Fight over docking! Really?
 

As a very new boater, I witnessed my first "near fight" Sunday morning at the Wolfboro town docks. I was already docked and chatting with another boater when two guys met near the park benches and proceeded to argue nose to nose over some sort of "who should of come in first" event. Another witness had to step in and defuse the situation! Is this what I'm in for? They were actually bragging about who's boat was bigger! I thought they were going to start comparing checking account balances next! :) These were guys in their late fifties by the way!

I will say it is very difficult for a new boater to understand 'who goes in next" when there are 10 boats floating around for position. I dropped the family off in the handicap dock area on Saturday afternoon and just floated around in the bay until they were ready! Safer that way! :)

Yeah it can be tough to guess who's next in line. You really just have to pay attention to all the boats that were there before you and who has shown up after you. I'm a patient guy so if I have any doubt I usually just let them go first. It's better to make friends than enemies.
The size of your boat has nothing to do with who gets to dock first. Although if someone with a much bigger boat comes in just after me and I see a big space for them to slip into I'll let them take it if I see another boat getting ready to leave that I can easily fit into. Again that's just being nice.

As for those 2 guys almost fighting about who's first they're just a$$#oles. Your out in your boat just relax and enjoy your day.

I think it's a testosterone thing.

nice day, huh?
 

Sounds like both of those guys had a great day out on the lake.

It's really just not worth worrying about. Do your best to be considerate and take turns. If you aggravate somebody, apologize and move on. Odds are, they're looking for an excuse to be a problem.

With 20 year boat loans, most people on the lake can afford most of what's floating out there, so arguing about size is pretty ridiculous.

It really does amaze me how good the "honor" system of who is next works. Even on the busiest days at Meredith or Wolfeboro most of the time everyone seems to figure it out.

Years ago, at Cashman Park in Newburyport, there was no supervision and there would be knock down, all out brawls! On a typical Saturday in July, there would be as many as 50-60 boat trailers in the lot, and everyone would basically come back at the same time at the end of the day. It was great entertainment to grab an ice coffee and go down to the ramp about 4:30 and watch the action!

People fight over who's next to get cold cuts, why not a dock?

http://www.gershelbros.com/media/dt1.jpg

Was Martha Coakley there? She seems to want to "fight" everything and everybody. "I'm going to fight big oil, fight the special interests and fight for the common boater on Winnipesaukee".

Unless you were there how do you know it was not fueled by estrogen from others on board either or both boats? Your comment about testosterone sounds sexist. :)

Something that really does irritate.

There's three people ( with family ) pulled up to the dock to go get their trailers.
Suddenly a number of Bass boat guys come in at the same time, and drop off a guy to go get their trailer ahead of the people already waiting for others to launch.

OK , no problem I'm not really in that much of a rush, I 'll wait, but I AM still blocking up the dock since i have been there waiting, we don't all have someone to go get the trailer in the ramp.

Thing that really ticks me off is after cutting everyone else off they insist on power loading , even when the signs tell them not too!
It's not so much a problem at some ramps, but is not a problem at all to Bass boats with a shallow hull.
Besides creating a problem at some ramps, At Winnisquam it chops up the damned milfoil, and it gets on my trailer after these jerks are on on their way home, and I get to pick it all off the bottom of my boat and trailer.

I'll also bet these guys don't bother to check their own trailers and boats for it and go to other lakes having a bass tournament the next day.

Hahaha, good question. But in post #1 it was said that the two gentleman were arguing over who had the biggest boat. I have yet to see women fight over which one has the largest boat ( or whatever )

Dock Assistants!!
 

Sounds like Wolfeboro needs to invest in some Dock Hands like the Naswa has. Between people hitting other boats and arguing over who got there first sounds like it could help!

Go to Newfound Lake on any busy day, an F&G guy tells you when to launch and recover.

Just what we need, spend more tax dollars to babysit a bunch of babies who can't wait their turn in line or don't know how to park a boat.

We have a large pontoon boat so we don't even try to go to a busy port on the weekends. Luckily we are here year round. The off season is a bit easier. Since my husband works full time it is difficult to go out on the lake during the week.
It is so easy to find dock space with our Seadoo, but the number of people that can join us is very limited .

Dock chaos
 

It seems like every public dock has unwritten rules, which causes people to make their own assumptions. I have no problem with the meredith town docks setup. I've been at ramps where one side is in and one side is out.
I've been using shep browns for 5 years, never been checked for a sticker and there's no system at all, pull or put in from either side, but work around their fork lift. I've pulled behind boats thinking they are next to pull, only to find out they are just sitting tying up a spot. I would prefer to have my kids untie and pull my boat along in order while I get the trailer, instead of me having to start up again to pull around a sitting boat. I've had to wait 15 minutes before to drop in because a female passenger on a pwc would not untie and move it down so I could drop in. In these cases it would help if someone from the staff would take 2 minutes to educate the boaters at their ramps and set some expectations.
No rules lead to chaos and jerks can't stop themselves from their own interpretations of them.
DC

women have testosterone too...

Solve your boat pull woes the way I do.

1. Get old, retire.

2. Wait until early November, pull the boat mid-week.

I have, on occasion, left the trailer a bit in the water while I took a scrub brush to the algae film on the bottom before it dries, with nobody even parked nearby, let alone waiting for me to get out of the way.

Glendale Docks.
 

I did witness from time to time when the almighty Gilford Island Association will jockey for first place and claim the islanders have first dib. The on duty officer usually ignore those situation as the islanders do get their way.

Not Quite...
 

The islanders do not have "first dib" at the public dock at Glendale. The public dock (#1) is open to anyone at all times from the water, no one comes first. The islanders have ALL dibs at the islander only docks (2 & 3).

I can't say enough good at how well the two parking / docking officers (Clint & Roger) have kept that place in excellent order. The are very well respected and liked by all and that place wouldn't be nearly as organized and well run without them.

Dan

I thought we were talking about launching and hauling the boats out on trailers.

Otherwise you are right the islanders pretty much stay over on #2 and #3.

OP said they were in their late 50's, that's somewhwere between senility and sterility. I doubt tetosterone is the issue. Maybe one of them had a winer on board and couldn't get out of the boat fast enough! The launches are where I see the problems.I think most problems come from the upbringing people had. I have seen people at the launch that either have no clue that there is any one else on the planet or they simply just don't care. If you think that is a good place to do a tune up on your boat after you find out it won't start in the spring, than something went wrong somewhere and you should not be allowed to use public ramps. I could write a book on the subject. It would cover all the bases, comedy, drame, horror, suspense, Most of the time I can't beleive my eyes so it might be fiction,

You must be talking about some other dock because launching and hauling at Glendale is for Gilford residents only. The public cannot launch at Glendale. That facility is maintained by Gilford taxpayers the same taxpayers that pay the the two parking officers to keep order...

And the same town that shut down Ames Farm. Nice people in Gilford.

I'm not sure what this has to do about orderly docking???...but I think if you did just a little bit of homework you would find that the town was going to be sued by a lawyer and neighbor who lived near Ames Farm if they didn't do something. Their hands were tied...but lets not "railroad" this thread Joe ;)...

Dan

Or Gilford rental guests via a guest pass placard.

Ahhh...Certainly parking is for Gilford residents only but you mean to tell me that if I (as a non-resident) roll in to launch my boat and then the other half drives away with the vehicle and trailer to some distant location that Officers Clint/Roger are going to cite me?

Has Gilford actually created an enforceable ordinance that defines this restriction? Are Gilford folks that busy launching and retrieving boats all season that there is no room for others to access the public waters?

Any Gilford officials out there care to comment?

I'm not a Gilford resident but I know if you don't have a Town Decal on your vehicle when you try to launch your boat, the outcome might not be to your liking.

Many years ago we had two Wetlands Bureau interns that were primarily doing inspections on Winnipesaukee had to pull our boat so they could trailer it over to Sunapee for a couple weeks. Unfortunately we did not have the foresight to tell them they should not pull the boat out at Glendale. Let me just say that I felt bad as their supervisor that they had the experience that they did. We now make certain to warn all of our personnel about the restrictions relative to the Gilford docks, launch, and parking lot.

So, residents only parking and general public launch/load as long as the vehicle/trailer leaves? And what about Handicapped parking? According to the State RSA a Handicap placard trumps Town restrictions and/or parking meters. And I would imagine the ADA would feel the same way.

No, it's residents and guests of residents who have a guest pass only for launch and parking.

500 yards away is Fays boat yard where boats (public) can be launched for a small fee. That fee helps pay for the upkeep of the launch. West Alton Marina is another great place to launch for a small fee that is not that far away. Lots of places to launch on the lake for a small fee, unfortunately there are few free public launches...

Dan

Are there ANY ?

Thought even the "Public" ramps (Alton Bay, Meredith, Wolfeboro, Center Harbor) all charged $20 drop in fee. As well as check for cleanliness of boat bottoms (aquatic pollution potentials) albeit only during the busy times ie. weekends & Holidays



.

Yes, there are a few. Bizer has them pretty well covered here...http://www.bizer.com/w2launch.htm

Honestly, for what it costs to boat these days between the boat itself, fuel, upkeep, insurance, etc, etc, the launching fee shouldn't be a deal breaker especially if convenient to ones home or route to the lake.

As an fyi all the ramps you noted above except for center Harbor I believe are free, not certain though...

Dan

If there is a dock attendant at Meredith than there is a fee, not sure how much.

$20 launch fee is a steal. I like to launch at one of the private marinas on the lake for $20. Most have ample parking and you can take out whenever you feel like taking out the boat.

The public ramps have parking but not nearby, and I have on occasion launch a boat and find out there is no place to park. You need a sticker ot guest pass to park at Glendale, so even if you launch your boat before the attendant(s) are there, you need a place to park.

WAM is a steal. For $20 I can leave the tow vehicle and trailer there for a few days until I am finish with the boat.

I agree that West Alton has the best launch facility on the southern half of the lake with onsite parking for cheap money. Good people to deal with there too!!

Dan

Seasons Launch Pass
 

I used to buy a seasons launch pass from Lakeport Landing before I started renting a slip. As I was putting the boat in almost every weekend it was well worth it.

Bill

I love WAM and continue to use it because I like the location and facility and staff but the price has gone up to $25 this year. Also, I have been stuck behind tourney take outs there and there is only one ramp and they redesigned the launch turn around this year. If you mis-time yourself and catch a tourny at take out, you will not be happy. That said, the tourny guys were very courteous to me and let me jump the line.

Aquadezoiac
So, residents only parking and general public launch/load as long as the vehicle/trailer leaves? And what about Handicapped parking? According to the State RSA a Handicap placard trumps Town restrictions and/or parking meters. And I would imagine the ADA would feel the same way.

I believe that handicapped plates require you to obey any restrictions on the parking. If it say 2 hours only, you have to follow that rule. Not sure how it would work for the Glendale area. A few years ago they piled all the snow in the handaicap places and I had the Gov Council on Dis order them to remove it.

Alton Bay
 

Both the Town of Alton boat launch (west side of bay next to Shibley's) and the NH F&G's boat launch at Downing's Landing are free. There is no trailer parking at the Town of Alton launch (available at the Letter S road across from the Town Highway Dept). There is parking at the F&G lot.

Uppy, Read that again :D

Yeah, the handicapped parking area was a big thorn back in the days. I don't know about now. I had my parent park their car there because they have difficulty walking and they display their handicap placard. Then Officer Bob had the car towed because they did not display a guest pass or town sticker. They are residence of the town and they did not display the residence sticker because the car was a loaner from the shop. You can't imagine the flack we got from Officer Bob and I had to call my buddy Lt Schillinger to take care of it!
Basically under ADA of 1990 ALL handicapped parking must be available regardless of town or state rules governing the parking lots.

Maybe I don't understand your comment but anyone who parks in a handicap space at the Glendale Facility must have a Gilford Decal, and a handicap identification placard or license plate.

Docking / Launching
 

Too bad a show of bravado had to influence a new boater. As far as protocol I was also the recipient of the bass tournaments at Ames. But they did one thing correctly by placing "Roland" out there when the lines to launch were backing up. You really haven't lived launching until you heard from him at 100db "your not ready to go in, pull ahead". Bless him with skin that was as leathery as aligator cover from the sun, I never argued. Main objective was always to get out there and enjoy with a certain amount of common courtesy.

Having been in a chair for almost 25 yrs you can park in any spot, not pay a meter, and stay as long as you want.

You should look up the RSA's for handicapped vehicles. You must follow any special restrictions. Unless they recently changed the law