GOLD COAST LAUNCHING RAMP PARKING

[bonka]

I, along with several hundred other like minded boaties will be heading out tomorrow via the seaway. If I can get on the water by 5am I will. I was stunned a while back to get to ramp the same time (grand) and find all parking full. Don't blame the boaties at all,after all we all have choices as to ramps and launching time but don't you think this situation is a little crazy. There has been an absolute blowout of the boating farternity matching population growth I suspect and no extra facilities.

Park in an obscure place and get your car broken into or find a heap of gear stolen.

Does anyone know of or heard of any plans in this area?

Just wondering?

[Lucky_Phill]

Ya might have to drive a little further to the Spit Ramp. much more parking there.

Cheers Phill

ps, if you want to know of plans for more ramps etc, try GCCC or ya local member.

[The_Walrus]

Yeah see your local member and I'll bet you'll get a lot of words which basically say don't care, don't want to know but hey I'll happily keep on putting my hand in your wallet.

Demographic show a massive increase in boaties due to population increase but you'll find no planning to significantly increase the number of boat ramps or even improve the ones we have now.

Luc

[Jackinthebox]

The spit ramps are good but they could be overrun with jet skiers soon since I heard they were banned from the Grand boat ramp. ( and one other ramp as well, can't remember which one)

If you're going out early you should be alright though as they don't usually rock up until later in the morning - you see, there's not enough rayz around for them to work on the tan at 5 am .....

[flatstrap]

As we are all aware, there has been a thorough examination of the Gold Coast City Council and parts of it have been found to have acted in a corrupt manner. Two councillors are to be charged by the Public Prosecutor.
This doesn't mean a lot to many people as one thinks, "Well, this doesn't affect me."

I went to my Councillor appealing for his assistance in a council matter.
His response..."I can't help you, it's a Council matter!"

Where am I?

Something to think about....flatstrap

[iank]

;D ;D ;D ;D, I hear you flatstrap

[Viking]

Bonka i know what you are saying. We used to live at Biggera Waters. I recall one public holiday i went to launch at Lands End and there were no parks for 3 blocks, went down to the grand no parks anywhere, went to Loders Ck again no parks, went back to Lands End still no parks. Finally went back to the Grand drove through and found a vacant park. You beauty, launched the boat went to park the car and trailer and some tosser had parked in the park with just a car - it was the parks that are signed for cars+trailers only. Well i drove down MArine Pde looking for a general parking spot and there literally was not a park anywhere they were all taken. I ended up coming back to the Grand area and parked on a curb well out of anyways way however contrary to a yellow line marking. I knew it was going to be 50-50 and yep when i came back in that afternoon had copped a ticket from the council for parking illegally. Now that's fair enough cos i knew i had parked illegally but what gets up my goat with the parking there opposite the Grand is the high number of ignorent people who park in spots marked for trailers with only their cars. That's where the council should be actively fining people 24/7 and having cars towed away. That would alleviate most parking problems for boaties and would be cheaper then building new ramps etc and also get the council some revenue.

[Gbanger]

there are plenty of ramps just a bit further north...

[DaneCross]

Ya might have to drive a little further to the Spit Ramp. much #more parking there.

Cheers Phill
What Phill said, plenty of parking at the Spit ramp :)

[Lucky_Phill]

OK Fellas, so we have a boat ramp problem !

We can do a number of things about this:-

Nothing

Nothing and whinge

Whinge

Call local member, email local member and write to local member, asking if he intends approaching council for a new ramp, before YOU vote him out of his high paid job ?

Print off a Petition and canvas the boat ramps every Sat and Sunday for a month getting signatures for a new ramp. How many signatures do you need ? I don't know, but ask your Local member how many VOTES going against him , would put him out of a job ?

Put in Petitions at local bait and tackle shops, small business's and other places of interest.

PLace an ad or report in the local Paper, School magazine and community notice boards. Approach Council yourself, by asking NO< insisting on a meeting with the council member responsibile for waterways, boat ramps, etc.

Is this all to hard ?

I for one, do not adhere to the thoery of one person does not make a difference.

If something really peev's you off, spend a little time doing something about it. Shoot, allocate 1 hr per night to this, and in no time at all you'll have results, some sort of results anyway ???????

BUT, and I mean BUT, ALWAYS be constructive and courteous in dealings with council, Govt and official parties.

Cheers Phill

I'll be first signature............. ;)

[jim_farrell]

Get to the grand early enough and I get a spot. If I sleep in, around to the spit. There is 2 at runawaybay, one on jabiru, one at boykambil, one at hollywell, sundale, and I think one at paradise point.
Admittedly the grand ramp has a great gradient, jetty and beach and is very close to the seaway. Hence it is popular. I think there is parking for about 30 boats. The spit carpark holds more again. Considering the real estate of the grand ramp, i think we are lucky just to have such a great facility.
Usually I am the first to bag GCCC, however, having used plenty of ramps in QLD I think we have some good facilities here.
Can anyone suggest how to fit more parking spots near the grand ramp?

[bonka]

Actually, I wasn't complaining about the ramps or their facilities...many of which are great. I'm just really concerned about the problem of parking and security. On the day (I first became frustrated I had searched three spots and found them all full) I ended up at Kennedy,Tweed and forgot about the braodwater. But you know, quite often I too have found single cars parked in trailer only spots. Isn't that P...ing off?

I've been reading also about the problem of theft and and it appears to me as a new boatie to be a really serious problem. Imaging coming back from a hard days outing and find your trailer missing? wow!

I recently bought a new trailer (some of you may have read about my first day's exploits) now I kind of wish I could have kept my old rusty one. I've spent a small fortune on insurance, hitch locks etc and a brand new mag spare only protected with a padlock. Anyone know of a hardened lock that can't be cut by bolt cutters? The trailer is worth more than my boat?


Brent