The Boat Ramp

Fishing Tips and Fishing Tales

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Boat Ramp Manors: During the period between my first boat and my first trip with that boat to the boat ramp, I was enlightened that there was such a thing as boat ramp manors. Boat ramp etiquette goes like this, as it was explained to me. You should have your boat ready before you take your turn at the boat ramp. This should include all preparations like the plug should be in, the motor support should be removed, fishing tackle, skis, ice chest, and so on. When you back down that ramp your boat should be prepared to go or at least prepared to be moved out of the way of the next boater. There is very little that can start a day off worse for the boating or fishing enthusiasts than someone pulling their boat down to the ramp and then stopping and loading the boat with their provisions for the day. No matter how long it takes to load the boat the next boater in line is certain that it took entirely too long. I was on a trip one time for a week long fishing vacation. During this time I observed one particular man and wife couple do the same thing every day while launching their boat for that day's outing. They would wait their turn at the ramp and once they got their boat lined up for launching they would prepare the boat and then finish backing the boat into the water. Every day this went on even though the couple could not have misunderstood the comments of the others in line behind them. On the last day of our trip someone had gotten tired of this and decided to get their revenge that day on the boat ramp. The boaters in front of this couple with the bad boat ramp manners was faced with a situation that they had not been in before. The boat in line before them was taking a long time to load and make ready their boat for launching. You might think they would have been patient but you would have been wrong. They made sneering remarks huffed and puffed around and generally made fools of themselves. It had occurred to me that some of the other boaters may not have aproved the revenge that was taking place, but as I looked around everyone seemed to be enjoying the show except one group. Well I took it upon myself to inform this group of the situation and of the bad boat ramp etiquette shown by this couple on the boat ramp all week. They smiled and said there had been a few times when they had thought of doing just that very same thing. So next time you are at the boat ramp think of the others, be prepared and enjoy your boating activities.