Ramp etiquette and queue

snaapz

snaapz

Well-Known Member
What is the general rule for launching and retrieving your boat when you are alone. I get really confused sometimes, I usually have one of my young kids with me so they can't help me.

At the Port Stanley ramps there are a few ways it can go...


ENTERING THE WATER
  1. Queue with your truck on land, if there are boats in the water waiting to get out then rules are right lane is for entering water; left lane is for leaving water?
LEAVING THE WATER
  1. Stay in your boat and queue in the water; once the boat infront of you pulls out of the water then its your turn dock and tie off, run to your truck, pass any trucks waiting in line, back up and get your boat which is waiting for you at the ramp/dock?
  2. Dock on the side/pier; walk to your truck, wait in line with the other trucks, when you're next and the truck that was in front of you leaves the ramp then its your turn? Tell the boat which was queuing in the water and trying to dock at the same time as you are backing in to wait their turn? Run back to your boat and pass any other boats waiting in queue?
I could write several other scenarios...

I don't want to be an asshole, but the rules usually aren't written.

  • Do you queue with your boat in the water at the ramp/dock?
  • Do you dock at the pier and queue with your truck?
  • When your boat is at the dock waiting to be retrieved do you pass all other trucks waiting (obviously since your boat is blocking everyone); but then people think you are skipping line.
  • Is it known that when busy right lane is entering water, left lane is exiting water?
  • What do you do when there is a 26' boat taking 30 minutes to retrieve and there are 10 people in the water waiting to leave and 10 boats on land waiting to get wet?
 
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Just my two cents from observation both as a boater and also someone that has worked at marinas. The smoothest ramp I have ever seen in working order was the ramp at the old Brad and Julies in Long Point. I am a strong believer in the fact that with the money you pay to launch your boat the marina should have a person in charge of the ramp running traffic and keeping order on busy days. Brad had a simple method one in one out depended on the tow vehicle next in line and absolutely no boats pulling in and tying to a dock to block the ramp which as a boater is the largest hold up I see. He had one dock left open to the side so two boats could pull up and either drop someone off to get vehicle or a single could tie their boat off and go get truck themselves. Just my two cents also as a boater you also have to be responsible enough to practice backing up and loading and launching your boat.
 
50 Point marina, back in the day had a great system. The ramps were assigned for in and out. If no one was going onto a trailer, it was safe to use the in ramp as the out ramp. As for getting your boat into the water, they had a dedicated person on site. Surprisingly, he would put trailers in the water if the operator was having difficulty backing down. Good system. Made it fast and efficient. I do dislike the long wait with some boaters, but need to respect the time it takes to get all gear in order.
 
snaapz said:
What is the general rule for launching and retrieving your boat when you are alone. I get really confused sometimes, I usually have one of my young kids with me so they can't help me.

At the Port Stanley ramps there are a few ways it can go...


ENTERING THE WATER
  1. Queue with your truck on land, if there are boats in the water waiting to get out then rules are right lane is for entering water; left lane is for leaving water?
LEAVING THE WATER
  1. Stay in your boat and queue in the water; once the boat infront of you pulls out of the water then its your turn dock and tie off, run to your truck, pass any trucks waiting in line, back up and get your boat which is waiting for you at the ramp/dock?
  2. Dock on the side/pier; walk to your truck, wait in line with the other trucks, when you're next and the truck that was in front of you leaves the ramp then its your turn? Tell the boat which was queuing in the water and trying to dock at the same time as you are backing in to wait their turn? Run back to your boat and pass any other boats waiting in queue?
I could write several other scenarios...

I don't want to be an asshole, but the rules usually aren't written.

  • Do you queue with your boat in the water at the ramp/dock?
  • Do you dock at the pier and queue with your truck?
  • When your boat is at the dock waiting to be retrieved do you pass all other trucks waiting (obviously since your boat is blocking everyone); but then people think you are skipping line.
  • Is it known that when busy right lane is entering water, left lane is exiting water?
  • What do you do when there is a 26' boat taking 30 minutes to retrieve and there are 10 people in the water waiting to leave and 10 boats on land waiting to get wet?
Click to expand...
My view on the subject is:
Putting in launch your boat and get it out of the way of launching aria " if there is additional dock space available when solo if not tie off boat move towing vehicle out of launch aria ,when with others use additional dock space out of launching aria or move boat away on water if no additional dock space available "
Move towing vehicle as soon as possible out of launch aria
Most important DO NOT ! Prep your boat at launch aria

Coming in : stay in line to exssess dock
Once on shore stay in line with towing vehicle only if there is additional dock space to tie boat off to out of way pull out / launch aria
If there is not additional dock space available than you should be first to remove your boat
Now this is when solo
If with group than drop of person to get towing vehicle and clear launch /pull out aria till your towing vehicle is in launch/ pull out aria
I can launch/ remove my boat with a second person provided they can drive and back up the trailer in 30 seconds
In a perfect world it works great but we are not living in a perfect world so compassion and patience can make life a lot easier including help for those who willing to take it

My other advice is : be there early before the rush and leave before or after the rush
 
line up of boats in the river at Burwell and then some asshole drops his buddy off at the docks, runs up and is in line with other trailers and they sneak in because there trailer is in the water ahead of everybody else and gone, complete ASSHOLE you now who you are.
 
People launching should have their boats ready to launch before taking up a spot on the ramp.
I see too many people take a spot on the ramp and then get out and start preparing their boats,
i.e. putting in stuff out of tow vehicle, undoing straps, loading gear......
This should be done when you arrive, not on the ramp holding up others...
 
After 40+ years of launching I can say it's going to be a P.I.A at the ramp. Probably not because of the guys on this site unless something goes sideways. Chillax, laugh don't get pissed . It's one of the reason I prefer the ramp in Burwell north of the bridge. The Traffic Lady! Only had to yell at me once last year. She scares me a little but she keep things moving.
 
Twister said:
After 40+ years of launching I can say it's going to be a P.I.A at the ramp. Probably not because of the guys on this site unless something goes sideways. Chillax, laugh don't get pissed . It's one of the reason I prefer the ramp in Burwell north of the bridge. The Traffic Lady! Only had to yell at me once last year. She scares me a little but she keep things moving.
Click to expand...
Definitely not a ramp I would ever use is the main ramp,(south of the bridge) in Port Burwell!! Not my idea of a peaceful day of fishing,by seeing a lineup up to the highway,:eek:and on the river :eek:when you are trying to retrieve your boat out of the water again!! I have never launched there,(too far for me from London),but I have been on a friends boat there,that one and only (my last) day!! (n):cautious:
 
I find NEM in Port Bruce runs as smooth a launching operation I've found anywhere. After more than 50 years of boating I've come to have more patience at the launches. There will always be new to the game boaters who haven't the skills we experienced folk have at the launch and yelling at them does not help. I offer help which I find helps him to get launched much quicker than him being all jittery because of a screaming crowd around him where he can't even think of what to do next. Whether intentional or not there will always be jerks butting in at the launch area but that can be controlled with a well supervised launch like NEM has. ?:)
 
Wave Runner said:
I find NEM in Port Bruce runs as smooth a launching operation I've found anywhere. After more than 50 years of boating I've come to have more patience at the launches. There will always be new to the game boaters who haven't the skills we experienced folk have at the launch and yelling at them does not help. I offer help which I find helps him to get launched much quicker than him being all jittery because of a screaming crowd around him where he can't even think of what to do next. Whether intentional or not there will always be jerks butting in at the launch area but that can be controlled with a well supervised launch like NEM has. ?:)
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Well said @Wave Runner!! (y):)That ramp is one of my favourite as well whenever I plan on fishing in that area. ????:)
 
Wave Runner said:
I find NEM in Port Bruce runs as smooth a launching operation I've found anywhere. After more than 50 years of boating I've come to have more patience at the launches. There will always be new to the game boaters who haven't the skills we experienced folk have at the launch and yelling at them does not help. I offer help which I find helps him to get launched much quicker than him being all jittery because of a screaming crowd around him where he can't even think of what to do next. Whether intentional or not there will always be jerks butting in at the launch area but that can be controlled with a well supervised launch like NEM has. ?:)
Click to expand...
The first time I fished central basin I did some searching for marinas / boat launches, all the reports ,feedback was positive on Port Bruce NEM not so much at Burwell
So I only go out of Bruce and never gotten out of Burwell
And I been happy every trip
 
I use the ramp upstream past NEM channell. Have heard nothing but good reports for NEM, it's just what I am used to, old dog new trick sort of thing?
Many times, usually weekends, have ran into the NEM line up to exit fill their channel and line up out into the main creek, and good on them, busy means good business.
But many times, that line does not want to let you past, to go on upstream. Usually most get it, but not always, so I'll announce, not butting in, just passing threw to next ramp? Have had everything from the stink eye, to being cursed at, to refusing to give me passage, almost as if they have to wait, so does everyone else?
But I can curse back, yrs of practice, if it is bad enough, my little $1.50 tinner will still get threw.
 
A little bit off topic but here goes...Up until this year, I had a slip at NEM...observed ramp was always crowded. My biggest beef was trying to fuel at the gas dock due to the proximity of the ramp and guys needing to use the fuel dock while they retrieved/parked their trailers...I always tried to fuel on a weekday when not too many boats were around, even resorting to taking a drive on a not so nice day when I knew there would be no one going out and fuelling then...(Thank god, the "At Last" has a big fuel tank and can hold enough for a month's fishing for me so I did find a way around the problem..) Hopefully, the new ramp will stop some of this chaos although the placement of the new ramp may not be helpful to CM as it may cause even further congestion in the main channel for heading upstream.. I do have to say that the launch guys at NEM have always been top notch and always there when you need 'em...
 
Step 1.) Before you get to the Marina, know that you are the most important person on the lake and others will and should treat you as a person of importance and feel lucky they get to boat on the same lake as you.
Step 2.) Never practice backing up your trailer before getting to the ramp, make sure you take about 10 attempts to get it somewhat straight down the ramp.
Step 3.) Never have your boat rigged with bumpers and lines prior to arriving or take the top off your boat until you are in the middle of the ramp.
Step 4.) Either disconnect your trailer from the boat completely so it floats off away from you and the ramp when you back in, or, if you prefer, leave all the straps connecting your boat to your trailer on and pull like hell trying to figure out why you cannot get the boat off the trailer.
Step 5.) Leave your boat and trailer on the ramp so it is ready to go when you get back in!
The important thing is that you are trying to be a courteous person, do your best, follow the suggestions above and get there early and leave early or late and have patience because most of the people reading this have done similar things in the past until they got tuned up and understood how to be a good boater. It is too bad many ramps do not have someone directing traffic but taking the time to see how each ramp operates will keep others from yelling at you and allow you to laugh at the other guy backing up the trailer!
 
T
Red Hering said:
Definitely not a ramp I would ever use is the main ramp,(south of the bridge) in Port Burwell!! Not my idea of a peaceful day of fishing,by seeing a lineup up to the highway,:eek:and on the river :eek:when you are trying to retrieve your boat out of the water again!! I have never launched there,(too far for me from London),but I have been on a friends boat there,that one and only (my last) day!! (n):cautious:
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They renovated the ramps and have 3 now. Should help with the line up that is normally there.
 
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