BOAT LANDING ETIQUETTE

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With throngs of visitors traveling to the Eagle River area to enjoy time on the water it is inevitable that from time to time there may be conflicts at our boat landings. This occurs when numbers of people are attempting to launch or recover their boats at approximately the same time. Nobody likes to spend precious time waiting in line to get out onto the water or waiting out on the water while the landing clears so that you can pull your boat out of the water. Here are a few things that I have learned in my many years of launching and recovering boats. Quite possibly these tips might help you to prevent, lessen or avoid those traffic jams at boat landings.

1. Plan your arrival at the boat launch for an "off peak" time. We are creatures of habits and routines. Many of us get up at the same times every day so it seems reasonable to think that the same travel habits that make traffic jams on urban roads will cause traffic backups at boat landings. At boat landings arriving early is usually better than arriving later. You may have to leave for the lake a half hour earlier than your normal routine would dictate but in the end it will be worth it.
2. Plan your departure from the lake to avoid congestion. Again routines come into play. Many of us will end our day on the water at a time that will allow us to be back at home for dinner at a specified time. Look around you while you are on the lake. If there are a good number of boats on the water and the parking lot at the launch site is full more than likely many of those folks will have the same plan for getting off the lake. Avoid the jam-up. Leave 15 minutes earlier or be prepared to extend your day by an hour. This same scenario is repeated when bad weather approaches. Get off the water before the storm arrives and avoid the tempers that flare at the landing as the wind and lightning are working their way up the lake.
3. Be ready to launch when it is your turn. Nothing gets tempers hot at landings than the boater who pulls up to the launch ramp and only then begins to prepare his boat for launch. Before assuming a position in line to launch be sure that your fishing or water gear and life preservers are in the boat and ready to go. Have a mooring line in place so that the boat, once launched, can be maneuvered to the dock or to shore. With most boat and trailer units one need only back down the ramp far enough for the boat to float free of the trailer. There is no need to get your rear bumper wet. Once the boat has been launched move your vehicle from the landing so the next person can access the ramp.
4. When it is your turn at the ramp to pull your boat out of the water do so as quickly and safely as you can. From what I have observed over the years the biggest problem in recovering boats is that many folks back their trailers too far into the water and then have difficulty getting the boat to rest properly on the trailers' bunks or rollers. It pays to know exactly how far into the water your trailer must be in order for bunks or rollers to properly guide the boat onto the trailer. On most of the rigs I have had over the years my rear most rollers on the trailer must just touch the water in order for proper alignment to be achieved. Once there, my boats will glide right up the remaining rollers to where I can secure the winch strap to the bow eye on the boat and pull the boat the rest of the way onto the trailer with just a few turns of the winch crank. With every new boat that I buy the first place I go is to a quiet launch ramp where I find out exactly where my trailer has to be in the water for easy boat recoveries. After that it's easy.
5. Be able to accurately back your tow vehicle at the ramps. This requires some practice and it is worthwhile. Make it as easy on yourself as possible. Open the tailgate on your truck, or lift the tailgate on your SUV so you can actually see the trailer while backing up. This will help you avoid the embarrassing jack-knifes in front of a crowd at the landing. A busy public boat landing in front of witnesses is not the place to be practicing.

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