BLI's

[Bayfield Cty.]

I did a search but turned up nothing on this subject. On another forum that I go to (fishing and hunting forum), we have a thread titled "BLI's". Now it's not really for the people that have their boat at docks, piers or slips, it's for the poor souls that have to trailer and launch their boats each time they want to go out and enjoy the water. A BLI is a person who has no clue what they are doing at the boat ramp either putting in or taking out. They are they people that you sit in your vehicle and wait for them to finally get finished and get out of the way!! The guy that is in line with 10 other vehicles waiting to launch and when it's his turn, he then starts to take the stuff out of his vehicle and starts to put it in the boat. The coolers, fishing rods, extra clothes, towels etc. He is the guy that holds up the line for an extra 10 minutes to recheck everything instead of having this all done before hand at home or while waiting in line. Yes, he's the BLI. Boat Launch Idiot.


Please tell us if you have had an encounter with a BLI. Some of the stories tend to be comical.

 

[lakeliving]

We live on the cove of our lake with the boat launch. Sometimes we'll go down and sit at the bench and watch the madness. There was one couple who just loaded their new glass boat back on the trailer. I noticed the motor was still trimmed down but they literally just pulled it out and were packing things up. I didn't want to rush over there and tell him to remember to trim up and step on his toes. Then in literally half a second they were in the truck and pulling out before I could say anything. They left a nice aluminum shaving trail from dragging the skeg.


Probably the biggest BLI moment was when a local dealer was pulling a boat for the fall. They kept lifting up the crank up scissor trailer while the motor pod too far forward on a cross member. So the boat was teeter tottering and falling off the trailer and hitting the concrete ramp. It was a cluster f. I had to tell the dud to pull the truck out and move the boat back. In the end their boat was all scraped up and the front rail was bent.


We also had a had a lady steal her ex boy friends truck and trailer from the boat ramp while he was on is boat. She went on a joy ride through town before coming back to the ramp and trying to run him over. This is when I happened to be on my deck and saw his truck racing away from the cops. I thought it was him racing off until I turned on the scanner and got the details. They finally ran her off the road a few miles away.


http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/04/29/alycia-pless-howee-run-over/83692690/

 

[BigKahuna]

Bayfield we used to tie up and watch people at a marina ramp in Virginia. Hilarious what some of these BLI's do. It's amazing how many people can't back their trailers down the ramp........Or load/unload their gear.........Or launch their boat and realize they don't have ice and go to the marina store while their boat/truck/trailer is blocking everything...........My wife offered to help this family hold onto the boat while the husband parked the truck/trailer. She told my wife if I wanted your help I'd ask for it! In the meantime her boat turned sideways to the ramp and was now blocking 2 ramps. Oh well..........


Too many lame stories to tell.........

 

[prd2hnt]

There are idiots everywhere. There is a great video on Youtube that is a time lapse of a boat ramp in CA I think. Fun to watch. I think it has been posted here before.


There are all kinds of videos of boat ramps on Youtube that are hilarious.

 

[Michiman]

Yeah, actually there are BLI for most everything in life. The key is to try and understand each situation that a person might find themselves in and have the wherewith all to avoid being "one of them". Thankfully, from an early age I learned from my dad how to quickly and efficiently launch and retrieve a boat. I suspect the BLI either have never had such an example or it has never dawned on them to be considerate of those around them. But, like I said, the same holds true for the grocery line, construction zones and just everyday driving, to name but a few.


Having literally been at a boat launch hundreds and hundreds of times over nearly fifty years, I've seen a lot of good and bad! But, starting last year with our Benny, I see the launch twice; once to launch at the beginning of the season and once at the end.

 

[1Blderbob]

This thread relates to the "Sea Legs" thread. One huge advantage to keeping the boat in the back yard on the water,no idiots to deal with at the ramp,only the BLI's out on the water. Then again,maybe that's why I love to run the boat in the dark so much. Only need to watch for the crab pots.

 

[MrG]

Dealing with Idiots can be avoided just like dealing with Traffic or Miskitos. Time and place is key.  It's all about where you place yourself when they are at their greatest. 


for example. On busy weekends we launch the boat at 8:00 am. Then tie it to the dock and then do our normal routine. If we were to try and launch at 12:00pm on a 3 day weekend it would take you a extra Hr + the added frustration and detailing with the BLI's . Same go's for pulling off the lake. Either pull out early or stay late. But don't pull up to the launch ramp at 6:00pm on a busy weekend and think your gonna pull right out as normal. That's like getting on the freeway at Rush Hr and then getting upset because your in traffic. 


I have on occasion had to launch at busy times and I just have to place my self in (BMM) "Buddhist Monk Mode"  I crack a beer and sit in the boat and take in all the "DumAssary"

 

[Scott1]

When I was younger I had small fishing boats with bunk trailers.  I finally got my own bow rider, my Father was backing it into the water for me, I told him to stop while I undid the ties in the back, then I released the ratchet strap in the front, then I removed the safety chain in the front.  Soon after that, my boat that was sitting on the trailer with rollers started to roll off the trailer and slammed the skeg into the concrete.  My Father looked at me like "Why the hell did you do that"    I never ever did anything like that again.


I read a story where a guy said he backed his new boat into the water on the trailer.  He undid everything and tied the boat to the dock.  He parked his truck, got in his boat and started to maneuver away from the dock while noticing the boat was not steering properly.  He realized the trailer was still connected to the boat, he just unhooked it from the truck and parked his truck in all his excitement to get on the water   I have to laugh at stuff like that. 

 

[adkboater]

Although I don't have a ton of years on the water I have experienced more than one BLI! From the time I bought my first boat I worried about being "that guy" at the ramp, thank goodness I can back up!! I've done the old forgot the plug oh sh$& thing and had the wind get the better of me loading but my patience prevailed. we have a 3 lane launch at the one lake we day boat at and I could sit there for hours and watch the craziness!  I've seen a guy back without removing the rear tie downs on a brand new boat, drop a boat on the deck and so forth but the one idiot that sticks out in memory was a late season run to look at leaves and burn some gas. When we launched there was a brand new Crownline dropping in next to us($73,000) It's maiden voyage. Since it was so late the markers were out. As we were running back to the dock he took a shorter path to out run me, I tried to stop him but he ran thru about 18" of water above rocks/mud! Needless to say the new bravo 3 dual prop was junk along with the whole bottom end of the outdrive. So take note....any traces of a BLI while at the ramp may offer some additional entertainment on the water. Hopefully without injuries or other boats involved!