Busy ramp...your thoughts? 2024

Bassin101 reply :

Twice this weekend I saw people park their boat on the "ramp side" of the dock. He went to either park or get the truck, while she sat there taking up space in one lane. Both times there was room on the other side of the dock. > Is this OK with you? ???

With two person loaders why doesn't someone idle the boat away from dock traffic until the trailer arrives? And keep the *%$ swimming jet skiers away from the dock area. AARGH!

Now thats off my chest, I feel better. ;D

tnroadrnr reply :

Yep. There are some folks that just don't understand. I watched a fellow and his family a few weeks ago take 20 minutes on the ramp to tie thier boat down on the trailer and take stuff out of the boat and put in their truck!

guest reply :

Yes, I pride myself on my ramp times.

You pre load away from the ramp so all you have to do is dump the boat and pull away.

When you take out you hop up, grab your vehicle and wait in line, go down, load boat and pull up into an area where you can prepare the boat for travel.

Thats it, so simple! I feel your pain Bassin 101- those are the same people that are oblivious to everyone else. I get so ticked at the lack of general respect to others.

fishinfool reply :

Sometimes, the person that's holding the boat doesn't always know how to operate it. I know when I take my g/f out w/ me thats the case. She doesn't know how to run the boat or back up the trailor, and she's blonde which out rules the option of teaching her . On a really busy day i'll just pull the boat up on the bank near the parking lot so i 'm not in anyone's way and I can take all the time I need, then i'll just drive the boat over to the trailor after backin it down.

Bassin101 reply :

Fishinfool, I know that is the case many times. I am mostly a single launcher/loader so I need to be organized. I also use the shoreline if necessary.

gamblerOH reply :

My fishing partner and I get the boat unhooked and totally ready while were in line( I am usually so early theres no line) and can unload and be out of the way in a matter of seconds, really. We can load just about as fast because he knows exactly where to put the trailer and I dont even get out of the boat, I just pull it up until it hits the stop and hook it and lock it down then he pulls out of the way. Hydragorrilla, your the kind of guy I like to follow to the launch. It makes for a bad day if you get all worked up before the tourney even starts. The other day I saw a couple guys loading and the trailer was in the water waiting and the guy in the boat was out in the middle of the marina idling around in circles organizing his tackle. >:(i cant stand selfish people.

Muddpuppy reply :

I also load alot by myself. I try to make sure everything is in it's place and double double checked before I start down the ramp. I also try to use the smaller or less used ramps if possible. Normally if there are a few multi boaters I let them go first. I have seen people loading/unloading boats on the ramp, pleasure and ski barges are the usually worst. Tag alongs dragging lawn furniture Ice chests and water toys. We did get behind 3 guys that looked like they should know what they were doing, And I think that they loaded everything into their boat includeing batteries, out of the back of the truck with the boat and trailer in the water, while takeing up one lane on a packed larger ramp last year when the crappie were schooling. They didn't get much sympathy when it wouldn't crank either.

When I take my wife and she can back a trailer she can't see the boat trailer without the boat. I really need new mirrors or posts. But we can park out of the way and I back the trailer in and let her pull the truck out after loading the boat and the same when unloading.

roadwarrior reply :

Rather than getting all worked up, I offer assistance to those guys and gently explain ramp etiquette. They don't know!

We have a very busy ramp and loading or unloading equipment isn't going to get it. It's a two boat ramp and backing down the middle doesn't get it either. Most guys are pretty receptive to some constructive suggestions. No one appreciates a loud, in your face confrontational tone. Approach the situation in a positive way and it will pay dividends over time.

gamblerOH reply :

Roadwarrior, like I said in my earlier post I usually get to the ramp early, so when my boats in the water and docked I always find any single boaters and ask them if they would like for me to back them in, they almost always accept the help and it makes a huge difference for everyone. A lot of earlybirds in our club do the same thing, this helps to insure all of outr guys make it to the water in time for blast off. We have had guys in our club in the past that wait as much as 45 min. to launch, we inspected their livewells and started without them so they lost thier starting #'s. Our main ramps usually have room for 4 but some people feel the need to take up at least 2 of them. That is the biggest reason I go so early, so that I dont have to worry about missing my start #.I think that there should be a required course to operate a boat and ramp etiquette should be a major part of it.

roadwarrior reply :

Agreed!

Required course to operate a powerboat. That sounds simple.

guest reply :

I wouldn't yell at anybody. I always offer to help, if they don't want it, I politely stand there. and stand there, and sometimes stand there some more.

I used to use a ramp that every mourning in the summer would dump about 75 boats, it was a one boat ramp! Eventually the fish and game would have to stand there and explain to the newbies how things work.

But honestly, newbie or not...seems like pretty common sense to make haste at the ramp...especially if there is a line.

mac7373 reply :

One of the lakes in Oregon that I fished almost daily during the spring and summer was also a really heavily skied and jet skied lake. I was most times alone since I lived only 2 minutes from the boat ramps...I would just come home from work and grab the boat and go rather than looking for someone to go with me. Anyway, this being the case I was always responsible for unloading and loading the boat by my self. This particular boat ramp had the dock down the middle with a ramp on both sides of the dock. It was rare for the boat on the other side of the ramp to load and be pulled out of the water before me. The lake was so busy that I always other boatswaiting on me and I was fast about it too, at the very slowest I was out of the water in 3-4 minutes, [this includes docking the boat- running up to get the trailer-backing it into the water-jumping out and back down the dock-getting the boat-trailering it-securing the boat with the trailer winch-climbing up the trailer tongue into the back of the pick-up (through the sliding back window) or the Yukon (through the back window)-pull out and then secure everything on the boat once out of the way]...and then these same people who were waiting on me and acting all impatient would spend 10-15...sometimes 20 minutes in the ramp slot doing pretty much nothing but seeing just how far it is humanly possible to have your head up you're a$$ while acting like they were pretty much the only people at the lake. Rude, inconsiderate and completely self-absorbed is the simplest way it can be described and it seems to be something that runs rampant among recreational boaters. (for the record I have seen lots of fisherman act the same way, just not anywhere near the numbers of the other boaters)

Shad_Master reply :

The ramp shows can be funny as all get out. Last year, during a tournament, there were four guys (looked like high school, maybe college) trying to launch a boat. After about 5 attempts to back the trailer down, they decided that it would be easier to unhook the boat and walk it down. They managed to get it unhooked on the ramp and then tried to hold it back while it was rolling down. The trailer ended up sideways on the ramp (almost headed down bow first) before they got it stopped. somehow they finally managed to get it in the water and then tried to pull the trailer up the ramp back to the truck. This show as certainly worth the price of admission. ;D

Raul reply :

Gotta love jonboats, you can dump them anywhere ! ;D

Bassin101 reply :

Raul, funny you mentioned that. Saturday, at the two space ramp, when we were loading it was late and not busy. A young man in mid 20's pulls up with a quad and upsidedown jon on a trailer. In about 7 min. he had the boat in, with poles, battery, motor and everything and pulled it onto the bank while he parked the truck.

Young and strong. :

Jagrrich reply :

Well :-[ I must be one of the guys that no one likes. This is my second boat <she's old> and the first one that really runs well. It takes a good bit of warming up to put her in gear. What I have to do is pull it around the dock to the non loading/lunching side and let it warm up there. I will say this though my launch time is very very quick. Its my loading time that I'm not good at. It's gotten to the point that I manually load the boat by wading out and hooking the boat on the wrench and wrenching her up. Its not that bad but I do get some looks. I just haven't figured out the right trailer position in order to drive it on. Plus I don't have a bon a fide towing vehicle, I use my Chevy Malibu, so the tongue is lower than the axle's.

I have to say since my loading time is alittle longer than the seasoned boater, it is better than some I've seen, I wait until the ramp gets slow before I trailer the boat.

I guess I've got to learn more about boats.

I'll try to be quicker guys. :-[

sykofish reply :

mac7373, sounds like you used to fish Hagg lake. That place is a zoo most times.

I always try to encourage everyone to practice! Never get in someones face at the ramp, try walking over and offering to help. Offer suggestions and try and be patient. Not everyone wants to listen or be helped, but most times it will hurry them along anyway.

jagrrich, your half way there. Keep practicing and you will get the hang of it. Sometimes the best thing you can do is go to a busy ramp and watch others. Try going to a tournament and watch others load there boats at the end of the day. It has always amazed me here in the N.W. how 50 bass boats can be launched and loaded in the same time it takes 100 salmon boats to simply launch. >

Muddpuppy reply :

Jagrrich: This is just a thought but could you put down the jack to raise the tounge up a little when you start to load? I don't know if you could raise it up enough to justify the trouble or not. Maybe carry some blocks with you to put under it so there is less cranking. I know I have had to do something like that with farm equipment . Don't forget to raise it back up before pulling out. Also the wheels on the car will have to stay on the ground.

Rebbasser reply :

Quote
My fishing partner and I get the boat unhooked and totally ready while were in line( I am usually so early theres no line) and can unload and be out of the way in a matter of seconds, really

Same here-back it down and hit the brakes-the boat slides right off. A little more time consuming launching alone.

I'm like the rest of y'all-I offer to help. Time before last I couldn't get traction on a wet ramp. Couple of ol' boys jumped in the back and gave me the weight I needed. I've done the same for other folks. Just takes a little common courtesy.

Shad, you ain't kidding-the ramp show can be hilarious.

gamblerOH reply :

Jagrrich, you are not one of those people. The people we are talking about dont realize or care that they are holding others up, you on the other hand realize that others are waiting and try to do better.I have launched alone a lot and its not easy,but if i'm not fishing a tourney and its a weekend then I try to go to a ramp that gets less use. The main ramps seem to get all of the tourney traffic.

J._Bricker reply :

A few guys mentioned "common sense" and "common courtesy". If it was common, everyone would have it. Anymore, I feel it just isn't worth gettin' steamed over, because some folks just don't know any better. Besides, with some of the stuff you see happen at the ramp, I'm glad I get to see it for free when other people spend good money to see the same thing ;D

digdug reply :

I've seen some real shows at the ramp. Fights at the ramp. Tow vehicle go down the ramp, way down the ramp, People the ruin a pair tire pulling a boat out, the person behind the wheel floors the gas to pull the boat out. (Don't get to close, those hot melted pieces of tire, burn!)

For a real show you should come to the upper end of Grand Lake during spoonbill season. On busy weekends the state police/Fish & Game will have a couple of officers directing traffic at the boatramps, then a couple of other directing traffic in the park, then sometimes it get really wild and they call the helicopter and officers in boats to help.

I agree, with the other guys, if your going to operate a motor boat, you should have to have a permit, just like a car. (By coast guard defintion a motor boat is any boat that is powered by a motor.) This would include the jet skiers too!!!

Low_Budget_Hooker reply :

In RI, jet skiers have to take a mandatory safety course and become "liscenced". It blows my mind though that my 16 yr old niece could legally buy a 57 foot hattaras and start guiding it through the channel. Never mind the fact that the state could stand to make a little money with a safety course and liscencing program.

As for the ramp situation, I think we just need to help educate those who don't understand or realize a thing called "ramp etiquette"

Jakesbuds reply :

i've seen my share of puppet shows at boat launches. . . i've even seen people get into fights before. Just last weekend there was a line of trucks and trailers about 15 deep and it was a 2 lane launch. one guy got stuck in the water because he still had it in reverse when he took off and the guy next to him couldn't get anyone to move so he could get his boat onto the trailer. people need to realize that when there's others around you need to be READY to pull in/out and get your boat out of the way quickly. And people also need to realize that there are others waiting to get on/off too so it's not appropriate to sit there and strap your boat all the way down and tarp it too. . . pull away from the launch and then do that stuff. .

Raul reply :

Keep in mind this: Treat others the way you want to be treated, if you 're one of those guys that takes hours to launch a boat probably next time you 're going to be the one who has to be waiting for the other guy to launch his boat.

Jetskiers and waterskiers are not fishermen those ain 't included in the same class an are not subject to ramp etiquette, you can beat the crap out of them with no remorse and you have my blessing to do so.

guest reply :

The most chapping part about P.W.C. users are they have not paid their dues...what I mean by that is they have not paid for what they are using....... As sportsmen we pay millions maybe billions of dollars to state agencies through various means.

mac7373 reply :

sykofish

Quote
mac7373, sounds like you used to fish Hagg lake. That place is a zoo most times.

I have fished Haag Lake a few times when I lived in Forrest Grove for two years and when I lived in Beaverton for 8 months. Caught some nice smallmouth out of there. If I am not mistaken I think the state record smallmouth was caught there the year before I moved up there or the year I moved there...I think 2000 or 2001? I lived up there while my wife was a grad student at Pacific University from 2001-2004. Yep...It was a mad house most of the time. I was actually referring to Cooper Creek Reservoir down in Douglas County though. I used to live close enough to Cooper Creek that I could here the boats and jet skies like they were in my back yard sometimes.

Fished the Columbia a couple times too but I was in way over my head fishing that river without someone who new it really well. Fished a tournament in the Columbia with a guy who grew up there, and we...or rather I did allot better that time. Great smallmouth water.

Also fished Tenmile Lakes a few times...placed 2nd in the 2000 Bassin' for Bucks there and won big fish as well. Fished Siltcoos, Tahkenitch, Dorena (day and night tournaments), Loon Lake (another madhouse at the ramps), and fished a couple of tournaments at Shasta in north Cali. Being from Oklahoma, fishing up there was a lot different and a trial and error kinda deal for a while...but I made some good friends and learned some great lessons that helped diversify my fishing approach.

I saw from your profile you live in Warren, that's Derek Anderson country (Scappoose), you must be a Beaver?...I don't know if you get down south much but if your ever down by Azalea in Douglas County give Galesville Reservoir a try if you haven't already. There are some monster largemouth in there...they have been predicting for the last five years that the next state record would come from there...nobody can seem to land her though. I watched some (several) fish on the beds there back in 2001 and again in 2003 that were easily heavy 11's or light 12's. I left them alone though...I won't mess with bedding fish unless there is money at stake.

Anyway...nice talkin at ya. Later.

Low_Budget_Hooker reply :

unfortunately, I own 3 boats and 2 jetski's. Sorry I don't qualify to be treated like a human being. I treat others like I wish to be treated and I am very quick on the ramp. I've spent plenty of time helping and educating folks on the ramps also.

The fact that I also enjoy P.W.C. shouldn't make me a target for unsolicited violence.

I also fish. SO what now?? Do we just armwrestle? Treat people on an individual basis. If I approach the ramp next weekend at 60 in my Ranger, should the guy I swamp beat the ***** out of the next guy that comes along with a bass boat??

Bassin101 reply :

As in anything else, its usually 20% of the people that cause 80% of the problems.

Cheers,

GO SUN DEVILS!!!!!!!

mac7373 reply :

You know I made the comment earlier that I thought recreational boaters and jet skiers were more likely to be slow on the ramp than most of the bass fisherman I have seen or know and then I thought that was too of a generalized comment...but now that I think about it more, there might actually be some truth to that. I think it might have something to do with the fact that...I would assume that there is a huge alcohol consumption difference in your different types of boaters? I can't remember, if it's ever happened that I have ever drank alcohol while bass fishing on a public lake. But...I sure have drank my fair share of bear and whatnot while skiing or out on the jet ski though. You know it actually could play a part in the whole thing.

squid reply :

I have seen lots of slow ppl unload and load their boats....my favorite time was when we were in line to unload and this older cpl was ahead of us. When it got to their turn, he put her in the boat, dropped it in the water, left his truck right there, went to start the boat, took a long time to get it started. Left the boat in the launch side and went to park his truck. Didn't even move it out of the way so others could unload. Well he didn't even move the boat when it stalled out, so we had to wait for him to again get the motor started. We must have had 15 boats lined up and ready by the time they went on their way to enjoy the water and the rays. We were all just laughing out of disbelief of what just happend for over 30 minutes. What made it even more humorous was that just about all of us asked to help and he turned us all down. Must have been in their late 70's early 80's...cute cpl though...lol

Just remember to try and keep it on the lighter side depending on the situation....lol ;D

Bassin101 reply :

Mac I'm sure that does have an affect.

In Arizona you only need to be 12 yr old to drive a PWC. That probably contributes as well.

I just want them to be careful so they do not get hurt or hurt someone else. And its easy to get hurt around the docks and landings. 8)

GO DEVILS!!!!

guest reply :

Good point Low Budget-

Lets thumb wrestle

Hot n Tot reply :

You guys should be at some of our local lakes during the spring crappie spawn. This past spring I witnessed a guy back his trailer into another guy's boat. The ramp was pretty full and the guy had left his boat sitting on the ramp while he went to park his truck. There isn't anywhere to pull your boat over to the side at this ramp, but the ramp is wide enough to launch 6 boats at one time so this is a common practice there. While this guy was parking his truck, the other guy came flying back down the ramp and ran all over the his boat. He had to see the other guys boat because lights on the front and rear of the boat were turned on. We could clearly see it from where we were sitting. He got out to see what he had hit then got back in his truck and left the ramp. He probably went to launch at another ramp that's close by so he wouldn't have to answer for his actions. The boat owner returned to find the side of his boat dented in. We told him what had happened, but the guy who did it was long gone. It was before daylight, and we were sitting in our boat a good ways from the ramp waiting for first light so we couldn't get the guys tag number. All of this happened because some guy was probably worried someone might get to his fishing hole before him.

Low_Budget_Hooker reply :

Just a point

* I have never consumed alchohol and operated my jetskis. Nor has anyone I've ever let ride one

* more than 1 of my fishing partners drink regularly while bass fishing although I sustain, I do indulge in the occasional bone.(yea, sue me)

*All this said, I also can load both skis just as quickly as it takes to load my 21'. There is a system to unloading/loading ANY vehicle. Having a system for your personal task and executing it are far more important in my opinion than the actual type of craft being moved. A guy w/ a kayak on his roof can be more of a hassle than a bass boat if hes an absolute moron, and vise versa.

gc reply :

My brother told me a funny story. Near his house by the lake (in New Zealand) there's a small ramp. One day he went down there and someone had launched their boat and just left their car and trailer right there, figuring, I guess, that was the most convenient car park right there. Everyone else had to just drive around the lake to the other boat ramp. Now thats inconsiderate, or probably just plain dumb. Maybe he got towed in the end, don't know.

Landis76 reply :

Kind of a funny story related:

I was fishing by myself the other day and when I pulled up to the dock, there were about 4 "privileged" college kids getting read to load their fairly new and very nice ski/wakeboard Tige boat on the trailer. One of the guys noticed I was by myself and tying up and he was nice enough to ask if I need help. I politely said, "Neh, I do this all the time." He seemed shocked and said that he wouldn't be able to do that himself as I walked off to grab the pick-up. Long story short, I was loaded and pulling away to drive home before those 4 guys even got their boat on the trailer.

I also pride myself in my launch and load times. Not many faster than me.

abelfisher reply :

Hey Alandis, are you married yet?

Landis76 reply :

September 4th man.

And to tie this in to the subject, she is awesome in backing a trailer. She's used to pulling a 30ft goose neck horse trailer.

sykofish reply :

[quote author=mac7373

I saw from your profile you live in Warren, that's Derek Anderson country (Scappoose), you must be a Beaver?

mac7373 reply :

Low_Budget_Hookers

I totally agree with you. But you know how some people get when they start drinking...they like to stand around and run their lip, show off and make sure that everyone had the opportunity to see them act a fool. I was always told beer and stuff was "liquid courage"...but I think it has evolved to become "instant ego". You get guys up on the boat ramp with chicks in the boat with them and they've got their ego and their buzz going...they have to make sure everyone sees them. Then on the other hand...like you or someone said earlier, "some people just don't know any better".

sykofish

My wife and I both graduated from U of O, but we have no loyalty to the school as far as being a supporter of the Ducks. Its obvious where my loyalties lye by looking at my posts. I was born and raised to love OU, circumstances just didn't work in my favor to where I could go there instead. Had Duck's season tickets though and when I wasn't watching on TV or flying down here to Oklahoma to see a game I was at the Ducks games. Went to all the Civil War games from 99'-04', those are flat out crazy. People in other parts of the country don't realize what a heated and competitive rivalry it is. My wife has kind of a weird college background...she was a Pre-Veterinary Medicine Major at Oregon State for two years, then transferred to U of O and Majored in Human Physiology/Exercise and Movement Science. I didn't meet many while I was there who had attended both schools like that. But she is a die-hard Sooner fan. Just incase you might ask yourself how this okie ended up out there. My wife was born and raised in Roseburg. After we both got out of the Army, I got out in 97'and she got out in 99'. We decided to go out there so she could be close to her family for a while. Oh well...later.

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