Re: Not a good start to the day...
While I agree that you should never rush yourself - for any reason - while at the ramp, I do think that the majority of tasks can and
should be completed before occupying the ramp lane(s).<br /><br />Yes, I keep the bow hook fastened until the boat is in the water and the engine has been started. I had to "manually" trailer my 23' cuddy on a recent weekend (throttle control assembly failure) and it wasn't all that enjoyable!<br /><br />Anyway, a few of the things that should be done before occupying the ramp, in my opinion, are:<br />
- <br />
- Load cooler(s)<br />
- Remove trailer straps (transom)<br />
- Load toys (skis, wakeboards, etc)<br />
<br /> Likewise, once the vessel has been backed off the trailer,
get out of the way. Now, I don't mean to be rude, but seriously... Don't have your first mate (or galleyhand) sit on the dock holding your precious boat against the dock while you go off to park your tow vehicle. The ramps that I use on a weekly basis have outside lanes that are specifically meant for docking while parking/retrieving tow vehicles. Do the people who engage in this activity realize that there are no cleats on the inside of the dock for a reason? (In situations where this luxury does not exist, forgive me... I understand there is no other option.)<br /><br />This is obviously a topic that I (and I'm sure the rest of us) could ramble on and on about, but I will hold my tongue - for now
<br /><br />Happy boating!
