Public dock etiquette 2015

MikeF-NH · 05-18-2015, 03:58 PM

I've been lucky during my Winni travels to use public launches that were off the beaten path enough that I didn't face a lot of issues with dock/launch etiquette. Well it caught up to me this weekend so i thought I would did up this old thread and maybe bring about a few stories from others on this site to bring attention to this annual discussion.

I was getting ready to take out at Sheps when a guy with a brand new 24+ foot Monteray pulls up to the ramp. The boat was clearly new since it had a name tag still on it. He clearly didn't understand how traffic moved to the ramp and waited about 5 minutes until the person behind him (my driver) tooted to get him moving. He then took about 5 more minutes to back up but not enough into the water. He got out of his truck and spent another 5 minutes trying to decide how to not get wet to put his boat in and finally took off his shoes and got in bare foot. At this point he realized he was not far enough in and got back in his truck and backed in more. After a few more minutes, he realized he forgot to unhook his boat....moving as slow as humanly possible. Instead of getting in his boat at this point he walked it to the dock. At this point he realizes that he never connected his ropes to his boat so he starts breaking out the brand new rope and tieing his boat to the dock (10 more minutes). Note that his truck is still at the ramp. Next he gets in his boat and begins going through all his gear and starts the boat with his lower unit out of the water until one of the techs at Sheps told him to lower the unit. He lowers it then goes back to organizing him boat. I finally had to drive in after about 1/2 hour at the wait and say "excuse me but can you move your truck...people are waiting in line".

Maybe I was over patient and waited to long to approach him. Maybe I should have gone and helped and risked damaging his new boat. It just amazes me how many "mistakes" this guy made and that he was oblivious that there was anyone waiting around him. It scared me that within a few minutes he was going to take this monster boat onto the water.

Anyone else have ramp stories to share?

05-18-2015, 03:58 PM	#1
MikeF-NH Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 318 Thanks: 2 Thanked 120 Times in 80 Posts	Public dock etiquette 2015 I've been lucky during my Winni travels to use public launches that were off the beaten path enough that I didn't face a lot of issues with dock/launch etiquette. Well it caught up to me this weekend so i thought I would did up this old thread and maybe bring about a few stories from others on this site to bring attention to this annual discussion. I was getting ready to take out at Sheps when a guy with a brand new 24+ foot Monteray pulls up to the ramp. The boat was clearly new since it had a name tag still on it. He clearly didn't understand how traffic moved to the ramp and waited about 5 minutes until the person behind him (my driver) tooted to get him moving. He then took about 5 more minutes to back up but not enough into the water. He got out of his truck and spent another 5 minutes trying to decide how to not get wet to put his boat in and finally took off his shoes and got in bare foot. At this point he realized he was not far enough in and got back in his truck and backed in more. After a few more minutes, he realized he forgot to unhook his boat....moving as slow as humanly possible. Instead of getting in his boat at this point he walked it to the dock. At this point he realizes that he never connected his ropes to his boat so he starts breaking out the brand new rope and tieing his boat to the dock (10 more minutes). Note that his truck is still at the ramp. Next he gets in his boat and begins going through all his gear and starts the boat with his lower unit out of the water until one of the techs at Sheps told him to lower the unit. He lowers it then goes back to organizing him boat. I finally had to drive in after about 1/2 hour at the wait and say "excuse me but can you move your truck...people are waiting in line". Maybe I was over patient and waited to long to approach him. Maybe I should have gone and helped and risked damaging his new boat. It just amazes me how many "mistakes" this guy made and that he was oblivious that there was anyone waiting around him. It scared me that within a few minutes he was going to take this monster boat onto the water. Anyone else have ramp stories to share?