Bellambi Boat Ramp Hazard

[recurve]

Hey all Bellambi launchers. 

When launching at Bellambi be aware of the sand build up against jetty. Unless it it high tide and on the 3/4 high you should be launching from the far sides. 

Too many people getting in a lot of expensive bother by not realising that the sand is almost as high as the water line. 

Many get told by locals and onlookers and don't listen so thought a picture might make it easier to understand why. 

Few weeks ago a guy backed his trailer down, tried to put his boat on but couldn't work out why it was all going wrong. I saw his trailer tyres were sunk in the sand. I told him he would need to take boat off and retrieve on other side. He waved me off and backed down further!! He then had his trailer tyres and car tyres embedded in the sand. Told him again but I got waved off. 

Then another Charlie offered to help pull him out. So Charlie number 2 reversed his truck with the boat still attached. Tied the front of the car to the rear bar of the boat trailer. This time the guy next to me told them this was going to end in failure. This time the wife of Charlie number 2 waved us off and said hubby new what he was doing. 

Uhh huh??? Ok so we just shut our mouths and looked on. 

So trailer tyres are in embedded in the sand, car tyres are embedded in the sand. There are now two trucks and two boats all joined together. 

Charlie 2 revvs up and begins the tow. The sound of welds snapping was instantaneous. Wife starts screaming and eventually he stopped. Rear bar of trailer is now only just hanging on. 

Now they listen. Dissembled the boat and truck centipede and removed the boat from the trailer and went to far side. 

Not sure where our money towards ramp maintenance goes but this sand has been there a while and claimed many. 

Anyway, stay expense free and stay away from the sand. I have seen 4 fails in the past 3 months with cars or boats stuck in the sand. I'm not even down there that much so must be effecting a lot of people. 

Zoom in on this photo and you can see how this is literally a trap at low or mid tide. Don't be the next one!!

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2019 by recurve

[GoingFishing]

Thanks for sharing mate.

From the images, the jetty side looks like it could be a trap even at high tide for larger boats (6m +).

It's hard to get Councils to spend money on these things. They have a very limited bucket of money and these days, the part of the community with the biggest voice gets the biggest slice of the cake.

[noelm]

It's not just a matter of money, they need to know what they are doing, and do it before it gets too far, most "engineers" don't own boats.

[frankS]

I used to use the ramp often and not only seen many trailers get stuck but when there is a bit of a surge the loading pylons account for lots of damage, I have seen boats get stuck under the structure bow rails bent and the amount of nav lights that get crushed and plastic rod holders etc not to mention fingers etc. On a calmish day it's a good ramp if not busy but when there is a bit of a sea happening it's a place to avoid unless you are experienced.

Frank

[recurve]

4 hours ago, GoingFishing said:

Thanks for sharing mate.

From the images, the jetty side looks like it could be a trap even at high tide for larger boats (6m +).

It's hard to get Councils to spend money on these things. They have a very limited bucket of money and these days, the part of the community with the biggest voice gets the biggest slice of the cake.

Agree, I have a 5.5m boat and always launch on the 2 far side ramps. High tide or low tide

[recurve]

3 hours ago, frankS said:

I used to use the ramp often and not only seen many trailers get stuck but when there is a bit of a surge the loading pylons account for lots of damage, I have seen boats get stuck under the structure bow rails bent and the amount of nav lights that get crushed and plastic rod holders etc not to mention fingers etc. On a calmish day it's a good ramp if not busy but when there is a bit of a sea happening it's a place to avoid unless you are experienced.

Frank

Have also seen bows get caught under the jetty. It is a %%%%% of a ramp for sure. I have a drive on boat which is the bext type of boat for this ramp. It's struggle street there most weekend especially if the surge is up. 

The sand is a bigger problem with surge as well as it instantly sinks you into the sand. 

 

[Rebel]

Thanks for the info.

[recurve]

Caught a live example! 

This guys boat was light, he pulled out but gave him a lot of resistance.

Bigger boat or smaller car would have to start all over again. They also beat their boat up against the jetty and struggled to winch onto trailer as back of trailer was high. 

 

 

[Oz98]

Off topic- was anyone there on Monday white boat attached to the back of a black ute, leaving supposedly...?

I was there and it looked like these group of men had a issue of some sort with getting their boat out.

 

[Tunastrike11]

try and work the tides around high helps but it is a crap ramp at the best of times

[Oz98]

Update fellas, being a journalism student myself, I will be doing a story on this issue in the near future. Hopefully I can speak to the council and help expose the issue. 

 

 

[recurve]

15 hours ago, Oz98 said:

Update fellas, being a journalism student myself, I will be doing a story on this issue in the near future. Hopefully I can speak to the council and help expose the issue. 

That would be great Oz98. Look forward to seeing your work. 

15 hours ago, Oz98 said:

 

 

 

[Oz98]

2 hours ago, recurve said:

That would be great Oz98. Look forward to seeing your work. 

 

Thanks for the support guys! 

I will keep you guys updated on any responses I get and overall what happens. 

[recurve]

19 hours ago, Oz98 said:

Thanks for the support guys! 

I will keep you guys updated on any responses I get and overall what happens. 

Feel free to use those images. 

[Oz98]

On 8/11/2019 at 9:18 AM, recurve said:

Feel free to use those images. 

Ah great yep was gonna ask if I could, Thank you! 

[Oz98]

Update: 

 I have emailed Wollongong council today and listed the problems and the practicality issues of the boat ramp as told above.  Will also ask if they are aware of these issues, (they are). 

note: an article was made regarding the build up of sand against the Jetty in 2016, still an issue (2019). 

Just hoping to share the frustration of the recreational fishers and raise awareness of the issue as a community based story. 😊

Edited August 28, 2019 by Oz98

[mrsswordfisherman]

On 8/28/2019 at 2:41 PM, Oz98 said:

Update: 

 I have emailed Wollongong council today and listed the problems and the practicality issues of the boat ramp as told above.  Will also ask if they are aware of these issues, (they are). 

note: an article was made regarding the build up of sand against the Jetty in 2016, still an issue (2019). 

Just hoping to share the frustration of the recreational fishers and raise awareness of the issue as a community based story. 😊

Great let me know if anything I can help with

[recurve]

I saw a large digger the last week but the storm happened so they left it there for a few days and took it away. Assume it was for the ramp. 

Nothing happened due to the swell 😕

[recurve]

Oh dear. More drama. This went on for quite a while. Ford Ranger came to help them out but it was obvious that was not going to work. 

So they in coupled the trailer from their ute and pulled out the ute with the Ranger. Then they tried the rope to the trailer (un coupled) and pulled it out of the sand. 

I was waiting for the rope to snap and the boat and trailer to slide back into the water. 

So thanks Wollongong council for being all over maintaining the ramp. 

There was a digger there last week and they took 6 trucks of sand. But they took the sand from the end of the jetty not from the ramp section so still a sand trap. 

My father always said to me. Only fools and women comment on half finished jobs. Maybe they coming back to get the sand from the front?

But late for these guys today though. 

 

 

 

[Oz98]

Update:  So the council acknowledged the issues that i wrote to them and only accepted that sand build up was a problem. This issue was also brought to them in 2016. But the other issues they did not acknowledge. 

 I was told the issues i highlighted to them would be considered and if work is needed they will "consider" including it in their budget for maintainence. 

So as far as im concerned they don't really want to spend money on it. 

The only thing they do is clear the sand build up every now and then.