I have been debating whether to bring my boat down to the Marietta (Ohio) Sternwheeler Festival. My girlfriend and I will be putting the boat in. She is a rookie boater, and I'll have to launch the boat myself. I scouted out the boat ramp and it looks like I will be able to pull it off. I plan to put in Saturday morning and possibly take out Sunday. The other issue is that we would be watching fireworks from the boat, which start at 10:00. I debated on whether trying to take out afterward, or beach on a nearby island for the night. I've also never boated on the Ohio River. A number of questions leave me undecided on the trip:

Will I make a lot of boaters unhappy at the ramp?
What should I do after the fireworks?
Should I even attempt the trip not being familiar with that area?

Any other thoughts/advice/help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
John

My boat is a 1983 Chris Craft 17 footer

Bring it up to Port Clinton and launch it.
Lake Erie is supposed to be 2 feet or less all weekend.

Personally... I hate the fireworks crowds on the water. I can't have fun because I am watching for drunken idiots who have broken loose from their anchorage and are drifting toward me telling me that I am moving.

But I'm sure that the two of you can launch a 17.
Have her back it in while you handle the lines. Then have her pull out and go find a spot. How long can a trailer for a 17 be?

BTW.... you need a 26 for the kind of boating that you want to do.

i always launched my 32 by myself, i don't want anyone in the way of my planned launch. I can do it much better without someone trying to help. A 17 should be a breeze. Launch it still hooked to the bow eye, walk out and have a line ready for the dock, unhook from trailer and float back, tie up making sure the boat is free of the trailer and pull it out. With the GF there she can tie up the boat while you unhook it. Should be as easy as pie.

Thanks for the responses Fund and Mitch. I was thinking with Mitch when launching the boat. My girlfriend gets too nervous around my vehicles--she's always afraid she'll mess something up. I think even a trailer for a 17 would scare her too much.

Fund--your 26 would be better for this trip and I'm hoping to upgrade ASAP. I just don't have the money right now, I'm finishing my last semester and don't have any real income. Give me six months or so and we'll see. For your sake, I hope you have sold it by then, but if not, I'll consider your 26 for sure!

I'm still nervous about the fireworks (anchoring + drunks + so many boats), but its what to do after that is making me think twice.

Hey Dreaminbig, let me tell you a little story about when I took my now wife out for the first time just to rattle you a bit. I had a Rinker v190 and I towed it with a lifted 79 chevy 4spd I lived in Ohio also and she could not drive either so I though well I will just back it in set the emergency brake get it off the trailor and get to the end of the docks and tie it off and run back, it should only take a few minutes, I figure I did many times before and had it down pat so no problems. Yeah right! I started backing off the trailer my wife watching I am trying to be cool, the emergency brake cable snaps and the trucks starts going in! I am like holy sh!t! I slam the boat in forward which is only a 4 banger and I am trying to yell to my wife to get in the truck but I remember she cannot drive it so I am thinking what the heck am I going to do? She can barely get in the truck so I eventually yell to her just reach in and push on the brake pedal and keep the truck from rolling in and I jumped out of the boat and got the situation taken cared of. We had a good weekend though after that. HAVE FUN

Thanks Rasta, thats helps a lot

Hopefully my weekend will go well. Its nice to know that someone has been in my shoes.

Yeah it will be now worse than that, so you should be fine

Go for it and have fun!!!!!!!

Definitely do it. She needs to know how to run a boat or either how to back a trailer. If she can't do either find a new gal! Seriously go to a ramp that is vacant and let her practice. Tammy likes backing the trailer and is hesitant to run the boat. She backs me down into the water and I nose up to the dock to pick her up. It works well both launching and retrieving. If she was more comfortable in the boat I'd back down the trailer. Give it some time with a few practice runs and see where she is comfortable. Best of luck to you. Jim