all i can say is not to over steer your truck

Drop the tailgate on your truck to give you a better view of your rig as your backing it. Makes a world of difference, and will have you looking like a pro in no time!

drive it like you own it!!

go to a walmart parking lot at night and practice backing up and parking the trailer. bring some cones or some kind of markers to park between. you might get some looks but who cares.

This all reminds me of my teen years. I had a 1986 f-150 that dad gave me cause its old and im a teen boy and he knew I was either going to wreck it or take care of it. It lasted me through my first year of college before I bought something new. the only reason I bought new is because the truck went to a relative that was 16 and needed a car.

I too bought a 14 foot alum as soon as I got the truck. I found one dirt cheap and had to fill some holes in it but it was MINE! I took that boat every where. I bought a old evinrude 15hp for it. I got a trolling motor from Walmart. Even bought a hummingbird widescan! I was ready to go!! Lots of freshly cut green grass yards out there so I could buy that thing!

boy those were the days!!

I have a Skeeter now but I still wish I had that 14 foot alum!

Half of "getting along" with fellow boater at the ramp is just being considerate of other people. Don't cut in front of people in line to launch, have your boat ready to launch when backing down the ramp. When you pull your boat out, don't block the ramp while finishing tieing down your boat, etc. Everybody has to learn how to back a boat, we've all been there. A little practice in a vacant parking lot will help you get the feel of it, without the pressure. You'll do fine...
Roger

...and make sure your tailgate won't hit the front brace on your trailer while turning...seen that happen too!

Congrats and welcome to the TFF. There's nothing like the feeling of getting your first boat. It's a learning experience and we have all been there. The only advise I have is to practice backing a few times in an empty parking lot or at a boat ramp that isn't crowded (like on a weekday morning). Take your time at the ramp and develop a routine (unplug lights, take transom saver off, undue trailer straps, put the plug in). Something like that. With a little bit of practice and patience you will look like a pro at least 3/4 of the time. Congrats again and have fun!

Welcome!
With time you'll get the hang of it.
Congrats on the purchase!
I have a Mental Pic/List of Unloading/Loading . Try to never lose focus/sight on completing The List.
Distractions can cause a "chuckle" to an "Oh Heck" scenario.
TRUST ME.
Good Luck-Good Fishing
"Its all about having your ducks in a row"

Thanks again for all the welcomes and advice. The parking
lot bit did help on backing in quite a bit. Now my main
worry is getting the boat back on straight when I'm done. heh

Also need to work on that mental check list some of you mentioned.

GH50, for a *chuckle* scenario.. I now have one class-A
flattened plastic wheel chock. Did a great job at keeping
my boat from rolling forward in the drive way before I
forgot to move it out of the way when I headed for the lake. heh

Glad they come in pairs of two.

Dont worry about people at the ramp. Just take your time so you dont mess up your equipment. All of us had to learn.