Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

[NewfieDan]

Yesterday I had my first real taste of a lack of etiquette. As I was trying to retrieve my boat at the launch a smaller boat cut me off. this smaller boat went between me and my trailer. It's a good thing the other boat wasn't any bigger, since he went over the back of the trailer.

As he was crossing I was expecting to hear his prop make contact with either the frame or the bunks of my trailer.

All I could do was shake my head at the stupidity of others.

 

[df909]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

Too bad his prop didn't hit something a little harder and less movable than itself. That might have taught him a lesson.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

Be the bigger man. If it's that important to them, let them go. I always tell myself that they have a family emergency and have to get home immediately. It makes it easier to swallow.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

Sounds like that by is going to have to learn the hard way.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

sadly as much as you want them to ruin there prop to learn a lesson, it would have damaged your trailer. when i see people doing 90+ on the highway i just tell myself it must be an emergency, late for work or a baby maybe some close friend of relative had an acident and are in the hospital.

my dad was doing 80 in a 45 to get to the hospital in april of course my grandma was on her death bed and only lived 10 minuites after he showed up so some times its nessasary.

 

[skargo]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

I had 6 kids swimming in the launch area yesterday. Their dads were just laughing and fishing, and these kids were trying to become chum. I just shook my head, it was a long hot day and it wasn't even worth my time. My wife was amazed I didn't say anything...

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

so some times its nessasary.

Sometimes. But not often. How about, almost never? Especially with recreational boating.
Anyone who has an emergency can say so and he will get all the help he needs.

 

[NewfieDan]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

This guy did not have an emergency. I could tell by the way he hung around on his boat until after we had a chat with a couple of friends.

As for hitting my trailer, I still would have liked to see him do it. He may have learned a lesson when he had to buy me a new one. I know it would have been an argument but I may have had to hold his boat as collateral until the new trailer arrived.

if that didn't work i know a couple of "entrepreneurs" that would have held his boat for me. Not that a recreational boater would do anything illegal.

 

[hubbard53]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

This guy did not have an emergency. I could tell by the way he hung around on his boat until after we had a chat with a couple of friends.

As for hitting my trailer, I still would have liked to see him do it. He may have learned a lesson when he had to buy me a new one. I know it would have been an argument but I may have had to hold his boat as collateral until the new trailer arrived.

if that didn't work i know a couple of "entrepreneurs" that would have held his boat for me. Not that a recreational boater would do anything illegal.

of course you would have. . .

 

[jjacobs007]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

I let them know! All it takes is for a few good men to say nothing, then comes the accident.I keep it friendly, unless called for otherwise.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

I have been in a similar situation, couple times actually, where someone was obviously taking on water and coming into the ramp area hot, god blessed me with one of those "BOOMING" voices and I have used it both times to help clear a path so to speak. I don't think that anyone in their right mind has an issue with someone in distress cutting in line or possible doing something that is out of line otherwise, so long as its communicated I know I will do whatever I can to help. But we all know that there are those that simply need to be called out for their complete lack of caring for anyone else, your lucky if I'm the one that's chewing your hind end, you don't want to mess with my wife!!

 

[NetDoc]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

Situational awareness (Spidey Sense) is often missing and those with less experience have a lot to learn. The problem is: they can't learn if you don't tell them. You don't have to wish for something bad to happen to them to impart knowledge either. A friend of mine often says stupid should be painful, but I hate when others go through needless pain and drama. I can bet you want YOUR lessons to be as painless as possible, so mind your karma.

So take a moment, introduce yourself and ask if you can give them some unsolicited advice. If they accept, keep the comments as non-judgmental and kind as possible. Anger and snarkiness are the enemy of understanding and will quickly turn a good discussion into a flame war. Patience and caring go a long way to make your comments appreciated and not scorned. After all, we want to impart knowledge and not to humiliate. The world needs more mentors: its the only way to cure ignorance!

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

my dad was doing 80 in a 45 to get to the hospital in april of course my grandma was on her death bed and only lived 10 minuites after he showed up so some times its nessasary.

You think Grandma would be OK with killing someone else to make it to her deathbed on time??

I doubt it.......

 

[mommicked]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

Perhaps the guy is a novice, and his boat does'nt respond/steer well at low speeds, just like mine . An apology or explanation could go a long way in that situation though, If he was aware of his bad.

 

[ngt]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

First time at the Doran beach Bodega Bay launch and everyone was super nice. I was surprised. We were coming in behind someone and a big fast boat could have easily roared passed us both and we wouldn't have complained because we had a good 100 yards to the ramp. But, they slowed down and came in 3rd. When it was our turn to pull up, I saw another guy had been waiting to launch and the water was getting rougher out there by the hour, so I let them launch and the people who waited for us to pull in didn't mind at all. Everyone was super nice and it was a cool thing to see.

 

[V153]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

First time at the Doran beach Bodega Bay launch and everyone was super nice. I was surprised. We were coming in behind someone and a big fast boat could have easily roared passed us both and we wouldn't have complained because we had a good 100 yards to the ramp. But, they slowed down and came in 3rd. When it was our turn to pull up, I saw another guy had been waiting to launch and the water was getting rougher out there by the hour, so I let them launch and the people who waited for us to pull in didn't mind at all. Everyone was super nice and it was a cool thing to see.

You're lucky. The situation at public ramps round here might best be described as a cluster ****. On a good day that is ...

To their credit the county has greatly improved the local ramps over the past few years. Turned a couple one holers into two holers, with better/longer docks, more parking, porta pots, etc. Depending on current one side is supposed to be used for launching & the other for retrieval. Great idea in theory but seems to confuse the ever growing # of stupid people.

Reckon it's the aquatic equivalent of giving em 2 or 3 lanes to drive their cars in ...?

 

[marcoalza]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

Bit of a squeeze at our local ramp lately as they are doing some building works so ramp space is at a premium & queing for the first time.

Went out on friday morning, prepped my boat as always away from the ramp.
Patiently waiting to launch and I'm 3rd in the queue. No problem.....

Until Matey and his pal with his 30ft twin engined big thing reverses down the ramp minus props.
Cooly gets out of the cab, gets his tools and props and spends the next 10 minute fitting them 2 feet from the water!!!

Bar Stewards!!!:facepalm:

 

[joewithaboat]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

This past boating season we bought a year pass for one of the nicer boat ramps in the area. If you go every weekend, as we usually do, its worth it and cheaper than paying for each use. It is well lit, has lots of dock, parking and restrooms. We had used various ramps on this lake, including some of the free ones. I personally don't mind all of the drama involved form the knuckleheads you run across at the free ramps but the stress on the wife and kids is not worth it.

There is one ramp nearby me that is so bad people actually sit out in lawn chairs with cold beer and watch folks come in and out.:facepalm:

 

[Flynny]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

I have to wonder where the guy in the small boat in the OP's story thought he was going if your trailer was on the ramp...

I've had good luck at ramps. The worst day was at a public ramp when we didn't plan very well and came back at low tide, and we had at least 15 friends waiting to get their boats on trailers as well. It was a tricky game because there was a current and you had to stay in the narrow channel, otherwise it was only about two feet deep and you were stuck. Not to mention you had to maneuver with the other boats. Everyone was being pretty friendly until this big, at least 30 foot, cruiser comes flying up ahead of most everybody in line. He put it in reverse and dropped his anchor so he could just hang out and wait at the front. I see his plan, but it was dangerous to do in those conditions.

 

[Alwhite00]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette-NOT...

I saw a guy launch his boat while there were three others waiting and proceded to unload his truck into the boat. Coolers, lunch, fishing gear, everything but the kitchen sink. All three of us launched on the other side waiting for this a-hole and I was the 3rd one (there were now more people behind me) as I backed out he was strapping his cooler to the swim deck. WTF? Can't you do this in the parking lot?

Normally when it is busy one side launches and the other retreives so it was a cluster#$%& waiting for him.

LK