Ramp Reports

[Ozzie]

We take our dog, Grizelgutz the fox terrier (name changed to protect the guilty) for a walk every day sometimes twice during Covid. We usually walk at waterfront areas so I can have a boat fix. Thought it might be opportunity to mention the new facility at Bennett park Valentine. Ramp has been here for decades but we are now getting jetties. Hard recommending ramps from a security perspective for those wishing to do overnights. But this one is a fairly good punt for those wanting to TS on Lake M. There are houses opposite and no parking restrictions in the street so if after launching if you bung your rig on the street, you would be as safe as you could probably be in the area. Lights, toilets at ramp and shops are a short walk away. Including post office. Fine for 563 and we have launched and retrieved there.

The Croudace Bay ramp is about 1km away and is bigger and also gained a new jetty in the last few years but not so close to residents for security purposes. All care with report, no responsibility

Just reread this and realised how much my posts are sounding like text messages. Need to get a tinfoil hat I’m getting dragged into the 21st century against my will.

[Ozzie]

Hello all. Meant to add if you you have a good Investigator563 friendly ramp in your sailing area please put up a post on it . It does not have to be extensive. Just a name at minimum as a reference and if it has a jetty. But also handy to refer to proximity of services and if there are toilets, showers maybe, fish cleaning (something to be avoided at times) night lights.

Security is at best a guess, but proximity of houses is a guide. It would be great to get one wherever we have a member. A screen grab from google maps also could help. There are ramp reports on the other place but, ramps for the Investigator563 are really condition specific so our own list would be different.

If this takes off we could make it a sticky.

[Peter T]

Hi David, you have been very busy mate, we still in rain every day down the north west but it's still on my to do list. Well done
Peter T

[Peter T]

Well, Here at Ulverstone on the Leven river in Tas, there are actually 4 boat ramps. The Leven Yacht Club is situated on the eastern side of the river and there are public toilets and picnic grounds very close bye. The two ramps here are average. The other facility is on the western side of the river in a beautiful position with a double boat ramp with nice steep access to the water so you can launch and retrieve almost any time although I would be a bit cautious at dead low tide. there is a long pontoon between the two ramps with a right angle pontoon at the very end. so no matter the tidal flow direction or wind, you can launch in safety and comfort with either of these ramps. there is toilet facilities in the public stadium if it is open as well as BBQ facilities close bye as well as the NW Coast Guard Station right there. Installed by MAST, you can see where our mooring fees etc are being used. From the first and second photos you can see the yacht club over the river with the boat ramps either side of the club house.
The fifth photo is taken from the yacht club, as is the last photo.
The tide was almost completely out at time of photos and with around 3.4 metres of tide, the water is to the top of the ramp at High tide as can be seen by the high tide mark on the ramp.

Anyone coming to use these ramps should also call in to have a cuppa with me at the same time

Regards Peter T

[Andrew]

My main ramp facility is now the "Townsville Recreational Boating park" (TRBP) ,

I also call it the "Ross River Recreational boat park" (RRRBP), simply its the Ross River ramp. It's an enormous facility costing over $25 million

It provides access to Magnetic Island, off Townsville, North Queensland.

It's pro's are. It has 16 ramp lanes on 4 center-line floating pontoon ramps. Hundreds of tar-sealed marked trailer parking spaces with traffic islands etc. On an average day a bout 5 people use it (1% capacity) on a huge public holiday it might be about 50% capacity. So it's a low stress environment for a TS launching, with plenty of space and time. It's an all-tidal place. There are toilets, street lighting and security cameras. also a separate floating dock with a swing bridge for loading unloading crew and supplies etc. (it's size future proofs it for remainder of the century ) There is a calm anchorage in the River for over-nighting. The other good thing is the River entrance location allows for an upwind starting advantage to set course and sail to Horseshoe bay on Magnetic Island without tacking (takes 2 hours)

It's cons are: Its a " mast down" place to launch, because there is now a lowly clearance bridge (6m, Port of Tsv) half-blocking the river entrance and exit to the sea. Truckies and residents love it, (and the fringe-dwelling yachting fraternity can get stuffed.) The anchoring and mooring area is now for motor-cruisers and converted small cruising trawlers (but a TS can squeeze in, mozzie net and coils required, don't get too close to mangrove forest on river bank) After clearing the bridge I anchor at a convenient sandbar/cay to rig up the mast and sails. The river entrance is often exposed to prevailing E to SE trade winds, which make the port's rockwall a dangerous lee shore. Also out-flowing tide against wind conditions can stand the waves up uncomfortably. These reasons are why almost no TS other than Teria use it.

(They prefer the Coast guard twin ramps (8 lanes) in Ross creek, it's car park and ramps are often packed, but the entrance to that ramp is the main Shipping port channel 12m deep with breakwalls etc, so its far more amenable exit/entrance, just got to dodge allot more vessels of all sizes too. Another post required)

Here is a recent post from my blog with some photos of the facility http://teria563.blogspot.com/2020/10/ma ... demic.html

The pontoon pylons are pretty high, that's what the designers hope a cyclones storm surge level won't exceed...

Cheers

[Ozzie]

Terrific facilities Andrew. I can only groan when I hear you say the second favourite ramp has eight lanes.
In lake Mac, Croudace Bay one of the major launch locations on a lake twice the size of Sydney Harbour, closest ramp serving Newcastle, a city with the 7th largest pop in Aus , not to mention Lakes pop has recently got ........wait for it ....one jetty for its two lanes. I could use the p## emoji here but as a moderator I’d have to censor myself.

We are getting some better facilities now but I can remember being blown away by facilities in Tasmania and SA in my travels 20 years ago and indeed Qld . When you consider that these facilities come from the motza of boating fees the state collects it’s not like we do not have lots of boats here contributing their share. Thats totally non political as it appears neither side boats.

[Ozzie]

Sad but true David. We actually have an aquatic committee in LM one of only one, I think on east coast NSW. They push for improvements but I know a member of it these days and he tells me it’s slow going.

When I first moved to my current suburb 40 years ago and started a family here I got very community spirited and involved in a lot of committees. Finished up chairman of the local Urban committee for three years which sadly was composed mainly of pensioners who became infirm or passed away. It was my unfortunate final act to close it down after unsuccessfully trying to recruit new younger members. We get the system we participate in.

There are boating facilities grants given every year so if you want something done locally write, write, write to the council . Get your mum to write same request , get your dog to write too . Use all different names . Particularly your dog

[Ozzie]

EDIT: For clarity there was a deleted post prior to this referencing my previous dog statement

My dog is smarter than I am . He lies around all day, gets fed, watered, doesn’t have a job list, other than digging up the garden, and still gets to go kayaking, boating and sailing. Even has his own bloody life jacket

He is now however, older than me, in dogs years, so I have to respect my elders..
He is one third mini foxie, one third Jack Russell and one third lunatic.

[Ozzie]

Halton Park Eleebana
This ramp otherwise known by the locals as Croudace Bay ramp is one of the major boat ramps on East Lake Mac. Despite its heavy use for decades only recently has the council graced us with a single floating jetty . The ramp is nominally 3 lanes but normally even in peak times used as two. The adjacent shore on the opposite side to the jetty is shallow and somewhat rocky so only suitable for tinnies or similar vessels to temp anchor while parking cars, so effectively only two lanes.

It always makes we wonder about the wisdom of ramp designers, if they actually boat themselves when this happens. With the jetty at one side of a wide ramp you have to drag often large boats around the tip of the jetty to get it onto the non ramp side to effectively clear for the next launch, otherwise he blocks any further launches , centre ramps I’ve seen elsewhere seem to work better.

There is good lighting and lots of car/trailer parking and turning space, in fact a drive around exit which is good. Good unobstructed (for TS) rigging area. Fish cleaning table, so expect to compete with fishos for ramp use particularly at weekends. Separate tap for trailer wash down, which is great. Security is not as good as Valentine, houses are opposite but not close as the park is wide so not great for leaving your boat trailer/ tow for long periods or overnight from my perspective. Although there is a frequent use of the park by overnight grey nomads, which helps with security. This however is not technically permitted here but apparently tolerated by local rangers from what I’ve observed.

Shops and services mentioned at my last report at Valentine are further away from here but can be accessed by boat/tender from waterfront down south near the big jetty on the map or there is a lane to directly access shop down near the big red arrow. There are besser block toilets so old they were opened by Menzies a good distance down in the park but they are being replaced or at least augmented by more modern facilities closer to the ramp as part of an upgrade.

We have launched and retrieved here many times and it’s a good slope and depth to accommodate the Investigator. Jetty makes life easy. From here you can easily sail across to Toronto or North to Warner’s Bay. Both towns have good jetties with large supermarkets/fuel/ services.

7C90D1D1-C78F-4543-8560-F369F73CBEDC.png (95.54 KiB) Viewed 19341 times

ramp shown with blue arrow.

As a a final plus there is a small channel to a creek at the south end of the park. This is rear access to expensive residential houses on the wide creek that have large cruisers. The creek would have sufficient depth to provide a good refuge in crook weather for an Investigator up this end of the Lake. It is shown on the satellite map in a fine broken blue line.

Good creek to hide in or even overnight probably.

[Greg]

Not sure if anyone ever uses the Bayview Park boat ramp in Concord (end of Burwood Rd) I see lots of TS down there but I’ve never seen another investigator? Either way if you plan on using this ramp make sure you get there before 5am, it used to be a great ramp, never too busy but unfortunately now everyone has bought a kayak it’s turned into an absolute circus. I counted 12 cars parked illegally on Saturday not including all the cars parked in trailer parking only spots. At least the council is making money, the rangers were out writing tickets like crazy.