Dock Blockers

[AZ_AR195]

Dock Blocker's - you know who they are, the ones who completely load/unload their boats either on the ramp or tied to the dock. Sometimes they just hang out on the docks sunbathing or chatting up the person trying tie up in between them and the end of the dock meanwhile your idling for over 20 mins waiting for them to leave.

encountered a dock blocker yesterday after 30 mins of waiting to dock. i honked my horn and asked them to move their boat since they were obviously just lounging around. My wife said i was being rude which i disagreed -

What do you think is the proper etiquette in these situations?

 

[zipper]

5-6 minutes is too long to wait for one boat. Never mind 30 minutes. Too much entitlement.
From a local boat group. Guy sounds like a clown…

 

[Babin Farms]

I have no issue if someone has to leave the boat on the dock, go get their truck/trailer & back it in & I have to wait. Been there, done that too many times. It's when like you said, they load the gear in the boat while at the dock instead of the staging area and/or wait for passengers that either aren't ready or not even there. . I always try to be as quick as possible unless I know that no one is waiting on me and I still like to be in the same routine even then, launch & go or retrieve & get out of everyone's way while I wipe the boat down and load all of the gear back into the truck..

 

[gmac03]

How about channel blockers!
Lately we’ve had a couple of fishing boats hanging out in our marina channel blocking all of the boats from entering and exiting!

 

[fatboyroy]

I usually launch early and either dock early or dock late to avoid this issue. In my experience, this usually happens when the dock is busy, like its almost intentional, I've waited to get here now the rest of you have to wait kind of thing.

 

[HangOutdoors]

When the Admiral and I go, it is like a Military Drill. Hit Staging, get EVERYTHING Ready and in the boat, including all backpacks, coolers and Cell Phones, towels, hats, etc., have the passengers stand out on or near the dock in a line and not to block anyone else or be in anyone elses way, to get in the boat as soon as it is off the trailer. If you need to BIO do it while I am in staging rigging the boat. I park and run back to the trailer where everyone is seated and they have a hole for me to walk through when I get in without anything in the way. Two people each have one line around the dock and are ready to release them and put the fully in their spots so I dont suck one up and we are off. As soon as we are moving in the no wake zone they can get drinks and move around. Coming in it is the reverse. Only takes a few minutes for us to dunk the boat or pull it if that. Kids who are dallying around are told they will not be invited on the next outing if they dont get on the program. It is now very routine, and we are out having fun in short order.

Sadly this courtesy I do for others is seldom repaid. Last time out some one loaded their boat and had a 5 minute or more conversation with the guy at the next ramp about his boat while we are all sitting there watching this and I am turning 360's in bay so the wind doesn't push me to far off. SMH

 

[AZMark]

Depending what lake you were on here there is almost no supervision or signage so I think a lot of newer boaters don’t realize what courtesy docks are for.

 

[scokill]

If they are truly dock blockers, and not single or family launchers/retrievers with no help, then you should just pull up in and around them and drop someone off. If you have to tie off yourself, then you are at their mercy. I've come in and expertly snugged up to drop someone off...often to jaw drops. Now, my brother has no patience. He will come up to end, drop his shallow water anchors and just walk off his boat, go get his truck and step on and load his boat.

 

[HawaiiBreeze]

We have a few of these guys out here. Sometimes it's people getting into the water but more often its guys blocking the ramp lolly-gagging when they should be tied off over on the dock and not at the ramp interfering with load in and load out. Got a bit salty one day and posted a video of him.

 

[Cambo]

Even worse when they park the car at the dock this was 2020 labor day weekend Saturday and Sunday at two different docks I use to launch

 

[dgfreeze]

If they're blocking the actual ramp lane, that's not cool at all, unless there's no other place to tie off. About a month ago, I took my wife and our 1 1/2 yr old twins out for an afternoon on the water. When we came back, I tied off on the courtesy side of the dock, not blocking the ramp lane at all. There was another person who did the same exact thing on the other side. I went and got the truck and trailer, and got in line (just one person in front of me in line), and when I got backed in, my wife was a bit flustered, saying there was a guy yelling at her and the lady in the other boat to get out of the way so he can drop someone off. Now, there was still plenty of space to nose up (or back up) to the end of the dock, as neither of us were blocking the ends. I told her he's a douchebag, and to ignore him. All that said, if people are using the dock as their hangout, or loading/unloading zone, etc., that's bullshit. Educate them on ramp etiquette. Just don't be the douchebag who yells at women and children in boats that are tied off completely out of the way while their men are getting the trucks and trailers.

 

[BlkGS]

We didn't have any courtesy docks on our lake in NC. Luckily, it was a small lake with mostly good people. People were more inclined to help others there than come at people aggressively. Smaller towns meant you never know who knows or is related to who.

 

[kgower]

In theory the courtesy docks on Lake Lanier (GA) are limited to 10 minutes. Came in yesterday and a ski boat was dropping of a group of 6-8 teenagers from a day surf camp. The courtesy dock has a long side 21' and two short sides 18' that are accessible if the boat on the long front side isn't longer the dock or not pulled forward, leaving one short side available. The wait if any is usually reasonable. But the young crew mid-twenties +/- (moms picking up their kids) gave no direction to the students as to move quickly, exit the dock asap or even maybe offer to grab a line to an incoming bout, us in this case. They all had gear bags, boards et cetera. Missed opportunity for a teaching moment by all. We docked without incident, but courtesy and manners are so lacking this day in time.

 

[steveinmd]

Good timing for this. We just got back from a vacation at the lake. They have a huge floating dock and temporary slips. Plenty of room to tie up two boats on either side, outside of the ramp. And then around the corner from there, multiple slips.

This knucklehead in a flat bottom boat tied off on the ramp. The boat coming in before us tied off and retrieved their truck. We waited for them to round the corner and we tied off. Knucklehead still not at his boat. Inbound boaters stepped into his boat to walk theirs around the corner, as did we. I think the NEXT DAY, when my buddy was dunking theirs, did knucklehead finally appear and head out. Slip maybe?

 

[Crob83]

In and out as quickly and safely as possible in my book is the proper etiquette

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

When I first started boat a few years ago I read an article about how to not be a dick at the boat ramp.

Basically, have your act together and get on and off the ramp and ramp area as quickly as you safely can. And of course wait your turn, be courteous and helpful since you might need help one day.

I’ve had several experiences with complete jerks, taking cuts, pulling up onto the ramp lane and then start loading crap into their boats, putting their plugs in etc.., my personal fave was the geech who cut in front of me took forever to launch his boat, didn’t start the engine and left his buddy holding a line to the boat in the place where you back into the lake AND was just tapping away on his cell phone. I got lined up so when geech #2 showed up from parking his truck I’d be ready to go. 15 mins passes by and no geech #2. Meanwhile there are like 10-12 boats waiting to launch.

My friend who was with me had enough and yells at geech #1, hey maybe if you’d get off your f’ing cell phone you’d realize EVERYONE is waiting on you, do you think you hang the F up and get the F out of the way ?? A bunch of people started clapping and geech #1 swings into action by walking the boat around the single launching dock, still on his phone by the way, and proceeds to run the boat he is holding onto geech #3 boat who has his boat on the arrival side of the dock while he was fiddling with his electronics while his wife is struggling to hold the boat against the dock. Pandaemonium ensues.

Meanwhile my friend and I are now just watching this shit show unfold. Geech #2 is still MIA. As soon as there is enough room my friend jumps in my boat and I back down into the water and launch my boat with my friend at the helm. I go and park my truck and walk down to another set of docks where my friend picks me up.

As we are leaving we look over and geech #1 now has his boat running but the outdrive is still all the way up so he’s shooting this monster rooster tail and not really moving. Geech #3 is still at the dock with his wife holding his boat. Geech #2 is finally seen coming down the hill from the overflow parking, and as you may have guessed is on his phone. I’ve never seen those people again

Just thought I’d share that story …

 

[1BadTundra]

We wait all the time for these inexperienced douche bags, their bad kids that don't listen, people bringing infants on board... etc. From loading coolers, to waiting for their friends to show up. Some people weren't brought up to respect others' time. We show up like this.. Hit the staging area, everything goes in the boat, including the wife n kids, straps off, plug in. When we back down the ramp, the trailer fenders hit the water, I get out and unhook the winch, wife starts both motors. I pull back, bump the brakes while she throws it in reverse backing into the water away from the ramp. (less than 3 minute launch) I go park while she floats away. I come back to the dock, she swings around, gets close, I jump on and we're off. Same with coming back, I jump off at the dock, she drives out to float. When I back down the ramp, she's pulling up, drives right onto the trailer, I hook the bow eye with the winch strap, a couple cranks and we are headed back to the staging lane to unload and tie down. It's taken a while to get this cadence down, but everyone should practice this. It makes life so much easier and stress free.

 

[dgfreeze]

We wait all the time for these inexperienced douche bags, their bad kids that don't listen, people bringing infants on board... etc. From loading coolers, to waiting for their friends to show up. Some people weren't brought up to respect others' time. We show up like this.. Hit the staging area, everything goes in the boat, including the wife n kids, straps off, plug in. When we back down the ramp, the trailer fenders hit the water, I get out and unhook the winch, wife starts both motors. I pull back, bump the brakes while she throws it in reverse backing into the water away from the ramp. (less than 3 minute launch) I go park while she floats away. I come back to the dock, she swings around, gets close, I jump on and we're off. Same with coming back, I jump off at the dock, she drives out to float. When I back down the ramp, she's pulling up, drives right onto the trailer, I hook the bow eye with the winch strap, a couple cranks and we are headed back to the staging lane to unload and tie down. It's taken a while to get this cadence down, but everyone should practice this. It makes life so much easier and stress free.

This is usually our process, except she drives the truck/trailer. She isn't comfortable enough with the boat around docks, but has gotten pretty good with backing a trailer. The story I wrote about above was one of the rare exceptions, due to the boys being a bit grumpy at the time, and she was in the process of feeding them, so I tied off, and got the truck myself. We kinda pride ourselves on being very quick and efficient with putting in and retrieving the boat, but I should encourage her to get more comfortable with the boat around docks.

 

[1BadTundra]

This is usually our process, except she drives the truck/trailer. She isn't comfortable enough with the boat around docks, but has gotten pretty good with backing a trailer. The story I wrote about above was one of the rare exceptions, due to the boys being a bit grumpy at the time, and she was in the process of feeding them, so I tied off, and got the truck myself. We kinda pride ourselves on being very quick and efficient with putting in and retrieving the boat, but I should encourage her to get more comfortable with the boat around docks.

Damn brother, I didn't see your post until I just had to read upward... That wasn't aimed toward you, I apologize. Out here, we see 100 ppl on a boat and the only one that knows how to drive is also the only one who can back a trailer. It's so damn frustrating. We always seem to be stuck behind the guy who has toddler/infant kids that load on the boat like he's trying to herd cats.


Also we have these families that block the boat trailer parking with their cars (slammed, clapped out Corollas or Sentras) blasting Mariachi music. There usually about 50-60 of them crowding around the ramp and picnic area around it, switching out across 4 jet skis. They are blasting around the no-wake area, blocking the ramps while they switch drivers and jackets.

 

[bubbasuwannee]

I was at the front of the pull off to prep area yesterday morning. Guy hauling a 25'+ twin engine boat pulled up behind me while I was prepping, then deciding to go around me and into the line to launch to prep his boat. Essentially when he did this, he blocked others from getting through to pull their boats out and he skipped others that would've been next in line to launch. On top of this, he decides to get out of his boat and walk over to the ramp to yell at a boat for pulling in when he was wanting to launch...mind you he wasn't anywhere near that particular ramp.

Anyways, such a C.F. he caused.