That boat aint goin' anywhere unless you got trailer slicks

Tell that to the guy with the Bullet sitting on the concrete halfway up the ramp I saw at Possum Kingdom last year. No slicks, no nothing except carpeted runners. Not the first time, won't be the last. Hook the boat up before you head up the ramp. Cheap insurance.

I never realized loading and unloading your boat was a competion to see who could do it in the fastest time. I agree that some of the people stop on the ramp to load everything in the boat, that will drive you crazy. I fish about 90% of the time by myself but I have everything ready before I back the trailer down the ramp. It takes me about 3 minutes to unload and about the same to load and I always after loading tie the winch strap down to boat before pulling the boat out of the water. If I'am ever in front of you guys at the boat ramp and Iam taking to long to load or unload I will go ahead and apologize now, or better yet if you see someone loading or unloading by themselves (me) I will gladly accept help in order cut the time in half to load and unload which will save you about 2 mintues.

If someone was blocking the ramp doing something like wiping their boat down or talking on the phone, I could see being upset. Making sure your boat is ready to launch safely wouldn't upset me...at all.

to quote an old gentleman I know:

"you ain't a-gonna change the way nobody drives"

applies to boats too.

This. Not a coincidence that cool and fool rhyme. I'll take the extra 30 seconds and hook up - everytime.

March 30th begining of the recreational boater season, and we already have our first post about ramp etiquette.

I don't mind if soemone is backing down and really trying to unload. What I don't like is when they block the ramp while loading coolers, ski's, the dog and grandma. Please do it while in line waiting not on the ramp..
I have helped people who are by themselves to help keep things running smooth.

I tried the "tournament load" once and it ain't worth the aggravation of chasing the boat back down the ramp.

The fish will still be there in another 60 seconds, so pardon me while I winch my boat down.

Helped lift 2 boats off the ramp in one day at Squaw Creek. Hook it up before you pull forward.

There's absolutely nothing rude about playing it safe. Hooking the front up before you pull the boat out is not only safe it's just common sense. Now I do like to release each of my minnows one at a time before I pull out, but that's how I was taught;)

+100

The very first time I put my new to me Gambler in Rayburn, at Caney Creek ramp which is about as a low slope ramp as you'll ever see, I got indoctrinated very well. I was loading, not unloading, so everything was dry. I gave the strap some slack, unhooked everything and started down the ramp. There were some guys in a Ranger loading right next to me, I was looking at my mirror and could see the Ranger driver, and his eyes got as big as basketballs in a big hurry. I looked in my rear view mirror and all I saw was black, the hull of the boat. The boat had slid off the trailer, so fast I guess, that it latched the wratchet and what ended up happening was the boat was at a 45 degree angle, transom about 3" off the concrete, teetering on the end of the trailer runners, held by the strap. Good thing I'd done my business for the day or I would have filled my britches.

Dude must've done something wrong.

I attach the strap when fishing with my tournament partner, because I don't trust him to not back the trailer in too deep, or to not take off too fast pulling up. But when it's me and pops, I never bother.

If the boat isn't floating, the bunks aren't frozen, and the driver doesn't goose it, the boat isn't going anywhere

for me I would rather be safe than sorry. It takes 30 seconds to unhook or hook a boat up but could cost you $$$$$ if you drop it at the ramp...

My son and I, and a few others helped carry a brand spanking new Legend into the water after we heard it skid 1/4 way down the ramp while unloading. That has got to be one of the worst sounding things I ever heard. NO slicks on that trailer either.