Boat Ramp Ettiquette. Important Things

[manchild]

How about dont use the ramp as your rally point for changing skiers/ / swapping over riders on jet skis etc.
Should be a 50m 5 knot limit around ramps.

You are right mate we should just use the mangroves and make the kids walk through the mud and mangrove shoots .

[Dignity]

The local yokels can be the worst, during the week when very few are round they came in and go out at a great rate of knots and ignore every speed limit, no good talking to them they just wave back, if your lucky otherwise they just ignore you. The other one is coming into pontoons, a lot of boaties don't take the time to check what the tide is doing before they get into the pontoon, it is much easier to drive into the current and not with the current but lo and behold there is always some one who does it wrong and cause all sorts of problems and ends up at the wrong end as well. How hard is it to have a look at other boats anchored nearby or if at a marina have a look at which rode is tight or loose and work out the current.

[Birdy]

I use Scarby all the time cause that's where I live , both ramps.

Main thing is boats on the center pontoon, well now pontoons after the Coast Guard rebuild .I drive on almost every time and will be well away from the ramp giving others some room while I'm waiting for the trailer.People need to have a look and see , if you see a couple of larger boats circling around out from the ramp chances are they are in line and waiting for a trailer .The line for the ramp is not on the water it is on the road where the trailer is coming from , same if you are putting in .
Don't get annoyed when I "push -in" after you have not noticed my trailer come down the ramp and I drive past you.

A one-off thing that was just annoying was some clown taking photos of his jet ski while leaving his car on the ramp around at the caravan park ramp at 2pm on a dead flat September arvo , he got plenty of advice that day .

Birdy

[Chong]

not too much waiting at these ramps...
but any one needs a hand we all help
anyone a bit slow we wait
anyone thats been a w(%*^% they dont come back
Cheers
chong

[Feral]

You are right mate we should just use the mangroves and make the kids walk through the mud and mangrove shoots .

Sounds good tome if you cant be bothered finding a spot with a beach that suites.

[The Black Unicorn]

If there is a pontoon use it!!! Even if it is around the corner. I hate circling in front of the ramp waiting for a mate to back down and a tinny pulls straight up onto the ramp itself and wanders off to get the car thus blocking anyone who is ready to retrieve or launch. The other pontoon beef is if there is a boat tied at one end of the pontoon don't just tie up the other end. Pull up behind the boat in front so someone can come in behind you. It is way harder to reverse park a boat between 2 others than it is a car.

[Fed]

I hate circling in front of the ramp waiting for a mate to back down and a tinny pulls straight up onto the ramp itself and wanders off to get the car thus blocking anyone who is ready to retrieve or launch.

I would have backed your empty trailer down the ramp and waited for the tinny to get moved.

[Scalem]

I am starting to think driving on opens up to potential problems with other boaters at the ramp, last time I was fighting a NE wind that threw me off a perfect line up to the rollers, so I needed some space behind me to reverse for a second attempt only to discover another boat has moved in to tie off on the pontoon ( this is at Manly)

I know practice makes perfect but others don't seem to allow for drive on corrections at the ramp, it makes it very awkward, especially when trying all this solo.

Scalem


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[scottar]

I am starting to think driving on opens up to potential problems with other boaters at the ramp, last time I was fighting a NE wind that threw me off a perfect line up to the rollers, so I needed some space behind me to reverse for a second attempt only to discover another boat has moved in to tie off on the pontoon ( this is at Manly)

I know practice makes perfect but others don't seem to allow for drive on corrections at the ramp, it makes it very awkward, especially when trying all this solo.

Scalem


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We watched a bloke at Pt Cartwright at Mooloolaba take about half an hour one day struggling with the breeze
and the current trying to drive a 24 Kevlacat on. By the time ge got there some tempers were a bit thin and the tide had come in to such an extent his sensa brake actuator had gone underwater and he had to dump the air to release the brakes. Thankfully the pontoon up there isn't in line with the ramp or it would have been a bigger issue as there were a stack of boats lined up behind him.

[Flex]

I think it comes down to each person having a decent amount if discretion. If someone is blocking you at the ramp/pontoon but is clearing having difficulty for what ever reason. I find it's quicker to hop out and help if possible.

If if the pontoon is blocked by a guy retrieving solo, or a guy is taking his wife out who isn't confident in helping, maybe his trailer has a busted roller, or it's super windy and hard to retrieve a boat.

for what ever reason I usually look at exactly why that person is taking so long before judging to quickly. Not everyone is as experienced or confident as others.

having said that, if someone is clearly being inconsiderate then I'll have a polite word and Hopefully it doesn't escalate. Because I'm sure each and every one of us has annoyed someone else at the ramp at some point of the other

[Lucky_Phill]

Thanks for all the responses so far.

I am thinking that some sort of theory or instruction could be given at the time of licencing. I know the actual licence course is basic, but it really only covers what to do when you are on a boat.

I know that the " guidelines " work on say, beach driving, where most people use their indicator to show the oncoming vehicle their intentions.

But, with a quick 2 minutes of " boat ramp " ettiquette " during the course, could have much better outcomes.

Probably needs to be summarised into a few sentences or dot points.


LP

[Back In Black]

Walking past Noosa ramp one day & a lady was struggling to back the trailer (she had no idea) while the boyfriend was circling in the boat waiting for her to get it down. I offered to back it down for her, but she was reluctant, so I gave her instructions. Use your side mirrors, if you see too much boat in it, turn toward it. Same goes for the other mirror.
The penny dropped & she nailed it. Boyfriend was very appreciative & she gained real confidence. Luckily no one else on the ramp, so she had time to practice.

Tony

[manchild]

Well don't I feel like a goose , thou shall not be on the internet after a few ales . Tubing around ramps and using it as a day area is totally stupid . I had all sorts of boats but my current choice of watercraft sure stirs up some . I'll operate the ski the same as I use to operate my tinny or the glass boat or the polycraft , responsibly . I must agree though there is a lot of knob jockeys on jetskis .

[mustang5]

Hows about fishing off the pontoon where boats are coming and going?? Thats just not on... The worst is I have had someone have a go at me for launching the boat where their lines were.... Oh the verbals that ensued were to be remembered thats for sure...

I can understand on an evening where fisherman or fisherladies understand that when theres ramp traffic, time to pull them in for a bit.. Thats fine... But hey, Get with the program...

Another one that I have seen is when reversing the boat down after rigging up, almost hitting a VK commodore at the waters edge of Dohles Rocks ramp with two chiefs sitting in there having a few chuffs... Say no to the green friendly on Ramps fellas, and hey, if that is your pastime, at least leave your lights on at the end of a lightless ramp (At the time).

There is always mass confusion as to who has right of way at a busy ramp, and I must admit, it can get daunting sometimes.. But if everyone showed some understanding and at least took a snapshot of who is there and who is waiting at the ramp, it should always sort it out....

Having had 29ft boats and self retrieving, I was always one frustratingly circling waiting for the pontoon to be free... But hey, I waited.. Many a time some clueless buffoon would just sneak in and tie up to the 2m available on the pontoon and leave me hanging another round.. But so be it..

Oh, and last of my ramp rants..... RIG UP OUT OF THE WATER!!!! So many times i have seen people launch, just to hop in the boat and rearrange everything from sinkers in their tackle box to the amount of beers are on ice in the Esky.... Drop the boat in, park the car, get in the boat and be on your way.

[JulianDeMarchi]

Hows about fishing off the pontoon where boats are coming and going?? Thats just not on... The worst is I have had someone have a go at me for launching the boat where their lines were.... Oh the verbals that ensued were to be remembered thats for sure...

I can understand on an evening where fisherman or fisherladies understand that when theres ramp traffic, time to pull them in for a bit.. Thats fine... But hey, Get with the program...

Another one that I have seen is when reversing the boat down after rigging up, almost hitting a VK commodore at the waters edge of Dohles Rocks ramp with two chiefs sitting in there having a few chuffs... Say no to the green friendly on Ramps fellas, and hey, if that is your pastime, at least leave your lights on at the end of a lightless ramp (At the time).

There is always mass confusion as to who has right of way at a busy ramp, and I must admit, it can get daunting sometimes.. But if everyone showed some understanding and at least took a snapshot of who is there and who is waiting at the ramp, it should always sort it out....

Having had 29ft boats and self retrieving, I was always one frustratingly circling waiting for the pontoon to be free... But hey, I waited.. Many a time some clueless buffoon would just sneak in and tie up to the 2m available on the pontoon and leave me hanging another round.. But so be it..

Oh, and last of my ramp rants..... RIG UP OUT OF THE WATER!!!! So many times i have seen people launch, just to hop in the boat and rearrange everything from sinkers in their tackle box to the amount of beers are on ice in the Esky.... Drop the boat in, park the car, get in the boat and be on your way.

I was a a boat ramp once where once goose reversed down to the boat ramp, tied up to the potoon. They then drove the car and trailer up the ramp a bit, then proceeded to load the boat with all their camping gear. Stuff that could've been done before launch. My Mrs isn't in the know with everything boating yet, but she still made the comment to them that they should think ahead next time and load up before launching. It's amazing that these people know how to breathe sometimes. You know what the scarier thought is... You have to share the water with these people, people who due to not thinking has the potential to wreck a few lives.

Don't get me started on the Comsile ramp after river fire... The coppers were just sitting there that night to watch for people tempers I bet!