Not everyone is great and quick unloading and loading. You would be surprised how grateful some are if you volunteer to help.

Some stuff is excuseable and some isn't. Not being a pro at backing down a ramp or your motor not starting...that's how it goes sometimes, we're not all pro fishermen who do it every day. But not having stuff ready to go before you get to the ramp is just a lack of common courtesy and respect for others time. Unless you have motor problems, 12 minutes is too long to be holding up a ramp that has a line of trucks behind you.

many was the time back in college that i would offer to handle the vehicle for obvious novices up at loew's. weekends up there were as bad as 635 on a friday afternoon. i would like to think such assistance would be accepted, but today some might see it as a dis. as far as being unskilled at something as tricky as launching a boat, don't learn at the ramp. trailers can be backed in any parking lot. obliviots will frustrate us forever. good on the gw for making things happen.

No one is talking about waiting in line for the guy that is having some trouble or new at it. But for those that clearly DON'T think about anyone else. You do not sit in line, wait till you get up front to unload your boat and then decide to transfer all the stuff from vehicle to boat, undo your tie downs, chit chat, and take your sweet time. There is no excuse for it.
I am one that will always try to help someone, especially if I can tell they are novices. I watched an elderly man try like heck for almost an hour to get his Bass boat on the trailer, and he had a partner. I asked 2 times if I could help and he refused. He kept putting the trailer in way too deep, you have all seen this. IT'S A DRIVE ON TRAILER!!! But still wouldn't take any advice. If it had not been the Ray Hubbard ramp that 6 people can launch from they would have found his body floating the next day. Just kidding about the body, settle down.

Ok probably takes me like 2min at the ramp I just didn't want it to sound like I was trying to make myself seem like I am just so fast and everyone else is so slow

I remember my very first time launching a boat. I had NO clue about ettiquete, how far to back down, etc. I had an older gentleman offer some advice, help me get unloaded, then wrote me out a short 'checklist' of the proper steps to loading and unloading. After lot's of practice, I'm now fairly proficient and it only takes a minute.

I am grateful that someone had patience enough to slow down and show me the ropes, will never forget the few basic things he told me.

RM

I'm sorry but I don't buy the "unexperienced boater" BS. It's common sense and courtesy to make sure that everything is ready to go before you back down the ramp. Before you are even in line waiting, your boat should be unhooked and all your gear loaded in.

If you are inexperienced and it takes you a couple tries to get it down the ramp straight, that is fine, but the other stuff is just inexcusable.

My wife says that I am real fast!

agreed. There are some people that you can tell are honestly trying their best to get their boat loaded/unloaded and others who could care less about anybody else at the ramp. The "care less" are the ones that frustrate me.

I fish about 90% of the time by myself and can understand the frustration of waiting in line for someone to load or unload their boat. I always have everything in the boat when I launch so it doesn't hold up the line. It can be somewhat unnerving when there is a line and you are launching or loading by yourself.

It makes me happy to see so many positive responses in this thread.

I get venting but what did you do to aid the situation? Did you point out they were holding folks up and maybe next time they should have the stuff in the boat? tip em off on choking the engine or priming the bulb which a lot of people forget?

Even blatant jerks who don't care about anyone else only do it as long as they get away with it. People never say anything to these people because they're afraid of confrontation... until they get on the internet. If I have a problem with some one who is just being a jerk I'll politely point out what behaviours are an issue, if they get aggressive with me I smile and walk away. Out of the many confrontations I've had with people in a variety of different situations I'd say 9 out of 10 of them knew very well that they were being inconsiderate but as soon as I pointed it out they stopped. That 1 out of 10 guy usually has a girl with him that's too attractive to be with him in the first place and decides to try and show off. I just smile and walk away.

Getting the boat on and off the trailer is one thing and loading and unloading coolers and tackle on the ramp is something else.

You know I agree, it sorta makes sense to have most everything ready to go before you back down. But getting upset over someone having motor problems is not cool. How do you think that guy feels, probably embarassed I would guess. He see's people waiting on him and he's just thinkin to himself "START YOU MF'er." I'm sure that never has happened to most on here though, only inconsiderate people have motor problems.

Well, its kinda like playing golf at the public course.
There will always be folks that wont know what is proper etiquette.

Just try to help.

I ain't gonna lie, I've been the guy launching the boat and having issues starting the motor before... but I don't sit there and monkey with it! I get that puppy floating, drop the trolling motor, and clear the ramp! Then I can take all day to work on getting it to start. And before you say it, yes, there are times I couldn't get the motor started and had to load back up (after the ramp was clear) with just the trolling motor... not too big of a deal... just back the trailer in a little deeper, get the boat up there, hook up the nose, and winch it up.

Launching by myself takes a couple of minutes... launching with a partner is measured in seconds... and I'm no "super expert boater", I just get my stuff in the boat before I ever hit the line!

All that being said, I have held up one lane of a ramp for about 30 minutes, and I didn't like the feeling. My motor would not trim up. Turns out a pin had come loose and cut through my lines, but it was crushed under the motor and I couldn't see it. Several guys came to help me, got tools to unscrew the valve and release the hydraulic pressure, lift the motor up, etc. Them just standing around cussing me wouldn't have helped a whole lot!