how fast can you launch and retrieve?

The only thing that really gets to me is launches that are not designated as “In & Out” lanes when its busy. Not so much for the people, but the confusion that goes with it.
When I’m by myself and returning, I often have to tie off “elsewhere” that the launch dock. I go and get my truck, get in line, and wait the half hour to get through the line. As I’m backing my trailer in, someone decides to tie off in the launch side of the dock and expect to bypass 30 other vehicles to get out. Sorry, I have no patience for this. I waityed like everyone else – move your rig and let me pull out. I waited just like everyone else.

I’m by no means a speed demon when it comes to launching and retrieving my boat but I can get in or out in fairly quickly. I have never timed myself but would guess two three minutes tops when I’m by myself and don’t have a long walk to get my truck. That didn’t happen overnight though.
I remember when I got my first boat and didn’t know jack about launching or retrieving my boat or much of anything about boat launch etiquette but I learned in time. At first, I was pretty intimidated when I had an audience watching me launch or load. Aside from the occasional hurry ups and come ons from people waiting on me, most people seemed to go with the flow realizing I was a new dude/inexperienced boat guy. That was many years ago but I still remember those days and will help anyone who is having trouble at the launch …. most of the time. That being said, there have been a few exceptions where I decided being a spectator was the better choice. Like the time a guy and his wife got in a big fight while launching their boat. He must have said the wrong thing to her and that’s when the fireworks started. The wife must have had their lunch/beverages in a couple bags and small cooler she was holding because the first thing that came out of the bag was a loaf of bread that she threw at her husband. She was a good shot too as she hit him in the head from about 15 feet away. I was impressed with her accuracy. As he started to drift down from the launch close to shore begging her to get into the boat the barrage of food stuffs and F bombs continued. A bag of chips , then the Gatorade, then the mustard and whatever else was in bag one. She must have gotten tired and just threw bag two and the cooler at him as she stormed off to who knows where. That was one of the more entertaining sights I’ve seen at a boat launch and a good reminder not to urine off my GF when we go fishing. LOL Stories from the boat launch would make for an awesome book subject I think. LOL

There’s a little bar about a ten minute walk from our house, Admiral D’s.
It has a large patio right on White Bear Lake. The owner also owns the boat ramp which runs right along the patio. It’s maybe twelve feet wide with the patio railing on one side and brush on the other. There are tables that that are litterally about six feet from boats as they back in.

This ramp is used more by the pleasure boater crowd than fishermen. The wives and kids are usually in the boat “helping” dad navigate the ramp.
We’ve witnessed quite a few shouting matches between spouses. Nothing like getting chewed out by the FW in front of a patio full of people!

So if you ever want to enjoy a cold one with free entertainment head on down some Saturday afternoon.

I don’t think this is a problem we can solve. It is frustrating watching someone who has no idea what they are doing take a long time at the ramp. Sure you can offer to help, but that is not without risks. For every person grateful for help and an opportunity to learn there is someone else who will be offended and angry that you are trying to rush them.

I got the dirtiest look from two girls last fall when i told “You should trim your motor down, it’s not in the water”.

They started it out of the water and were trying to rev it in reverse to get it off the trailer. LOL. Funny stuff. The driver just looked at me and says “I KNOW!” and then trims it down. haha.

Tried to help two expert yachtsman last year. Turns out that while i was trying to help them, my boat had come off the dock cleat and was floating down river…After i figured these expert yachtsman weren’t going to take any help, i noticed my boat drifting away and had to go for a 40 degree swim Not sure which one of us looked dumber; but they were trying to run their trailer strap over the bow stop on a 50′ yacht. LOL. Wasn’t going to work out well for them, but they were hell bent that they were right and i didn’t know what i was doing…DNR was also there to watch me go for a quick swim. Fun few minutes at the landing

this is my theory of boat launch. I have hand out post cards and receiver a lot of flack about this but i really don’t care. If some ask for help i will, but otherwise they are on their own. I will admit it does get entertaining and even comical at times. Come down to it, it is a PUBLIC BOAT LANDING

1. All public boat landing are not your personal property

2. The Boat landing is for loading or unloading your boat. This is a water sport so plan on getting your feet wet or bring some waders along.

3. The boat landing is NOT for you to unload the trunk of your car or unload the bed of your truck into your boat. Load your boat at home or somewhere out of the way of others.

4. If it’s dark out, turn off your headlights (parking lights okay). You can see the water and the landing much better with less light. The next person in line or loading their boat won’t be seeing stars for the next week.

5. If it takes you more than 5 minutes to load your unload your boat maybe you should think about renting a boat slip.

6. The boat landings are NOT for you to wipe down your boat and clean it.

7. The boat landing is NOT a place for conversation. Do this on the river.

8. If you are meeting someone at the landing and you don’t have a boat, don’t park as close to the landing as you can.

9. The boat dock is NOT for you to tie up your boat and go to the convenience store.

10. If you need to practice backing up a boat trailer find an empty parking lot, not the boat landing on a holiday weekend.

when I get to the launch area of the day I always have pulled over to the side and made sure that I have everything in the boat from the pickup and a line ready to tie off with, check the plug, prime the fuel bulb, life jackets out, and if needed put the rain gear on. then I am ready to launch.

Randy Wieland wrote:

The only thing that really gets to me is launches that are not designated as “In & Out” lanes when its busy. Not so much for the people, but the confusion that goes with it.
When I’m by myself and returning, I often have to tie off “elsewhere” that the launch dock. I go and get my truck, get in line, and wait the half hour to get through the line. As I’m backing my trailer in, someone decides to tie off in the launch side of the dock and expect to bypass 30 other vehicles to get out. Sorry, I have no patience for this. I waityed like everyone else – move your rig and let me pull out. I waited just like everyone else.

How about that landing in the City of Lake Geneva?That place was a genuine cluster-eff!If the DNR designated spots were filled,it was bend-over Charlie.It was 3.25 for DNR parking,and close to 20.00+otherwise.And that was in the early 90s.
You had one chance to get lined-up with launch lane.Otherwise you had traffic backed up on a busy street.Many times had to wait quite awhile at a chance to retrieve boat.

Pete S wrote:

@ cougareye – nope, troy launch.

It was probably an ahole that lives in the Cove, thinks he owns the launch and has a sail boat moored in front of his place. He might even own the place just south of catfish bar.

I love some of these responses. And yes, just be patient. We were all there at one point or another in our lives. Lend a helping hand when the time calls for it, shut your mouth and bite your lip in others,,,, and just remember we’re all here for the same thing (Unless of course it’s a jetski, screw them!) HAHA.

I had an interesting one this fall. Super busy lake and access with guys coming and going at all times. I idle up to the landing area and see 2 older gentlemen in a little fishing boat just hanging out by the dock but not tied to it. I assumed that they had already dropped of the driver and he’s in line to back the trailer in. SO I Pull up to the dock and drop off my brother in law to get my truck and then see the older guys pull up to the dock and tie off on the same side as where the trailers are backing in. One guy gets out and walks up the dock. I politely ask the remaining fisherman in the boat if he can tie off on the other side as I see my brother in law is next in line. The guy (had to be 75 years old) turns around and yells F*CK YOU. I said, excuse me? He proceeds to scream and yell that I shouldn’t be budging and if I didn’t there wouldn’t be a problem. LOL,, I had to laugh as I KNEW my brother in law heard all of this going on. We had a good chuckle about it on the way home that day (with 6 walleyes and our 20 crappies in a pail).

Good call on the canoe.
As for launching my boat, I can do it just a little bit quicker than you. I had it retrieved before I even woke up this morning. so, yeah…

Living here on mille lacs, and keeping my boat in the garage, I use the public accesses almost daily. Patience is a must. I have seen it all, especially at 10;00pm when the night ban is in effect and there is 10 to 20 boats all trying to get out of the lake. We were all newbie’s at one time, or we aren’t as young as we used to be, so help if you can, ask for help if you need it. Fishing is a relaxing sport, no need to get into a knock down drag out fight over launching or retrieving your boat.

I have patience for “noobs” and those just having a bad day, but there is no excuse for;
Blocking the ramp while you load gear etc.., get the boat ready out of the way and then move to the ramp.
Same when landing, get the boat on the trailer, move out of the way, then clean weeds off unload gear etc.
blocking the ramp with non-launching activities. It is fine to use the area for fishing, swimming, etc.., just move out of the way when someone needs the ramp.
And one that happened to me last fall. Just as I pull up to the dock in my boat, some guy backs a trailer in. As I tie my boat to the dock I mention that he doesn’t have a boat. He says that his buddy will be right there. Really !!!, in the 10 minutes or more that i wait for his buddy to get there I could have loaded my boat 5 times.

Oddly enough I had been reading this post over the last few days and this saturday I was launching the boat on the river for only the 3rd time ever. I was there early but there were some guys that pulled in just behind me and it’s a small launch so I wanted to be quick about things. I got about half way up the launch after leaving the boat with my frend by the water when I remembered, I opened the door and yelled PLUG!!!! We got the boat back on the trailer and it took about 15 min for the water to drain out while I let the other guys go ahead. Sometimes speed is not everything

gimp wrote:

it depends how far I have to walk to park or get my pick-up and trailer. may times it is under 2 min.

I’d say the same for me. If a group can launch 60 tourney boats in under 90 minutes I don’t know how it takes some people so painfully long.

A few years ago in Kentucky we were storm delayed at a FOM National tournament They had the meetingat 9:05am and they said don’t move from your parking spot unless they told u to move and gave us a parking order to return to, we were boat 11 they had all 132 boats in the water and we idled by the check out boat at 9:46 ,that’s puttn boats!

if everybody followed the golden rule and did unto others as they would do to themselves all ramps would be a better place!!
Stan

Last week I was patiently waiting to launch at Everts when I had to wait for 45 minutes before I could put the boat in. The group ahead of me broke the axel and could not get it out of the water. It took a number people to lift the trailer and flip the axel in place just to get it out. Mistakes happen and there are issues when everyone is in a hurry. Bottom line. Think, execute and take your time.
You may ask why did we not go to the spot next to it? There was chaos for some reason. Traffic jam.
Everyone wants to get in and out as soon as possible. My recommendation is to help those next to you if you can.

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Newbies and occasional only fishermen need a few extra minutes. Everyone had to start learning to launch and load at some point. I agree prep the boat before launching (like up top in the parking lot). Then after prepping get in line to launch. It doesn’t hurt to help a newbie, they don’t always know the ropes. I’ve found they need more help loading than launching and I’m glad to help.

riverruns wrote:

Yep and life is to short to worry about stuff like this.

Pretty sure this guy has it spot on. You guys need to relax sometimes. You will realize that sometime in your life and take a look around.

People around here, they go down to the boat ramp and “try to get their boat running.”

I’m one of the slow boat launchers and retrievers. I think it still takes me 5-10 minutes.

Yup, it surely takes all kinds to make up this diverse world of ours. I agree with the small stuff quote. Almost the same as ” I don’t sweat the small potatoes cause it’s ALL small potatoes. Especially when extremists are killing others in the name of religion.