mjmbodine

OK had a problem this weekend at the ramp at Leesalvainia state Park in Va. I was coming into the ramp and waited for the boat in front of me to load up then I pulled up and got out to get the trailer while the wife holds the boat. There was three vehicles with trailers in line so I passed them to retrieve my boat. Mine was at the front of the ramp. This guy said I jumped in front of him.I asked where was his boat he replied tied off on the other side of the ramp. I told him that my boat was first in line that I had to retrieve mine or nobody gets out. So who's right? If you have a boat tied to the opposite side of the ramp do I need to ask if they are loading or tied up to go get ice, snacks spending the night, or what ever. I thought it's always been the next boat ready to pull out not the next tow vehicle in line.

Formula Outlaw

That's kind of a tough call. I can easily understand your point of view, and on the other hand if someone else has been waiting, I can understand his point of view. (geesh, I'm sounding like a politician here, barf barf barf).

Next time maybe ask just to show that YOU are being courteous. And at the same time point out politely they should be docked in position to retrieve their boats. There is also the possibility that when they arrived at the dock, perhaps the boat you were waiting on was waiting on another boat in front of them, and thus was docked where you pulled up, that you may have had no way of knowing.

For the most part, ramp etiquette sucks most of the time. And it's the "offshore" crowd who is always the most polite. Usually it's the fisherman who are the worst.

What sends me into oribit is when someone, on the ramp, decides to either completely load up or offload their boats. Do that in the parking lot.

Remember, basically, most people are totally stupid.

mjmbodine

I go out of my way to be courteous and polite at the ramp. The docks are 150 feet and allows room to pull behind the boat in front of you hop out go get the trailer by that time the person in front of you has loaded your first mate pulls the boat to the front and the process starts over.

mjmbodine

Forgot to mention there are two docks at this ramp and he was tied to the outside of the other ramp

Formula Outlaw

Sounds to me like you did everything okay. If I saw someone tied up to the outside of the dock, I would figure they was waiting on someone.

I certainly did not, nor do I think you took it that way, to imply that you were not polite. The fact you posted this proves that you are. Russ

Madcow

I guess my only problem would be that you blocked the ramp wile retreving your trailer. In my opinion you don't enter the ramp till your trailer is there. Thats how I have always done it.

robyw1

mjmbodine, don't take this the wrong way but based on what I read you were not first here.

Roby

boot

I think we all need to wait in line . If there are trailers there , they are waiting for something too . I know with my boat (VERY LARGE) I have to dock anywhere I can . Not directly in the way though . Even if I am at the front of the dock , I wait my turn . MY only problem is people with little boats should give you a little slack . I need to take the space of 2-3 little boats . and everytime 1 little one leaves, another little one jumps in there out of turn ,even though they see me sitting there waiting.

MnFastBoat

Well I will try to give my thoughts as best as possible.
Since I trailer mine everywhere I get a lot of this and that also
I truly feel that when returning to the launch whatever TRAILER is next in line goes.
NOT the boat in the water. Two reasons for this.
Drivers can drop someone off at the dock, back out and idle around to allow others to dock also. This should allow an even flow of unloading. Who ever is the better trailer driver gets the first in line. I have seen people take 15 minutes to get the trailer to the ramp Why should everyone else wait for this person?
Second reason, I do boat alone and I have to retrieve the trailer alone many times.
This in itself can prove to be hard with a 28' boat.
I dock the boat as far out of the way as possible. Reason, to allow others to dock and unload a person to retrieve their trailer.
When I am line I do NOT let anyone get in front of me. I have had people pull up to the ramp side of the dock and just sit there. They say they are next in line to pull out. No other boat was there. These DUMBA$$ES are the smaller boats who have no clue.
I have just backed the trailer in the water in front of them and state either they move, I or stay! They make the choice.
The reason why is the same as when you arrive at the ramp in the morning.
Just because a fisherman is coming back from his trip does NOT mean you should have to wait for him to load his boat up. Unless, of course, his trailer is in line before you.
A trailer in line, both dropping and retrieving is the way it 'should' be IMHO.

In your scenario maybe this guy was doing the same thing I do. Dock the boat, get the trailer, wait in line and load up.
Like someone else stated, ramp etiquette is hardly used. Let along proficiently enough for everyone to abide by it.
If someone gives me a better reason as to why they need to cut in front of line, then I will be glad to listen. But if they think that just because they are the next boat at the ramp, I disagree.
Sorry, just my thoughts

SS930

First come, first serve IMHO. In this case I would tend to agree with the other guy.
Just my 2 cents.


I have a ramp almost across the street from my house. The ramp and docking area is pretty small, but just big enough that a 40' Skater can lanch in/out of it, but there is only room to tie up one large boat or two small ones. The ramp sits in a narrow channel so only one boat can go to or from the ramp/dock at a time. Being the only ramp within 10 miles, it gets pretty busy on the weekends. I get so pissed at the end of the day when I'm tring to get a dock space so I can get my trailer and yet people keep showing up and sticking their boats in while I idle around. Sometimes I have to circle in front of the ramp for 1/2 an hour. Man I get pissed... I can feel blood pressure raising just thinking about it! The other thing that burns my azz is when there are no more parking spaces left, the jack-azz just pull onto our lawns... for some reason the trailers in front of my house get a lot of flat tires.


Anyway... first come, first serve.