Boating ramp etiquette,...what agrivates you most about other boaters?

[Pomoxis]

Mine would have to be the people who are new to the game and clearly need some pointers/advice, but don't want to loose face in front of the ladies or their buds so they jump on me like they have done it a million times etc etc. Please.
I have even go so far as to ask a feller if he wanted to learn how to back a trailer, cuz he was real new at the game. I took time away from my fishing, rode with him to the upper end of the lot and after 15-20 min, he was doing better than a lot of old timers. All it took was a couple simple tricks and pointers and a few min. He still calls me now and then to see where I am and how the fish are biting.
Dusty

Good point , I should have mentioned that I have gotten some help/advice before when folks realized I was clueless :D . I had one especially nice guy who was fishing from the doc show me how to launch my boat solo , I have had help, I've also been yelled at by some yahoo in a spidered up fishing boat with who I assume was his son and a friend (course the way he acted I'm surprised he had a friend..must have been his brother), I posted about it after verifying the rules on the DNR..

anyway.. I've encountered way more nice people than bad, just seems the one or two bad folks stick out.
Jer

[Crappie Reaper]

Just point and laugh at all of them. They'll think they've done something wrong and try to get out of the way asap.

[big "E"]

I fish every day and the ramp I use here has no docks. Only an old concrete ramp about three lanes wide. Once you launch your boat you park it against the ramp and go park your truck. Some days when the oyster pickers are thick you may have to walk all the way up to the road to park. I have seen a man push another man's boat out into the current to get it out of his way so he could launch. This poor guy's boat is about 100 yards down the river and still floating. The guy gets back just in time to see it round the corner and go out of sight. By this time the man who pushed it is gone to park his truck. The man is visibly po'd and asks me why no one caught it before it took off. I told the fella what had happened and he turned on his heel and headed up the hill towards the lot. I didn't see him speak to the guy but instead went and got his boat for him and dragged it back to the ramp. When I got back him and the fella are both laughing and talking trash and I saw that the two of them were obviously friends and then was told that it was a game they played with each other. Thought it was gonna be the ugliest ramp story ever but ended up suprised.

[Fishtaco]

First time I fished on Harris Brake there was a small Bass tourney going on. All members of a small club and all knew each other. I was waiting to back down the ramp and it was still dark out, but light enough to be able to see out on the water.

There were several boats stacked up around the ramp and many were tied off to each other and were five deep in some places. I noticed someone's fairly new Ranger floating by itself, passenger less, and heading into the stumps. I sorta interrupted their conversation and mentioned that there was a $50K bass boat floating off toward the stumps. They told me that was what they were just talking about.

They were flipping coins and arguing about who was gonna have to take the guy that owned the boat to his boat. Seems he does this every time they have a tourney. He lets his boat float off, finds someone with a good launch spot and has them run them to his boat first.

Some people's children.

[crappiefarmer]

I fish every day and the ramp I use here has no docks. Only an old concrete ramp about three lanes wide. Once you launch your boat you park it against the ramp and go park your truck. Some days when the oyster pickers are thick you may have to walk all the way up to the road to park. I have seen a man push another man's boat out into the current to get it out of his way so he could launch. This poor guy's boat is about 100 yards down the river and still floating. The guy gets back just in time to see it round the corner and go out of sight. By this time the man who pushed it is gone to park his truck. The man is visibly po'd and asks me why no one caught it before it took off. I told the fella what had happened and he turned on his heel and headed up the hill towards the lot. I didn't see him speak to the guy but instead went and got his boat for him and dragged it back to the ramp. When I got back him and the fella are both laughing and talking trash and I saw that the two of them were obviously friends and then was told that it was a game they played with each other. Thought it was gonna be the ugliest ramp story ever but ended up suprised.

Hey E, If I read this right, You went and got his boat for Him? If so and If it were me and I ran into that laughing and banter when I got back dragging his boat only to find out it was a game "they" play, i think I would have turned back around and drug the boat a couple miles back down and then turn it loose in the current. CF

[big "E"]

Hey E, If I read this right, You went and got his boat for Him? If so and If it were me and I ran into that laughing and banter when I got back dragging his boat only to find out it was a game "they" play, i think I would have turned back around and drug the boat a couple miles back down and then turn it loose in the current. CF

You and I feel the same way, though I did not drag it back out. I wondered to myself how this practical joke would have played out back home on Lake Wylie or Wateree. It would have to be one hell of a good friend to avoid a big fight.

[Eager Beaver]

I just take a deep breath and remember my first couple of times trying to back something up. I was raised on a farm so have been backing trailers for a long time before I got my first boat so knew how to back it in. If I see someone having a problem backing in I will offer them some assistance.

A clue to backing down a ramp is to line your boat up down the ramp and use your mirrors and put a hand on the top of the steering wheel and then watch both mirrors. If the boat starts to drift into your left mirror than turn the top your steering wheel to the left and if it drifts to the right than turn the top of your steering wheel to the right. Which ever mirror your boat in coming into turn the top of the steering wheel towards that mirror. Just keep the boat centered in your mirrors and you will do fine. Just use small increment of steering so you don't over correct. Don't try to go faster than your ability to correct while backing down. It is quite easy after a time or two of doing it correctly. Have fun and safe boating. EB

[Pomoxis]

I found taking the truck bed door off helps me see the boat better when backing.

[wvsportsman]

I just take a deep breath and remember my first couple of times trying to back something up. I was raised on a farm so have been backing trailers for a long time before I got my first boat so knew how to back it in. If I see someone having a problem backing in I will offer them some assistance.

A clue to backing down a ramp is to line your boat up down the ramp and use your mirrors and put a hand on the top of the steering wheel and then watch both mirrors. If the boat starts to drift into your left mirror than turn the top your steering wheel to the left and if it drifts to the right than turn the top of your steering wheel to the right. Which ever mirror your boat in coming into turn the top of the steering wheel towards that mirror. Just keep the boat centered in your mirrors and you will do fine. Just use small increment of steering so you don't over correct. Don't try to go faster than your ability to correct while backing down. It is quite easy after a time or two of doing it correctly. Have fun and safe boating. EB

Thanks for the tips. Makes sense,They should help.

I found taking the truck bed door off helps me see the boat better when backing.

I have done this also, It does help.. Thanks

[Ranger R61]

I found taking the truck bed door off helps me see the boat better when backing.

I have a Chevy Suburban and I open the tailgate when backing the trailer up. If I don't can't see the boat or trailer.