Just curious, thoughts on cutting the line at the ramp?

[JetMania]

that is a big pet peeve of mine, as well as pulling out two feet to tie straps.... or pull out 100 yards in the middle of the path to do it. Idk why pulling in a parking spot to unload is so difficult.

For sure. At our home lake you wait in line regardless of whether you are launching or coming in. Then I’ve never seen near 25 in line, but we haven’t been able to go to the lake this summer yet. We only have one dock though and that can definitely cause some issues, especially if you get several people by themselves or with spouses who cannot back a trailer or drive a boat.

My usually drops me at the dock and idles around while I back down and she drives it on the trailer while I direct and get it on the winch and bow roller. She’s gotten decent at backing the trailer, but when crowded she gets a bit anxious.

I’m curious how different our new 212s will be at slow speed compared to our Glastron. The Glastron wasn’t bad at all, not was our SeaDoo and neither had thrust vectors. Not planning on added them to our new 212s, but we shall see.

 

[W3bexec]

Our home lake is a busy one and by 9:30 or 10 AM it pretty much goes to one off / one on primarily due to lack of parking. Boats stage in one (long) lane and priority is given to people retrieving. During these busy times the ramp is manned with a person directing traffic and holding / allowing launchers. The ramp person typically asks the person coming off where he was parked so he can relay that info to the next person putting in to have an easier time finding the space.

 

[HangOutdoors]

I pull up into the staging area, or roughly where everyone else is staging. Once my boat is ready I wait my turn. If people are coming up picking up boats at the ramp I usually wave them around me to go get their boat. When I return to load my boat I pull up at the back of the line. If people are waving me forward I go ahead. If my boat is at the ramp and there are no ramps available I pull up and ask those in front of me can I pull my boat it is tied up at the ramp. Almost always they say go ahead and I yank the boat in a few minutes at most. then I pull up and out of the way to another staging area and then I start securing everything.

 

[Epsmith19]

All these stories make having a slip/dry stack sound like the deal of the century! I feel like I would never use the boat if I had to fight with the ramps every-time I wanted to go out

 

[mkbcaptain]

I’m blessed my neighbor hood has a private boat ramp and parking area. 100 homes and maybe 10 boats. At most I’ve ever seen was 5 trailers at the parking area. And there are 10+ spots.
However yesterday there were only two trucks parked with trailers when I got there to launch at 10am, and one truck and pontoon trailer was parked on the side of the road taking up a 1/4 of the turn-around area. I left him a nice note mansplaining how parking works....? had to almost jack-knife my trailer to turn completely around to launch.
here’s your sign.

 

[212s]

However yesterday there were only two trucks parked with trailers when I got there to launch at 10am, and one truck and pontoon trailer was parked on the side of the road taking up a 1/4 of the turn-around area. I left him a nice note mansplaining how parking works....? had to almost jack-knife my trailer to turn completely around to launch.

Up here in Canada, we call those kind of people "dipshits".

Every ramp we go to use, there's always at least one...

 

[shnknapp]

The public ramps that are close to us have a park rule that you can't drop your boat if there are no open parking spaces. So in those situations, it always acceptable for someone to jump ahead and load their boat as it indicates a parking spot has opened up so the next person can drop.

 

[SandfleaDDH]

Where I go there is a giant maybe 10 lane ramp that is very nice and never really crowded.... but you have to suffer through a fairly long 5mph zone before you get to the open speed area. The other ramps are 1 or 2 lane chaotic scenes that I want nothing to do with but put you right in the open speed area. I avoid these like the plague, and just enjoy my slow cruise out and tell myself I am properly warming up my engines. . Never had to wait in a line in 15 years.

 

[WiskyDan]

All these stories make having a slip/dry stack sound like the deal of the century! I feel like I would never use the boat if I had to fight with the ramps every-time I wanted to go out

This is my first year boating and I decided to go with the dry-stack option and after reading through this thread I think it’s been worth every penny. If I had to trailer my boat I‘m pretty sure that I’d use It far less than I have with my current setup.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Its all on use case. We are explorers and like to go to different lakes and different launches and see different places. I would rather drive north 50+ miles to another launch on lake Michigan, then drive in the lake that distance.

We dont do the sandbar thing that much so just going to one lake or chain wouldnt be our thing.

Now to be fair, all i have around me are lakes and water and options as well.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

The two main lakes I go to here have one tiny dock at the launch ramp…

One of the things I did before I got my boat was to read up on boating etiquette, or as I like to put it, how not to be a dick at the boat ramp. One of my biggest peeves is people pulling up to the ramp and start loading life vests, rods, coolers etc… I do as y‘all do and park in the staging / parking area and prep my boat so that it is ready to launch before I even approach the ramp, it’s just common courtesy and common sense, although both of those commodities can be in short supply.

Most of the time I’m the lonely but very happy fisherman that @djetok mentioned in his post. I have not had to deal with the lines when I’m by myself as I boat only during the week when by myself. The weekends are when I take my friends out and lately there have been significant lines at the ramp. When there is, there is an old guy there orchestrating the chaos… last time we were there on a weekend for fishing and tubing, my friend and I went earlier with plans to pick up the girls later in the day.. so he and I get there and there is a line. After sitting in line for a bit we get out and he gets in the boat to prep up top, I take off transom straps and put the plug in, we are done in like two mins. Meanwhile there is a guy in what looks like a brand new Tige’ wake boat in front of us, this guy has several people with him and is doing nothing-with the cover still on the boat. We get to where the guy in front of us is three boats back from being called to launch and he finally starts pulling the cover off… meanwhile the line is advancing and his rig is sitting still because no one else is helping him, as in drive the truck forward. So I pull around him so that I am now next in line, meanwhile the Tige’ owner is still dicking around in his boat. The old guy comes over and tells me, I can’t have you cutting the line, so I said to the old guy, well that guy doesn’t have his shit together and is holding up the whole show. The old guys says I know.. at this point realizing I really don’t want to be like the other guy, I say okay sorry was just trying to do what was best for everyone here.

So our tun comes, my friend is in the boat and I’m driving, I pull down and turn around and back down to the ramp and put the stern in the water and my friend lights the engines as I’m getting out of the cab to remove the already loosened strap. I remove the strap and look up with a questioning thumbs up and get a positive thumbs up from my friend, jump in the truck back into the water and give it a shove and he is off. I then go and park the truck. Total time on the ramp about 90 seconds.

So here is where it gets interesting… I mentioned the one tiny dock, it’s big enough for a boat on the launch side, and another on the other side. After parking the truck I walk back down to get on my boat, now there is a boat launching and one being held by what I assume is the Mom on the other side… okay quick segue here… what is the problem with using a rope, or here is a novel idea, two ropes to hold your boat at the dock? I have seen numerous boats with people riding the big struggle bus trying to hold the boat against the dock by hand, wth? Use a damn rope. Anyway, no one can drive the boat apparently except Dad who is parking the truck… and here he finally comes walking back from the parking area… freaking cows walk faster than this guy. He finally gets in the boat and proceeds to diddle around for 5 mins before attempting to start the single outboard, meanwhile Mom is still holding the boat by hand. So he finally tries to start the boat and it is not starting… this goes on for another 5 mins or so before he finally gets it lit. Then, wait for it, he sits there warming the engine for another 5 mins.. meanwhile the guy with Tige’ boat has finally pulled down to the ramp and is attempting to launch his boat.. the exhaust pipe of his F-150 is underwater and the water is over his wheel hubs.. it is apparent that he is having trouble getting the boat to float off of the trailer, pretty soon he has his buddy back the truck in further.. still, even with reverse thrust the boat will not come off the trailer. About this time is when I notice that the trailer and the boat are floating, he forgot to take the transom straps off. So the other guy finally decides he’s ready to leave and my friend backs my boat over to the dock and I step on and we are off.

After a full day on the lake we come back to the ramp and the circus is in full swing… there is a line to take your boat out at this point. Cutting to the chase, I get dropped off and go get the truck and get in line, total time on the ramp taking the boat out, 90 seconds. If I’m dong it by myself then it is more like 5-10 mins since it is a bit of a walk to the parking area. Still if one is just focused on the task at hand quick work can be made of the whole affaIr.

So as far as cutting in line goes, I don’t have a problem with someone going around me if I’m not ready and they are and they ask, or if someone needed to retrieve their boat I’d wave them ahead.

The last thing I want to do is have an altercation with anyone at the ramp…

 

[HangOutdoors]

The two main lakes I go to here have one tiny dock at the launch ramp…

One of the things I did before I got my boat was to read up on boating etiquette, or as I like to put it, how not to be a dick at the boat ramp. One of my biggest peeves is people pulling up to the ramp and start loading life vests, rods, coolers etc… I do as y‘all do and park in the staging / parking area and prep my boat so that it is ready to launch before I even approach the ramp, it’s just common courtesy and common sense, although both of those commodities can be in short supply.

Most of the time I’m the lonely but very happy fisherman that @djetok mentioned in his post. I have not had to deal with the lines when I’m by myself as I boat only during the week when by myself. The weekends are when I take my friends out and lately there have been significant lines at the ramp. When there is, there is an old guy there orchestrating the chaos… last time we were there on a weekend for fishing and tubing, my friend and I went earlier with plans to pick up the girls later in the day.. so he and I get there and there is a line. After sitting in line for a bit we get out and he gets in the boat to prep up top, I take off transom straps and put the plug in, we are done in like two mins. Meanwhile there is a guy in what looks like a brand new Tige’ wake boat in front of us, this guy has several people with him and is doing nothing-with the cover still on the boat. We get to where the guy in front of us is three boats back from being called to launch and he finally starts pulling the cover off… meanwhile the line is advancing and his rig is sitting still because no one else is helping him, as in drive the truck forward. So I pull around him so that I am now next in line, meanwhile the Tige’ owner is still dicking around in his boat. The old guy comes over and tells me, I can’t have you cutting the line, so I said to the old guy, well that guy doesn’t have his shit together and is holding up the whole show. The old guys says I know.. at this point realizing I really don’t want to be like the other guy, I say okay sorry was just trying to do what was best for everyone here.

So our tun comes, my friend is in the boat and I’m driving, I pull down and turn around and back down to the ramp and put the stern in the water and my friend lights the engines as I’m getting out of the cab to remove the already loosened strap. I remove the strap and look up with a questioning thumbs up and get a positive thumbs up from my friend, jump in the truck back into the water and give it a shove and he is off. I then go and park the truck. Total time on the ramp about 90 seconds.

So here is where it gets interesting… I mentioned the one tiny dock, it’s big enough for a boat on the launch side, and another on the other side. After parking the truck I walk back down to get on my boat, now there is a boat launching and one being held by what I assume is the Mom on the other side… okay quick segue here… what is the problem with using a rope, or here is a novel idea, two ropes to hold your boat at the dock? I have seen numerous boats with people riding the big struggle bus trying to hold the boat against the dock by hand, wth? Use a damn rope. Anyway, no one can drive the boat apparently except Dad who is parking the truck… and here he finally comes walking back from the parking area… freaking cows walk faster than this guy. He finally gets in the boat and proceeds to diddle around for 5 mins before attempting to start the single outboard, meanwhile Mom is still holding the boat by hand. So he finally tries to start the boat and it is not starting… this goes on for another 5 mins or so before he finally gets it lit. Then, wait for it, he sits there warming the engine for another 5 mins.. meanwhile the guy with Tige’ boat has finally pulled down to the ramp and is attempting to launch his boat.. the exhaust pipe of his F-150 is underwater and the water is over his wheel hubs.. it is apparent that he is having trouble getting the boat to float off of the trailer, pretty soon he has his buddy back the truck in further.. still, even with reverse thrust the boat will not come off the trailer. About this time is when I notice that the trailer and the boat are floating, he forgot to take the transom straps off. So the other guy finally decides he’s ready to leave and my friend backs my boat over to the dock and I step on and we are off.

After a full day on the lake we come back to the ramp and the circus is in full swing… there is a line to take your boat out at this point. Cutting to the chase, I get dropped off and go get the truck and get in line, total time on the ramp taking the boat out, 90 seconds. If I’m dong it by myself then it is more like 5-10 mins since it is a bit of a walk to the parking area. Still if one is just focused on the task at hand quick work can be made of the whole affaIr.

So as far as cutting in line goes, I don’t have a problem with someone going around me if I’m not ready and they are and they ask, or if someone needed to retrieve their boat I’d wave them ahead.

The last thing I want to do is have an altercation with anyone at the ramp…

I do the same exact thing. If I am not ready in staging, I wave them around me. Not their problem. Also if I am at the dock and I have the trailer coming to get the boat, I always roll down my window and let people know I am going to pick up and get my boat out of the way so as not to upset anyone.

Its the guy you just goes around me and others and backs up his boat to the ramp and then starts prepping everything. Taking cover off, undoing straps, getting coolers out of vehicle and snacks and one time even saw one person in boat inflating tube one time. That behavior is wrong and un courteous. Since I see this from time to time, I have come to the realization that for the most part these people just don't get it, or know or are just dumb.

 

[LukePrinsloo]

I'm just tired of kayaker's using the ramps to load and unload when they have a sandy beach on Lake Wylie (south of Charlotte, NC).

that and jetskiiers who dawdle to get their car to back up. Watched a guy spend 30 minutes the other day. could not back up that little trailer to save his life, kept getting out and dragging it straight then backing up 5' only to haveit jack knife again...

we always load everyone in line, then back her in, pull out. driver parks, we pick up driver.
If it's just the wife and i, we tend to tie up at the dock, i run to get the truck, jump the line to pull us out. No one is loading or unloading their boat until i retrieve it so it makes no sense for me to wait for people to launch.

I always mind my mouth. My father in law has had a guest scream at someone who was being an asshole. came back, retrieved the boat (28' regal) and when unloading people off the boat realized something was off. Fucker loosened every lug on the trailer until only a thread each stud was holding the wheel on.

I've also had an issue lately with pontoon boats. Owner will tie it up to go park, but with only one rope, or just a guest holding the front. damn boat swung around into my trailer while I'm trying to get out... I was livid.

When we used to boat on lake Keowee at Warpath landing, on busy days the single lane road into the launch area would get lined on both sides with cars/trailers. making it extremely hard to drag your rig in/out. I've watched someone have to back up the 2 miles while I was trying to get out because he was not more than halfway in when I was heading out.

I've been trying to find a slip all season now that we live closer, the local marina's are on 2 plus year waiting lists right now. (120 slips, 200 people on the waiting list). It's to the point where we've considered trying to find an empty lot with a dock and just sucking up the mortgage payment.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I do the same exact thing. If I am not ready in staging, I wave them around me. Not their problem. Also if I am at the dock and I have the trailer coming to get the boat, I always roll down my window and let people know I am going to pick up and get my boat out of the way so as not to upset anyone.

Its the guy you just goes around me and others and backs up his boat to the ramp and then starts prepping everything. Taking cover off, undoing straps, getting coolers out of vehicle and snacks and one time even saw one person in boat inflating tube one time. That behavior is wrong and un courteous. Since I see this from time to time, I have come to the realization that for the most part these people just don't get it, or know or are just dumb.

Totally agree with you posted… I think one type of person was left out, the narcissist. Narcissists have no empathy for others, or more simply do not care about anyone except themselves and then feel aggrieved when calls them out on their behavior-my favorite!

 

[HangOutdoors]

Totally agree with you posted… I think one type of person was left out, the narcissist. Narcissists have no empathy for others, or more simply do not care about anyone except themselves and then feel aggrieved when calls them out on their behavior-my favorite!

Well I try really hard to believe that most of these types of people are not Narcissist's or doing it intentionally....... Makes me happier.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I'm just tired of kayaker's using the ramps to load and unload when they have a sandy beach on Lake Wylie (south of Charlotte, NC).

that and jetskiiers who dawdle to get their car to back up. Watched a guy spend 30 minutes the other day. could not back up that little trailer to save his life, kept getting out and dragging it straight then backing up 5' only to haveit jack knife again...

we always load everyone in line, then back her in, pull out. driver parks, we pick up driver.
If it's just the wife and i, we tend to tie up at the dock, i run to get the truck, jump the line to pull us out. No one is loading or unloading their boat until i retrieve it so it makes no sense for me to wait for people to launch.

I always mind my mouth. My father in law has had a guest scream at someone who was being an asshole. came back, retrieved the boat (28' regal) and when unloading people off the boat realized something was off. Fucker loosened every lug on the trailer until only a thread each stud was holding the wheel on.

I've also had an issue lately with pontoon boats. Owner will tie it up to go park, but with only one rope, or just a guest holding the front. damn boat swung around into my trailer while I'm trying to get out... I was livid.

When we used to boat on lake Keowee at Warpath landing, on busy days the single lane road into the launch area would get lined on both sides with cars/trailers. making it extremely hard to drag your rig in/out. I've watched someone have to back up the 2 miles while I was trying to get out because he was not more than halfway in when I was heading out.

I've been trying to find a slip all season now that we live closer, the local marina's are on 2 plus year waiting lists right now. (120 slips, 200 people on the waiting list). It's to the point where we've considered trying to find an empty lot with a dock and just sucking up the mortgage payment.

Taking the lug nuts off a vehicle is a good way to end up… well, eating your salad from the root end. I had a “guest” talk some smack to a woman on the beach, thought he would be cute by saying it in Spanish, he found out quickly that I speak Spanglish and was wholly unapproving of his words.

I‘ll share another story from roughly two weeks ago…. Got to the ramp really early, like 0430 early. While I was doing the 5 mins of boat prep in the staging area this mooseknuckle comes whizzing by and proceeds to park, in the middle of the ramp, the middle, not one side or the other, the middle and then starts loading tackle boxes, cooler etc… this behavior screams Asshat extraordinaire. Once I got ready I pulled down below him, turned around then pulled up next to AH to get straightened out to back up, he was still diddling around and didn’t even turn around to look at me. I launched and tied up on the other side of the dock, as I was tying up to the dock this guy yells to hurry up. Did I hear something? I don’t think so….. just finished tying the second cleat and then jumped in the truck and went and parked. When I was walking back down I could see he tied up to the launch side of the dock and was driving up my way. I waved, like I wave at everyone, got in my boat and cruised out past the no wake zone, stopped there and spot locked with the troller while I put the fenders and ropes away. Bout this time I hear this high revving two stroke and look over to see this mooseknuckle at WOT through the marina rolling huge waves at all the other other boats and he passed pretty close to me. As I said earlier AssHat extraordinaire. If I was to wager a guess, and I’m usually right about this sort of thing he is a tweaker on his way down..

Later on I admonished myself for not, as Capt Ramius would say,



give this mooseknuckle a wide berth.

Best way to avoid trouble is to stay away from it.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Well I try really hard to believe that most of these types of people are not Narcissist's or doing it intentionally....... Makes me happier.

Right on man! I try and avoid any negativity and focus on the positive!

 

[adrianp89]

Back to back a few weeks ago.... ramp is pretty busy... assholes are loading in the ramp making it difficult to see whats open and to back down. Anyways after one guy sits in a ramp for 10 minutes literally doing nothing, he finally moves his truck and I decide to back down. As I am half way getting down the ramp, a pontoon comes and ties up. I knew where this was going, but figured hey maybe they are just dropping off to get a truck. Nope. Luckily the guy was cool and I explained the trucks have priority in the ramp and not boats. He moved over, no problem, albeit with a grumpy wife.

Next day, I am at the dock waiting for some people, and watch the same exact situation happen to someone else. The people on the boat where screaming at the truck driver, I thought a fight was ensuing, they argued for 10 minutes. If I wasn't 6 slips over I probably would have told her she was in the wrong. Eventually the truck driver says screws it and moves over one. I catch him on the water and let him he had the right of way and I was on his side....... just a typical weekend at that ramp.

A few days before that... people left their 5 and under kids to clean up trash and what not. Left the kids at the dock while they pulled the truck and boat out. Kids are trying to get their attention but they pay them no mind. Luckily the kids ran off to the truck before they forgot about them completely. Left trash, socks, and a life jacket at the dock. Guess who picked up their trash and got a free kids life jacket lol.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Back to back a few weeks ago.... ramp is pretty busy... assholes are loading in the ramp making it difficult to see whats open and to back down. Anyways after one guy sits in a ramp for 10 minutes literally doing nothing, he finally moves his truck and I decide to back down. As I am half way getting down the ramp, a pontoon comes and ties up. I knew where this was going, but figured hey maybe they are just dropping off to get a truck. Nope. Luckily the guy was cool and I explained the trucks have priority in the ramp and not boats. He moved over, no problem, albeit with a grumpy wife.

Next day, I am at the dock waiting for some people, and watch the same exact situation happen to someone else. The people on the boat where screaming at the truck driver, I thought a fight was ensuing, they argued for 10 minutes. If I wasn't 6 slips over I probably would have told her she was in the wrong. Eventually the truck driver says screws it and moves over one. I catch him on the water and let him he had the right of way and I was on his side....... just a typical weekend at that ramp.

A few days before that... people left their 5 and under kids to clean up trash and what not. Left the kids at the dock while they pulled the truck and boat out. Kids are trying to get their attention but they pay them no mind. Luckily the kids ran off to the truck before they forgot about them completely. Left trash, socks, and a life jacket at the dock. Guess who picked up their trash and got a free kids life jacket lol.

Back to back a few weeks ago.... ramp is pretty busy... assholes are loading in the ramp making it difficult to see whats open and to back down. Anyways after one guy sits in a ramp for 10 minutes literally doing nothing, he finally moves his truck and I decide to back down. As I am half way getting down the ramp, a pontoon comes and ties up. I knew where this was going, but figured hey maybe they are just dropping off to get a truck. Nope. Luckily the guy was cool and I explained the trucks have priority in the ramp and not boats. He moved over, no problem, albeit with a grumpy wife.

Next day, I am at the dock waiting for some people, and watch the same exact situation happen to someone else. The people on the boat where screaming at the truck driver, I thought a fight was ensuing, they argued for 10 minutes. If I wasn't 6 slips over I probably would have told her she was in the wrong. Eventually the truck driver says screws it and moves over one. I catch him on the water and let him he had the right of way and I was on his side....... just a typical weekend at that ramp.

A few days before that... people left their 5 and under kids to clean up trash and what not. Left the kids at the dock while they pulled the truck and boat out. Kids are trying to get their attention but they pay them no mind. Luckily the kids ran off to the truck before they forgot about them completely. Left trash, socks, and a life jacket at the dock. Guess who picked up their trash and got a free kids life jacket lol.

I’m so glad that most of my boating is done on the weekdays…..

Good on you for picking up their trash! Anytime I go camping I usually come home with more trash than I came with. Now the fishing net gets some double duty picking up the occasional beer can or gatorade bottle out of the water..

 

[Ronnie]

I didn’t have time to read every response but my take is don’t cut the line of at all possible even if you are solo boating. If I was in the position of boating alone and just wanted to recover my boat, I might ask the next guys in line if it would be ok for me to cut infront of them, in doing so I would assure them that I will be in and clear as fast as possible.

two of the ramps I go to are dialed in that they reserve one ramp for recovery only during busy days.