Sarasota boating is a vibe. It's turquoise water and sandbars. But if you’re launching at the Ken Thompson Boat Ramp on a Saturday morning in July, that vibe is mostly high-octane stress and the smell of outboard exhaust.
Located right on City Island, just a stone's throw from Mote Marine Laboratory, this is arguably the busiest ramp in Sarasota County. It’s the gateway to New Pass, Big Sarasota Pass, and the open Gulf of Mexico. If you mess up here, everyone's watching. People literally sit on the nearby park benches with coffee just to watch the "ramp antics." Honestly, it’s a spectator sport.
The ramp itself is technically part of Ken Thompson Park, a massive 92-acre expanse that offers way more than just concrete Slips into the water. But for boaters, the ramp is the sun that everything else orbits around. You've got six lanes. That sounds like a lot until you realize there are sixty boats waiting in a floating line outside the sea wall, all jockeying for position while the current tries to shove them into the mangroves.
Navigating the Ken Thompson Boat Ramp Without Losing Your Mind
First off, let's talk about the layout. You aren't just backing down into a pond. This ramp faces the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) near the New Pass bridge. The current here can be absolutely brutal. If the tide is ripping out toward the Gulf, your boat is going to want to sideways-slide the moment it leaves the trailer.
You’ve got to be fast. This isn't the place to realize you forgot to put the drain plug in or that your battery is dead. Locals call that "ramp rage" bait. Basically, if you haven't done your pre-launch check in the staging area—which is located just before you hit the actual ramps—you’re going to have a bad time. People will yell.
The parking is another beast entirely. There are about 40-50 spots for trucks with trailers. On a holiday weekend? They’re gone by 7:30 AM. Once those spots are full, you’re basically out of luck unless someone pulls out. The city has been pretty strict lately about illegal parking on the grass or along Ken Thompson Parkway. They will ticket you, and it’s not cheap.
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The docks are floating, which is a massive plus. Fixed docks in this area are a nightmare because of the four-foot tidal swings we get in the summer. With floating docks, you don't have to worry about your rub rail getting caught under a pier if the tide rises while you’re out hitting the sandbar at Lido Key.
The Logistics Most People Ignore
One thing people often overlook is the proximity to the Hart’s Landing bait shop and the Old Salty Dog restaurant. If you’re coming back in after a long day of fishing for snook or redfish, the temptation to just tie up and grab a beer is huge. But space is limited.
Keep in mind that Ken Thompson Boat Ramp is a public facility managed by the City of Sarasota. Unlike some of the private marinas in nearby Longboat Key, it’s free to use. No launch fees. That’s why it’s so popular. But "free" comes with the price of patience.
If you're a paddler, please, for the love of everything, don't launch your kayak in the middle of the powerboat lanes. There is a dedicated non-motorized launch area nearby. Trying to navigate a 12-foot plastic kayak between two 30-foot Grady-Whites with twin 300s is a recipe for a very wet, very dangerous afternoon.
Check the wind. Seriously. A strong westerly wind pushes the chop right into the ramp basins. It makes loading the boat onto the trailer feel like trying to thread a needle during an earthquake. If the flags at Mote Marine are pinning hard to the east, be prepared for some bouncing.
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Beyond the Concrete: Why City Island Matters
Ken Thompson Park isn't just a slab of grooved concrete. It’s actually a pretty incredible ecological spot. While you're waiting for your buddy to go get the truck, you'll see ospreys diving for mullet right in the basin. There’s a boardwalk that winds through the mangroves which is actually quite peaceful if you can tune out the sound of revving engines.
The park is named after a former Sarasota City Manager, and it has evolved into a hub for marine research and education. You have the Sarasota Sailing Squadron right next door, which is a private club but adds a lot of character to the skyline with all the small masts. Then there’s the Marine Genomics program and the various research wings of Mote.
It's a weird juxtaposition. You have high-level marine science happening on one side of the fence and a guy named "Gator" trying to back a jet ski trailer into a piling on the other.
Pro Tips for a Successful Launch
Forget the weekends if you can. If you have a Tuesday off, go then. You’ll have the whole place to yourself. If you must go on a Saturday, aim for "the golden hour" of boat launching—either before 6:30 AM or after 4:00 PM for a sunset cruise.
Watch the bridge. New Pass Bridge is a drawbridge. If it opens, it can create a surge of water and a sudden influx of boat traffic all trying to squeeze through at once. If you’re mid-launch when the bridge drops and six sportfishers come charging through, the wake can be a problem.
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- Prepare everything in the staging area. Coolers, life jackets, fishing rods. Everything.
- Have a dedicated driver and a dedicated "hook man." Communication is key.
- Use the "long line" technique if the current is heavy. Tie a long bow line and a long stern line so you can control the boat from the dock while the trailer moves.
- Don't be "that guy" who washes his boat in the middle of the ramp lane. Pull over to the side or wait until you get home.
Actually, the best advice I ever got about Ken Thompson was from an old commercial fisherman. He told me to always look at the grass. If the seagrass is floating thick in the basin, it means the tide is coming in hard. If it’s clear, it’s likely slack or going out. It’s those little details that keep you from dinking your prop on the ramp floor.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Trip
Before you hitch up the trailer and head toward City Island, check the local weather specifically for New Pass. The conditions in the bay can be vastly different from the conditions right at the ramp.
Download a tide app. Sarasota's tides are semi-diurnal, meaning they change twice a day, but the strength of the flow at Ken Thompson is intensified by the narrowness of the pass. You want to know if you're fighting a 2-knot current while trying to win the "Best Backer" award in front of a crowd of tourists.
Finally, make sure your lighting is working. The run out of the Ken Thompson basin into the ICW involves several markers that are unlit. If you're coming back after dark, you'll need a good spotlight to find the entrance to the channel without ending up on a sandbar.
Stop by the bait shop at the entrance for the latest report on what's biting. Usually, it's mangrove snapper or sheepshead around the bridge pilings this time of year. Get your gear ready, keep your cool, and remember that everyone at the ramp was a beginner once—even if they're currently acting like they own the place.