most common boat ettiquette violations at the ramp

[Iggy]

One of the funnyest launches I've seen.....two guys pull up with a bass boat. The owner jumps in the boat ready to fire it as soon as it's in the water. The passenger is tasked with backing the rig down the ramp, but he's never backed a trailer before. The guy in the boat is trying like hell to teach his buddy how to do it while sitting in the boat. I've never seen so much hand waving, arm flapping, and yelling in all my life. That trailer went everywhere but in the water. Wish I had a camcorder that day.

Last summer as we returned to the ramp from a day on the water two older gents in a bass boat passed us in the canal. They yelled over that my boat was sinking(?). Nice that they were concerned but that's how our boats ride at idle.
We get to the ramp and one of the gents is trying to be helpful by telling me how to dock. I hold up a hand and tell him I have it under control. We tie up and I go get the truck. As I'm getting the truck the gent is telling my ex how it should be done. He watches me back in, load the boat and pull it out sitting perfect on the trailer. We attach the straps and pull the drain plugs. In all it takes us about 5 minutes to get it out and leave. The gent walks over and says "Gee, I guess you do know how to do it".

[ReggieRaft]

If a guy can't back up a trailer it dosn't matter if its a jet ski trailer or a boat. Granted the longer the easier but still. I am lucky I haven't been punched yet pulling idiots out of their trucks to back them up for them just to move things along. Forget the boat test we need a trailer driver's licence. Make them back doun a ramp with only a side view mirror. then make sure their wifes can also pass.

[ziemer]

Originally Posted by redcorvetteman3

What about the guy that is waiting to back down and you are the guy behind him seeing that there is two spots you can back down. What do you do? I am talking about waiting 10 min. not a couple.

I hate when people do this.

There's a ramp over in Windermere (Orlando) that is plenty wide for 2 boats and it was famous for one person to use the middle or people waiting for the one jetski on the ramp to get out of the way. My dad and I were waiting patiently in the truck one time behind about three people at this particular ramp and there was one small boat pulling out but still plenty of room for another trailer to put in/out. Well, after about 5 minutes of waiting for the first person in line to pull up and back down, I decided it was time to go around. Almost got in a fight that day with the guy at the front of the line, but we were virtually out of the water before heeven knew what was happening.

[spoolincat]

I hate it when the (boatless) come down and fish and swim off the dock while my father and me are trying to dock the boat. Then don't get out of the way when i'm pulling the boat up. Or the people who are just at the lake (cumberland) to sight see and park their cars in the few parking spots avaliable at pumpkin creek ramp.

[88formula223]

its early in the season there has to be some new stories


last weekend a guy in on of those overpriced metalflake fishing boats is waiting to trailer, there was a line about 5 deep with three on the ramp to put in or pull out. One couldn't get their boat started and was there for ever flooding it. When it was Sparkle paint geezers time his wife was trying to back down the bass boat trailer with the fancy fenders in the matching Escolade down into the middle spot, and she was all over the place up and down up and down, 90 degree angle nearly jackknifeing the truck over and over, the guy in the fishinglure like boat starts honking at her with his Kia like sounding horn over and over like that was going to help, my buddy was next and passed her and I pulled the boat on the trailer. Between the guy flooding his carb on his tri-hull and Barbra Bush in the Escalde the line was long so I was about to offer her help when on the 15th attempt she got it..... It was sad but funny

[Zudnic]

Originally Posted by UNSANE

The most flagerant boat ramp violation are jet-skiers.....................they show up.......

Little MF'er on a jet ski yesterday, launched, started up and gunned it away from the ramp, came back and started doing 360' turns right in front of the ramp and dock. Very un-cool, when my boat does'nt have good convient tie up to the dock options, so I'm holding it by hand on the dock waiting for my passenger, dealing with his wake......

[Dude! Sweet!]

Well I made a contribution to the funny side of this a couple weeks ago... I tried to drive my boat onto the trailer for the first time. I've always just walked it on in the past. My new trailer floats in the salt water and kind of moved away from the dock, so I said "f-it" and decided to try to drive on like the previous owner did (with great ease I might add).

Three unsucessful attempts later I gave up, gaffed the trailer back over to the dock and dragged the boat on by hand... Dang! Funny for the on lookers. Didn't take too long to try and give up. I'll try again next time!

[handfulz28]

Originally Posted by Dude! Sweet!

My new trailer floats in the salt water

It's all good! As long as you can laugh at yourself because you didn't mess anything up. Stop by a dive shop and bolt a couple 5lb weights to the trailer; might help settle it down.

[Dude! Sweet!]

Yup, looking like a clown on the boat is still miles better than being at work!

I've got a bucket of dive weights at home, just got to get off my posterior and bolt some on. Floating trailer was petty funny too!

[jmherbert]

One of my favorite entertaining moments is when someone is trying to trailer their boat under full throttle, because their trailer isn't far enough in the water. I'll bet 1/2 of the boaters where I boat do this. They'll try and try. Once I actually had a guy ask me how I trailered so easy. I was momentarily speechless, then I told him the magic of backing the trailer up a bit more.