DEADLY DANGEROUS BOAT RAMPS

[baldyhead]

Some of our boat ramps are very dangerous and we are forced to use them in this condition. I use the Yorkeys Knob ramp quite a bit and it is so slippery that I cannot walk up or down it without hanging on to the car or trailer. After phoning the transport dept was told that THEY pay the local council out of their budget for yearly maintainance, so rang local council to be told to get on to transport dept. And around and around we go!!!!
Can you suggest WHO to complain to?
It's a shame that scumbag beattie and his mates dont use boat ramps!
If and/or I have a fall does anyony know WHO do I sue for damages?
What are the ramps in your areas like?

[Dug]

At the Yeppoon ramp I used to shovel sand onto the ramp at low tide to give some grip and clear some slime off.

Harbors and Marine had a Karcher to clean the ramp but I never saw it used

>:(

[subzero]

At Victoria Point the local ramp is administered and maintained by the Redland Shire Council. Every month they send a contractor down and waterblast it at low tide.... I would assume that throughout QLD it would be the local Shire/Councils responsibility
Cheers Lloyd

[damons33]

seems like we got more litigators then sandbaster operators hey! phone calls are useless!
# why not try approach and front in person one of the councilors of your shire who might be sympathetic to your issue and seeing if they can organise some maintance, instead of promoting whats destroying our way of life! # the law fraternity!
#its easy to whinge and threaten, its harder to come up with answers and solutions.
# funny even lawyers retire some day then they might want to use a boat ramp instead of a baillif!
# we are starting to sound more american everyday!
#if you die or are seriously crippled whats money going to change really? time for some serious reprioritisation!
# i think dugs method is the quickest result for yourself!
but someone called dug would not be afraid to dig!
# #damon

[Big_Kev]

The Manly public boat ramp can be scary at low tide.
I have provided some entertainment for the onlookers one day. Can't recomend it but the bruising hurts.

I hear what you say about Mr Beatie to Baldy.

[charexblue]

re ask councilor hmmm rond and round been there different topics
sometimes works better asking the head of works department who distibutes the work on daily bassis. acouple of beers a quiet yarn on how dangerous a few laughs and sometimes things happen. works out here all the best peter

[PinHead]

"If and/or I have a fall does anyony know WHO do I sue for damages? "

Why does everyone feel that if they have an accident they need to sue someone. The onus is on you..if you do not feel it is safe to go onto the ramp then don't go there. We do not need someone to hold our hands all through our lives do we? Are we adult enough to assess a situation and take the preventative measures to avoid likely accidents. Sure..we could have perfect ramps...and perfect waterways..and perfect roads etc etc..but I am also certain that most people would bitch like hell at the tax increases that would be required to achieve this.

The best method is to have a pair of the good old dunlop volley sandshoes...stick to anything.

[Fishinmishin]

Well said Damon [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[nonibbles]

Basic first step in risk analysis = how do we eliminate the problem?
I'd suggest that if it is a known problem to council and its their property and it is within their power to do something there exists a duty of care.
You don't necessarily need to sue but the knowledge that somebody might, and be successful, should be enough for the person/department to pull their finger out.

[PinHead]

Basic first step in risk analysis = how do we eliminate the problem?
I'd suggest that if it is a known problem to council and its their property and it is within their power to do something there exists a duty of care.
You don't necessarily need to sue but the knowledge that somebody might, and be successful, should be enough for the person/department to pull their finger out.

I have to agree with you there...imaginaing myself as a councillor now..okay, it has been brought to my attention that a ramp is slippery at low tide..what should I do? No manpower available as they are all busy on higher prioroty jobs...no funds readily available..some fishos will sue if they happen to fall over..i have it..i will close the ramp..within an hour could quickly send a truck round..barricades at the top of the ramp..signs advising of closure then send the workers back to their other job.. Easy huh?

[Big_Kev]

We got no worries then Pin.
You wouldn't make counciler,
we wouldn't vote for you.LOL ;D

[cooky]

If and/or I have a fall does anyony know WHO do I sue for damages?

I'm sure Baldyhead didn't actually mean he would sue, it sounded to me like he was using this as a point to highlight the potential.

Someone will fall over and the IDIOT will sue - and yes the council WILL close the boat ramp and possibly the MAJORITY of them while they hire some academics from XYZ consulting to conduct a thorough analysis of the problem and produce and lenghthy report outlining solutions. This will be produced as "duty of care". even though 'reactive' behavour.

Of course, there is potential for this process to take a VERY VERY long time and the ramp will sit there closed and it will fall off the council (or whoevers) list of priorities. Could even be closed INDEFINITELY.

I've seen similar things happen with other matters.

There are plenty of examples.

However I must admit that I was p**sed off last week at South Townsville boat ramp (first time I've been there) when we could hardly stand up it was that slippery and while pushing the boat off noticed my car was sliding backwards (Hilux dual cab 4X4 with big Coopers tyres). had to go looking for some rocks to chock the wheels. The concrete, while ribbed (not for pleasure :o) is the smooth variety (thought this was weird) - would have thought aggregate or a rough surface would be better. Made jumping off the front of the boat when coming back at low tide bloody scary - was imagining bad things....

[Wild_Side]

The ramps around the Ingham area get cleaned down quite often but the they still slime up fairly quickly. It doesn't really worry me to much, but my old man wears a pair of footy socks and they stick like velcro :-/just thought I add my 2 bob. 8)

Wild Side

[nonibbles]

RE: S. TSV ramp
My wife won't come out on the boat with me for that very reason. Last time she jumped out of the boat there, she slipped and her foot went under the keel. Ugly bruise, but not broken.
I heard a rumour that they were actually going to put a loading/tie up pontoon there. I hope so, its really pointless going in at coast guard just to enter Ross River if I can convince her to come aboard.

[cooky]

going to put a loading/tie up pontoon there

I bloody well hope so too.

Being fairly new to boating I am surprised and disgusted at the lack of pontoons, beaching facilities around.

Now I know why tinnies are so popular in NQ

No way I could take my wife to S tsv ramp - I'd have to teach her to drive so I could jump out :-X

The dunlop volleys are a great idea though (I didn't think they sold them anymore though?)

[Fitzy]

I'm pretty sure the ultimate responsibility of ramps in Qld falls upon Qld Transport. If the upkeep work is subbied out to whatever clowncil, its still QTs responsibility.

At a ramp here recently I started sliding down the ramp (bare footed) & couldnt stop. Madly tried to empty the pockets & only got the wallet out but missed the phone. I recon its me own fault.

I gotta say that the standard of ramps that I've seen in Qld /NSW gets steadily worse the further north you go. Probably more important in NQ to have better/safer ramps. Big tides & big lizards.

fitz

[ba229]

Something in this post has really wound some of you up.

I didn't read it so much as "i will sue" as a case of " what if someone was needlessly hurt"

Needlessly, being my word for a situation that can be easily recified.

[Fitzy]

Something in this post has really wound some of you up.

I didn't read it so much as "i will sue" as a case of " what if someone was needlessly hurt"

Needlessly, being my word for a situation that can be easily recified.
Possibly because ramps are where most folks cross paths at some stage or another. Ramps are a bottleneck in a days fishing; waiting for someone else to put in or pull out. Very frustrating at times when you've got something better to be doing.
Add a dangerous situation where people/gear could potentially be damaged/hurt & you've got alot of fired up folks.

The topic having anything to do with ramps probably irritates folks.

fitzy..

[ba229]

lol I should take a photo of my local ramp in the center of the city and the only one for many km's around.

Some day someone will lose a boat in a pot hole or drown in their car as the boat drops off the end of the ramp.

It seesm to be a universal thing... bad ramps where ever you go.

Does anyone know what it costs to install and maintain a ramp for a year?

[Jay_S]

All the ramps should be maintained more. A lot are dangerous.
Water blasted at lowest tide each month, sand,weed ect cleared when needed.
What about more pontoons for the elderly and disabled. Pain in the butt trying to climb in over the bow when ya getting older! The government,councils seem to have money for other needs, but the reco fisherman misses out again.
Maybe some phone calls ,emails from everyone might help.
Heard there may be some funds available. Will try and find out more.

My thoughts....

Col (jay's dad)

[borisdog]

A pair of socks are often a good thing on nasty ramps, but that doesn't cure a lack of preventative maintenance like waterblasting etc. On the subject of a pontoon at the South Townsville ramp - I presume we mean Doorey St - There used to be a floating pontoon there, about 100m downstream. It got taken away about 4 years ago - Reason or explanation unknown ??? I do agree with the comments about our personal responsibility to our own duty of care. First time at the ramp - OK maybe you don't know it, but if you keep going back knowing it can be dodgy then I'd reckon you've accepted the situation and risk. :-/

[Remo]

I believe that all major boat ramps that have high usage should be constructed like the Comslie or for the coast based the sundale boat ramps.

Sure there a cost for this but I think that there is enough boats regos fees to cover this in one finacial year alone.

[dazza]

hi all,
pretty lucky around bribie, there is someone subbied who pressure cleans at low tide, keeps things pretty good.
what everyone should be asking is where is the trailer boat levy being spent ??? ??? ???
get onto your local member, we need these funds used for what they were introduced for- the needs of boaties.
wouldn't be hard- x amount revinue raised in a certain postcode, x amount spent directly on boating in that area. not rocket science is it ??? ???
cheers
dazza

[PinHead]

The ramp at Dohles Rocks is a good example of the monies being spent on ramps..the old one was a bit short but it had a nice sandy bit of beach next to it..what do they do..build this bloody great long new ramp out into the river...all bloody rocks and concrete..and now no sand next to the ramp...bloody engineers..marvellous thinkers those people..BUT..the Govt did spend $100,000.00 on it and sure as hell let everyone know how great they are for providing this brand new (albeit damn near useless) ramp.

[devocean]

I have heard that the Govt will not spend any money on new ramps unless they are completely usably in all tides which I think is a crock. What do yoiu guys think?

[len_t]

Has anyone seen the new ramp at eagleby?
Looks okay but i wonder how many people use it, theres no signs
to say its there and looks ordinary for security. Ive stopped there a few times on my way back from the pin for a look only seen boat trailers there once [3].
len

[damons33]

ramps don't anger me! its the camps' that run the legal show that anger me the most! lol
damon

[NQCairns]

I have seen the Ramp next to boating and fisheries patrol in Cairns being pressure cleaned by a subbie a couple of times. yet to launch a Yorkeys, not looking forward to it now :(

[baldyhead]

Try launching and retrieving @ high tide M8

[Burley_Boy]

Maybe a $5 launching fee to pay for better upkeep of your local ramp. Boom gates at ramps friggin great idea.....
[smiley=idea.gif] [smiley=idea.gif] [smiley=idea.gif]

I'm being sarcastic ok!

[redspeckle]

Well Baldyhead like to know what boat ramps are like in our area Wellington Point boat ramp is very shallow going to low tide I see many boate's get stuck when leaving boat ramp & heading out to the bay thorough the channel markers & ramp is very slippery.
i called this boat ramp "shallow wello"

[Tezza985]

Maybe if we all took a picture of our favourite crap ramp, and sent it in to this web site under the 10 most crap ramps in QLD. Then submit them them to Dept of Motor Transport Boat Rego Dept!

We do pay them for something "Don't we". Then just someone might get off their as##s, and allocate some money into fixing some of them up.

Tezza.

[MrLuminous]

Well i'd like to add to this thread.
The Coffs Harbour Boat ramp at times is and absolute disgrace, Big strong words for a 16 yr old such as myself.
Last year 2004 out of our 12 gamefishing comps i think there were 4 that had to be cancelled due to silting up of the enterance of the ramp. I think there were 2 or 3 cars drowned as well, not game fisherman
The surge is unbeleivable one minute your boat is out of water and next your car is up to the sills with water.
The council is not smart there have been a few thoings they have tried ad tried:
1) pumpin out with a jet shute and piling the sand on a bit of land right next to the entrance
2) escavators and puttin the sand in the same place
3) at the moment they have put is a temporary GROYNE in place, temporary being the key word they use and say it may stay for 10-15 years, and its a sand groyne which cost about $44000 which i think is rediculous!! and vandals on the weekend slashed a couple of bags which put of sand everywhere!!

One of the good things that have happend (for us fisho's) to stop alot of the sand is that we had a sewrage strategy plan with a poo shoot goin out to sea. and high seas came along and sunk the small barge in the right spot and prevented alot of sand form comin in.

Coffs Harbour is a big tourist place which many tourists come up to fish out of boats and the way the boat ramp was there were people fuming everywhere because they travelled all this way and not even get a fish!!!

In conclusion, the council should wake up and think about it!! As someone said previously maybe even $2 a week to use the ramp and the amount of boats that do use the ramp could easy employ someone to go down and take away the slime and make the ramp a safer place.

Last year i wernt and visited my aunty in Altona and if you see the facilities at that ramp it will amaze. due to when the fish run they have up to 500 boats launch off there. i have a pic of the ramp and will try to find it and post it.

Hopefully i have made sense and you haven't fallen asleep but i have STRONG feelings that we need all boat ramps to be safe

Cheers
Lumo

[MrLuminous]

Heres altona ramp
What every ramp should look like
Cheers
Lumo

[ba229]

Hmmmm. yeh nice looking ramp but if you had the same idiots there that use my local ramps it would still be a total joke.

in fact i think it would only confuse them even more

[nonibbles]

Is the fire engine always there too?

[sharkbait]

Thats a beauty of a ramp...

whereabouts is Altona?

[skippa]

Altona is in Melbourne. Port Phillip Bay. A lot better ramps down there, but of course you have to pay every time you launch.

I guess you only pay for what you get tho.


Cheers,
Tony # 8)
PS He must of waited a while to take the photo, it looks like it hasn't rained at all ::)

[Dodgy_Back]

Having a bad back i only use ramps like colmslie or sundale bridge ramp . These ramps make it an absolute ease to launch and retrieve and there should be alot more of them.people like me with dodgy backs cant be slipping down bad ramps and I'm sure neither do you. take a tip from me fellows drive past the bad ramps and use a goody and your day will be a breeze.
Mick