waiting my turn in line

[daniel2229]

The dock where I launch has two docks with a ramp on either side. The docks extend out into the water about 45 feet. I rig my boat in the rigging area then get into line to wait to launch.

This weekend, I am waiting in line to launch and the next ramp opens up as a truck pulls its boat out of the water. I pull into position ready to back down the ramp. As I am backing, I see a couple pull up to the dock on the same side of the ramp where I am ready to launch. I am already committed with my wheels in the water.

I kept backing, and the guy gets out of his boat to get his truck. I went ahead and put in.

OK, here's the question. Should I have waited, or should his boat pulled aside until I pulled away from the dock? It was really hard pulling away from the dock with his boat right behind mine.

It was busy being a holiday weekend and all, but I am wondering what ramp ettiquette to follow.

Daniel

 

[bruceb58]

Re: waiting my turn in line

As far as I am concerned, space at the dock and launching are two totally different things. Most launch ramps are wide enough to allow more people launching than dock space so I usually just go in the middle and find a place to dock somewhere else.

I guess I don't understand when you say it was hard to pull away from the dock. Should be easy to back out of any spot unless it is windy.

 

[QC]

Re: waiting my turn in line

Actually this is kind of a weird one for me too. I have had the opposite happen when I have left my boat tied to the dock to retrieve by hand alone, and then I come back with my trailer and I am blocked from getting to the boat now. I am not sure there is a sound rule here, but if a trailer is using the lane right next to the dock and I came in on my boat at that same time I would tie as far out as I could to give the guy some room. I get irritated by this stuff as well and Mrs. QC just reminds me that other people don't always think the way I do. Thank God for that!!!

 

[jtexas]

Re: waiting my turn in line

how it works around here is, you get in line with your vehicle, launching or loading. Otherwise, you have trucks all queued up to back down, instead of in some semblance of an orderly line. It's a bad thing to block a ramp with a boat, you'd have to cut in the vehicle line in order to load.

did you say it was a "couple"? guess the passenger can't drive a boat or back a trailer.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: waiting my turn in line

i have to launch and retrieve alone. i do not block the ramp with my boat. and go get the trailer. i get in line, get the trailer in, and off to the boat. 3 minutes i'm out of the way. usually quicker than the others. it's all in practice. good and well adjusted guide ons, and knowing how deep to set the trailer.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: waiting my turn in line

When I come in to the dock with my boat, I tie it off on the outside of the dock, rather than in the launch lane. Then I go get my truck and trailer and join the line, if there is one.

Once I back the trailer down, I push the boat off with the bow rope in hand and pull it up on the inside of the dock.

At ramps where there are no docks, I just beach the boat. I always fish alone, so I just adapt to current conditions. If there's no traffic at the ramp at all, I sometimes will tie up on the inside of the dock, but that's a rare situation.

Same thing at launch. After the boat's in the water, I drag it around to the outside of the dock, then park my trailer and come back.

 

[Maclin]

Re: waiting my turn in line

Some people get tired at the end of the day and are ready to go home, they get limited vision and go about their business as if they are the only ones left on the planet.

One launch site I use has a pier down the middle of two single lane ramps. It is not very long, and it is difficult for all but the smallest boats to get on their trailer if a boat is docked at the ramp side of the pier. One time I had dropped my brother off to retrieve the rig and then I left the pier to go away from the launch area just idling around the cove, waiting for my rig to show up and back down, I always get quite a ways from the ramp in case it starts to get crowded. My rig showed up and started down one ramp while I was out a ways so I circled around and headed toward the ramp. Right about then another boat docked on the same side of the pier as my rig was, and I do mean that my trailer was already in the water, and dropped off his rig driver. Then he just waited there in the boat. Mine is a 22 footer so there is no way to maneuver to my trailer. Then his rig backs down the other lane, blocking my brother from trying to change over to that lane! They essentially had both lanes blocked and I had to wait until they undocked and headed around to their trailer. I could tell that they would be out of the way shortly, but it is just amazing sometimes how blind to the world people can get to the events around them.

Waiting is usually the best thing to do, just make sure they can tell you are waiting. Either they are so inconsiderate that no amount of explaining/yelling will convince them to do anything different, or they will realize they are inconsiderate and be embarassed and their ego may not let them give in anyway. And if they are just tired it is not a good way to end your day or theirs with a blood pressure spike.

 

[daniel2229]

Re: waiting my turn in line

Actually, it was a couple with three or four kids. She did have her hands full, and maybe she couldn't drive the boat. I know my wife has tooled around a little with our new boat, but she probably would not be willing to drop me at the dock and try to get back to it and tie-off while I got the trailer.

By the time my wife pulled our boat off the trailer there was only maybe ten feet between our boats. I probably did the wrong thing by allowing the bow line to remain tied to the dock cleat, then put the motor in reverse and pulled the backend away from the dock before letting go of the mooring line. I exited at a 45 degree angle out around the other boat.

I wasn't sure if it was safe to do, but it was all that I could do.

Thanks for the imput. I am learning a lot from this forum.

Daniel

 

[bruceb58]

Re: waiting my turn in line

I probably did the wrong thing by allowing the bow line to remain tied to the dock cleat, then put the motor in reverse and pulled the backend away from the dock before letting go of the mooring line. I exited at a 45 degree angle out around the other boat.

That sounds pretty good. You always want to back away from a dock no matter who is parked around you. Common newb mistake is to push both the stern and bow off and then go forward.

 

[daniel2229]

Re: waiting my turn in line

Well, I did something right for a change! At least I can use that technique again.

Daniel

 

[salty87]

Re: waiting my turn in line

the ramp i normally use doesn't have any docks immediately next to the launching/retrieving lanes. it's 5 lanes wide and the courtesy dock is off to the side about 200 yards. it makes for a long walk if you're solo-ing. but, in this case it's pretty cut and dry that the trucks set precedent over who gets to go and when.

i'd agree with those that say the truck usually is the deciding factor, especially if there's a boat driver and a truck driver on the boat. dropping the truck driver off and backing away from the mayhem until the truck is next in line is the easiest. start tossing in other factors like solo-ing and you can end up with odd scenarios.

i'd say if you kept your cool, kept your passengers/boat safe along with the safety of others at the ramp, and got on the water...you made the right decisions.

ps sometimes the other guy could just use a hand. i've helped people with their rigs before...want me to get your truck while you stay with your family? some people won't take help, some are too concerned about liability, whateva works.

 

[QC]

Re: waiting my turn in line

salty speaks the truth ^^^^

 

[sychan29]

Re: waiting my turn in line

Around here, it seems to be the trucks that determine your place in line also. Does it always work? No. But it provides the best sense of order, it seems.

I just learned something about backing away from the dock!

 

[Marc III]

Re: waiting my turn in line

Where I go, the ramps (3 together) and dock are maybe 50 yards apart. I had an incident last summer where I was launching solo and couldn't access the dock (to tie off) because of boaters either waiting on others to join them, or waiting on someone to pull their vehicle down and return. It was a mess! The only thing more aggravating is when one solitary boater ties off to the end of the dock longways and effectively blocks both sides of the dock. ARRGH!