x10. Back the dam thing all the way down, tires at the water, get in the boat, all she has to do is back straight and pull out. Then maybe teach her somewhere sometime.Quote:
Originally Posted by Joedog
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x10. Back the dam thing all the way down, tires at the water, get in the boat, all she has to do is back straight and pull out. Then maybe teach her somewhere sometime.Quote:
Originally Posted by Joedog
Down South in Mississippi, some of the ramps have signs posted as to how to be courteous when launching a boat at the ramp. It's a shame some folks don't have enough sense to realize what they are doing. Sadly enough also, if you say anything they get all worked up and huffy about it. All you can do is be patient and make sure you are doing the right thing too. One has top realize that a large majority of our fishing community is weekend warriors or fair weather fishermen that have less than adequate boating skill to begin with and have not had the boat in the water since last summer!! The same courtesy need to go when on the water. State Park is a prime example when a lot of boats are in there during certain times of the year. It is crowded and everyone has to get along. Some folks think you should not be anywhere within 100 feet of them but that is not going to happen. Plenty of fish for everyone. I know some old folks that would purposefully agitate a person griping about being crowded just because! That's okay and makes it kinda fun. I've put in over 500 beds in Stockton Lake and don't get upset when someone else is fishing one of them. I just go to another one. I put them in to attract fish and provide habitat and am glad someone is getting full benefit. It is no dark secret and I don't care about sworn secrecy. If we all put in that many beds, we'd have one of the best lakes in the country not to say it isn't already one. I do take a little offense when someone tries to tell me I can't fish a certain bed I put in. I like Dongotto's suggestion about contacting the corps about putting up signs then we can really see how many folks cannot read!!!
It's a lot easier to let your wife unload and load the boat than it is to teach her to back a trailer.
Ok folks, I contacted Brad Wright at Corps office and asked him about the courtesy signs. They have the sign shop at Truman and are running about a year out on requests. Sounds like government but at any rate, I asked him to check with the sign shop and see if they already had some made up since I had seen these at Corps ramps down South. He was gonna check but said if I would come up with suggestions as to what to put on the sign they could put in a request. Here's your chance for input. Give me your suggestions through this post and I will put it together and submit it. If you see a post already that has your suggestion don't repeat it. Someone start it with 5-8 courtesy rules and we can add or change it as we go along. I will monitor this thread for your suggestions until Monday March 31 and then submit it to the Corps. I have worked with the guys at Stockton Corps for quite sometime and they are really good people so I think we may have an inside track on this. All we can do is try. Here's a start: 1. Do not block this ramp. 2. This is a loading/unloading ramp. Please prepare your boat for launch in the parking area before unloading. 3. When loading after boat is secured to the trailer, pull to the parking area to finish securing your load. 4. Be courteous to your fellow boater, offer assistance if necessary. 5. Be patient. Take it from here guys.
They probably won't see this one until it is light, but if backing down the ramp in the dark , please turn your headlight off so as not to blind the next boater backing down.........do not block ramp cleaning fish.........
Neighborhood bar: BE NICE OR GO HOME.
When arriving at the boat ramp or launch, pull into either the parking lot or the rigging spot. Don’t go directly to the ramp.* All preparations for launching should be done in the parking lot or rigging area, not on the ramp. Transfer your gear from your vehicle to the boat before getting on the ramp.Quote:
Originally Posted by Creappieprofessor
* Remove any boat covers, tie-downs or transom savers. Put the key in the ignition and make sure the drain plug is in the boat.
* If you have a bunk style trailer, and if you’re comfortable doing so, unhook the winch strap from the boat. Anglers who use this style trailer, unhook the strap in the rigging area unless the ramp is very steep.
* Some anglers have roller trailers. The winch strap on roller trailers should not be unhooked until the boat is in the water. The boat will roll off onto the concrete ramp if you do.
* When all the gear is transferred and trailer preps are done, and if two anglers are present, one angler should be in the boat while the other backs the rig into the water. When the boat is in the water, now’s the time to unhook it. Then back the trailer into the water until it rolls off or floats off. The angler in the boat idles away from the dock while the vehicle driver parks it.
* Don’t tie up to the dock, which blocks it for the next boater.
* Some will say their partner isn’t comfortable driving the boat or driving the tow vehicle with a trailer in back. They need to learn how as that’s part of the responsibility of fishing from a boat.
* When it’s time to go home, just reverse the process. Pull up to the dock or ramp-side to let the driver out to get the tow vehicle.
If the ramp is busy, idle away from the dock; don’t tie up the dock.
* When the trailer is in the water, either drive or winch the boat onto the trailer, hook the winch strap and pull out.
* Go to the parking area or somewhere away from the ramp to prepare the boat for the trip home. It’s shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to get your boat out of the water.
unless you are putting this on bill board or one of those flashy lights like in vegas aint nobody going to read it. Even if they do read it they are just going to say, yeah people ought to do those things , then pull up to the ramp and load everything into their boat from the truck like they always did. Peope dont change because of a sign, and your just wasting your time and money but that is the way it is.
And,,,,,,people won't take the time to read a "busy" sign with a lot of print no matter how large the sign or the print on it...is. They just don't read period!Quote:
Originally Posted by clfarms1
How about do not throw fish remains on or around the ramp at
fairfield on Truman. And I really like the idea of having self pay
at stadging area away from the ramp area with signs posted in
that area.
I have extra envelopes at home for the pay ramps at MT. I fill 1 out at home and out money in it there. When we get to the ramp I just pull the thing off that hangs on rear view mirror and then drop into collection box. Usually I go drop in box while husband is getting boat ready to launch. I watched Hank Parker on his show 1 time explain how to back a trailer down a ramp. It really helped. I practiced backing down our driveway. He said put hand at bottom of steering wheel and move hand in direction you want trailer to go. It also helps a lot when learning at a ramp to do it when no one else is there. I know that is hard sometimes but will make a person a lot less nervous. Much easier if there isn't a bunch of impatient people watching you.
I like that. I'm teaching her this year how to back up a trailer without costing a butt load of money. Might be easier to teach her how to operate the boat. Geez, where's the scotch?Quote:
Originally Posted by G.Gordon
I agree that if the sign is too wordy they won't read it but the messages can be simplified so even dummies can read it. As far as being negative about reading them at least maybe one person will learn something. Don't knock it till we try. otherwise don't complain.
I think a courtesy sign would help for at least for some of the weekend warriors. not everyone is totally disrespectful to others, but those folks rarely get credit for paying attention. the folks we tend to notice are the ones who are creating the problem. have to remember the glass is still half full!
my advice would be when unloading or loading your boat, please only take up one lane on the ramp, so others can launch at the same time.
I would not advise to unhook the winch from ANY boat until they are partially in the water, regardless of the trailer style. I have seen boats slide off of bunk style trailers on a particularly steep ramp, and when it does happen then the ramp is tied up for a LOT longer than if they had waited. it only takes an extra second to stop the truck at the water, get out and unhook and then proceed.
one more piece of advice to add to the sign would be for the boating vetrans to have patience with novice boaters and to help them when possible.
Just moved to Pomm. So is you see an old guy at State park, be patient with him. Thanks Doug
Thanks for your input guys. I will submit the suggestions to the Corps folks and see where it gores from here. Won't know until we try. Meanwhile practice what we preach here and set a good example for everyone who violates courtesy rules.