Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

[neumanns]

Ok Heres the Question; One man Launch and recovery. once you arrive at the ramp for recovery is it yours till you recover (tie up on the ramp side of dock thereby eliminating other launches till you recover) or do you tie up out of way of Ramp grab the truck and wait for other launches til your turn at the ramp to recover.<br /><br />Before you jump all over me Know that I launch an average of twice or more every week and am Quite efficient. This is purly a hypothetical question as currently the ramps are not that busy but could be on summer weekends.<br /><br />I have not taken any boater safty or power squadron courses but common sense tells me that the recovery has right of way. Is this the case?<br /><br />My Proabable course of action would be wait as this is the couertisy in me but that counteracts my Gut on this one. What would you do

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

I am almost always alone, and my ramp can get crazy sometimes. I always pull in and stake my claim, tying forward to prevent launches. Then I jog up, grab my rig and back on down. This is pretty much how it is done in my area, no one has ever pitched a fit that I have seen. Usually all they have to see is me backing my trailer down nice and straight and they know I am not going to hold things up due to lack of skill.

 

[Jack Shellac]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

If you're good at backing your trailer, etc. and don't waste a lot of time, I don't see anything wrong with going ahead and tieing up to the dock. You probably take less time overall than some 3-4 man "crews".

 

[wayne h]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

i am new to all this and am not really good with my trailer. is there anything you can tell me ?thats my fear of boating is the ramp.i am thinking of going doring the week when no 1 is there and see how it goes. i know people are nice on the water but i am not sure about the ramp

 

[neumanns]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

wayne... In spite of what most people would lead you to belive there are few experts only some with more expierence than others, Practice Practice, and practice and dont worry where the boat is going just keep your left wheel going where you want it and everything else will be where it should be and dont make drastic corrections just minor ones to keep you on track.

 

[C17LoadSmasher]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

It's gone to blows at some ramps here in the Charleston area - scary how some people get so stressed about boating! I thought it was supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable. A good way to practice with a trailer is something like a parking lot. There you have parking spots that you can practice backing your boat into. They tend to be narrower than a slip, so if you can master backing it into a parking spot, then the slip should be no problem. I will say however, that it does tend to be bothersome to tie up a slip with your boat while you walk to get your truck. I prefer (and I think it's more courteous) to tie the boat up on the outside of the slip, go and get the tow vehicle, back it down, and then bring the boat around. It depends how crowded it is. If it's not too crowded, I wouldn't worry about it...it's all up to your discretion.

 

[magster65]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

I do the same as JasonJ. If you don't take your place, the inconsiderate (or just plain stupid) ones will butt in and slow things down for everyone.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

Funny never see a problem in the am when people launching with the dock. After 12 beers and 8 hours of 105 degree heat some get upset. Also funny they usually take longer than who they are upset with. If I see someone haveing trouble and taking a long time I offer to help or give a pointer. Many like the help or idea but always one that will get up set. The guy with the 26 foot sail boat is not going to drive it on the trailer and need the dock. The guy with the one man PWC does not need the dock. The couple where the one does not know how to back the trailer or drive the boat need the dock. We use the dock but I run to my truck and take half the time of most at the dock. My wife or son will tend lines and be ready to load when I get trailer in place. Since it is a roller trailer cranks on fast and straight every time.<br /><br />The only one who ever bothers me is the drunk guy who stands barefoot at the dock with the boat tied up and screems at his wife who is in tears because she can not back the trailer. The only reason she is doing it is he can't back it down either. I see this 3 or 4 times a year and some day will get me it trouble. What a way to spoil a day boating for your lovely wife. I have offered to back it down many times and done so. also some times if can get to go slow just walk alone side and tell which way to turn wheel.<br /><br />Best place to learn is a empty parking lot but go slow at first.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

A tip on night-time launching/loading is please turn off your headlights (if you can while on the ramp). People next to you backing in are blinded by those darn headlights.<br /><br />My local lake now has a courtesy sign asking to shut off your lights while using the ramp at night. They put it up last year and has really helped in night time operations. Less trailers going in places they shouldn't be.<br /><br />Incident of a couple of years ago.....A drunk was having trouble seeing his trailer as he tried to back it down the ramp. Due to the guys headligts next to him blinding him, he couldn't see a small Ranger pickup loading a small john boat behind him. (this guy in the Ranger had his lights all off.) After the drunks trailer made contact with the Ranger, he couldn't understand what was up so he gave his truck more gas and pushed the Ford Ranger on into the lake. The guy loading his boat into the back of the Ranger didn't even see what was going on since he was involved with getting his rig loaded.<br /><br />Sure was a wild night at the ramp that night.<br /><br />I always have shut off my lights at night just as a courtesy thing anyway. I know how it makes it rough on myself trying to see where my trailer is going when I can't see.....<br /><br />SS

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

SS Mayfloat, the light thing is a good point. Unfortunatley, I am blessed/cursed with daytime running lamps on my Ford F150. I have thought of disabling them, but I also like having them. I might investigate installing a switch to turn them off. I rarely boat at night so its not a concern of mine, but others with daytime lamps that boat at night might want to check into switching them off.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

I had made a post on this last year under "Another Common Sense Tip". Unless your scared your tow vehicle won't start on the ramp, just shut it off while your loading or unloading. If you see someone backing in, just wait until there in or when your lights would be out of their field of vision. (or a soft towel over your lights, or have some big beer belly friends block the lights )

 

[Jersey Jim]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

Jason, I don't know if it holds with Ford products but on my Dodge the running lights go off if I put the emergency brake on.

 

[muskyone]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

jason if the brake dosen't work read your manual all makes have a override becuse there are place were you can't have your lights on good luck happy boating as far ramps go well lets not go there went to a busy one yesterday and everybody before and after me went like clock work

 

[Ken G]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

This is copied from the Ohio DNR's website:<br /><br />Retrieving your boat...<br /><br /> * Drop a person off to pick up the vehicle and trailer while the boat and occupants wait offshore;<br /> * Do not block a ramp with your boat or vehicle;<br /> * The line at the ramp is formed by the tow vehicle's position in the line, not by the boat's position;<br /> * Back the trailer down the ramp into a launch lane;<br /> * The boat operator can slowly drive onto the trailer or the vehicle operator can connect the winch hook to the boat and crank the boat up onto the trailer;<br /> * Be sure the boat is centered on the trailer and the lower unit is raised before pulling out;<br />* Proceed to an uncongested area of the parking lot to further secure the boat.<br /><br />If you are by yourself, which I usually am, you can tie to the dock or out of the way but you shouldn't block the ramp. A lake near the house might have 50 boats ready to pull out on a Sunday afternoon. Other boaters, like me, are waiting to put in so if everyone ties to the front of the docks to block them the whole process stops dead. If everyone cooperates and follows procedure this ramp can handle 6 or 8 boats at a time and everything moves pretty quickly.

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

I don't believe in blocking the ramp with your boat while fetching the truck and trailer. What if someone has parked their boat to the side and has gone to get their trailer ahead of you. You have now made it harder for them. I always dock out of the way. Go get the truck and wait my turn at the ramp. Once in the water, I get the boat, drive it on the trailer, exit over the bow, hook the strap and up the ramp I go. Down here in FL, some folks get vicious at the ramps. I've seen folks that block the ramp with their boats, untied and pushed away to allow others to get by to their trailers. If your trailer isn't in the water, your boat don't belong at the launch ramp dock. Same goes for launching, get the boat in the water, tie it out of the way of the next guy, then go park the truck.

 

[mls2002]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

I'm curios about the rules when you arrive at the ramp. It never seems to fail that someone has not preped thier boat ahead of time. They back down, move the truck and then sit there getting thier gear together. You would like to think they're newbies and give some friendly advice.

 

[blifsey]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

At least at the ramps around here, there is 1 line for tow vehicles to queue up. If you block ramp with boat and before you get backed down someone arrives to launch, you could end up with boat ramp grid lock. Also, most courtesy docks I've seen only have cleats on the ends and outsides (away from ramp). That should give a clue as to how to tie up when launching (i.e. folks like mls mentioned should launch and move around to outside of dock if needed) and retrieving. <br /><br />Similar issue when launching solo is where do you tie-up boat while parking tow rig - hopefully clear of the ramp.

 

[idonthaveaname]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

Jason -- Shut the switch off, which you should be able to do, and turn on the flashers.

 

[idonthaveaname]

Re: Boat Ramp Rules of the Road?

I just noticed this thread is from 2003. Really? I mean, I can understand having older threads, but it seems they could be identified better. It's not like I was surfing back through time and came across this.