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Ramp Ettiquette


IamN2Speed

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Great thread!

Now, I just got my first boat recently. I will be doing both the unloading and loading of the boat and trailer duties. Gonna train the wife in the ways of the BUForce to take some of the duties off of me.

I hope I can remember all these tips. Remember rule #1 - Patience, when you see me out there this summer.

Let me know what your tips are for "Wifey Buforce". We gave up on the whole you can do the trailer idea, and she is still not comfortable maneuvering the boat (in reverse) between a bunch of other boats with 3 wee ones on board. Perfect case in point would be the boat luanch at Hayden Lake on a Saturday!

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So freaking true!!! Can't tell you how many times we have seen fights at the dock over this kind of crap. Forrest and I say we are going to take a cooler and some chairs and sit off to the side of a launch ramp one day just for entertainment. Shouldn't take but a few seconds to get your boat unloaded or loaded. If you don't know how to drive, then go practice on a mid-week day when no one is on the lake. Have to say we have a pretty good system down.

But I also agree w/ some of the other folks here that there are times when you may need additional time. If we are in this situation we pull the boat to the opposite side of dock and tie off - but this rarely happens.

Luckily we have owned a couple of BUs over the years and have had the time to practice and have both been through a boater safety course. The folks who are new to boating are the ones who make me nervous - or the ones who have been drinking all day and try to kill themselves loading at the end of the day.

Edited by crazylady
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Hmm. If you can't back your trailer...my wife will be happy to back it all the way down from the parking lot for you!

Lucky for us our two favorite ramps are 4 and 5 holers. Our watersport boat friends are all cross trained so their spouses can back a trailer or load/unload their boats.

I used to get agitated when we had to wait to get out, but now we just stay later on the water, more lake time for us.

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Let me know what your tips are for "Wifey Buforce". We gave up on the whole you can do the trailer idea, and she is still not comfortable maneuvering the boat (in reverse) between a bunch of other boats with 3 wee ones on board. Perfect case in point would be the boat luanch at Hayden Lake on a Saturday!

Heres a couple of tips on getting your wife "trained".

- Have one of your friends (who she likes) do the teaching. Since you are sleeping with this woman at the end of the day, maybe teaching her isn't the best idea. Rockon.gif

- Maybe you can take one or two of the wee ones with you when your going to the truck. This leaves her with less than 3 on the boat, and possibly a little easier on her nerves while she is handling the boat duties. And it might be easier for you to keep track of them once their strapped in their seats in the truck.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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Can we print this up and distribute to all dealers and maybe even DMV. (should be one of the top things on the list besides safety) Nothing worse than the Barneys at the launch ramp. :werule:

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- Maybe you can take one or two of the wee ones with you when your going to the truck. This leaves her with less than 3 on the boat, and possibly a little easier on her nerves while she is handling the boat duties. And it might be easier for you to keep track of them once their strapped in their seats in the truck.

I've never believed in having any one else but the driver in the Launch vehicle. You never know what could happen and wouldn't want the driver have to worry about getting any one else out of the vehicle as it's going under.

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My wife is also not really comfortable trailering in reverse or pulling the boat off the trailer... Here's how we do it... With the 3yr old.

Launching

1) Get the boat loaded & ready to launch in the prep area.

2) I back the boat into water, hop out, make sure it starts & everything seems to be running well, untie bow strap & un-trailer the boat

3) My wife parks the trailer while I idle around outside the no wake buoys.

4) I pick up my wife & son at the ramp dock and we go enjoy the day.

Loading

1) I pull into dock facing boat back to lake.

2) I get truck & trailer while wife pulls away and idles around outside no wake buoys.

3) When trailer is in water, she comes into dock just behind trailer.

4) I help her idle boat onto trailer, then gently power/winch into position.

5) We pull up into clean-up area or parking space to unload & get ready to travel...

Seems to work pretty well and quickly and keeps everyone happy... :)

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I'm going to try to get some video of the ramp this Memorial weekend. It's 4 or 5 lanes and packed, it should be interesting.

Then I'd have to figure out how to post it here :unsure:

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My wife is also not really comfortable trailering in reverse or pulling the boat off the trailer... Here's how we do it... With the 3yr old.

Launching

1) Get the boat loaded & ready to launch in the prep area.

2) I back the boat into water, hop out, make sure it starts & everything seems to be running well, untie bow strap & un-trailer the boat

3) My wife parks the trailer while I idle around outside the no wake buoys.

4) I pick up my wife & son at the ramp dock and we go enjoy the day.

Loading

1) I pull into dock facing boat back to lake.

2) I get truck & trailer while wife pulls away and idles around outside no wake buoys.

3) When trailer is in water, she comes into dock just behind trailer.

4) I help her idle boat onto trailer, then gently power/winch into position.5) We pull up into clean-up area or parking space to unload & get ready to travel...

Seems to work pretty well and quickly and keeps everyone happy... :)

That may work if you are on a lake with no wind, but that may not work so well if you have a wind blowing, or are trying to trailer on a river with a significant current (which is our situation).

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I'm going to try to get some video of the ramp this Memorial weekend. It's 4 or 5 lanes and packed, it should be interesting.

Then I'd have to figure out how to post it here :unsure:

You Tube. They need a good boat launch follies video on there!! Thumbup.gif

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YES! Tongue.gif

I hope you all can tell this was written with an attempt at humor, as well as trying to be helpful. I think there are really nuggets of information in the write up that can cause people to think about 'how' they launch or leave, and just THINK. Although posting here on the Crew Forum is kind of an excercise in futility, and a bit like preaching to the Choir. If there is a forum out there called "cluelessboaters.com" let me know, I'll join up there and post too... Whistling.gif

yes....I knew it was an attempt at humor....just wanted to add that sometimes there are other reasons people do what they do at the ramp. I hate waiting for wallies as much as the next guy...but sometimes a little human compassion can go a long ways.

There is a lot to be learned from these rules and 90% of the time I follow everyone of them....and as soon as I can get the wife to be fully confident in her trailer backing abilities....I will be golden!

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.and as soon as I can get the wife to be fully confident in her trailer backing abilities....I will be golden!

My Wife can drive the truck/trailer foward and park it but she just can't get the backing thing down, she tried learning one spring and just yelled at me as I sat drinking a cool beverage quietly a safe distance away.

But to be fare, I will never learn to dust or clean a bathroom either. Biggrin.gif

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It baffles me as to why some guys say that their women can't back the trailer or drive the boat (one or the other). It has more to do with the husband or boy friend being jerks about how they do it than their ability to do it. All of my boating friends wife/girlfriend can do one or the other and in my case she can do either one.

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.and as soon as I can get the wife to be fully confident in her trailer backing abilities....I will be golden!

My Wife can drive the truck/trailer foward and park it but she just can't get the backing thing down, she tried learning one spring and just yelled at me as I sat drinking a cool beverage quietly a safe distance away.

But to be fare, I will never learn to dust or clean a bathroom either. Biggrin.gif

I am the "wife" and I find it easier to drive the boat on and off the trailer. I love driving the boat. The other boats do not bother me, even when there are 50-75 bass boats floating around waiting to load after a tournament - been there done that.

Guess once you get comfortable driving, it is not much different than a car. I am teaching my 15 year old son how to drive the boat on the trailer now. He has done a great job only after two times.

On the other hand, I do not back the trailer down the ramp - but will be looking to D-Goose for tutoring in the event Woody breaks his leg again. Would have been much easier to take the boat out had I known how to back the boat instead of having him hobble up and down the ramp on crutches.

Also, would not recommend having the spouse teach the other - never a wise move.

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It baffles me as to why some guys say that their women can't back the trailer or drive the boat (one or the other). It has more to do with the husband or boy friend being jerks about how they do it than their ability to do it. All of my boating friends wife/girlfriend can do one or the other and in my case she can do either one.

I thought my girlfriend was good at backing up until one day last year I sent her to get the truck and trailer. When I loaded up the boat onto the trailer I found out she jack knifed the truck and trailer in the parking lot ($2,500) damage to the truck ($0) to the trailer.

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.and as soon as I can get the wife to be fully confident in her trailer backing abilities....I will be golden!

My Wife can drive the truck/trailer foward and park it but she just can't get the backing thing down, she tried learning one spring and just yelled at me as I sat drinking a cool beverage quietly a safe distance away.

But to be fare, I will never learn to dust or clean a bathroom either. Biggrin.gif

I am the "wife" and I find it easier to drive the boat on and off the trailer. I love driving the boat. The other boats do not bother me, even when there are 50-75 bass boats floating around waiting to load after a tournament - been there done that.

Guess once you get comfortable driving, it is not much different than a car. I am teaching my 15 year old son how to drive the boat on the trailer now. He has done a great job only after two times.

On the other hand, I do not back the trailer down the ramp - but will be looking to D-Goose for tutoring in the event Woody breaks his leg again. Would have been much easier to take the boat out had I known how to back the boat instead of having him hobble up and down the ramp on crutches.

Also, would not recommend having the spouse teach the other - never a wise move.

You just don't want to run up that long ramp.... Tease.gif Why I parked it up top I'll never know... Dontknow.gif

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.and as soon as I can get the wife to be fully confident in her trailer backing abilities....I will be golden!

My Wife can drive the truck/trailer foward and park it but she just can't get the backing thing down, she tried learning one spring and just yelled at me as I sat drinking a cool beverage quietly a safe distance away.

But to be fare, I will never learn to dust or clean a bathroom either. Biggrin.gif

I am the "wife" and I find it easier to drive the boat on and off the trailer. I love driving the boat. The other boats do not bother me, even when there are 50-75 bass boats floating around waiting to load after a tournament - been there done that.

Guess once you get comfortable driving, it is not much different than a car. I am teaching my 15 year old son how to drive the boat on the trailer now. He has done a great job only after two times.

On the other hand, I do not back the trailer down the ramp - but will be looking to D-Goose for tutoring in the event Woody breaks his leg again. Would have been much easier to take the boat out had I known how to back the boat instead of having him hobble up and down the ramp on crutches.

Also, would not recommend having the spouse teach the other - never a wise move.

Plus1.gif:lol: although G!!!!!! pretty much threw me in w/o a lifevest so to speak....

i get in the boat at the top of the ramp, he backs down, un- straps and i back out and cruise in the no wake zone. it's getting easier (at anderson, i can even do a U Turn at the launch Clap.gif )

although one year i was in the no wake zone waiting for him to come back down and out of nowhere, the boat dies, there's this deafening beep - i thought the boat was about to blow up - it wouldn't go any where - turned out to be the impeller IIRC....i think - no clue on the mechanics :)

what's frustrating is the people who just don't care about those obeying the rules ....DON'T come in sending rollers to those of us in the no wake zone who are still getting the gumption to be out there on our own!!!

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You just don't want to run up that long ramp.... Tease.gif Why I parked it up top I'll never know... Dontknow.gif

________________________________________

And thanks for parking it for us that day - huge help. Nothing like good friends! And I prefer to drive the boat anyday. Think the one thing Forrest has been happy about since he injured his leg is that I let him drive the boat more now. I used to hog the drivers seat all the time. It's that whole control thing ya know :)

Edited by crazylady
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Plus1.gif:lol: although G!!!!!! pretty much threw me in w/o a lifevest so to speak....

i get in the boat at the top of the ramp, he backs down, un- straps and i back out and cruise in the no wake zone. it's getting easier (at anderson, i can even do a U Turn at the launch Clap.gif )

although one year i was in the no wake zone waiting for him to come back down and out of nowhere, the boat dies, there's this deafening beep - i thought the boat was about to blow up - it wouldn't go any where - turned out to be the impeller IIRC....i think - no clue on the mechanics :)

what's frustrating is the people who just don't care about those obeying the rules ....DON'T come in sending rollers to those of us in the no wake zone who are still getting the gumption to be out there on our own!!!

________________________________________________________________________________

_______

Good for you Nat! Rockon.gif You will get the hang of it in no time and get to a point to where you feel really confident.

Edited by crazylady
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My one rule to add...

Don't let your kids swim and frolik in the water on the busy launch ramp next to the sign that says No Swimming. I have enough concerns, running over your kids with my trailer or boat shouldn't be one of them.

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My one rule to add...

Don't let your kids swim and frolik in the water on the busy launch ramp next to the sign that says No Swimming. I have enough concerns, running over your kids with my trailer or boat shouldn't be one of them.

or FISH! It makes me so mad when people are fishing off of the BOAT dock. Then they get made because you drive right up to it and they have to move or hurry and pull their line in to to keep us from running over it.

Edited by txwakejunkie
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You just don't want to run up that long ramp.... Tease.gif Why I parked it up top I'll never know... Dontknow.gif

________________________________________

And thanks for parking it for us that day - huge help. Nothing like good friends! And I prefer to drive the boat anyday. Think the one thing Forrest has been happy about since he injured his leg is that I let him drive the boat more now. I used to hog the drivers seat all the time. It's that whole control thing ya know :)

Sure no problem. You a control freak, no...lol :)

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My one rule to add...

Don't let your kids swim and frolik in the water on the busy launch ramp next to the sign that says No Swimming. I have enough concerns, running over your kids with my trailer or boat shouldn't be one of them.

or FISH! It makes me so mad when people are fishing off of the BOAT dock. Then they get made because you drive right up to it and they have to move or hurry and pull their line in to to keep us from running over it.

Hehe, we have a private ramp & dock. It says no fishing all over the dock. But we always have people coming over to fish under the dock.

I have two Border Collies who looooove to swim. I take them down to the beach & let them swim laps around the dock & run off the fishermen every night. Some guy got all bent out of shape at us last night. I just laughed. Yahoo.gif

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I'm going to try to get some video of the ramp this Memorial weekend. It's 4 or 5 lanes and packed, it should be interesting.

Then I'd have to figure out how to post it here :unsure:

You Tube. They need a good boat launch follies video on there!! Thumbup.gif

You ask; you recieve

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At Pine Flats Lake in central Cali. on holiday weekends people would sit in beach chairs at the top of the launch ramp and judge people's loading skills at the end of the day. They had cards from 1 to 10 and held them up as you loaded. The best I've got is a 9, but a buddy of mine got a 10 once.

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