This is not intended to be a rant or to criticize anyone in particular, but hopefully this will make a few kayakers or other boaters, who seem to be unfamiliar with ramp etiquette, cognizant of common sense and courtesy, and etiquette at a crowded boat ramp. Unfortunately I've witnessed this more than a few time by kayakers which is why I've placed this thread here...although I've seen it from other boaters as well. Recently, I observed this on a crowded Saturday at a ramp at Fayette County where the line was backed up to the pay station because a group of kayakers were not following some simple rules of ramp etiquette. A trailer of kayaks pulling down to the ramp was taking up almost both lanes of the ramp and they were not ready to launch when they pulled down the ramp. Don't rig your kayak on the ramp. Your seat, graphs, rods, cooler, tackle, etc should all be in your kayak before you back down the ramp...if you're not ready to launch your kayak or boat when you get on the ramp they you are wrong. Don't leave your truck with doors open on the ramp, effectively blocking anyone from backing down the ramp next to you. I've been tournament kayak fishing since 2006 and fishing bass boat tournaments since 1982 at levels up to the FLW Tour, so I've seen a few things at the ramp and I realize that not everyone understands how to quickly back down the ramp and launch a kayak or boat and, unfortunately, it is not just common sense, but follow a simple rule and everyone will be able to launch quicker and there will be a lot less arguments and bad feelings towards kayakers and other boaters. Just remember that...unless you're rigged and ready to launch your kayak...don't back down the ramp and spend 10-15 minutes rigging on the ramp and don't leave your kayak unattended on the ramp while everyone else is waiting to back down the ramp.
Again, this is not about kayaks using the ramp...I use ramps all the time with my kayak...this is about rigging on the ramp and leaving your kayak unattended on the ramp while an entire line of fisherman are waiting on you. Common courtesy and ramp etiquette...please practice it.

Sadly the issue is a good part of the population don't care IT's only about them

It�s a problem. I�ve witnessed the same behavior from a few kayakers at ramps here at the coast. If there�s a beach type launch with plenty of room take all day to load up and unload, what do I care if you waste all the time at the launch. But, busy boat ramps with people waiting, no, don�t dare drag your feet and be unprepared and waste everybody�s else�s time.

I�m a kayaker primarily and just find ramp behavior from a select few kayakers pretty appalling. One time, there were some kayakers hooting and hollering and having a grand time all the while clogging up the ramp. Clear the ramp, then have your party. On that ramp, I launched from some shoreline rocks just to get the heck out of there before the blows started being thrown. Someone is going to get their butts kicked and they will have had it coming.

Yep, and it's not only launching... I've witnessed a couple guys unload and pack up their truck at the bottom of the ramp !@#$% and I'm not talking about just throw the stuff in the truck and move out... they were drying and spraying down his reels with ReelMajic while we waited

I have a car with a roof rack, this is how i transport my kayak. If the ramp is clear i will back down, unload my kayak, then beach it away from the ramp to load up all my gear. If the ramp is busy or people are waiting i will typically park my car in a parking spot, load my kayak on my cart with all my gear and roll it down to the launch area. I tend to give power boaters right of way on land and water regardless of the situation, they are bigger, faster, & can run me over. I am in no big hurry, & the fish will probably still be in the lake by the time i get launched. Just my 2 cents

I'm so glad this was posted, and it's becoming a very serious and widespread problem!
I was wanting to post more on this, and I posted on some other threads about this problem, but it seemed to be ignored.
It's getting worse because more kayakers are joining our ranks because kayaks are getting more popular, and more people are getting into it than ever.
I think the main reason for the behavior is ignorance of boat ramp etiquette and a mild case of mob rule.
A lot of those guilty kayakers have never owned a boat, or used a boat ramp, so they just don't get it!
The mob rule is they all come in or try to launch at the same time, and spread out across the ramp and take it over, because nobody wants to say, "hey guys, we need to move over so this guy backing down the ramp wants to launch his boat." Your kayak doesn't weigh that much that you can't pull it up on the beach and out of the way.
I've witnessed 4 to five kayakers, standing on the ramp talking, fist bumping, and posing with their stringers taking multiple camera shots so they can post on social media, and that's before they even start to unload all their gear or even go to get their vehicle, and all this while someone is waiting for them to move so they can retrieve their boat or launch.
Some will say as I've heard before, "If they ask me to move I'll move" and my answer is they shouldn't have to ask. It's a boat launch not a meeting place for talking about the day, and taking photos.
I've also sat in my truck near a ramp and watched kayakers take anywhere from thirty to forty five minutes to load all their gear into their kayak before they even get underway.
I try to get my gear organized before I get to the launch and know exactly what I need to load and where it goes, and not stand there at the launch staring at the kayak, trying to figure out what I'm forgetting.
If you are at a boat ramp, pull the kayak off to the side and out of the way, and then you can take your time trying to figure it out.
By reading the posts above, and other reports from people I know that don't kayak, this is a growing problem, so we need to police our own ranks before it gets even worse.
That guy you are holding up at the ramp, just might see you out on the water, and show you how rude he can be.
Believe me, it may just be a few that are guilty, but then we all get painted with that wide brush just for doing what we love to do.
There just isn't an excuse for it!

Get a kayak cart, put your kayak on the cart away from the ramp and load everything onto your kayak. You are not getting in anyones way and will not feel rushed. Also not having to worry about someone angling their boat towards you!
Go down the edge of the boat ramp and launch your kayak. Helpful to be able to store the cart on your kayak rather than have to take it back to your vehicle.
If you do have to take it back, get your kayak off the ramp in the mean time.
When come back in, pull over to edge of ramp, put your kayak on the cart and pull it back to your vehicle.
You have all the time you need to unload the kayak and pack up for the trip home.

You may say a cart is a pain, but a real pain would be getting caught so you can not get back to the ramp and have a long haul without a cart.
Also the cart will let you go places you may not be able to with your vehicle.

Carts are great, and if you are using a trailer there is no reason you can't have all your rod and reels and everything else already loaded into your kayak where all you have to do is back in, push it off and pull it off away from the ramp to the side and then go and park your vehicle.
If you are unloading from a roof rack or truck bed, unload the kayak, move it to the side or pull it up on the beach and set your R&R's and other gear off to the side near the kayak and pull your vehicle out away from the ramp and then load the gear onto the kayak after you've parked.
Setting up your sonar and rod holders and other gear, can be done in the parking area before you pull into the ramp.
The whole idea of boat ramp etiquette is to get in and get out as quickly as you can, so others can use the ramp as well in a timely manner.

The above suggestions can easily be done. However, some people are willfully ignorant of their surroundings and are unaware that they are clogging up the works.

Meaning, some people live in a bubble and never look around to learn in new situations. Unfortunately, these people need to be embarrassed into change. Boaters, for the most part, are polite and laid back... as a result, we "allow" folks to linger at a boat ramp longer than we would allow them to linger at a gas pump. (we also tolerate the guy who cannot back a trailer longer than the guy who cannot parallel park )

I am not suggesting that fights break out... but politely telling ramp cloggers to hurry up may be necessary to improve the overall situation. Keyword = Polite. Many won't like hearing it and some may cop an attitude. However, deep down they will get it and will be more mindful of their surroundings next time they load/unload.

I've seen it work and not work in the asking politely.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that the few are giving the majority of courteous kayakers a bad reputation, and I know this to be true, mainly from talking to non kayakers and some that are kayakers who also have a problem with it.
A guy sitting in his truck idling and burning his gas, with others lined up behind him isn't going to be very happy, and if you blow your horn, they will automatically slow down, and look at you as a jerk. Getting out of your truck and walking down a steep ramp to them so you aren't coming across as a jerk for hollering, is hard to do and come across as being polite. So as you say some people live in a bubble, but I'm hoping some of those bubble dwellers read this topic and take notes.
I know how upset people driving cars get with cyclist that block roadways just because they can, and it is going to be the same with kayaks if we let it continue.

Good points Jimbo. As my grandma use to say "unfortunately, you just can't fix stupid".

here's to hoping the bubble dwellers read this thread.

If I launch from a ramp, I just pull into a parking spot, put the kayak on my cart, and then load everything I need before wheeling it down the ramp. I take my time and make small talk with the boaters who walk past. I think it helps the realize that a kayaker is out on the lake too so they will drive more cautiously. When I walk down to launch and all the lanes are full, I�ll go as far to the edge as I can and ask the boater if I can share the ramp. Then I make sure to launch and get out of the way as fast as I can.

It�s hard to go wrong saying Thanks and Please.

Not everybody got the message, but my dear mother always said to treat everyone else the way I wanted to be treated. It doesn't always work, but I go home feeling good. Life is too short to get twisted up about the small stuff.

Perfect timing, Kayak etiquette video, watch to the end!

He's spot on!
Problem is there will always be too many of "that guy" on the water who will never change their ways, and when it comes to ignorance, it's not all kayakers.