Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

[Campylobacter]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

but my boat IS in line. You backed down a ramp that was obviously blocked by another boat coming in. Maybe I do not understand your description correctly, but it sounds like you may have jumped the line.

Around here the ramps can get quite busy and there is often a line of trailers waiting for the ramps. If we followed the "my boat IS in line" thinking, we could reach a a stalemate pretty quick. What if all 4 ramps are full of boats "in line", yet the trailers for these boats are more than 4 back? There really isn't much room for passing in the lines.

The boat was not obviously coming in. When I see a bunch of people waiting in a boat at the dock I assume they are waiting for the guy driving the trailer to return so they can get out on the lake for the day, not that they are waiting for the trailer to pull them out. The majority of people have someone to drive the boat until the trailer pulls in or ties up at the END of the dock, not the middle.

I waited in line at the top of the ramp. I took the first empty (no truck and trailer) ramp. The system works fine if everybody plays by the same rules.

The question really is: are these rules universal? I would like to see the rules (whatever they are) stated in a public way at the top of the ramp so everybody knows what is expected of them.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

At my normal launch, there's room for three trailers at one time, and two docks. If I'm with either someone who can back the truck or drive the boat, I normally drop them off first, back out and wait for them to get to the ramp with the truck, at that point, I normally use the middle area of the ramp, inbetween the two outer docks, which is about 25' from either dock on each side. I pull onto the trailer hook up and flag him to pull up the ramp. If I'm alone, I pull the boat to the dock, go get the truck, wait my turn to back in, leave the truck backed in, go up on the dock and get the boat and lead it to the trailer. There's no other choice if I have no help. It all takes less than a minute either way. What gets me is when a larger boat blocks me from getting to my boat, it forces me to get back in, restart and drive on the trailer. There's no real other way. What bothers me is when there are 50 boats at the dock and no trucks or trailers backing in because the next trailer in line's boat can't get to the dock or ramp area.

The best set up is at one other private marina, they have an launch ramp and a retrieve ramp and they run the ramp. Boats line up along a line dock, shut down the engine, and wait your turn. About 12 boats can pull up to the dock, the line moves fast. The key is that they bring your trailer to the ramp, it's automatically there when you get to the loading point. They have attendants to handle and move the boats along and to assist getting them loaded. It all works like clockwork regardless of how many boats.
When launching, they take your truck, or you can back down and launch but they guide your boat off and tie it up in line to leave. I usually just hand them the keys and let them do it, that way once I hit the water I am off an running. It's a small place and they park and watch your truck and trailer. If they don't feel your vehicle is well suited for launching, the unhook it and launch it with their vehicle or tractor. I like the fact that I don't have to soak my truck in the saltwater and it puts me close to where I need to go.
Well worth the fee to launch there, it more than saves me that amount in time and gas. It's especially nice when coming in late, well after dark, the place is well lit and your trailer is waiting if you call ahead. You are responsible for final tie down and for securing any tops or covers.

 

[freddyray21]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

I do realize that there already was a boat there waiting. In my opinion it should not have been blocking the ramp, but as stated ramps in different areas of the country can be different. What I am saying is in the situation I described earlier. My brother drops me off at the marina. I do get his truck and proceed to back down. There is a line of boats my brother's included out by the no wake buoy. In this situation people were passing him to drop people off at the ramp or to tie up at the ramp to get their truck. It is obvious to me if my trailer is coming down an empty ramp then that is my ramp no matter how long you have been sitting out at the no wake buoy. If your truck is not there it is not your turn.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

Seems like there are lots of different launches. I almost always boat solo. At the one I go to most often, the courtesy docks are on both sides of the double ramp. When I'm going to retrieve, I assess what's happening, then make a decision.

If there's no traffic waiting to launch or retrieve, I just tie up to one of the docks, get my truck, and retrieve. If there is traffic, I tie up on the outside of one of the courtesy docks, then get my truck and join the line. It's no sweat to push the boat back while holding onto the bow rope and pull it up to the waiting trailer.

If it's really, really busy, and boats are waiting or the offside of the dock is full, I just do some more fishing until things slow down. There's a nice point at the entrance to the cove for the ramp that always holds some bass.

At ramps that don't have a courtesy dock, I beach the boat and get in line. Usually, I can push the boat out and use the bow rope, but if not, I get in the boat, fire it up and motor around to the ramp.

With my small aluminum boat, retrieves just take a couple of minutes.

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

What is a courtesy pier? Here we have straight two sided docks the length of one average boat and maybe a PWC. Maybe, that's the difference.

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

i have followed this and cant see that it makes any difference one way or the other if there is a line at the dock or a line at the ramp get in line and take your turn
chicken or the egg.
some bodys going to have to wait in line one way or the other and if its the boat in the water waiting for trailer to come down or the trailer on the ramp waiting for the boat to come in.
as some have stated above, i to have to tie up and then go back and get truck and trailer to load. sometimes i have to wait to get a spot to tie up and then when i get to the ramp have to wait for a spot to back in. all the time some one else might be waiting for my spot on the dock.

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

What is a courtesy pier? Here we have straight two sided docks the length of one average boat and maybe a PWC. Maybe, that's the difference.

thats what we have around here. The obvious way to do it is to launch your boat, bring it around the other side and tie it off on the other side of the dock and go park the trailer. taking it out of the water should be the reverse.

 

[dodgeramsst2003]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

It appears from reading most of the posts that in the southern part of the country there is a courtesy dock, you launch, pull the boat to it and park the truck. then when you come back in, you pull to the courtesy dock, get your truck back down and then pull the boat over. Also it seems a lot of us from the north have never seen a courtesy dock at a launch, and therefore we go by the boat is in line. Don't know if anyone has ever been to sterling state park in the southeast corner of michigan, but its a prime example. Launching ramps, and retrieving ramps, and if you wanna go out from there, you had better be willing and able to hold your boat in a small space with forward/reverse for a while. its the reason I stopped going there, too much waiting to get out. I've spent and hour and a half idling in circles in line to get to the dock. Guess I'd better study up if I want to go to the other parts of the country. It doesn't appear that there is a right or wrong answer here, just have to go by how each marina operates.

 

[clemsonfor]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

Think about it like many people have said its fine if you boat alone if many ramps are present it wont hurt the rest of us to let you tie up, but if it is a single ramp you should beach your boat to allow others to load in the 3-5 min walt to your truck? my point is on a boat with at least 6 adults sitting in a ramp tied up, i drive my truck around first in line with a trialer waiting my turn for a ramp, due to other boats blocking my crossint the last 4 lanes im stuck with the first 2 fine i cant move no back up b/c of other turcks now no going over b/c of boats tying down, There is a truck in one of my choices so i have to go to the other, yet these idiots are partying? on "their" courtsy dock in the way so i am forced to wait on the other truck actually getting there boat beside them to pull up so i can back in, i would have retreived my boat by the time i had to wait for the other ramp and even if thir trailer was in line i would have been outta there in 1 min. By the time the other truck pulled out we now had a line of about 4-6 trucks that can not move b/c this boat was occupying a ramp that could have allowed me and 1 other boat to pull out in that time. All this and the fact that it was a toon and there werre no pontoon trailers in the fline so their truck was no where in sight yet they were still "in Line", even if the toon's truck was in line there would have been no way for them to get to the ramp even if that was the way it was supposed to work, i and the other trucks were bumper to trialer in line waiting to back in?

-nate

Once agian i state my truck is in line NOT your boat.

If that were the case how the he%% can his truck even get to the ramp to take him out there is physically no way?

 

[jaxnjil]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

your going to be in for quit a shock if you ever make it out here clem

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

As a newbie power boater this year it is my goal to get into as many different "situations" as I can at the ramp just for the learning experience. I've tried launching & loading alone during quiet times and at busy times. And, of course, there were times when my wife was with me, but she can't handle the boat or the trailer, and she has no desire to do either.

One of the situations I tried was launching after work hours and returning at dusk. I rigged the nav lights on the boat about 15 minutes ahead of sunset due to the amount of traffic heading back to the ramp. Very busy. Lots of boats cruising around offshore waiting for their trailers to back in. I tied up at the courtesy dock furtherest from the ramp, then got in line with the truck. When I backed it down, another boat had parked at the end of the dock next to the ramp. Too bad for them; a trailer on the ramp trumps a boat floating at the end of the dock. I ran back to the boat, shoved off from the courtesy dock, then carefully maneuvered past their boat using nudges on the throttle to line our boat up with the trailer. At one point I had to nudge in reverse slightly to line it up. I powered on, my wife set the winch strap, tightened it up and set the safety chain. I stepped over the gunwale onto the top of the rear fender of the trailer, jumped onto the dock and ran up to the truck where my wife was getting into the passenger side, and off we went.

Yes, the trailer is in line, not the boat.

 

[freddyray21]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

just to revisit this subject. Today my wife drops me off and goes back out to stand off and wait for the trailer. I back in and am in the water when she can't get back to the ramp because two boats are sitting there waiting for something. Finally I hollered at them and they parted to let her through. We put the boat on the trailer and were gone from the ramp in two minutes. Again I say your trailer is in line not your boat. She could not even get to a trailer already on the ramp from idiots waiting for something.

 

[TBarCYa]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

I think the big problem is that many times (especially in my area) there is only one person who can drive the boat and back the trailer therefore the boat must tie up to the dock then go get the trailer. It sounds like this irritates some people because the boat is tied up and blocking the ramp but while you're ending a relaxing day on the water pissed off because there's a boat tied up to the dock, think about what you would do if you were alone? Certainly, you would do exactly what the person you're irritated at did and tie up to the dock.

I'm not saying it's right or that it's the best way, but try to be courteous and remember that not every boat has someone to drop off and get the trailer while someone else drives the boat, regardless of how many passengers are on board.

 

[captquest]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

I have always enjoyed the free entertainment provided at the boat ramps. Down here (Fl) if a courtesy dock is just a dock near the ramp to temporarily hold your boat while you go park, then we have plenty of ramps with those. I have made the common mistakes at the ramp like forgetting the plug and holding up people. But that was a long time ago and I have polished my ramp skills. At any busy ramp on any week end there will be boaters that seem totally oblivious to common courtesy. I usually write them off as inexperienced. But the trouble they can cause is always entertaining to me, especially when the ones who think they know the most lose their tempers.
When I arrive at the ramp I look to see if there is an available space to the water. If others are launching their boat, I wait for them to completely pull their vehicle away before beginning to back up. If some one arrives after me I would expect them to allow me in next. When there is a space at the "courtesy dock" I back just to the water and then I jump out and remove my tie down strap and insert my plugs. This some times raises eyebrows but it only take me about 45 seconds before I'm back in my truck and backing all the way in. If I have to wait my turn, I will some times do it during the wait.
I never "brake launch" any more, I prefer to release my winch line after the boat starts to float and gently push it in while holding the mooring line or having some one else holding the lines for me. At this point myself or a buddy will guide the boat to the mooring cleats at the courtesy dock. Some times there is enough dock to allow another boat in if you dock at the farthest point away. Now I will leave the boat docked with or without my buddies and go park. I waste no time getting back to the boat, warm it up and get out of the way.
When I return to the ramp with my boat, I watch for who ever is waiting and who is pulling out. When my turn is up, I wait until some one has just pulled their trailer and boat out of the water and dock my boat closest to that ramp so I'm in the way of any one trying to back a trailer to that ramp. Then I go get my truck and tailer and waste no time getting my boat on and out. I get well out of the ramp area (if possible) before pulling my plugs out and strapping it down to the trailer. I don't seem to **** any one off or aggravate the anxious fisherman on their way to break new records. Keep moving, get it done, don't look like your waiting around or wasting time at the (not so) "courtesy dock". And generally there is only going to be one qualified (boat) operator per boat. So I'm not sure I understand your statement "Campy", how can you put your trailer in line if you are on your boat in the water without putting your boat in line first?
Capt Mel is very well known in these parts. He tells a story about letting his wife back the trailer up so he could "drive" his boat off. For some reason she thought she could help and got out of the car. Unfortunately, she had slammed the door shut and locked it with the keys in the ignition and the engine running. There was a pretty good line of folks at that "one at a time only" ramp, and I guess the locksmith was a welcomed site some two hours later. Happens to the best Capt.

 

[ench35]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

What I do not understand is why thedifferent agencies make so many laws and rules regulating the movements of boats have not set up a set of rules governing the aerea where there is the most confrontations ie the boat loading ramps and docks

 

[captquest]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

Please ench, not MORE government.

 

[ench35]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

LOL Yeah your right it would probably REALLY cause confusion
sorry I mentioned it

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

i have followed this and cant see that it makes any difference one way or the other if there is a line at the dock or a line at the ramp get in line and take your turn chicken or the egg.

The boat line doesn't work if one or more vehicles in the trailer line need to launch. The boats coming in will just keep filling the docks while the truck line is stuck because the guy in front doesn't have an open ramp to launch on.

-E

 

[beets442]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

NAVY JR WROTE: I tied up at the courtesy dock furtherest from the ramp, then got in line with the truck. When I backed it down, another boat had parked at the end of the dock next to the ramp. Too bad for them; a trailer on the ramp trumps a boat floating at the end of the dock. I ran back to the boat, shoved off from the courtesy dock, then carefully maneuvered past their boat using nudges on the throttle to line our boat up with the trailer. At one point I had to nudge in reverse slightly to line it up. I powered on, my wife set the winch strap, tightened it up and set the safety chain. I stepped over the gunwale onto the top of the rear fender of the trailer, jumped onto the dock and ran up to the truck where my wife was getting into the passenger side, and off we went.

Yes, the trailer is in line, not the boat.[/QUOTE] +1 Good thread! -- My friend and I go get some coffee in the morning,we go to the local ramp for a good laugh too. I've had coffee come out my nose more than once. If your a newbie this is a good place to learn how not to launch. I've launched boats for 25 years and have seen just about every dumb move. The best one was in 1987 in Brown county, IN. at the north end of Lake Monroe. We were going to the ramp for a crappiethon.The ramps were packed. This guy drives up in a brand new 4dr black chevy blazer with a new black boat boat. He looks like he's a pro. Everyones waiting for another guy to pull out and he cuts off everyone and lines up to back in. He forgets to unstrap the boat and no plug. He backs in and the boat goes under water, he stops the truck and jumps out with it in reverse. The rest of the boat and the truck go under water.LOL The head lights are on under water. Everyone at the ramp starts to cheer loud. He's jumping up and down in circles cursing. NOBODY would help him. This big guy walks up to him and says nice job dumb***** now nobody can use that ramp. Lesson :Take your time and do things right. Be courtious. You never know if your going need that persons help!

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Your trailer is in line, not your boat!

Hope you folks don't mind another post from me on this thread, but it's kind of interesting.

My son and I had finished 3 hours of fishing last week and tied up at the courtesy dock. At the time there weren't any lines at the two ramps, but when I pulled the truck around, backed it in and got out I noticed 4 bass boats were lined up off shore. Most likely a tournament finishing up. My son and I made short order of getting our boat loaded and were out of there lickedy split, at least by our standards.

As we pulled the boat out of the water I noticed one of the bass guys had run into the lot, jumped into a truck, backed it down into the ramp next to ours and then... ran back into the lot, jumped into another truck and pulled it out into the driveway to block all others from using either ramp. He jumped out of that truck and back into the truck he originally backed down the ramp.

My son and I pulled our rig well out of the way so we could stop and make all final preparations for getting underway, but we couldn't help but watch what was going on back at the ramp. At first I was rather perturbed by the truck blocking the driveway to reserve a place in line, but I'm telling you, those guys were FAST. I put-put my way onto our roller trailer when loading. These guys ram them up onto their bunk trailers and have a guy in the truck who immediately drives it out without even hooking up the wench strap. Then they jump in the next truck and do the same thing. What takes me a couple of minutes to load a boat takes them seconds.

Now we know what to expect when it gets to be about 1430 hours and we see a bunch of bass boats coming in. We'll stay out of their way, opting instead to stand off shore and enjoy watching them put on a show on some of the fastest boat loading we've ever seen!