Ramp Edicate

[Ally 1988]

I thought about this after reading Are bass boats hot boats. Something Raceman Said.

I call it etiquette at the ramp. Something just to think about the next time you go boating. If you have an area to ready your boat for the water use it. I think most people understand how aggravating it is for someone to start prepping their boat at the last minute. All this does is cause a back up at the ramp. Speaking of backing up practice in an open parking lot a friend gave me a good tip on this. Put your hand at the bottom of the wheel and not at the top this actually works pretty good.
And before ever leaving your house check your battery and due you have all your life jackets, fire extinguisher, plug for your boat. I’m sure there are other things I’ve left out. I guess what I’m getting at is be ready be courteous if you have an area to prep your boat and the guys or gal gets there boat ready before you due waive them buy. It will make the start of your boating day much more pleasant.
And don’t jump in front of people who are readying there boat and go to the ramp and start getting your S&*t ready there and hold up the people you just past this will surely get something started and usually ends the day before it starts. And just because you are in a fishing tourney this does not give you Favoritism at the launch you should have got there earlier.
I’m sure there are some other pet peeves that happen at the ramp so let it rip.

[goodsax]

AMEN!!!!! One of these days I'm going to write a book about all the whacky stuff that happens at the ramp.

[TTriton]

I agree!! We keep one of our tow boats right next to the boat ramp and the local city park and we get to see all the stupid things.. People holding up everyone to unstrap there boat and take there covers off when they could have done this in the field.. Or how about the people that back up there trailer then go to the other side of the marina to get there boat then once they have it out they wash the whole thing down, flush there engine then cover the boat while there are people around the corner waiting.. Another thing is when people are afraid of getting there trailer wet so they let the back tires just touch the water then try to power up the entire boat sturing up the entire marine and making a bunch of noise.. Did I mention that my boat slip is 10 feet from the ramp.. So when they try this I have to yell to talk because of all the racket... And here in florida they are trying to ban all power loading of trailers because of a**holes that power to the extream!! I use power to load mine but it is a quick shot then I'm done but I have the whole trailer in the water..

[10.5' Tunnel]

How bout the guys with roller trailers, that undo them and attempt to back up. I saw a guy try this and by the end of it all, we were helping him lift his boat off the concrete onto his trailer. I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

[outboards4life]

Start and run your boat in the morning before you go out. That way you don't have those nice cold start attempts at the ramp. Makes it a lot easier to get out on the water faster.
Travis
:cool:

[Ally 1988]

Cigarette guy.

[rottenbrock]

i was helping a friend load his boat one day. this guy backs in his trailer in to pull out his johnboat. he gets out of the truck and the next thing you know the truck i s heading for my buddies boat. it hit the trailer and scared the chit out of me. so the guy pulls it back out and says his dachshunds knocked it out of gear. darwinism will get this guy. instead of putting on the parking break , which he later said did work. he just jumped right back out . again the truck came at us. this time though it didnt stop . it hit my friends boat and just kept heading down the ramp. first time i ever saw a 12' johnboat with a 2 ton anchor :p

[Jimbob]

There's the tale of a big 'o redneck one time passing around a line of folks waiting their turn at the ramp. When told that he needs to go to the back of the line, he asks who's big enough to make him. One good 'o boy walks up to his boat and puts a few 357 cal. holes below the water line. When the state trooper arrives noone can verify the redneck's complaint. May or may not be true, but sure would of been fun to see!:p

[Raceman]

One of the funniest things I saw was a car load of "fishermen" complete with cane poles that backed an old Vega wagon down the boat ramp with a Jon boat behind it. They got out and couldn't get it off the trailer, so they backed it in a little deeper. The combination of a slick boat ramp and an empty gas tank below the water, lightening the back of the old wagon and it started on down the ramp. It was night and by the time it stopped the only thing you could see was the old Vega's headlights shining up from under the water.

[airide18]

I cant stand it when people pull there boats out of the water and there still on the ramp and there getting all there gear ready for the tow trip home,they need to just get the H$ll off the ramp and do it somewhere else.....

[Raceman]

Me either AR and they're usually the ones that get all the attitude when you ask em nicely to pull up and clear the ramp.

[Barefoot Bob]

I drop him off at the dock. He backs my truck in and I drive it up on the trailer. He hooks it and drives way out of the way so we can wipe it down. The process at the ramp takes us less than 2 minutes. I told him when he takes his drivers test, to ask the officer if he can substitute the paralel parking for trailer backing. He's a pro:D

[typhoon]

Approaching the ramp, I pull over somewhere by the side of the road if I know the ramp wil be busy, and do all my prelaunch stuff there. Leave the strap on the boat, but only loosely. I even go as far as to prime the fuel lines and crank the engine over a few times to charge the cylinders a bit. Get on the ramp, throw off the strap, plonk the boat in, and usually fires up first go.
Pulling the boat out, sink the trailer so you can get the boat on(I repack the bearings every 6 months...if the trailer wasn't meant to get wet, it wouldn't be galvanised!), power it up as far as it will go easily, then winch the rest. Throw a safety rope off the bow around the trailer post, and get the hell out of there!
I love the guys who toddle up to a ramp with a boat that clearly hasn't run for six months on a busy weekend, then spend hours farting around with fuel, batteries etc, when there is absolutely no way that thing is going to start!
Can't say I have come across too many ramp hogs though, most people are pretty good...I always give someone a hand if they have a big boat or whatever, and have been given a hand as well, once had a winch cable break at a shallow ramp, low tide with a heavy 18ft boat and tilt trailer...got it most of the ay on, and used raw manpower to pull/push it the last couple of feet. Most people won't ask for help, so sometimes you have to offer.

Andrew.

[Steve Reist]

That's the way to raise kids, Bob! We live on the Miss. river and
do the same. My neighbor and I split the cost and put in our
own ramp. Best money I ever spent! Especially 'cause the place
I work at gave us some 25' precast rough texture wall panels.
About 10" thick and work great. Don't miss the circus at the
ramp. Regards, Steve

[mercrazy]

best 1 i've seen was a guy with an inflatable sailboat pulled down to the water line on a 2 lane ramp and started unloading. he laid out the sail mast and the inflatable and started pumping with a foot pump. he had both lanes blocked and it took him over 45 minutes to launch.

[airide18]

Some people think that since there public ramps that they can do whatever the hell they want to do,wrong!!!!Those kind of people make the boat ramp so agravating it ruins your hole day.:confused:

[Capt.Insane-o]

with no problem, with minimal fuss. It amazes me watching some people. Unreal.

[G-Train]

Good thing about a busy Boat Ramp is...if your boat is down for some reason, you can grab a 12 pack and a lounge chair, and spend the day watching a-holes launch their skows. It's ALWAYS great entertainment (if your not waiting in the line).

G

[Barefoot Bob]

I live in the land of 10,000 plus lakes. The one I go to is 7 miles from my house, and has my name on it....LOL:D

That is the lake I learned to barefoot on more that 20 years ago. And there is usually no one at the landing when I get ther or leave.

It is a pretty quiet lake so there really isnt anyone to show off to:(

But there are no cops there either so we can get away with dam near anything;)

NO SPEED LIMIT!!!!!!!!!!

[ripperd2]

Teach your kids to drive the boat. (or the truck)

When i was about 14 i got my operators permit, and from then on, if I was in the boat, I was driving. We havn't had any 60+mph boats, but some of the hardest parts of boating that just makes me LMAO are people at the ramp, and also people at the marinas who just can't get the hang of docking.

Here in MN, I tend to launch at Minnetonka quite a bit. The launches are pretty popular, on a sunny weekend afternoon there is a line of vehicles waiting. I can lanch the boat alone, when I'm not with someone I can trust the truck to. But the most important thing about launching is that while on the actual ramp, you are there to do only one of two things:

get boat on trailer, from the water
get boat off trailer, to the water.

If you are not doing something in relation to those two things, you either need to be in the PREP area, or the TIEDOWN area. Most ramps here in MN that I have been to have both areas, and people generally use them. Only once in a great while do you see a bumbling fool at the ramp. It usually is on the nicest weekend of the year though, right when your ancy to get on the water!

-Dean

[Ally 1988]

I forgot about adding the one about once you leave the water. I try to find an empty parking spot usually the furthest out. I also load and unload buy myself but typically can still get it done before any two person crew does. I give a hand when I can and also have had peolpe help me when its needed. I never leave anyone stranded on the lake no matter what. I agree good times happen at the ramp there are a boat load of people who just don't have a clue.
I have been there done that but you learn only if someone helps you learn. I just hate to get mad before I get my boat wet then spend the whole day bitchin about someone at the ramp.
All thats important is getting there safely and leaving the same way. Be safe and enjoy the ride.:cool:

[Ilovespeed]

We go to a ramp way out in the middle of no where on the lake that no one else really knows about ... then we have all the time in the world to launch ... I usually drive the boats to the cottage which is about 5 mintues by boat of 10 by car ... everything is ready before hand then i just take off...people around the boatlaunch rarely know we use it...they only realize when we come in with our 5 bucks or whatever... they arent really a busy spot unless you want pricey gas:rolleyes:
Tyler

[Techno]

I have so little to do that if it ain't busy I prep it right on the ramp, if anyone comes after me they have to do something and I'm in by then.
If it's busy I do it in the line?! So does most everyone.

For pulling out the same is true. If I see someone coming in to use the launch and I'm sitting there screwing around I get in the car and move it. If it's busy I get outta there, can tie it down anywhere as long as traffic can get through.
My 5 bucks bought me the use of the ramp I didn't rent it for the day.

Besides the inherent ignorance of anyone using a jet ski, I am always amazed at those who unwind all the winch line and pull the floating boat onto the trailer, with the winch! Just pull the thing on already, it's floating! I go the other extreme and pull it on by hand, no rope, most of the way.

The best one I've seen is this guy tested his engine while still on the trailer to make sure it started. When it did he proceded to launch the boat and park the trailer.
While walking back to the boat it was noticed that the back was sitting quite low. NO DRAIN PLUGS!
I'll tell ya the water was cold and the center plug was so deep I was up to my neck. Wet wallet, wet ciggarettes. 3 drain plugs let in water real fast.
Ya, it was me!

[Stv Euro]

Let me tell you some people drive me crazy. Just like you guys said. Pull down to the ramp, Block both sides, get out and look for two dollars to give for the launch, take back straps off, put plug in, get cooler out of veh, get all life jac out of veh, about ten mins later they start winding the motor over , and then the other guy brings back the bait out of the store, then finally they FLOAT boat off and park it beside the ramp where it then floats over and blocks both ramps.

Pulling the boat out is the same way except they let the motor run at about 3,000 rpms until the fuel runs dry in their system.

Simple: Put boat in water, drive off, pick up partner at dock. PLEASE!!