Boating courtesy is really very simple....Live by the golden rule. Do not do something to others that you wouldn't want someone to do to you. It's pretty much common courtesy out there. Don't buzz someone with a skier or tuber down, don't cut between someone who's anchored or has the trolling motor down, and the bank. When overtaking someone, remember the overtaken boat has the right of way. Sailboats always have the right of way, etc., just common courtesy...If you are on a lake that has buoy markers, remember "Red right returning"....

No boom-boom speakers playing thug rap across the lake...these retards are the worst of the bunch.

So my little 15 year old portable with the knob stuck on NPR is ok?

OK, I see just about everyone has a little different way of doing things. Now here is the best way. Stop at the designated area before the ramp to take off tie down straps, transom saver, etc... put in plug, and get anything else in the boat and ready for launch. At this point the only thing holding your boat on the trailer is the bow strap. I know some have said to go ahead and take off the bow strap. Don't do it. There is no need to, it serves no purpose in launch time and you only open yourself up for a screw up. If you have to hit your brakes hard for any reason while you are backing down the ramp, it could launch your boat on concrete. OK,back it down the ramp, easy now, a little to the left. Stay in your marked lane on multi lane ramps. Back it in until the water is forward of your fender wells on the trailer. My trailer has a step forward of the fender and I submerse my step. This is only a starting point. As you launch and recover, you will need to adjust your trailer depth in the water to find that sweet spot where your boat will trailer easy but yet still remain on the bunks without floating. Anyway, back it in, put in park, set your park brake, turn off ignition. If it is night, turn off your head lights, but leave parking lights on. Headlights will blind others trying to back down. Get up on the trailer tongue. NOW, is the time to unhook your bow strap. I know some start their motors first and then come back up to lean over the bow to unhook it. I don't know why, seems like a waste of time and energy to me. Unhook it, step up in the boat, sit down, trim down just enough to get the lower unit in the water. Don't trim all the way down. With the boat at this angle, it is possible your lower unit can hit bottom at this depth. Start it up, and back it off. If it is hard to back off, next time submerse your trailer a little deeper. By the way, your boat can float a little while still on the trailer if you are launching, but you don't want it floating when you are loading. NOW, loading, same stuff backwards, just make sure your trailer is not too far in the water. You want it in far enough in to allow for driving on, but not so much that your boat never does rest on the bunks, it is still floating. It may be floating a bit in the back but the forward 2/3 of the boat is resting on the trailer bunks. This will hold the boat straight when the last few feet of the boat come down to meet the trailer as you pull it from the water. Again, back it in to where the water level is forward of the fenders and adjust accordingly. It is a trial and error thing. Drive it on, all the way up to the bow winch roller. Turn off the motor, trim it up for clearance, walk up to the bow and off onto the trailer tongue. Hook your bow strap and winch it up tight. Drive it up the hill to the designated area for securing. Now you can put your tie downs, transom saver, and pull your drain plug. This is the easiest way I have found to do it. Less steps and fast. I can launch by myself in under one minute. One other thing, get a routine. In other words, do things in a systematic way, and do it the same way everytime. Make a checklist if you have to until it becomes habit. Hone your procedure down so that each task will compliment the next task. Example, while I am down taking off my transom saver, I also install the drain plug while I am there instead of doing something else and then coming back to it which would be a waste of time. Remember, people are waiting to use the prep area too, not just the ramp. Start at the back and work your way around the boat performing tasks until you make a complete circle around the boat instead of walking back and forth. Soon you will have a system that works for you and you will be launching like a 30 year pro. Seriously, it don't take long to get very proficient at it. Be safe.

Good post Gary, that is nearly identicle to the way I do it.

When loading the boat, back the empty trailer deep enough to wet the entire bunk boards then pull up to the desired position.

if i had access to a stock tank i wouldnt need a boat lol

That would be my #1 suggestion also...

Not trying to get off topic here, but I fished with a guy from our club at Fork and he has a newer Chevy truck. The headlights automatically come on when the key is on when its dark. He said there was a way to turn them off but couldnt remember how. So some of the ones blinding you may have the same problem. Technology at work.

on the chevy's you have to engage the emergency brake one click if i remember correctly. it won't actually engage the brake it just fools the sensor.

My chevy van will turn off the daylight running lights when the parking brake is engaged.

On my Chevy, the headlights go off when I press the Dome light button three times.