Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

My family and I are just learning to effectively approach the ramp and dock, and tie the boat off. As such, I am curious to know which approach is preferable:

1. Pull up to the dock, tie off the boat and run to get the trailer
or
2. Pull up to the dock and let one of our party jump off to go get the trailer, and putter around the cove until they return.

Obviously the latter requires two approaches to the ramp/dock in traffic, but the former has the boat in the way of others waiting, and beating against the dock to one degree or another.

With the holiday weekend approaching, and my skills improving, I am interested in opinions about this.

Thanks

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

If there's someone on board capable of backing the trailer in and loading, I always use #2.

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

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Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

Bump and run for me if possible. But if I'm by my self or with someone who cant drive the boat or back the trailer then i tie off and run to the truck. I don't dilly dally around with a busy dock.

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

finally the wife can start the boat and back it off the trailer. she goes out in the bay until I have parked the truck then comes in and gets me off the end of the dock, and then we repeat this when we come in
thank god!
theres only so much rob to go around
rob

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

rbh said:

finally the wife can start the boat and back it off the trailer. she goes out in the bay until I have parked the truck then comes in and gets me off the end of the dock, and then we repeat this when we come in
thank god!
theres only so much rob to go around
rob

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I'd like to be able to get my wife to that level of confidence one day, but right now she's too unskilled at driving the boat and we're both too scared to let her learn...

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

I use rule #2 whenever possible, my wife usually gets out, & pulls the trailer to the ramp, as I circle around in the boat, then, when she gets up to the ramp, I dock the boat, get out of the boat to back the trailer in, then I jump in the boat, put it on the trailer, as she helps, & then she pulls me out to staging area to secure the boat for travel.

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

you know its a toss up whether she can back in the trailer or do the boat thing. I rather her do the boat thing!
by the way never teach your wife to do anything if you want your marraige to last,
let your family or neighbours teach her!
rob

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

I use Expidia's rule . . . I always pull up to the dock and get the car quickly. I don't care what the courtesy is of a trailer just pulling in to launch their rig.

How about the twit that decides to back down the middle of a two lane boat launch and take his sweet @ss time?

Example: to me it's backward if that's what policy is that trailers go first, because the one who is on the water (or tied up at the dock) should be the first to get his boat out.

If a storm is coming, shouldn't the boat in the water have precedence over the guy on a trailer to get his boat out of harms way?

The wind is not going to bother the boat that still on the trailer.

If you want to teach people etiquette, than teach all the morons that pull down the ramp, get out of their truck and then start rigging their boat for the day while on the ramp. Or the same for the idiots that rig or de-rig in the pull out areas so you can't back down straight because they have their trucks and trailers there while they talk on their cellphones.

This sport really makes you hate rude dumb people

So tie up to the dock and go get your car. You have just as much right to use it as anyone else.

I don't give way for Jetskis, Go fast boats, People on cellphones, Smokers or anyone with less than a full set of teeth

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

If someone can run and get the truck/trailer, and back it in for you that would be best.

The less time we spend at the dock the better off it is for everyone.

Rig the boat in the lot, with everything ready except maybe that last winch strap.

When done, get it out of the water and well out of the way, back in the staging area before rigging it for transport.

There are no steadfast rules unless posted, and as soon as you decide to educate those less fortunate in knowledge, be prepared for battle.

As many docks/ramps will be in use for both launch and retrieve simultaneously, I think promptness and flexibility should prevail.

Aint nothin like a bunch of beat up drunks, out in 100+ temps, just about angry with the world, on a late Sunday afternoon fighting over nothing to see what I mean.

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

Hmmm,

My launch must be on the weird side. I've launched there at least 30 times and have never seen anyone get off their boat, get the rig while the other person circles in a holding pattern.. At my launch it's, stop at the staging area, prep your boat, then back down unload the boat, tie off the boat and park your rig, then start motor, idle till operating temp then go out happily. Am I living in a dream or nightmare?

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

JZammetti said:

Hmmm,

My launch must be on the weird side. I've launched there at least 30 times and have never seen anyone get off their boat, get the rig while the other person circles in a holding pattern.. At my launch it's, stop at the staging area, prep your boat, then back down unload the boat, tie off the boat and park your rig, then start motor, idle till operating temp then go out happily. Am I living in a dream or nightmare?

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That all sounds cool to me except the idling until up to operating temp. Why can't you do that idling out of the no wake zone?

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

at my locals ramps, there aren't any docks at the bottom. you have to idle over to where they are. it keeps the ramps open for better traffic flow. not fun when you don't have help though, it's a long walk at one of them...especially when your truck is blocking the ramp on a busy day as you run over to the boat dock.

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

Tahoe 55 said:

That all sounds cool to me except the idling until up to operating temp. Why can't you do that idling out of the no wake zone?

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I don't know why not, I was told to idle at dock till operation temp in case the motor fails you can get the rig, load up and leave. Do you idle while moving out and away from the dock?

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

JZammetti said:

Do you idle while moving out and away from the dock?

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Yes, if I waited until I was up to operating temp at the ramp, it would more than double my launch time. I would think you would want to know that your boat was "sea worthy" before you launched it.

Maybe I'm being too anal, but I pride myself on very quick launches and recoveries after reading all the stories on here.

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

Tahoe 55 said:

I'd like to be able to get my wife to that level of confidence one day, but right now she's too unskilled at driving the boat and we're both too scared to let her learn...

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a good way to practice is get a milk jug paint it bright orange and use it as a target so she can pull up slowly to it. best time and place is on a really calm day with no wind and an out of the way spot on the lake. my wife is coming along great doing it and she is building a lot of confidence in controlling the boat. if she hits the jug no biggee as it wont hurt the boat and can be picked back up easily with a fishing net.

Re: Tie off at the dock or drop off and circle?

The ramps I use have courtesy "docks" with cleats and the launching method I use depends on who is with me. I'd rather do a drop off and putter, but no one wants to load the boat and very few can back a trailer, especially when you can't see it. I'll tie to the outside of the courtesy dock if necessary though, as do many others, and I have never seen anyone get their feathers ruffled over it, so don't sweat it.