Proper public boat access etiquette

[mdeiley]

I was out on a lake this weekend (alone) and upon arrival to the ramp I seen a boat with all the boating toys tied to the back at the small dock for the ramp. I waited about 10 minutes and people were going back and forth to the car and I just assumed they would head out soon. After a while one of the people on shore asked if I was coming in which I replied yes. His response was "we are going to be here for a while". Now what? Well I beached the boat next to the ramp tied off into the woods on shore and proceded to get my car. When I get to my car the boaters are all sitting in the parking and had started grilling! Now if this ramp had a dock large enough for more then one boat I would look the other way. But only one mooring spot the other side is the ramp. Sadly it also was very windy. Just looking to find out what others feel or think. I was frustrated due to the fact it was windy, I was alone, and there was no other places to tie off to. Was this a case of frustration or bad etiquette by other boaters. Thanks for your responses.

[BobT]

I am not absolutely sure I'm correct but I believe a public dock is for purposes of loading and unloading only. When I use DNR sanctioned accesses I usually notice a sign specifically pointing this out. These areas are not even meant for fishing.

So what is proper etiquette? If there is in fact a sign pointing out this information, perhaps one could politely remind them.

In either case, it would only seem appropriate to ask them to make room and allow you access out of courtesy. Of course, they have already shown a lack of courtesy so it's hard to say how far you could get.

Bob

[Master Guide]

Ohhhhhhhhhh man! I feel your pain brother! I cant tell you how many times I see idiots that drive their boat right into the water, before it is prepped. Sit there and untie on the ramp, or forget to untie the back while it is already backed into the water, or boat plug etc...etc...and the worst yet to date, last weekend, some one-who-thinks-I-am-silly, no trailer just a truck, parked in the middle of the circular approach to the landing, yes.........PARKED! I wonder where he was from?

Proper etiquette:

1-Arrive at landing KNOWING others will be directly behind you waiting to launch.

2-Stop well short of any ramp or approach with room for any other boater to pass you and launch when they are ready.

3-Dont be afraid to tell someone else when they are wrong and impedeing following boat traffic. If you do not let them know, no one will.

4-Ask someone that is having trouble if they need help. Ususally, this will get their attention that they are in fact, impedeing traffic and they need to get a move on, or at least they have someone will to help move the flow.

5-When you drive boat off the lake, move well ahead so you will not stop the flow of others waiting to get out.

Simple rules, easy to follow. Problem is, too many people have no common sense anymore.

[Fishin4Life]

The worst I have seen was a few guys launched their boat. Then, right after it was launched began to work on it. They never moved it to the other side of the dock or anything. It was blocking the whole side of the stall so no one could launch from that side. They had plenty of space to just slide it over to the other side of the dock. About 5 minutes later another guy came walking down with a marine battery, not sure why they didn't install that prior to bringing the boat to the launch. Who woulda thunk it. Oh well, life goes on I guess.

[harvey lee]

There should be a course mandated for people before they get a boat license to know the proper access etiquette.

I saw so many rude people this past weekend.These holidays bring them all out.Think of me and only me.

I probably would have called the Sherriffs office if it was a public landing.Only problem with that is that you vechile or trailer would probably be damaged when you got back.Wierd,rude people these days.

[riverrat56]

As they say, You can't fix stupid.

But on the flip side sometimes things go wrong loading you boat up, I fish an awful lot, have the boat out 2-3 times a week, but sometimes when your by yourself or with someone new something goes wrong and it takes a few extra minutes to get things straitened out. I have had a few bad times this year already trying to load by myself in a wind and sometimes asking for help is the only thing to do. Since I've been there and done it I always try to help guys out but I am always carful to as if they want help before you go grabbing their boat or trailer.

But when someone leaves there boat tied to the dock and has a grill out, or doesn't pull far enough out and blocks the whole launch up I do get alittle angry.

[cold one sd]

I like the ones that back their boat down to the edge of the water and then proceed to take all their gear and whatever out of their vehicle and load it into their boat while everyone else gets to sit there and watch. Just one of my pet peeves.

[196thDLR]

All of this information is in the boating guide!! When you buy a boat, and register it with the State of Minnesota they give you one. All anyone has to do is read it. Simple, EH? One would think so!

I have a brother who lived in Mound. While visiting him and his family, Glenn and I had some free time and went to one of the public landings on Lake Minnetonka. That was the most hilarious 3 hours I have ever spent in my life. All I have to say is; there are a number of people in this great state that should NOT BE ALLOWED TO LAUNCH THEIR OWN BOAT!!!!!! Glenn and I had to leave because we would have killed ourselves laughing.

[Fishin4Life]

I have a great story you all will enjoy. Its fishing opener, my first time out for the year. I was out a total of about 2 hours and then my a** was frozen off and I was soaked so I decided to head home and get some coffee. My girlfriend is sitting in the boat as I get my car. I pull up and this guy is backing his boat in the water. I notice he didnt take off the tie downs in the back. I laugh a bit to myself and continue on my way. He realized it finally and pulled all the back out of the water, WAY OUT, farther than he needed to and removes the straps. Again I am laughing to myself, maybe a bit outloud at this point. He then proceeds to block my way so I start to get angry. There are 3 stalls he is in the first and blocks the road. So the nice guy I am, I wait patiently with out getting out of my car. The next thing I notice he gets back in his SUV and starts the back up. Well when he removed the back strap he must have flipped the ratchet also. His boat, which is on a roller trailer, immediately starts to slide off the trailer and lands smack down on the pavement, bounces once, bounces twice. I thought for sure he was going to have a boat on the cement. He got lucky and it stuck in the sand nose end pointing up to the holy man. Gets out of his truck shakes his head and winches the boat half way back on the trailer. Preceeds to back the boat in the rest of the way. I am laughing my head off at this point, the girlfriend can't believe what she saw from my boat and to top off the story. HE WAS WEARING SHORTS!!!!!! If all ya'll remember what opener was like, NO ONE WOULD WEAR SHORTS! LMAO. Oh man. This story will live on for years and years to come. I hope you all enjoy it. Please let me know if you have one to top it. I don't mean to laugh at another mans misfortune, but c-mon releasing the ratchet on a roller trailer 20 ft from the water on a steep incline? Fish on!

[Bauer and Standke]

Kind Of sounds like one of the nneighbors out at the lake it is a good thing that it is a private landing because i think that I have seen their boat laying on the ground more than once and it makes me laugh every time.

[knoppers]

everyone knows how it was on the opener this year, well I was attempting to get to the access to load my boat, I was solo, and my hands were quite cold. this dip, decides to launch his pontoon, but sits in the water for 15 minutes to warm his motor up. he knew I was there waiting to get to the dock, but he could care less.

I have a glass boat, with the wind blowing into the access very strong, and solo, I needed the dock he was holding up.

I hope his motor on his pontoon blows this year!

[Wade Joseph]

All I am gonna say on this is that the only requirement to own a boat is money, brains and common sense are optional.

Don't get me started.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I can forgive a lot at boat landings.. the one that gets me is this...

Please, if there is more than one stall, take the one furthest away, so that you do not block all the other stalls backing up. That is the one I see most! Drives me up the wall!!!!

[Gus]

Reading threads like this actually make me a more patient person at the landings. I watch for all these things to happen to others while I am waiting for my turn. Helps me make the best of the situation.

[perchking]

Did it happend at Mille Lacs? If so I was the one behind you. I was out of Father Hennipen state park camping and I was going to launch my boat. There was a wicked wind blowing all of the 2 launches 1 boat was tied up and I saw the people on the overlook grilling out. I then went up to the occupied boat and kindly asked are you waiting, launching or whats going on. I was told by a female I am waiting for my trailer and it is going to be awhile, she also told me when I was walking back to my truck "what are you going to do call the warden?". I dont understand why they couldnt put the boat in reverse and just hang out until the trailer came, but that wasn't the case. After about 15 minutes they came with the trailer loaded it and didn't pull up far enough for me to get situated, so I kindly asked if they could move forward about 20 yds so I could dock my boat they did it but it was like I was asking for their kidney or something.

One the other hand I had a great time, Saturday I caught 11 eyes and 9 of them were 24-28". Just a great time.

[Juan Grande]

I was pulling off of Mille Lacs on Saturday evening at the public launch between Isle and Sunset Bay. I think there were about 10-15 boats hovering out in the bay, waiting to pull out.

I just got my first boat in March and don't have a lot of experience loading and unloading it. My buddy backed the trailer in and I drove the boat on. Actually, the first time I came in crooked so I backed out and tried again. Got it on the second try and we were out within 3-5 minutes.

My question is, do the more experienced boaters get all frustrated and mad when it takes a little longer to trailer the boat? Not sure if I'm being paranoid, but you read the "some people shouldn't be allowed to launch a boat" comments and you start to wonder.

Personally, I don't think it's a big deal if it take a little longer, but maybe I should just practice when I know the launch won't be busy.

[Dave B]

I pulled up to Hidden Falls on Saturday ready to fish. I had my neighbor with and we can launch my little fishing boat in about 2-3 minutes.

As we stopped to unstrap the boat, some "lady" pulled up behind us w/ an empty trailer and said that she was coming in (meaning, get out of our way, we need to load our boat). Now, the launch is 2 wide, but a boat was tied off on the side of the ramp, limiting the access a bit.

At 1st I was upset, since she believed that she should go 1st, even though we were at the launch 1st. Then I saw that their boat was towed in-so decided to let it go.

As she backed up, is was clear that she hadnt a clue what she was doing. She jack-knifed the trailer and it started to skip sideways. She tried 2-3 times, then got out and went down to the hold the boat so her male friend could back up.

At that point, I told my neighbor just to back in on the other side. We were launched, I went out on the river as my friend parked. I picked him up and we were off fishing before they were even on the trailer.

I would have been upset if I didnt find it so amusing.

[cliffy]

How about the je%ks that use the boat landing as their own picnic/swimming area?!!!

For example, this past weekend I was coming off the lake and had 4 or 5 dumb##### swimming and playing around in the water right in front of the ramp. They look at me like I am asking for the world to have them move out of the way...and then I noticed they parked their car so close to the turn around/ backing up area that its next to impossible to back up a truck/trailer. I just dont get it...there is a nice beach/swimming area further up the road..but no, gotta get in everyones way.......

[Fishin4Life]

Quote:

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My question is, do the more experienced boaters get all frustrated and mad when it takes a little longer to trailer the boat?

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I am sure you are fine. Don't worry about it. You will have those guys that get all upset over a few minutes, as long as you are trying your best and not taking a half an hour you are fine. It sounds like you did mighty fine for the first time getting the boat on the trailer. Even the pros take 2 - 3 shots on a bad day. Don't let the hot heads at the lake get to you, its not worth it.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Dude, there are people that will complain if you hang them with a new rope. If you're trying your darndest to get-r-done, and having a hard time, if they are in such a hurry they will offer some help.

Or they can sit and wait and be pi$$ed off and complain about everything. Either way, if you're doing the best you can that's all anyone can ask.

For the record, I'm no expert at speedy launch and land. I just got my real boat and I'm quite the rookie.

[eyepatrol]

My solo experiences have been pretty good this year, knock on wood. Had one guy help me out and had another who told me to go ahead and pull my boat out as he was getting the boat packed to launch. I had just beached the boat on shore when he told me, so I thought that was pretty nice as I would have been more than willing to wait for him to launch since he was there before I pulled in (off to the side of course).

So far so good.

[Slyster]

This is the WORST.

Went to WBL a few weeks back.. and the fee lot was FULL... and there were 3 cars without trailers parked in the long marked off areas for boat trailers.

[Fishin4Life]

Quote:

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This is the WORST.

Went to WBL a few weeks back.. and the fee lot was FULL... and there were 3 cars without trailers parked in the long marked off areas for boat trailers.

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I had that happen to me one time, but there happened to be one spot in the regular parking left. So I did it right back, I unhooked my trailer and put it in the grass in front of my vehicle, LOL. I showed them!

[Bigsmitty]

Now I consider myself a fairly patient guy but if I saw someone taking up space in the landing while there over there grilling, $*** would hit the fan! As far as a novice taking a little time learning..... no problem. As a matter of fact I like helping when Its needed. Ive said this before but.... Some day im gonna sit at a busy landing all day with a video camera and then you'll see me on that funniest video TV show.

[big musk411]

I thinks its kind of funny how efficient people are at different ramps. For example I have been at the launch at Boy scout landing on the St. Louis river and had 20+ boats in front of me and still get the boat in in less than 20 min. On the other hand, here in the metro I often have to wait a half hour for five or six boats.

I agree with the comment about people swiming, pickinking at the ramps. I was once at a popular lake outside of Duluth. When I arrived, there were some locals washing thier dogs in the lake. Not what I really like to see in a fishing lake, but what am I going to do, at least they arn't blocking the ramp. So we backed up the boat and parked the truck. Then, as we shoved off the dock, A soppey pooch jumps in the boat. I had rods and fish hooks all over, not a good spot for a dog. I tried to grab it to through it overboard, but it was too slippery with all of the soap and it ran to the front of my boat. My buddy tried to grab it and it snapped at him. We went back to the dock and it got out. I don;t think poeple should be washing thier dogs in the lake at a boat ramp.

I usually am pretty patient with poeple, I have done alot of dumb thing while launching my boat in the past, however I have learned from my mistakes and can launch my boat in about 2-3min.