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Power Loading

blackpowderscout

blackpowderscout

Well-known member
It seems that every time I go to Camp Mack, without fail I always see and unfortunately hear someone power loading their airboat onto their trailer. Now, you don't have to be a local to know that you aren't supposed to do it...there are several signs that say not too...including a big red one right at the ramp.

Now almost all of the kicker boats do it too but since the signs are primarily due to the NOISE we produce when we do this, why do so many of our ranks still break the rule??? It isn't that hard to trailer your rigs without power...in fact I've timed myself at this ramp and I'm not all that much slower than someone who powers on...and much less annoying ( at least to the ears :p ).

For those of you who do...are there legitimate reasons why???...for instance are you disabled in some way or is there some mechanical reason that I'm just not seeing??? Or is it just laziness?? Please by all means correct me. I am all for power loading when it's appropriate but when you are at a private ramp and there are signs up by the owners that clearly state you will be violating theiur rules, why do it??

I may be making an a$$ out of myself for asking this but it has been on my mind for quite a while. We talk of policing ourselves and yet even simple things like this go unspoken.

Adam
 
For what it's worth:
If I'm a guest at Camp Mack, I follow the rules of the host. It's just the right thing to do. But sometimes at ramps and there is a line. You've been waiting and you do not want to hold anybody else up, so your kinda in a hurry, you showerdown and load up quickly. I'm not saying it's right but maybe that's a consideration they are taking. And then if your somebody who doesn't care when others do it, your just not thinking about it, so it's done.

I usually idle on and winch it the rest of the way. Heck my boat isn't powerful enough anyway.

Just an opinion...
 
That's one reason I always put in at Thomas Landing, they don't mind the noise or the power loading. I agree with ya BPS, if you have a sign that says NO POWERLOADING OF AIRBOATS..then I think people should obey the rules posted.

We have enough people that look down thier noses at us, don't need to add to the list.

If, by chance, someone has thier reasons for NEEDING to powerload, then I think they should approach the Camp Mack managers for some form of special permission or let them know ahead of time that you will be powerloading.
 
dblj006":3vg7je4a said:
But sometimes at ramps and there is a line. You've been waiting and you do not want to hold anybody else up, so your kinda in a hurry, you showerdown and load up quickly. I'm not saying it's right but maybe that's a consideration they are taking.
Click to expand...

Fair Enough...I hadn't looked at it that way.

There sure were a lot of considerate airboaters at the reunion then :wink:

Adam
 
there is a big difference in power loading and driving on the trailer.ive never failed making to the bump stop just over a idle. the main reason for the sign is the bass boats undermine the ramp ive had a talk with the owner obout this just recently.
 
Good post, Adam.
The powerboats power loading (most of them do) make darn near as much sound as the airboats. My problem is that the the signs should all read 'no power loading' period ..... for anybody, and the bass boats should have to heed it too.

I think one of the reasons bass boats power load so often is that so many of their buddies do it they're afraid to back their trailers in deep enough. That the ramp is probably already undermined.
Plum is right. If you're trailer is deep enought to begin with you'll hit the bump stop every time.

olf
 
some body correct me . i belive the sign says no power loading period it also mentions a pretty stiff fine bps your absolutly right in your way of thinking but heres the reality bass boats will always do 90mph down the canal . and some folks blow wax out of your ears at a boat ramp and the game comm. to busy checking flag size an muffler quality to adress the more important issues . my opp. an im sticking to it :wink:
 
Plum your right, there will always be people that do it. Just thought I'd bring it up for discussion...maybe someone will think about it and change their habit...probably not. :?

The sign does say NO POWER LOADING PERIOD ($100 Fine) but obviously it isn't enforced too harshly...but all it takes is one pissed off person who complains loud enough about being woken up in the middle of the night by one of us....I've been there and seen it myself too many times....no one else around and yet some jerk WOT it onto the trailer. Many times they hit it too hard and still don't get it right so they do it again.

Remember folks...Camp Mack is privately owned...so is Port Hatchineha...that owner got so fed up he shut it down and now you have to pay by the year to use it. :shock:

Adam
 
the people at the mack do a great job catering to bass fishermen an airboaters alike i personaly have naver felt unwelcomed, but on big weeks such as last it gets pretty hecktic i go to thomas for the simplicity of the place. i have stayed at camp mack dozens of times an the most sound ive noticed is powering up to plain at the canal exits it resonates all over the park
 
Bps and plum, Great topic and replies. I too was unclear of exactly what they meant by powerloading. I did pretty much the same as plum just a slight bump of the throttle to get within acouple feet of the stop then winched the rest. It was pretty hectic with all the boats loading and unloading so I just got in and out as quickly as possible to make room for the next guy. They truly are great folks at camp mack. They even shuttled us back and forth to the lodge to allow more room for parking.

Dave
 
i have seen guy's too with no one around except some of us shooting the bull
drive there boat up the ramp and then on the trailor i think that is inconsiderate to others and ticks alot of residents in surrounding areas off.too these people if there is an emergency that is fine but if you are trying to impress others it does not impress me.my boat can do the same i just simply choose not to.at places such as overstreet launch where it is allowed i do trailor load, but it is to stay off the busy boat ramp.
 
The polk county ordinance quoted on the sign refers to all boats. The sign only refers to airboats. I have to ask is driving on the trailer which is in the water the same as driving up the ramp and onto the trailer in the eyes of the law? I have drove onto the trailer which was in the water in front of FWC at the ramp and they just smile and wave. The county ordinance applies to bass boats as well as airboats. I brought this one up before and got blasted for it. Big daddy pointed out that the ramp at camp mack is private and the ordinance doesn't apply, maybe maybe not I don't know for sure about that. I do know that the primary reason for the sign is the sound made during a typical power load, and the reason for the ordinance is because of the undermining of the ramp, because it says that is what it is for.

So who is right or wrong ? don't know

Here is the ordinance

Sec. 4.2-23. Applicability.
The regulations herein set forth shall apply to all navigable waters, creeks, canals and channels (whether natural or manmade) located in the unincorporated areas of Polk County and within the corporate limits of each Polk County municipality. In the event that a municipality has a charter provision or ordinance which is in conflict with the provisions of this article, then this section shall not be effective within such municipality to the extent of such conflict.
(Ord. No. 91-13, Art. I, § 1-3, 6-18-91; Ord. No. 92-30, § 1, 9-22-92; Ord. No. 93-37, Art. I, § 1-3, 8-10-93)

Power loading shall mean the act of exceeding idle speed of the vessel's engine while loading or unloading a vessel at a boat ramp.

(j) No person shall power load any vessel onto a trailer at any county boat ramp in such a manner as to potentially contribute to the undermining of the ramp or create a nuisance noise.

(l) No person shall operate an airboat between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Nothing herein shall prohibit the operation of a properly operated airboat by an individual possessing an alligator trapping license as required by Section 372.6673, Florida Statutes, and possessing a harvest permit issued by the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission pursuant to Rule 39-25.042, Florida Administrative Code. This exemption shall only apply during the harvest season as established by the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission.
Airboats may be operated during the hours of 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. during authorized waterfowl hunting season.
Exempt from the provisions of this section are Lakes Arbuckle and Hatchineha and immediately adjacent waterways and the Kissimmee River Oxbow located in Polk County between Lakes Kissimmee and Hatchineha and described in paragraph (k) of this section.
(m) No person shall operate an airboat above an idle speed within five hundred (500) feet of a residence. This section shall not apply to the use of airboats by duly licensed and authorized persons engaged in the commercial eradication or control of aquatic weeds.
The distance setback from residences in this subsection shall not apply during the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday to the use of airboats by commercial operators of airboat tours or rides holding a valid occupational license for such purposes as of March 5, 1996, for purposes of gaining ingress and egress to their base of operations or to residences constructed on Lake Hamilton after the effective date of this ordinance [Ordinance No. 96-14].

There is a few other ones I pasted that might be of interest.
 
I KNOW ME PERSONALLY , I DRY LOAD BECAUSE USALLY IM BY MYSELF AND HAVE DOGS ON THE BOAT AND HOPEFULLY A HOG OR TWO AND ITS 10 X'S EASIER TO JUMP ON THE TRAILER AND THEN UNLOAD THE DOGS RIGHT INTO THE DOGBOX IN THE TRUCK AND THE GAME AND GEAR
 
ALSO I DONT THINK IT WOULD REALLY BE CONSIDERD POWER LOADING , I MEAN AT CYPRESS OR THE GLADES WE BACK THE TRAILER INTO THE WATER WERE JUST THE BACK OF THE TRAILER IS UNDER WATER , I MEAN REALLY WHEN YOU COME OFF PLANE YOUR WAKE PUSH'S YOU RIGHT UP ON THE TRAILER AND A SLIGHT TAP OF THE GAS AND YOUR ALL THE WAY UP....IVE BEEN SEEING BOATS LOADED THIS WAY FOR MANY YEARS AND NEVER CROSSED MY MIND AS BEING A PROBLEM OR RUDE TO THE AIRBOATER CLOSE TO YA. OR LOUD AT ALL FOR THAT MATTER..


BUT THEN AGAIN THIS IS AIRCRAFT COUNTRY IM TALKIN AND WE KNOW ALL YOU CARMOTORS BOYS GOTTA MAKE ALOT NOISE AND RACKET TO GET THAT KINDA POWER WE GET WITH THE SLIGHT PUSH OF THE TOE !!!!!!!!!!!! ...LOL....... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
"BUT THEN AGAIN THIS IS AIRCRAFT COUNTRY IM TALKIN AND WE KNOW ALL YOU CARMOTORS BOYS GOTTA MAKE ALOT NOISE AND RACKET TO GET THAT KINDA POWER WE GET WITH THE SLIGHT PUSH OF THE TOE !!!!!!!!!!!! "...LOL.......

Can't wait for a response to this one..... :protest:
 
Hey Bandit, how does that Continental run? Kind of like a VW right? :lol: That was a good one Brewster!!!
 
BUT THEN AGAIN THIS IS AIRCRAFT COUNTRY IM TALKIN AND WE KNOW ALL YOU CARMOTORS BOYS GOTTA MAKE ALOT NOISE AND RACKET TO GET THAT KINDA POWER WE GET WITH THE SLIGHT PUSH OF THE TOE !!!!!!!!!!!! ...LOL....... Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing
Click to expand...

I been thinking that all along....just wouldn't say it.

Grant
 
Just picked myself up off the ground . a/c or car motor if you got a sense of humor that was a funny sumbeach! good one D-B!
 
Have yall ever seen anyone hand winching a 16' counter rotator, long belt, big block on a trailer,I dont think so.They have to power load.Sometimes push the vechiles up the ramp.There lies the problem. :(
 
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