Nice ramp experience yesterday

Dave R · 07-26-2009, 09:51 AM

We spent a fine day on the lake and were headed to the Downing's launch ramp yesterday afternoon around 5 PM to load and go home. There was a boat being loaded, one or two in the queue behind them, and a boat sitting still in the water about 300 feet away. I idled up to the still boat and politely asked if they were waiting for the ramp. The captain said he was, but did not know the protocol. I explained it to him, then moved away. When a space opened up at the left dock and he did not take it, I idled back over and told him either dock was OK to use. He explained he'd rather wait for the right dock and that I could take the left one. I said OK, and then said I'd be on the right dock to help him land the boat; he seemed to like that plan. I docked, walked over to the right dock (which had just been vacated) and motioned them to come in. He came in nice and slowly and I took the lines, got the boat tied, and then said I'd wait for them to load. He said that he'd be slow and insisted that I go first. So I jogged up to my rig, backed in, loaded quickly and got out of the way. I was in no hurry (we parked after loading and sauntered over to Shibley's for ice cream), and would have gladly waited and helped, but I sure appreciated what he did by letting me load first. Wish more people were so courteous when learning to load a new boat. Cheers!

BTW, I kept an eye out, just in case, and though indeed slow (perhaps methodical would be a better term), he seemed to have no trouble backing the trailer or loading the boat. We ended directly behind them on 11 (where he even pulled over 3 times to let faster traffic between us pass, this guy was pure class). Wish I had a way to tell him he needed to use transom tie down straps...

07-26-2009, 09:51 AM	#1
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2,985 Thanks: 246 Thanked 744 Times in 444 Posts	Nice ramp experience yesterday We spent a fine day on the lake and were headed to the Downing's launch ramp yesterday afternoon around 5 PM to load and go home. There was a boat being loaded, one or two in the queue behind them, and a boat sitting still in the water about 300 feet away. I idled up to the still boat and politely asked if they were waiting for the ramp. The captain said he was, but did not know the protocol. I explained it to him, then moved away. When a space opened up at the left dock and he did not take it, I idled back over and told him either dock was OK to use. He explained he'd rather wait for the right dock and that I could take the left one. I said OK, and then said I'd be on the right dock to help him land the boat; he seemed to like that plan. I docked, walked over to the right dock (which had just been vacated) and motioned them to come in. He came in nice and slowly and I took the lines, got the boat tied, and then said I'd wait for them to load. He said that he'd be slow and insisted that I go first. So I jogged up to my rig, backed in, loaded quickly and got out of the way. I was in no hurry (we parked after loading and sauntered over to Shibley's for ice cream), and would have gladly waited and helped, but I sure appreciated what he did by letting me load first. Wish more people were so courteous when learning to load a new boat. Cheers! BTW, I kept an eye out, just in case, and though indeed slow (perhaps methodical would be a better term), he seemed to have no trouble backing the trailer or loading the boat. We ended directly behind them on 11 (where he even pulled over 3 times to let faster traffic between us pass, this guy was pure class). Wish I had a way to tell him he needed to use transom tie down straps...