Small Boat Harbor's Crazy Narrow entrance & exit!!!

[ciscokid]

How many of you folks have run over the curbs & scuffed your trailer tires and prayed you didn't have a puncture or blow out trying get in or out of the small boat harbor entrance and exit? I do it almost every time and my boat and trailer not really that big just average 18 ' boat. However the pretty median in the middle with all the plants and trees that make it all worth while RIGHT? I suspect WRONG!  It's so sad that the black tire scuff marks on all the curbs create an eye sore.. Really!!!  Yes it's a dumb  PP design that makes the roadway to narrow to negotiate and once again probably designed by someone probably sitting behind a desk. "a dangerous place from which to view the world".  It could be the same person who approved the fish cleaning station design and rubber drive belts that don't work to well when WET. Is there any water in a fish cleaning station?  Yep but bring your own extension cord to use your electric knife BRILLIANT!!!! Have you all enjoyed the easy access trying get your fish to the cleaning station,  it's especially convenient for old folks like me. While the boat launch itself is well designed and trailer parking wonderful. The previous things I mentioned need to be  redesigned and improved, like a wider entrance and exit road and a chain drive  for the fish cleaning station. I would suggest we start to call the NYS parks department and ask for a redesign and improvement be made in the off season On the other hand maybe I am the only one this happens too or noticed all the black scuff marks on those beautiful cement curbs. Comments and suggestions  welcome.

[MW66]

I'm a first time boat owner, so take that for what it's worth.  I too have thought that the passages are narrow, but I have yet to hit them on the way in or out.  I have a tandem trailer with a 21' boat in tow.  When turning left or right, I always go to the opposite side close to the curb before turning the other way to navigate the turn and it's worked so far and I have an extended mid-size truck towing my boat.  As far as the fish cleaning station is concerned, I have not had any problems yet, but I do wish they would make it easier to access it.  The parking lot in which it is located is a permit lot, but sometimes I stop there quick in the early morning to use the restroom and leave the hazards flashing on my boat.  After a day's catch, I usually try to park my boat a little closer, but always have to make the trek over to the station with my cooler.  My friend told me that the curb on the exit is smashed due to trailers running over it, but I have not seen it yet up close.

[ciscokid]

You must be younger than 72 years old and a former obstacle course or truck driver. I have non of those benefits and I try not to hit anything. By the toll shacks every time I am walking to dock I see trailers run over curb. Just look at the BLACK SCUFF MARKS on the curbs do little elves paint those at night? Your obviously exceptional and should have been a Blue Angel or T Bird pilot. The rest of us mortally normal.  Lol

[mostlymuskies]

I'm a first time boat owner, so take that for what it's worth.  I too have thought that the passages are narrow, but I have yet to hit them on the way in or out.  I have a tandem trailer with a 21' boat in tow.  When turning left or right, I always go to the opposite side close to the curb before turning the other way to navigate the turn and it's worked so far and I have an extended mid-size truck towing my boat.  As far as the fish cleaning station is concerned, I have not had any problems yet, but I do wish they would make it easier to access it.  The parking lot in which it is located is a permit lot, but sometimes I stop there quick in the early morning to use the restroom and leave the hazards flashing on my boat.  After a day's catch, I usually try to park my boat a little closer, but always have to make the trek over to the station with my cooler.  My friend told me that the curb on the exit is smashed due to trailers running over it, but I have not seen it yet up close.

The road in and out of the Safe Boat Harbor Launch is designed the way it is to slow the trailered boat traffic down to 10 mph.I have had no problem going thru that road maze.
My main problem is when the launch is busy ,the staff at collection booth need to have some control over number of launchers in at one time.If 4 ramps are for launching ,then only 4 rigs towing boats should be in those spaces.As one launch comes open the booth can let another in,not let 12 in at once jamming up the whole top of the launch where those trying to retrieve can't even get their trailers to the ramp to get out.I have seen it on a Saturday where it took 2 hours to get your boat out and on the trailer because of so many launching boats allowed in all at once.

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[mostlymuskies]

The road in and out of the Safe Boat Harbor Launch is designed the way it is to slow the trailered boat traffic down to 10 mph.I have had no problem going thru that road maze.
My main problem is when the launch is busy ,the staff at collection booth need to have some control over number of launchers in at one time.If 4 ramps are for launching ,then only 4 rigs towing boats should be in those spaces.As one launch comes open the booth can let another in,not let 12 in at once jamming up the whole top of the launch where those trying to retrieve can't even get their trailers to the ramp to get out.I have seen it on a Saturday where it took 2 hours to get your boat out and on the trailer because of so many launching boats allowed in all at once.

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I will address this issue at next Erie County Fishery Advisory Board Meeting!

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[ciscokid]

No other boat launch IN NYS has such a design in out of it 's boat launch and I never seen a cop handing out speeding tickets. It's  poor design because it's so curvy and narrow. A wider road with a couple of speed bumps would do the trick and been a lot less expensive my friend. Once again look at all the black tire scuff marks on all the curbs in and out. That says it all!!!

[MW66]

2 hours ago, ciscokid said:

You must be younger than 72 years old and a former obstacle course or truck driver. I have non of those benefits and I try not to hit anything. By the toll shacks every time I am walking to dock I see trailers run over curb. Just look at the BLACK SCUFF MARKS on the curbs do little elves paint those at night? Your obviously exceptional and should have been a Blue Angel or T Bird pilot. The rest of us mortally normal.  Lol

I'm in my 50's, so maybe that doesn't count.  :-)  No T-bird or Blue Angel experience in my past or will be in my future.

Never said that I loved the design, just provided an account of my experience.  I know you stated that there are lots of black scuffs, but do you hit the curbs?  Just my opinion, but I hate speed bumps and I'd rather not pull my loaded boat over them.  I do agree that there should be a better way to meter out the boats that are trying to launch.  However, they staff the shack with kids and that is no job for them.

[ciscokid]

50 yrs your just a kid, great year that one if I can remember back that far hmm? Lol Back then I wasn't even wearing glasses at 50 everything worked good not so true anymore. Need BIGGER PRINT,  Wider Roads and the P can handy. Any help you can provide to fix the Maze and/or the fish cleaning station would be appreciated. Heck At 50 I'd just carry the boat down to the water and drop her in now I got to use a trailer. Maybe that's my problem not experience. Great year 50, 1998 a century ago. Have a great day mate.

[Bob123]

The road to the ramps has a lane  for un strapping your boat some people pull up to the ramps get out and do it their, which   holds up other people that pull to the side and un strap their boat like your suppose to do, then you have people walking in front of you or beside you when your trying to back the boat in which is an accident waiting to happen.

[ciscokid]

Your 100% right however not all  boaters are  polite considerate or smart. The ramp road has prelaunch loading spots on the Buffalo or North side of the entrance ramp road. Once again in this case we a dealing with human nature which is unpredictable at best. Never gonna get full compliance from the general public, fishermen or not. Good point though do we need a big hunter orange sign that reads preload your boat here b4 launching and a cop to enforce it? People should realize it makes things go faster for them too, but some won't no matter what...

[dukhnter8]

Last time I was there on the morning of the 4th of July, when taking the boat out there was a park police women writing tickets in the parking lot. While people were doing the usual on the ramps loading boats, unloading boats and putting fish in coolers, the usual crap.

My biggest complaint is the high docks make it hard to launch by yourself, so I rarely go to there anymore. The fish cleaning station at least has been working for the most part, normally in years past it was down more than it was running.

[jimski2]

Speed bumps create broken trailer springs and a lot of noise. Just more problems. After unstrapping your boat more damage.


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[ciscokid]

1) You can vary the size of any speed bump my friend. 2) When U drive over any sized speed bump slowly your tires will never go airborne unlike dropping off a curb. Driving over the curbs because of the poor entrance exit design can cause and will cause more damage than any speed bump. I see people dropping off the curb by the collection booths every time I fish. The black scuff marks on the curbs visually  state how poor the design really is!!! Take a LOOK next time.

[lineman49]

  I agree with Jimski2 don't need speed bumps, they do damage.  But JMO this is the worst parking lot & launch ramp in NY state!  It seems to me it is built totally ass backwards!  The parking lot striping goes at the wrong angles.  And the launch is to long & shallow! Then that stupid concrete wall is just pain a in the ass it may be fine if you are 20 yrs. old & can jump up on to it but at 69 my jumping days are over!  It's just a long walk for me back & forth. & launching by yourself is a bigger pain!  If a person does not power load onto their trailer you cannot load your boat without getting your feet wet & getting into the water! I have been at boat launches from Buffalo to the most eastern finger lakes & have never seen a worst launch!  It sucks!  Again JMO.

Edited July 28, 2018 by lineman49

[jimski2]

When a family guy has the time off work with ma and the kids, you have to waste the precious family time waiting at the slow operation dumped on us by the docks operated regime who has no consideration for boat ramp users. They have done all they can to lease as many docks at our park without a minimal boat ramp operation. Trailer boat operators have been squeezed into the worst possible spot to give the dock leasers more room. We need better access to our public property instead of an income private operator.


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[MW66]

I launched Sunday morning and yes, I did pay more attention to the curbs.  They are all marked up with wheel scuffs and one of the curbs at the exit has been crushed and is broken.  Again, for me with a tandem axle trailer, I did not have an issue.  I want to preface this next statement because it is not meant to be directed at anyone, but you need to go fairly slow and you definitely have to pay attention the whole way.  Could those with poorer eyesight or diminished senses (e.g. peripheral view, reaction time) have a more difficult time?  Certainly that is reasonable.  They could have made the lanes wider and handle the launches better, but this is what we have until possible changes are made.   Here's an issue I would like to mention.  I travel "against the grain" down the aisles after I launch to park my truck/trailer because that would be the only way to enter a parking spot from that lane. However, when I pull forward out of my spot, I am now going with the grain down the aisle.  Is there a correct protocol?

[Locoman]

They could also have had the signs specifying the boat prep area in seven different languages. Some people just don't care. How about the guy who pulls his boat out of the water and stops a the top of the ramp to pull his gear. pull the plug, and apply his straps. Can't fix stupidity or ignorance. So to answer your question about protocol.........there is none.

[MW66]

24 minutes ago, Locoman said:

They could also have had the signs specifying the boat prep area in seven different languages. Some people just don't care. How about the guy who pulls his boat out of the water and stops a the top of the ramp to pull his gear. pull the plug, and apply his straps. Can't fix stupidity or ignorance. So to answer your question about protocol.........there is none.

That is just disrespectful .... simple as that.  After just speaking to a friend of mine at work, he said that people are suppose to back out of their spot into the aisle and then continue down the aisle against the grain once again.  That makes sense.  If they had curbs at the spots so you couldn't pull through, that would force everyone to do the same and keep the traffic all flowing the same direction down the aisles.  What really bothers me is that random truck that pulls way into the aisle so I have to maneuver around it as I go down the aisle.

[milt]

this is why I keep my boat in the water I hate dealing with stupid people that don't know what to do, even on the water they don't care about anything

[bud]

u r 100 percent right milt that's why I moved out to the catt a lot less BS

 

[dukhnter8]

18 hours ago, MW66 said:

That is just disrespectful .... simple as that.  After just speaking to a friend of mine at work, he said that people are suppose to back out of their spot into the aisle and then continue down the aisle against the grain once again.  That makes sense.  If they had curbs at the spots so you couldn't pull through, that would force everyone to do the same and keep the traffic all flowing the same direction down the aisles.  What really bothers me is that random truck that pulls way into the aisle so I have to maneuver around it as I go down the aisle.

I would be fearful of my truck and trailer then as some people cannot back up to save their life. My truck was already hit once at the SBH, not too badly but front bumper was dinged pretty good, they left a not nicely enough but not the right number on the note.

[garrymny]

I hit the curb last time I was there. The medians are unnecessary, and they cause problems and possible damage. In addition, I have to bring a step ladder to put in the water to get back up on the dock when launching. Much improvement is needed.

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[ciscokid]

Who do ALL of US have to  contact and complain to in order to get the ball rolling to make the necessary improvements!!!! To just talk amongst ourselves accomplishes nothing. I hit a curb yesterday and really try hard not to mostly while trying to exit the SBH. Need to widen the roads and make the pretty center median narrower or gone with something else in else smaller as divider. It just might be the New York State parks department? Nothing is going to happen unless we make it know there are serious issues. Like your tire blows out at 60 mph on T way because it was compromised at the SBH. With all do respect to the Thunderbird Pilots that can get though everything cleanly every time the black scuff marks on the curbs and the crushed curbs say it all!!! I hit a curb and scuffed a tire yesterday and I try hard not to, I am a former U.S. Marine not a T Bird pilot. Lol  If anyone knows who are where to complain to let us know, address phone number. Lets be a band of brothers and getter done!!!!

[garrymny]

Also, 4th of July, only one porta John and it was padlocked. But, I doubt they will pay to tear out the medians now.

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[milt]

 I think brain Higgins had a big part in it