Boat ramp etiquette

[kartracer]

It been 2 years since we have our boat out.Went to take it out sunday and could not believe that people pull up to the ramp and then get there boat ready to get into the water,then after they get the boat in they tie up the small dock at the ramp while the person gos and parks the trailer,then 10 min later the guy comes slowly to the dock while there is a line to use the ramp.Then some one else puts a boat in and cannot get it started,so there working on it still on the trailer but in the water blocking another boat ramp.We finally get put in wife goes park trailer.I pull away from dock and come back to dock when wife gets there. Go run the boat for about 45 mins,just finished some work on motor and drive and installed some smart tabs, boat ran great.Went back to ramp, boat that would not start still blocking one lane. People at dock again waiting for people to park there trailers.20 mins later finally get a open lane.Go get trailer load boat pull out water only took us 5 mins tops. What gives!!!!!!

 

[Lrider]

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Sounds normal to me

 

[JZammetti]

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Sounds like my local launch except I'm the one sitting in a chair with popcorn and a Pepsi watching and enjoying a snack.

 

[Fisherball]

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Never underestimate the stupidity of the masses! I won't use my fav fishing lake on a weekend if the weather is warm enough for recreational (non-fishing) boating. Takes 1 hour to get in the water & 1 to get out.

 

[kartracer]

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Sounds like my local launch except I'm the one sitting in a chair with popcorn and a Pepsi watching and enjoying a snack.

Yep it would have been comical to just watch if we where not launching and recovering

 

[kartracer]

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Never underestimate the stupidity of the masses! I won't use my fav fishing lake on a weekend if the weather is warm enough for recreational (non-fishing) boating. Takes 1 hour to get in the water & 1 to get out.

I guess it shows that most people just dont care about others in this country anymore, just not the way my dad showed me how its done.

 

[reap182]

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Re: Boat ramp edicate

ME, ME, ME........the trend has been going that way for awhile

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Back when my kids were small and we were camping & boating, my favorite entertainment on a holiday weekend was to break out the lawn chair, a couple of adult beverages and sit at the ramp watching all the amatuers pull their stunts. Forgotten plugs, no keys, drop off the end of the ramp and not be able to get up, inability to back a trailer. Or the guy who backs into the water at way too high a speed with kids in the boat hoping the boat would slide off the trailer -- which it did and also showered the kids scaring them in the process. Then wondering how to retrieve the boat since a bow line was not attached. Or the A-hole who forced his mentally challenged adult son into the water. This lunatic told his son to hold the bow line which was about three feet long. Only problem was the boat needed to be backed farther than that to float off the trailer. Son obviously took a bath and did not know how to swim. Or the dude that had to back between two signs on the ramp warning about following the markers out of the harbor. The issue was high water covered the breakwater protecting the entrance to the harbor. Nope -- he left the dock full bore and landed on the rocks which were probably six inches under water. Then there was the incident where a group showed up with a pair of jet skis. The park on the ramp, THEN get out their wet/dry suits and other gear. Then hold a casual conversation about where to go and when a couple of big dudes suggested they get under way to clear the ramp they lipped off after which the big dudes threw their skis off the trailer. The skiers got the message and left post-haste. Yes - that incident was a little over the top but some folks simply don't learn any other way.

 

[PitchFork]

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Re: Boat ramp edicate

It's not me. I'm trailer wet and idling past the No Wake Bouys within three minutes. No more than 5 minutes from time of entering park to full throttle. If I need to do some maintenance testing I either launch it and do it on the water or pick a weekday afternoon when no one is at the ramp to do my testing / working on engine.

 

[Naui Diver]

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Yep it would have been comical to just watch if we where not launching and recovering

At our local lake (Lake Lawtonka, Lawton, OK) there are numerous people who "people watch". Our secretary from work actually admitted to going out on Saturday or Sundays after breakfast to watch people "attempting" to launch or trailer their boats.

If it is done right we can launch 5 boats at a time. Seems like most people are still having issues backing trailer. Maybe one day it will be a smooth process.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Re: Boat ramp edicate

or, just at sundown on a Saturday, on a busy metroplex lake, 3 guys show up to lake-test a repair, 1 guy standing by the truck parked on the ramp, blocking 1 of 4 lanes watching the other two on the boat which by the way, the engine had stalled and wouldn't restart. Naturally they had no other means of propulsion not even a paddle.

I told him (in a kind way of course, cause it's obvious he's never been on a ramp before), how uncool it is to block the ramp with people waiting. He says, "It's not my truck, and he won't let me drive it." Yep, the boatowner convinced his friend to stand on a busy ramp at the busiest time of the busiest day. I just hope that guy survived, I didn't stick around to find out.

 

[Surfer Dave]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette

I know the feeling, some people are just stupid, I'm glad I only take my boat out of the water for hurricanes and the such. It's even better when the weather starts to get bad and all the "trailer" people haul butt to the ramps, it's mass confusing at it's finest.

 

[98Shabah]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette

Kartracer: I'm originally from florissant. What ramp were you at? I'm guessing you were on the mississippi or the illinois?

 

[Andy in NY]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette

i am still an ametuer, but i have launching down to a science. i always use the prep area to get ready, and while my step son and i are launching my wife gets my youngest daughter ready. everything is in the boat before i back down, so my wife and kids can hop in while im parking. i get to the boat, fire it up, let it warm up for a min the we are off. 5 min total including warm up time.

for the most part people at the ramp i go to are good, they use common sense. but you get the occasional idiot who takes up both lanes, or like the people with 2 kayaks last year who pulled their honda civic sideways across 2 lanes to put em in... took about 30 min for them to get ready and park. people were steaming mad!

most of the boats are docked though, so usually not alot of ramp traffic.

 

[hubbard53]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette

that's a public ramp for ya. . .you can always find a private ramp at a marina and pay a fee.

that's the same thing I tell people who complain about coach-class while flying - if it is so terrible, pay for first class.

 

[capt sam]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette

you know what I hate? I hate when I'm taking my time putting my boat in and double/triple checking everything and then loading all my crap from my truck into my boat and filling the cooler while people are yelling at me.....lol.

 

[eavega]

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Re: Boat ramp edicate

It's not me. I'm trailer wet and idling past the No Wake Bouys within three minutes. No more than 5 minutes from time of entering park to full throttle.

'Cause that's how we roll on Lanier!



-E

 

[mxzeatr]

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Re: Boat ramp edicate

While I don't agree with taking forever at the ramp, I know there are better reasons for taking about 5 minutes to make the process happen. Here's what I do.

Fiance does not like to drive the big truck towing the trailer, ok fine. So the boat is prepped, I back into water, she jumps in boat and unhooks winch when I let it go, I pull truck out while she secures boat to dock. I park truck and carry a few loose items to boat, start boat, warm up while she's letting the ropes loose, and away we go. If I've gotta park a long ways away, I don't run back or anything, sorry but if guys don't like to wait a few minutes to put thier boats in, maybe they should get there before everyone else.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Boat ramp edicate

Re: Boat ramp edicate

I always say, "take all the time you need, just don't take more time than you need."

Don't rush, that leads to mistakes. Just don't dawdle. If it takes you a couple extra minutes cause you're new at it, that's ok we were all there once. If it takes you a half-hour cause you're a jerk, now that's a problem.

 

[seabob4]

Re: Boat ramp etiquette

5 mins. tops to launch. Do all pre-launch checks on the trailer away from the ramp. Run motor on muffs before leaving the house. All equipment and supplies on board. Bump the key when you get there to know she'll turn over. PRACTICE backing in a parking lot so that there is no retarded backing manuevers...

All very simple sh!t...