Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post - New-ish boater, don't want to be "that guy"..

Denny Crane · 10-01-2024, 09:13 AM

I've been trailering in Meredith for 15 years and both ramps create anxiety and are borderline disastrous at times, so it's not you. Pick your poison! I try to go to Shep Brown's early enough to beat the traffic, however have plan b for parking because the lots are full and there are no spaces for both vehicle and attached trailers. Most I see are trailers unhooked with vehicle parked next to it. One time I parked my truck and trailer on the side of the road and got a $35 ticket. My wife will now drive our trailer back to the house after we launch. At Shep's there has never been anyone to give direction to boaters where to or how to launch, however from word of mouth I was told the left ramp is for the public and the right for Shep Brown's to launch their boats. To this day I'm not sure. As you come down the street approaching the ramp you must take a left into the parking lot, navigate the parked cars and pull around onto the ramp to back up. The parking lot has its' challenges but it's not as tight as the town docks parking lot. After taking a left into the lot, then a right, I pull up and unhook my trailer straps before taking the last 2 rights and onto the ramp. This is where my help gets out of my truck and meet me at the top of the ramp to tend the lines. At the top of the ramp I unhook my boat from the winch and my help pulls the boat over to the dock and as far back away from the ramp not to impede the next launch.
My last trip, however was a disaster. It was a quiet Saturday morning with no boats launching in front of me, however one boat was docked right at the bottom of the ramp with no owner in sight. I couldn't float my boat off the trailer and pull my boat over to the dock, so I decided with no other boats approaching to launch I would use the right ramp. Unfortunately there was a drop-off that my trailer got hung up on and had to gun my truck to pull it out, bending one of the 2 axels. I've never had a problem like this on the left side.
I like town docks better more because of the parking lot across from Bootleggers. We can launch(22' boat) and while I park my truck my daughter will drive the boat over to pick me up at the Lago's dock. However, to be honest in 15 years I've had only about 3 perfect launches there! If you could see my banged up license plate and scuffed front truck tires you would understand! Expect the unexpected and don't get hung up when something doesn't go perfectly. Just regroup. Some people are helpful, others are there to take care of themselves, jump the line, etc.

10-01-2024, 09:13 AM	#5
Denny Crane Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 99 Thanks: 28 Thanked 21 Times in 17 Posts	Shep Brown's launch I've been trailering in Meredith for 15 years and both ramps create anxiety and are borderline disastrous at times, so it's not you. Pick your poison! I try to go to Shep Brown's early enough to beat the traffic, however have plan b for parking because the lots are full and there are no spaces for both vehicle and attached trailers. Most I see are trailers unhooked with vehicle parked next to it. One time I parked my truck and trailer on the side of the road and got a $35 ticket. My wife will now drive our trailer back to the house after we launch. At Shep's there has never been anyone to give direction to boaters where to or how to launch, however from word of mouth I was told the left ramp is for the public and the right for Shep Brown's to launch their boats. To this day I'm not sure. As you come down the street approaching the ramp you must take a left into the parking lot, navigate the parked cars and pull around onto the ramp to back up. The parking lot has its' challenges but it's not as tight as the town docks parking lot. After taking a left into the lot, then a right, I pull up and unhook my trailer straps before taking the last 2 rights and onto the ramp. This is where my help gets out of my truck and meet me at the top of the ramp to tend the lines. At the top of the ramp I unhook my boat from the winch and my help pulls the boat over to the dock and as far back away from the ramp not to impede the next launch. My last trip, however was a disaster. It was a quiet Saturday morning with no boats launching in front of me, however one boat was docked right at the bottom of the ramp with no owner in sight. I couldn't float my boat off the trailer and pull my boat over to the dock, so I decided with no other boats approaching to launch I would use the right ramp. Unfortunately there was a drop-off that my trailer got hung up on and had to gun my truck to pull it out, bending one of the 2 axels. I've never had a problem like this on the left side. I like town docks better more because of the parking lot across from Bootleggers. We can launch(22' boat) and while I park my truck my daughter will drive the boat over to pick me up at the Lago's dock. However, to be honest in 15 years I've had only about 3 perfect launches there! If you could see my banged up license plate and scuffed front truck tires you would understand! Expect the unexpected and don't get hung up when something doesn't go perfectly. Just regroup. Some people are helpful, others are there to take care of themselves, jump the line, etc.