see the Moutadier Ramp area was nearly empty. Just a couple of us braving the mist and light fog. Frrom 8 to 1130 am, we caught white bass all over 12 inches, and fat, hard fighters on little Torpedo baits in many different spots from just above Ponderosa to right up behind Moutadier Marina. About 1130 am, the lake traffic went from light to totally nut-so, as could be expected for a holiday weekend. So we decided to ramp out.

Moutadier ramp was now busy, with 5 and 6 rigs lined up to ramp in and out at any one time and 3 lanes busy most of the time. I was really impressed with the ramp manners. Rigs were going in and out in record speed. Everyone had there stuff ready to go, whether ramping out or in, and traffic was flowing at a fast, and courteous pace.

I witnessed the absolute epitome of ramp manners and care for other boaters. A guy backed in a dual axled pontoon trailer and launched the pontoon. The trailer was the type that goes between the pontoons, rather than has bunks for the pontoons. As the pontoon boat came off, and the guy in his truck started to pull the rig up the ramp, both of the trailer's left side tires and wheels just fell of, and started floating by the trailer. The guy stop for a second to see what had happened and yelled back to his buddy on the launched pontoon to collect up the floating tires quick so they would not block the ramp. Next, he dropped the truck in gear and just dragged the wounded trailer on its left axles and right side remaining tires up into the parking lot, clearing the ramp for the heavy holiday traffic to continue ramping in and out. I am sure the guy knew he was going to wreck the left side of his axles doing this. I know he was gritting his teeth, but he just dragged the trailer off the ramp, sucked it up, and took care of everyone waiting to come in or out in doing so.

Hats off to this gentleman, and I truly hope his axles are not ruined. I applaud his actions and am thrilled to see this kind of total selflessness when it comes to taking care of others. Maybe the tires came off because he made a mistake when he repacked the bearings, or maybe somebody else made a mistake. No matter what the cause, I was really proud of this guy for doing what had to be done to save everybody else's boating trip from a delay. So guy if you are reading this, thanks from all of us, sorry it happened to you, and best wishes for speedy repairs. You are a gentleman, and you have my respect and admiration.

Sounds like this guy took one for the team. Way to go and hope all is well with your rig.

Man that's pretty good on his part but I would have tried to put a tire back on before dragging that rig. :eek: I would also understand if I was waiting and would have helped if needed. He must have known his options were limited after looking at it.

Man what a nice guy, I totally feel foe him over his trailer....Never heard of the wheels just falling off....Why or how could this have just happened? Did the whole Bearing assembly just pull off the axle?

I was taking out after night fishing Cumberland a couple of years ago on a Saturday morning. The Dam ramp was slammed with joyboaters coming in and a few of us night owls trying to get out. I was by myself and was waiting for a spot on the courtesy dock to tie up and get my truck and get in line. A guy backed down his cabin cruiser and then got out and got up in the boat. His wife backed him the last couple of feet into the water and this guy gets it started and gives it hell in trying to get it off the trailer. One of the guys tied up to the dock waiting on his party to get in the boat ask him did he untie the back. The guy in the boat starts yelling at this guy cussing and griping that "He knows what he is doing and mind his own business (in not so nice of words)" He yells at his wife to back it in further and she goes in too deep, in which he is now cussing her and telling her to pull it out a bit and then so goes too far, so more cussing and yelling at her. He then pulls out the big guns and calls her a B****, to which, she puts it in Drive and floors it up the ramp at Mach 1 speed. He has his motor completely trimmed down and she is dragging it up the ramp with sparks and pieces flying off everywhere, and she never let off the gas until she reached the parking lot. Both straps were firmly secure on the back of the boat. Needless to say, that was an enjoyable ride back home and my bet is he spent more than one night on the couch. Funny to watch, but she sure did clear a lane for the next launcher in a hurry after he dropped the "B" bomb on her.

[QUOTE=elnutsmalljaws;332404]I was taking out after night fishing Cumberland a couple of years ago on a Saturday morning. The Dam ramp was slammed with joyboaters coming in and a few of us night owls trying to get out. I was by myself and was waiting for a spot on the courtesy dock to tie up and get my truck and get in line. A guy backed down his cabin cruiser and then got out and got up in the boat. His wife backed him the last couple of feet into the water and this guy gets it started and gives it hell in trying to get it off the trailer. One of the guys tied up to the dock waiting on his party to get in the boat ask him did he untie the back. The guy in the boat starts yelling at this guy cussing and griping that "He knows what he is doing and mind his own business (in not so nice of words)" He yells at his wife to back it in further and she goes in too deep, in which he is now cussing her and telling her to pull it out a bit and then so goes too far, so more cussing and yelling at her. He then pulls out the big guns and calls her a B****, to which, she puts it in Drive and floors it up the ramp at Mach 1 speed. He has his motor completely trimmed down and she is dragging it up the ramp with sparks and pieces flying off everywhere, and she never let off the gas until she reached the parking lot. Both straps were firmly secure on the back of the boat. Needless to say, that was an enjoyable ride back home and my bet is he spent more than one night on the couch. Funny to watch, but she sure did clear a lane for the next launcher in a hurry after he dropped the "B" bomb on her.[/QUOTE]

Woody, a man can barely get by alive doing that one in private but in front of the world, Oh My Goodness is he in for a rough one, Shoooo Weee I'm glad it was him and not me.

[QUOTE=mhall;332411]Woody, a man can barely get by alive doing that one in private but in front of the world, Oh My Goodness is he in for a rough one, Shoooo Weee I'm glad it was him and not me.[/QUOTE]

I did not see the tags on the boat so for his sake, I hope he lived close and was not a part of the Ohio Navy for it was LONG ride to the house and the mileage had nothing to do with it. Not a happy camper for a wife, lost day on the water, lower unit in pieces left on the ramp, prop missing a couple of blades makes for a bad weekend all around.

As my sheriff buddy tells me; many a divorce have started at a boat ramp.

I was at Nolin Thursday, and my father in law and myself helped a guy who was broke down in panther creek with his wife and 3 daughters. I towed the guys boat to the boat ramp while my father in law took him to get his tow vehicle, I sat there for 45 minutes (no lie) and watched a guy back his big cabin cruiser down the ramp, totally covered, and sit there for at least 45 minutes unloading everything from his truck to the boat, take off all of his straps, unbutton all the canvas covers, it was amazing that there is people still that stupid to the rules of the ramp. Luckily for us the guy got back with his tow vehicle the minute the cabin cruiser left.

[QUOTE=MsgMills;332396]Man what a nice guy, I totally feel foe him over his trailer....Never heard of the wheels just falling off....Why or how could this have just happened? Did the whole Bearing assembly just pull off the axle?[/QUOTE]

Sarge,
Yep, teh hubs were still visibile in the wheels and tires as they floated off. My best guess is that when the guy last packed his bearings, he forgot to put the cotter pins back in the castle nuts that hold the hubs on. Just my guess, but on the way to the lake, the nuts would have slowly worked loose, and I guess they got their last bit of "bye-bye" rotation as he backed down the ramp.