# Flatrock Boat Ramp



## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

I called the Flatrock DPW again. This time I suggested that they drop a couple of those portable highway dividers just upstream of the boat ramp. Those things are pretty cheap. They weigh about 10 tons each and should deflect the current around the ramp. It was the cheapest easiest thing I could think of. The lady at DPW is very polite and receptive, so please call if you have any ideas on dealing with the problems at that ramp. Keep it cheap though, cause they aren't going to want to spend much money on it. She is very famliar with the problems of launching there.


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

C'mon guys, Think of a cheap fix to reduce the current at that ramp and call it in or we will all be pi--ing and moaning when the season starts. Maybe they could pour loads of broken concrete in there to make a ****. All they need is their trucks, front end loader, and a place to get the concrete. They could have gotten tons of it not long ago, from the I-75 project. it is a real pain launching into that current. Most guys I know back down into the mud on the downstream side of the ramp and launch there. The water is a little slacker there. We shouldn't have to do that when they put in a perfectly good concrete ramp though. Call the DPW and ask them for a rip rap **** or concrete highway dividers or anything you can think of. I've been fishing off the dock, for Smallies, a few times lately. I've seen a group of canoers launch in the mud on the east side of the ramp, a drift boat do the same, and a bunch of tubers do the same also. Nobody wants to use that concrete ramp as it is, because their gear will just end up under the dock If they don't fix it, they may as well tear the dock out and create more shore space to launch. That way, when your boat swings downstream it will just swing into the bank instead of getting tangled in and wrecked by the dock. The number is 734-782-2470 and can't talk to a nicer person. Take a couple minutes and be pro-active.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Have you ever launched a boat at the Bear Creek launch on the Big Manistee River? It is on the outside, downstream side of a large bend, and the current RIPS through. Anyone who has done it more than a couple times knows to crab your trailer sideways, with the back end pointed more downstream. That way you don't need to launch perpendicular to the current. Works especially well when you need to pull your boat out, and CANT get it perpendicular to the current. It is just a thought. Now would be the time to practice. I always have some waders in the back of my truck, too; and often put them on to pull my small boat. I don't powerload.


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

The dock is in the way for your method fisndude. If you crab or jack knife your trailler on the supplied concrete, which is only on one upstream side of the dock, the boat will go under the dock or the dock will be up against your motor, making it more than a little difficult to slip the boat off. That's why they should just pull the dock out. Many times the water is much lower than that dock and there is room for your gear to get under it. If you back down a little further upstream, you may be able to get the trailer in the right spot, but not get your truck out. Nobody uses the dock itself when they are launching. If you stand up there with a rope and your buddy kicks the boat off the trailer, it wll go straight under the dock or ram the corner post and swing downstream and you won't stop it with the rope. I'm not doing this so much for myself. My boat is very easy to launch. I don't need any type of ramp, though it deinitely makes it easier.I just need some fairly flat ground, and hard river bottom, where I wont get stuck in my 4 wheel drive. But I know so many guys hate to use that ramp, the way it is, the only thing good about that ramp is that it is a place to park and have access to the river, via a very slight grade. They may as well have not built anything there, except parking space. The Corps of Engineers built that, along with the city and I just don't know what they were thinking. It helps me to understand why the levees failed during Hurricane Katrina though. It would be better too if they had a dock that abutted the shoreline and ran parallel to it. That way you could crab the trailer and launch and the boat would drift back alongside the dock and you could tie off. I guess thats all I have to say on this subject. Call, don't call, its up to your guys. Ive never understood why so many people are reluctant to take 10 minutes to make a call or drop an email that may help to make things better. I do it all the time and havent felt any ill effects from it yet. I've gotten positive results in some cases too; not many but some.


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## ishootdeer (Oct 27, 2001)

Yep, I dented up my boat trailer on this dock too (first launch, I might add). Current took the trailer and put it right up under the dock.... Not much of a boat or trailer, but this is a problem.


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## Chinookhead (Mar 4, 2005)

It sounds like the simplest thing to do is to ask them to put the dock on the upstream side of the concrete. Alternatively, they should forget about that ramp and build one a little downstream.....I don't see it being justifiable to block the flow even further....let the stream stay as "natural" as possible.


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

I just called Flatrock DPW. The gal said she relayed the idea of the concrete dividers to her boss and he thought it was a good idea. He is checking with the Corps of Engineers to see about a permit to put them in the river. I told her about the broken concrete from I-75 also and she said she would tell him about that too. I also told her that if they can't put the **** in, they should either move the dock to the other side of the concrete ramp or just take it out altogether.


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

Steelmon said:


> I just called Flatrock DPW. The gal said she relayed the idea of the concrete dividers to her boss and he thought it was a good idea. He is checking with the Corps of Engineers to see about a permit to put them in the river. I told her about the broken concrete from I-75 also and she said she would tell him about that too. I also told her that if they can't put the **** in, they should either move the dock to the other side of the concrete ramp or just take it out altogether.


 1st off it not going to happen.They wont alter the river flow.And the concrete is being crushed and reused so forget that.But i do have an idea that i could ask about.Maybe they should make it for flatrock residents only and make others pay to launch :evilsmile.Heck money is money :lol:,Mich


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

They altered the river flow when they put the fish ladder in. There was no current coming from the first stall of the dam years ago. It was a dead end. As far as concrete, I would think it would be pretty easy for the city to ask for some of it, before it gets crushed. Right now there is a big rut with a floor matt and rags in it on the east side of the ramp. It's obvious someone got stuck there and used that stuff for traction. They left that stuff in the rut and now it's and eyesore in what is actually a pretty attractive place. The river looks really nice in that area. It will all get washed downstream at the next high water period and just trash up the river a little more. What the heck. Hooking a floor matt, might boost the adrenaline a little on a slow day. Why didn't I pick it up? I want the city to see it.


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

Here is the potentail future of the ramp, if it's not fixed. The 2nd picture is where I found this junk.


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

All they will do is pull the launch out.Theres to much liability on Flatrocks part i was told.Mich


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

Hey Mich, pulling it out is fine. It's one of the solutions I suggested. It will just get knocked over again. It isn't even anchored to the concrete. It's just free standing. Have these guy ever heard of masonry bits and concrete anchors. GEEESH! Just look at that piece of crap. The didn't even do any repairs to it, after they stood it back up, when it was knocked over last year. The corner post is all loose and wobbly and a couple other posts that got broken weren't replaced. You can see, from the pic, how easy it would be to jack knife your trailer and launch downstream, if the dock wasn't there.

Is that lamp post still in the river Mich? Jeff at the DNR Southfield office told me that is you want to put anything in or report anything in the river, you should call the Dept. of Environmental Quality. I never even heard of this bunch before. Their phone number for the Southeast Area is: 586-753-3700. You should call them about all the junk you see Mich.


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

Steelmon said:


> Hey Mich, pulling it out is fine. It's one of the solutions I suggested. It will just get knocked over again. It isn't even anchored to the concrete. It's just free standing. Have these guy ever heard of masonry bits and concrete anchors. GEEESH! Just look at that piece of crap. The didn't even do any repairs to it, after they stood it back up, when it was knocked over last year. The corner post is all loose and wobbly and a couple other posts that got broken weren't replaced. You can see, from the pic, how easy it would be to jack knife your trailer and launch downstream, if the dock wasn't there.
> 
> Is that lamp post still in the river Mich? Jeff at the DNR Southfield office told me that is you want to put anything in or report anything in the river, you should call the Dept. of Environmental Quality. I never even heard of this bunch before. Their phone number for the Southeast Area is: 586-753-3700. You should call them about all the junk you see Mich.


 Im hopeing the water will drop some.I went down to mark it one day but i lost the sun and could not see it.I see what they say.Better them then me doing it.I pick up alot of trash as it is on the river.However i did get my 1st fishing pole and reel out of the river the other day.I snagged a line with my lure and draged the line in with rod pole ect :lol:.Mich


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

Nice catch Mich.

I called the DEQ 2 days ago and left a message, but didn't get a call back. I also called the Corps of Engineers and left a message, No call back there either.


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

I was down at the launch the other day talking to a few fishermen.I noticed that the road was oiled down big time for dust.There was even puddles of oil.All the way to the launch.Now where in the hell do they think the oil is going to go once it rains.DEQ has been contacted 1-800-292-4706,Mich


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

DEQ just called me back.Man that was fast.They are on it,Mich


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

You called that 800 number? Where sis you get it? Oiling the road that runs "DOWN" to the boat ramp. Unbelievable!!! That city is run buy idiots. Sorry, if you have froneds there, Mich.


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## Michigander1 (Apr 5, 2006)

Steelmon said:


> You called that 800 number? Where sis you get it? Oiling the road that runs "DOWN" to the boat ramp. Unbelievable!!! That city is run buy idiots. Sorry, if you have froneds there, Mich.


 Not my friends what so ever.DEQ just called back a 2nd time.Flatrock says the can put oil down long as there no rain in the forecast for 7 days or so.This is nuts.We all know that whole area goes underwater every yr so then oil goes in the water.As i told the DEQ.They are going to follow up on it tuesday.If anyone has any pics of the Launch area underwater pls send them to me.I know ive seen them here in the past.Im sure soil samples are to come.Mich


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## Steelmon (Mar 30, 2009)

Look outside. There are rain clouds out there right now. The weather people aren't any smarter than the city is.


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## frenchriver1 (Jul 5, 2005)

The word is dike...

A **** is something entirely different....


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