I have an f-350 truck wanting to launch a 27 ft whaler. In years past I have launched 18-20 ft boats from that ramp with no problems. I have heard they refit the ramp and marina over the winter. Is the ramp big boat friendly now?
I am also going to take some guys kite fishing that have never seen this technique. Are menhaden plentiful around the marina area?
Thanks in advance
Whaler 270 Outrage w twin 225 Verado’s
I have launched from that ramp many times. Only had a problem once at dead low with a 26 ft boat on a double axle trailer. Went off the end a had to get help to get back up.
jeff 33 Grady White
My Keywest 268 is 9’8" wide plus trailer. I can put in, but it is really tight
If the ramp isn’t big enough go to Live Oak Landing.
I’m a fisherman.
Ask me no questions I’ll tell you no lies.
A-Team
25’ Contender w/250 Yam
If you choose LiveOak, don’t plan on using the ramp with a rig that size anywhere near low tide. Best to plan on at least 3 feet above low tide or you will drop off the end of the ramp. Also, the tide runs pretty swift at times and there is nothing to guide the boat to help facilitate a launch or load.
I unloaded there last year at night, and when the boat cleared the trailer, the motor shutdown. Before I could get it started again, I was too close to the pier to manuver and ended up being washed up against the pier. If there hadn’t been two other fishermen on the dock to help me get away, it would have done some serious damage to my boat.
I only use liveoak as a last resort now.
quote:
Originally posted by RDWIf you choose LiveOak, don’t plan on using the ramp with a rig that size anywhere near low tide. Best to plan on at least 3 feet above low tide or you will drop off the end of the ramp.
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>yeah, I saw a guy bottom out his trailer with his big boat at Live Oak at low tide - ugly scene. be careful there @ low tide.
Just trying to learn every bit I can about saltwater fishing…
I put in at Live Oak, to avoid the hassle of the double dog-leg and all the pedestrians around the marina. Then I take the boat out at the marina. If the wind and current are bad, I “walk” the boat around the dock and onto the trailer. And walking it on, seems safer than driving on at either place…unless there is no current and wind.
But you have to be careful about low tide at the marina just as at Live Oak, with a rig like yours.
Roger
24 McKee
a pontoon i have manage to keep in new condition for 10 years earned it’s first “whisky dent” during a bad tide when it met that dock.
i was very unhappy for quite a while after that happened.
dukmon
The Marina ramp has not changed, just the docks were rebuilt. One change, however that will improve use of the ramp is that no parking in the fire lanes is now being enforced (Towing). This has made a big improvement when accessing the ramp.
Captain Huff
Combahee Lady
quote:
Originally posted by huffcoThe Marina ramp has not changed, just the docks were rebuilt. One change, however that will improve use of the ramp is that no parking in the fire lanes is now being enforced (Towing). This has made a big improvement when accessing the ramp.
Captain Huff
Combahee Lady
Believe that if you want. I helped a friend get a 27 ft. Grady White out at the Marina the other weekend. As I was backing the tri-axle trailer down to the ramp there was one car parked near the fence and another parked by Sunset Grill. When I got her loaded and advanced up the ramp a third car was dropping some “Sunset Grill help” off and just stayed there in my way. I could not make the turn. While I was waiting, another person was driving down to unload an 18 ft. center console. What a mess, but I just kept my cool and waited for most everyone to leave. It was about 6 inches from hitting one of the parked cars making that last turn to get out.
EdistoBrad</font id=“Comic Sans MS”></font id=“size3”></font id=“blue”>
quote:
Originally posted by edistobradquote:
Originally posted by huffcoThe Marina ramp has not changed, just the docks were rebuilt. One change, however that will improve use of the ramp is that no parking in the fire lanes is now being enforced (Towing). This has made a big improvement when accessing the ramp.
Captain Huff
Combahee Lady
Believe that if you want. I helped a friend get a 27 ft. Grady White out at the Marina the other weekend. As I was backing the tri-axle trailer down to the ramp there was one car parked near the fence and another parked by Sunset Grill. When I got her loaded and advanced up the ramp a third car was dropping some “Sunset Grill help” off and just stayed there in my way. I could not make the turn. While I was waiting, another person was driving down to unload an 18 ft. center console. What a mess, but I just kept my cool and waited for most everyone to leave. It was about 6 inches from hitting one of the parked cars making that last turn to get out.
EdistoBrad</font id=“Comic Sans MS”></font id=“size3”></font id=“blue”>
Heard a rumor that the Grady might be a thing of the past…??? Any plans for a sportfisher maybe next year Brad??
If you back back around the double dog leg in the dark with a boat of your size Bluemoon…You’re better than me. That place is brutual in the dark.
The only other place to put that size boat in the water at low tide is the Dawhoo bridge. Live oak and Steamboat want do it. A 23 Key West was stuck at Live Oak for 2 hours last year.
i use to help my buddy pull his dads 35 ft Atlantic express out of that ramp on a converted mobile home trailer (we only pulled it to the marina lot across the street). the boat looked alot like a 35 viking express. My buddy did this when he was around 16-18 years old so yaull shouldnt have any problem if you know what your doing. The situation that Brad faced does happen during the day time especially when sunset and the marina are open and have people parking there. Due to people parking in the fire lanes its best to put in early in the morning or late afternoon if you think your going to have a problem backing in with cars around.
Sleepy . . .
was that Key West Yellow with a Honda motor?
If so, that cost me a couple of trailer parts and major damage to my ego, lesson learned.
Also, if we are speaking of the same incident, it was more like 30 minutes, even though it felt like an eternity.
Sorry to have held you up. I will admit to thinking "Man I hope there are no CF’ers in that line!
We (Edisto Marina Association) are really trying to enforce the NO PARKING in the Fire Lanes, and will tow if necessary. This situation is noticebly better, but there are still some people that are rude. We will tow them. We are trying to make the boat ramp easier to use for everyone.
Please also note that only EMA Members (slipowners) can park boat trailers in the parking lot across the street. We have towed trailers there as well.
Thanks
Captain Huff
Combahee Lady
quote:
Originally posted by huffcoWe (Edisto Marina Association) are really trying to enforce the NO PARKING in the Fire Lanes, and will tow if necessary. This situation is noticebly better, but there are still some people that are rude. We will tow them. We are trying to make the boat ramp easier to use for everyone.
Please also note that only EMA Members (slipowners) can park boat trailers in the parking lot across the street. We have towed trailers there as well.
Thanks
Captain Huff
Combahee Lady
Huff,
Is there a way to join the EMA for parking, without owning a slip?? I would like to put in at the Marina more, but parking a trailer is why I don’t… In the future I would like to get a slip, but that isn’t going to happen anytime really soon.
Sorry, but you have to own a slip to be a member of EMA. Currently there are 72 slipowners that each have a parking space. I wish i could be more helpful. Why don’t you join with someone else to buy a slip together, and share the slip and parking spot??
Captain Huff
Combahee Lady
I just upgraded from a Keywest 225cc to a 268cc and I was a little worried about putting in and pulling out at live oak earlier this week. Is there a good rule of thumb on time before / after low tide that you can go by… to be safe? With the 225, I would put in / pull out at least 2 hours on either side of the low tide. With the new boat, I was thinking 3 hours min. At Live Oak is it the left side (facing the ramp) that is safer and does not have the hole?
Also, someone told me that you could put in / pull out at the Dahoo landing at dead low tide and be safe. Is that true?
Thanks, in advance.
the drop off at Live Oak is across both sides. One side might be slightly better than the other, but not enough to make any real difference.
I’d say at least a couple of hours - if not three - before or after low tide is safe. Watching that big boat trailer bottom out was painful to see…and that wasn’t even my boat.
Be careful at Live Oak - don’t take a chance. I’d suggest going and scoping it out at different times before/after low tide to see how well other boats do. You might see one about the same size as yours that can serve as a sort of test run for you, if that makes sense.
Just my 2 cents.
Just trying to learn every bit I can about saltwater fishing…
thanks, good advise.
Yeah, ive broken the middle bracket on my trailer dropping it off the end of that ramp. i dont put it in there unless its midtide or higher
Jimbo
18’ Grady White
“Rebel Ryder”