Is there such a thing as boat ramp etiquette? Of course there is, and most boaters are aware of it. But, as in all aspects of life, there are some people who need to be reminded that they need to practice common courtesy. These boaters should be aware of there surroundings and avoid becoming a "boat ramp hog" which can lead to "ramp rage".
Proper boating etiquette is generally responsible for the boater in question spending as little time on the ramp as possible. By establishing a routine that is followed each time the boater takes his/her boat out, this boating etiquette can become second nature. This routine has three phases, they are pre-launch, launch and loading.
The pre-launch phase of boating ramp etiquette involves preparing the boat for launch. This phase occurs before the boat is backed down the ramp. During this phase, the boater should remove all the tie-downs on the boat, but the winch line should not be removed yet, all the equipment that is in the boaters vehicle should be transferred to the boat and the boater should put the boat's drain plug in. The boater should also prime the fuel by pumping the fuel bulb, place the key in the ignition and check the battery (which could be done at the boater's home or where ever the boat is stored). The trailer lights should be unplugged from the tow vehicle if they are not waterproof and sealed. If there is more than one person enjoying this boating trip, every one except for the tow vehicle driver should get in the boat, or at least one other person so they can drive the boat once it has been launched. If only one person will be enjoying this boating trip, then they can attach the boat line to the trailer or vehicle to keep it from drifting away from the boater until they can get to it.
After the pre-launch phase has been completed, the boater can back their boat down the ramp to the water, stopping just before the entry to the water and then unhook the winch line from the boat. Waiting until the entry to the water can keep the boat from unloading before it is time to, which could be in the middle of the ramp. If this were to happen the boater may be the victim of "ramp rage". The boater should also check to make sure that they did indeed undo the tie downs that keep the boat on the trailer. After the boat has been launched and disconnected from the tow vehicle, move it to the courtesy dock and immediately move the tow vehicle. Also, boaters should not stay at the courtesy dock any longer than absolutely necessary if there are other boaters using the ramp to load or unload their boats. If there is a person in the boat who can drive it, they can move it away from the dock until the other person is finished parking the tow vehicle, then the boat can be returned to the courtesy dock to pick up the person who has just parked the tow vehicle.
The last phase of boat ramp etiquette is loading the boat back on the boat trailer. Considering that most boaters are tired from their day in the sun, they can have short tempers and this is not the time to hog the boat ramp. Boaters loading their boat should simply back their tow vehicle with the boat trailer down the ramp, load the boat, hook the winch line on the boat and drive the tow vehicle back up the ramp to the parking lot. Only after they are off the boat ramp should the boater unload their boat, pull the drain plug and properly tie down their boat.
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