trailer backing

Is it me or do es anyone else get a little aggravated when you see someone trying to back their boat down the ramp and not have a clue on how to? At the lake this weekend saw one guy try and had his trailer cross ways on the ramp over the divider and had another guy who said he has never backed a trailer before in his life and didn't know how he would be able to do it. I offered to do it for him which he let me but still should people practice before they get to the ramp or is it just me?..........

I don't think they meed to practice before they get to the ramp; but they should pick a different weekend then a holiday weekend to give it a try

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Originally Posted by drakewoodie

i don't think they meed to practice before they get to the ramp; but they should pick a different weekend then a holiday weekend to give it a try

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x2

Dreaming here people will go buy a boat, trailer, and head to the lake having no clues what is in store for them, not all but some that the way it is and always will be.

practice'practice,practice sunday afternoon high school parking lot that's where my girls learned to drive would not put them on I-70 at 75 mph to learn imo??

It got interesting at Clinton #2 ramp near the Marina Sunday, but I had fun watching how many times they had to straighten out the trailers before they even got their tires to the water. If I had to be waiting in line it may have aggravated me how long they took to launch their boats.
What used to really make me mad was the times that people would wait until they got their boat near the water to load their gear, coolers, and everything else into the boat, when they could have done that while waiting in line.

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Originally Posted by springhillwantabe

practice'practice,practice sunday afternoon high school parking lot that's where my girls learned to drive would not put them on I-70 at 75 mph to learn imo??

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Must be nice. No high school parking lots round here. Its drive 20 miles to the lake, or 20 miles to a town with a parking lot big enough to practice. I just take someone who knows how usually. Need to get my wife trained to either take the boat off the trailer or back it in when she is with me.

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Originally Posted by zummy

Must be nice. No high school parking lots round here. Its drive 20 miles to the lake, or 20 miles to a town with a parking lot big enough to practice. I just take someone who knows how usually. Need to get my wife trained to either take the boat off the trailer or back it in when she is with me.

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good luck

I guess I just take it for granted about backing trailers since I grew up on a farm that's how I learned to back things. Even if you don't have a parking lot pull it out out of the drive and practice, just seems to me would be a better and less stressful than at a boat ramp on a holiday........lol just my opinion. I do realize we all have to learn

I can back one in darn near blindfolded, but that comes from having my own lawn care business in high school and having to put trailers in tight spots. My Dad is 54 and he couldn't back a trailer in if he had a gun to his head.

Remember the first time that backing got easy? Just takes practice, I agree on the parking lot or non- holiday

I hate getting all stressed on the ramp before you even get on the water. If there's no attitude or drinking involved, I usually give um the simple advise. Watch behind you, put one hand on the bottom of the steering wheel. Move your hand the way you want the trailer to go. Simple.

I don't get stressed over just making the observation... I have seen people getting into screaming matches over it your right it's not worth it. I just would think that if your not good at it then practice before not there....It's no biggie

Most days its easy, but the days I s r g e it is embassing. :dono Dont like all the screaming i have heard at ramps with KNow it alls who dont usually do any better then
t u l

thier wife was doing, then only to find out they left the plug out anyway.

The people that wait until they are ready to go into the water to unload gear are more aggravating than the poor backers, to me anyway.

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Originally Posted by Blackdog40

The people that wait until they are ready to go into the water to unload gear are more aggravating than the poor backers, to me anyway.

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I agree... The poor backers are entertaining. It is a lot easier to forgive incompetence than someone who is just plain inconsiderate.

I've seen people block the ramp and start "working on" their motor. Especially Memorial weekend when the boat hasn't been run for 6 months or more. I've seen 'em pull the cover off and start taking out spark plugs, jacking around with fuel lines, pulling out batteries, a whole diagnostic right there on the ramp. Kinda frustrating when you are ready to drop and go... Like they couldn't have tried that at home first with the motor on the hose or in a bucket...