Ramp courtesy 2024

1. Before you pull onto the ramp have your gear stowed in the boat,

have the tiedown straps removed.

Plug installed.

Winch unhooked.

2. Don't block the ramp other people want to put in/pull out of the water too.

Their time is just as important as you think yours is.

The world don't revolve around you.

3. Park clear of the ramp.

there is a whole parking lot in most cases.

Someone may be handicapped and want to fish too.

4. Loading your boat.

Once on the trailer move to the far side of the parking area to stow your gear.

5. Dirt or gravel bar launching.

You may be there first but that is not ANY EXCUSE for leaving your trailer in the water.

Once again others are entitled to use the same area on public waters.

6. Slow down

You dont need to power launch or load. NO WAKE means just that NO WAKE.

It does not mean go slow and still throw a wake, that is NO WAKE!!

Someone loading onto the courtesy boat may not be as athletic as you.

Older people need a bit more time to get in and out of a boat, knees and hips dont work like

they use to.

7. Dont clean your fish at the ramp!!

This is bad PR for us who fish!! Like the bad hunter, bad fishermen leave trash and fish remains

for everyone to see or smell. Not good for the bunny huggers whining!!

8. Treat everyone at the ramp like you think you should be treated.

You never know when you will need a two off the lake!!

9. Dont block ramp access.

that means get to heck out of the way, not everyone can back a trailer in those tight spaces.

10. See all the above and dont think for one minute people are not watching you.

They see the bad things lure packages on the ground worm cans blown around.

11. Pickup your trash!!

If the dumpster is overloaded dont add your crap to it, take it home.

Once again people seem to think the world revolves around them, its time to start policing ourselves if we want to continue fishing. The Bunny Huggers are out to stop us and now is the time to be proactive in making our sport look better.

Ozarkie

Great post..The only thing I don't do is unhook my winch strap until my trailer is in the water.  I have a ranger with bunker trailer and I am sure it would be fine, but the ramps I use are steep and I am probably just being paranoid.

Amen,

I get tired of drunk fishermen/skiers hawgn up the ramp. If you're to wasted to back a trailer then you should not be on the lake!! >

  Quote

Great post..The only thing I don't do is unhook my winch strap until my trailer is in the water. I have a ranger with bunker trailer and I am sure it would be fine, but the ramps I use are steep and I am probably just being paranoid.

ditto   dont unhook till in the water

Welcome Ozarkie,

Very good post. I could write a book about all the clowns I've seen at the boat ramps.

Falcon

Welcome aboard!

Pretty good opening post.   8-)

Something to add to the list:  If you have limited experience launching a boat (like I do), choose the times of the week/day when there is less traffic at the ramp!  This way, you don't feel pressured and you have more time to get it right!  

I guess it's a regional/local thing. Here you are expected to power load/launch almost 100% of the time. Doubly so if you have 2 people, you might get some slack if launching alone. Your expected to drive down the ramp with one guy in the boat ready to go (except maybe minus the winch strap and he'll do that after the engine cranks) - crank, back off the trailer and move to the beach area/dock till your partner returns. If your alone your expected to back down, crank, get off the trailer, beach, move your truck asap. Loading is the same thing, just pull up to the beaching area enough for the guy to get off and get the truck while you idle around and get on the trailer, get the winch strap down (many skip this part) and pull out.

Of course it's pretty common here to have more than 1 tournament on a weekend launching at the same launch and just one tournament might have 300 teams so there's a lot to launch in a short period in the morning.

You can take a lot more time at the smaller "community" lakes and it's understood that you know how to load/unload your boat by the time you take it to the "big" lake on a busy weekend.

I fish by myself 99% of the time. I too have a Ranger & release the bow strap when the boat is in the water. I also have to back the boat off the trailer & tie it up before moving the truck & trailer from the ramp. I do this as quickly as I can but it does take a few min. longer. I have been doing this for years & no one has complained to me.

;D Some people are just hilarious at the ramp.

I tend to try and help out the people that are ahead of me in "line". Some people get all pissy when ya try to give em a hand though.

recommend you add,if its dark,turn off the head lights as you back down the ramp,if there,s more than one ramp,cause if your trying to back down a ramp,and there in another vehicle already there with there lights on,you really can,t see,,,ya know ?

I would also add don't butt in line if you are heading to the ramp. If you see someone sitting in their truck with an empty trailer in line that doesn't give you the right to launch before they get their boat. I had this experience this weekend at the BR tourney at Lake Little Dixie in MO. I was retieving my little BassHound and a jerk with a Skeeter drove around me and looked at me like I was stupid for blocking him to launch his big boat...needless to say after a few choice words about courtesy I got to get my boat out of the water in the order it should have been.

Harshman

I had fun at the local lake this weekend too.  Putting in was relatively uneventful, I was gearing up the boat off to the side and a fella stopped and asked me where I was in line.  Awesome!  That's the way...

Rest of the day...not so good.

Pulling up to end the day some guys back their boat down the ramp as we're approaching the dock...I wait for them....

They get out and they haven't geared up yet.  They spent 20 minutes on the ramp getting their crap together!

To top it all off as I'm backing down the ramp two folks in a canoe pull up onto the ramp (from the water) and leave their canoe so they can go to the restroom.  Right in the middle of the ramp.

I wasn't pleased, but then again this was a Sunday...BEAUTIFUL weather and I had nothing else major to do.  So all things considered it could've been worse.  

I really hate it when someone has crappy ramp manners though!  Great post!

I would add to the list, that if you are backing in and it's still dark turn off your &%$*$&@! headlights.  You ruin the night vision for everybody waiting in line behind you.  

What exactly is defined as "power loading?"  It seems that there is no definite definition.  When we load our 12 footer, it takes a bit to get down the ramp with an empty trailer as you can't see it until it has turned to far to be straightened.  Then, I idle up to the trailer.  Once the bow has cleared the back crossbar, I will give it a little more power, but never more than 1/3 to 1/2 of the max.  (4 horses, not as much as it sounds) Then when it seats on the bunks, I will leave it in idle for a sec, and shut it off when dad has the winch hooked.  Would that be considered power loading?  I see when people idle to the trailer with there 300 horse opti and punch it to inch up the trailer bunks, and that makes it hard to load my little boat properly when they are right next to me.  Mine never stays above idle for more than 5 seconds while loading, and it is usually 2 or 3 as it loads pretty easily.

Good Read.

DNR like to give tickets in Michigan for powerloading as it washes out the dirt behind the cement ramp. Most people still do it though.  :

I don't undo my strap until my boat is in the water.

I would say yes to turn off your head lights, but like my truck and many others, you can not turn them off if its dark. they are auto. If there is way to over ride them on a chevy Tahoe. please let me know. I would love to be able to turn them off

HPBB to turn off your lights there should be a dome override button under a manual light switch press it 3 times i think its within 2 or 3 seconds and you can use the manual switch to control your lights, thats the way it is in my Silverado i imagine its the same with the tahoe, by the way great post once I had a guy with 2 jet skis backs down the ramp walks out into the middle of the water unhooks them gets back in the truck pulls out mean while his wife is holding one of the jet skis in front of the ramp while the other starts floating away he runs down the ramp swims out to get the other one then brings it back to the ramp and starts them letting them idle in front of the ramp then forget their life jackets so go back to the truck to get them meanwhile still blocking the ramp, greatest part of the whole ordeal was he starts going up river stalls out the jet ski and gets towed back, longest 30 mins ever spent trying to load a boat.

bassin1887, thank you I'll try that. If it wasn't raining (or should I say Monsooning). I would go out and try it right now.

HPBB your welcome and sorry to hear about the rain we have slight showers in the morning down here im hoping it will get the pollen down so i can bare going out wedensday morning, one thing about the switch though is that it also controls your interior lights it took me like a month to figure this one out so if your interior lights dont work press the dome override switch one more time and everything should be in working order.

WELCOME ABOARD   Awesome post.

HPBB, my ZR2 S-10 turns off the headlights with 4 presses of the button next to my light switch. 4 presses undoes the manual feature and it goes auto again.

I'd like to throw my two cents in.....

I despise "Ramp Hogs". I've seen this for years. The wealthy or in debt Idiot with a Fountain boat or the owner of some elite Cigarette boat at the ramp or at the docks just just has to linger to "impress" others with his boat or rig. They lounge around doing their thing while others, like myself, are waiting for them to get out of the way.

I have a new philosophy. Give  'em hell. I'm tired of them and their egos screwing things up for others.

The other thing that drives me nuts are the jet skiers. They're as bad as the "Ramp Hogs" with the big expensive boats. They'll take up a ramp for over a half an hour to launch and prepare a boat that most men could carry on their back if they had to....not really, just a metaphor.  I am polite to them because most are new to boating and really can't afford a boat but they need to learn boating etiquette as well.

 I probably should have asked to be safe but I pulled up in the lot and 2 boats were getting their boats ready before heading down to the ramp. I took my time getting ready and they still weren't ready to launch so I went ahead and pulled up and launched. They didn't seem to care plus both launches were open so I fig'd no big deal. I just felt awkward even though I was gone before they were ready.

On the outgoing end of things everyone did a nice job either tied up or waiting out in the open. I felt bad as I was by myself and the wind was fierce so it took a while.

Someone earlier or orig post  ( I think) that if they launch single that people would jeer. That's BS nobody has the right to hassle someone for fishing by themselves they are not the launch police. If they have a problem with quickness they can always offer to pitch in.

PS

 Harshman way to go your post was funny. What was with the guy did he think his Skeeter's stuff didn't stink or what?

What did he oficially have to say about cutting in line? This we gotta hear!

I got a good one.....we have a huge problem with kids swiming at the boat ramp. (No swiming at the Ramp) also no fishing at the ramp dont know how many time i would come in and there fishing of the dock and in the way.

As far a power loading... i do because i dont have a strap to pull her in with i got a bar that locks the bow eye. i do want to change it though.  but i do let my girl hammer it either just slow adjustments

check this boat ramp prob out  ;D ;D ;D ;D

I haven't had much bad happen at the ramp yet.  The only thing I'd say if you head back to the ramp and there is a boat or two near the ramp, watching the ramp, not fishing,  then guess what?  They are waiting their turn to dock. THAT DOESN"T MEAN YOU BARREL YOUR BOAT TO THE DOCK AND TIE ON! >

bassin1887 & Tom Bass, Thank you for the info on getting the lights to go off. The 3 times hitting the button did not work, but 4 times worked great. Thanks

Last weekend, we had a guy with the cover off trying to work on his motor. Bad move, for one the boat ramp is not the place to make sure your stuff is going to run. Plus, the boat was a big offshore boat, you would have to be almost stupid to head out in the ocean with a motor that will not run properly.

Tony.

Ghost Rider

Holy Cow :o

looks like some one forgot to put in there plug

not to mention thats one small loading ramp.

also just noticed whats that guy trying to accomplish with the rope to the steering wheel :-?

  Quote

Ghost Rider

Holy Cow :o

looks like some one forgot to put in there plug

not to mention thats one small loading ramp.

also just noticed whats that guy trying to accomplish with the rope to the steering wheel :-?

I wonder where you launch? Around here that's a 2 lane boat ramp that will handle 100's of people on tournament day....

BoB,

I fish out in California, There's alot of ramps out here that fits 3 but not all. In that picture it even seems small for a 2, but If they cleaned up that dirt slide on the right it would look more like two lane.

  Quote

Last weekend, we had a guy with the cover off trying to work on his motor. Bad move, for one the boat ramp is not the place to make sure your stuff is going to run. Plus, the boat was a big offshore boat, you would have to be almost stupid to head out in the ocean with a motor that will not run properly.

Tony.

Not necessarily.  It could be that he is restoring the boat, and being an oceangoing boat, it probably has a big engine that is impractical to test in the garbage can.  And, if you are truly repairing a motor, running on the muffs doesn't cut it.  Their is no load on the exhaust and you cant go much higher than 1500 rpm.  As long as he is fixing it at the prep site/parking lot, or on the backside of a courtesy dock, no harm no foul.  It could be, that he wants to start it, run it just past the no wake zone, hit it up to full throttle, and come back home, knowing his motor works.  In the restoration/motor repair field, that is quite common.

  Quote

Ghost Rider

Holy Cow :o

looks like some one forgot to put in there plug

not to mention thats one small loading ramp.

also just noticed whats that guy trying to accomplish with the rope to the steering wheel :-?

This pic was taken on lake travis in Texas ..... What happen was this hydro V-drive was set up for a photo shoot and my home boy did not put his bildge pump in. He ran the boat after the photo shoot and did not park it with the nose out but with it to the side. a Big baja came by and wake it... the first one almost sunk it and the 2nd one fishished the job.... he got it out with fuel burns from the gas leaking out  of the fuel tanks. All the members of THB jumped in and helped him with it. He blew the engine after he got it out. he thinks one of the cyl was hot when the water got into the block. i just though you guys would get a kick out of it. i have more picture of sunken jets if ya want it see them lol

I did not jeer anyone for fishing solo, as I fish solo a lot.

I timed myself Saturday at Norfork AR ramp nearest the dam. Took me five minutes to lauch from the time I started backing up to moving the truck to the parking area. Took about the same to load.

On Tablerock last night it took 8 minutes as I missed the bow roller and had to back the truck in a 2nd time to center the boat on the trailer. There was noone else on the ramp last night.

Saturday evening after I loaded the boat I pulled well away from the ramp to clearup the gear clutter and stow for travel.

I just make it a point to have everything ready when I hit the ramp either way loading or unloading.

All I have to do is back in and unload or back in and load the boat.

But I did see a lot of people stowing gear and installing motor supports on the ramp.

One man in a small aluminum boat was trolling back and forth in front of the boat ramp.

Ozarkie

we have a problem with water lice at the ramps here in texas also

I've got to say this... I was out solo a couple of weeks ago and I backed my boat down into the water, then got in my boat, trimmed the motor down into the water to start it, and I went to crank... NOTHING! Tried again, Nothing again.  I knew it couldn't have been a dead battery, because the battery was well charged, so I tried to trim the motor back up to pull the boat out of the way of others, but unfortunately, the trim wouldn't work either.  I felt like crap because I knew I was in everyone's way, but I couldn't risk tearing up my prop by pulling the boat out.  I knew it had to be a fuse, and luckily I did have some spare fuses in my tackle box, but I did have to take off my motor cover to replace it, and I had to do it on the ramp!  A few people did have to wait about 10-15 minutes for this whole ordeal to take place and they probably didn't know what I was doing.  I felt like crap for making people wait for me, but that's the way things go sometimes.  I've had to sit in traffic for over an hour at a time while wrecks were cleaned off the road.  I'm normally quick on and off the ramp, but #*$& happens sometimes.  I can understand getting upset when you know people are taking their sweet time on the ramp, but if someone has their motor cover off, give them a break... or better yet, ask if they need help.

  Quote

I've got to say this... I was out solo a couple of weeks ago and I backed my boat down into the water, then got in my boat, trimmed the motor down into the water to start it, and I went to crank... NOTHING! Tried again, Nothing again.  I knew it couldn't have been a dead battery, because the battery was well charged, so I tried to trim the motor back up to pull the boat out of the way of others, but unfortunately, the trim wouldn't work either.  I felt like crap because I knew I was in everyone's way, but I couldn't risk tearing up my prop by pulling the boat out.  I knew it had to be a fuse, and luckily I did have some spare fuses in my tackle box, but I did have to take off my motor cover to replace it, and I had to do it on the ramp!  A few people did have to wait about 10-15 minutes for this whole ordeal to take place and they probably didn't know what I was doing.  I felt like crap for making people wait for me, but that's the way things go sometimes.  I've had to sit in traffic for over an hour at a time while wrecks were cleaned off the road.  I'm normally quick on and off the ramp, but #*$& happens sometimes.  I can understand getting upset when you know people are taking their sweet time on the ramp, but if someone has their motor cover off, give them a break... or better yet, ask if they need help.

Right #$%^ happens even if you start your boat before leaving the house. Most peopel are cool about stuff like that but there are aholes out there.

You guys know i run a jet boat but GR went fishing last week OH i say i went fishing hahahaha  Yep I caught a 22" large mouth bass on the 5 cast WOOOOHOOOOOO i tried to get the pic off my phone but with no luck. Oh to my point we got back to the ramp and there were guys fishing off the dock that goes around the ramps ... one got all up set because he had to pull his line in. The own of the boat told him his line was in his way. I told him this dock is the boat ramp not a fishing dock. Two on one so he shut his pie hole. i had the trailer back up and the boat loaded with in 3 min.

bassboy1,

I do not think this guy was restoring his boat, considering it looked brand new, also he was right in the middle of the one of two deep water launches, and considering there was five 20+ ft center consoles waiting to luanch I am surprised  he did not get an earful. Around here tempers get short when it gets hot, especially at the Wildlife ramp. Now at the other end of 1/2 mile cut from the Water Way to the Cape Fear river lies a state park, it costs $5 dollars to launch but it is alot less crowded and the people that launch there are a little more relaxed. I luanch there just because it is a nicer ramp, paved versus dirt. It  is also where I taught my wife to load and unload our boat. The problem around here is that people buy the biggest boat that they can get financed versus what they can handle, therefore you get people who have never operated nor owned a boat trying to launch a 25 to 30 ft offshore boat. And they can not understand why people get testy.

Tony

previous topic

next topic