Warning - Buckhams Bay Boat Launch

Post by **Flipper** » Mon May 03, 2010 2:02 pm

Use extreme caution using the Buckhams Bay boat launch. Due to the angle of the ramp and the rocks at the end of the ramp, my prop and skeg were damaged yesterday.
Be careful using the wharf too. It's way too high and it's dangerous trying to climb the wall from a boat that bobbing in the boat wakes.
I showed my motor damage to our city councillor but he directed me to the federal government as the responsible party.
I wrote a letter today to Gordon O'Connor, the Minister of Parliament responsible for this area.

I posted a copy of the letter and some pictures here:

http://www.neatpage.com/launch/launchphotos.html

If you are affected by this launch, please take a moment to write to our MP with your displeasure. It was $240,000 of our tax money that paid for these renovations to the launch and created these issues.
The Right Honourable Gordon O'Connor's email address: oconng7@parl.gc.ca

Post by RJ » Mon May 03, 2010 2:14 pm

His response could be the following.

"Don't powerload your boat when you know the water level is low"

Yes the ramp sucks from those pics you posted but the water level is more to blame for that then the ramp...

Victim #1 of many of this summers water levels....and that sucks.

RJ

Post by **Flipper** » Mon May 03, 2010 2:26 pm

But I have been power loading there for 18 years with even lower water no problemo. It's the pile of rocks they put at the end of the ramp and it's just becoming apparent now as the water lowers. It's low now for spring but it has been much lower at the end of summer in past years.

Post by **Georges** » Mon May 03, 2010 3:20 pm

I have been a resident for 40 some years it is not a water problem the water is low but is at July ,August level the Ramp is NFG and the Dock is abour 3 feet too high, I have spoken to Eli many many many Times and he seems to take pride when they built it but now that it is useless, it was every body elses fault Email Eli and everybody else to get this thing fixed properly, the city owns the ramp down to the water the Feds own the rest they where to fix it and hand it over to the city but now the city does not want it because it is no good, so Email everybody you can there is a election in the Fall so let Eli know.

Post by **Flipper** » Mon May 03, 2010 3:43 pm

If I understand correctly what Eli told me yesterday, the Feds never handed over the launch to the city after all. Something to do with Indian land claims?
Bottom line is we paid a lot for a launch that is not functional and is a disaster waiting to happen.

Post by **Flipper** » Tue May 04, 2010 12:13 pm

CBC will air a story on the news this evening on the boat launch. I just finished up filming with them. Hopefully it spurs the feds to fix it before someone gets hurt there.

Post by **jwhite** » Tue May 04, 2010 12:33 pm

Flipper wrote:CBC will air a story on the news this evening on the boat launch. I just finished up filming with them. Hopefully it spurs the feds to fix it before someone gets hurt there.

If you ran a stainless prop you would have made gravel out of those boulders.

Post by RJ » Tue May 04, 2010 12:48 pm

Has every boat that has used that ramp destroyed their lower end?

Post by **Flipper** » Tue May 04, 2010 12:55 pm

RJ, it's only now that the water levels are dropping that the newly deposited stone pile is being exposed thus my warnings. It comes up from the end of the ramp by at least a foot. When I was back there again today it looked even worse. People won't be able to back in enough to get their boats off their trailers with out hitting the rocks.
However this issue is secondary to the safety issue of the height of the wharf. It's an accident waiting to happen.

Post by RJ » Tue May 04, 2010 1:12 pm

Well hopefully they get someone in with a backhoe to push that rock pile away.....it's likely there so you don't drive off the end of the pad though....

An issue I see often with Bass boats is they dont sit on the trailer....they sit in the trailer (if that makes sense).....I can pull my boat onto my trailer and pull it out with my motor down all the way and never hit the pavement.....bass boats sit way lower and that is compounding your issue.....

RJ

Post by **Georges** » Tue May 04, 2010 1:42 pm

They did some dredging in early spring because with low water there was not enough slope but now what is happening when you put boat on trailer you would have to lift the motor before the boat even touches the trailer, let me know how it went on CBC as I have to go to Toys for Boys tonight.

Post by **Sportspal** » Tue May 04, 2010 3:22 pm

Flipper, I just checked out the pictures of the damage to your prop and skeg....WOW. How many times did you let the prop smack the rocks before you stopped? That prop is totalled! Crazy!
I look forward to seeing what CBC says tonight about the launch.

I've been guilty of smacking my prop on rocks, even once took the miss too far into CP and smacked a few rocks, but it was my fault, no one elses.

Post by **steadyj_17** » Tue May 04, 2010 3:54 pm

flipper...

i feel really bad for you and your motor that sucks... but i do believe every boat launch is USE AT YOUR OWN RISK... i have used that launch many times and i do agree that the dock is WAY to high... however i don't believe its right to be blaming the boat launch for the damage to the skeg and prop of your motor...

Jeff

Post by **Tonyb** » Tue May 04, 2010 4:18 pm

Just looked at your pictures. That hurts, but water levels are extremely low everywhere in the Ottawa area. Can't blame that on the government. Sorry about your prop and skeg.

Post by **troutnmuskiehunter** » Tue May 04, 2010 5:33 pm

Thank God I haven't launched the new/used ride yet which has a stainless prop

.....Marc, feel bad for you but I just can't understand how you did so much damage

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