 If you are new to boating, you may not believe that the boat ramp can actually be a very stressful place, especially on a summer weekend. There’s a ton of people trying to get their boat in the water at the same time, the kids are in the back screaming, and the precious few parking spots are disappearing right in front of your eyes.
Fights CAN and DO break out at the boat ramp! Sounds like a terrible way to start a day, right? Fear not, there is a way to stay out of going to fisticuffs with someone who’s not handling the pressure well! It’s Boat Ramp Etiquette. Boat Ramp Etiquette is pretty simple, and effective, if you just follow these simple rules: 1. Do not jump in line This seems pretty simple. Our ability to stand in lines in our society is really what separates us from the animals. Even if you don’t like what someone ahead of you is doing, even if you think you could do things faster……don’t jump the line. That is a recipe for things to get heated. 2. Do not hold parking spots So you are 10th in line and you only count 5 parking spots left in the lot. You decide to push your wife or kid out to go stand in the spot. Bad idea. I’ve seen this go sideways so many times. If you stay in the line, and you are good at counting, you should have a spot available once your boat is floating. Don’t risk the safety of your loved ones. 3. Don’t block the ramp with your boat This one isn’t as big of a deal at a ramp with multiple ramps but at a one ramp park, like Trails End Park in Wilmington, it can grind everything to a halt. Get your boat in the water quickly. Hopefully, you’ve taught someone on your boat how to pull back from the ramp and idle (and then gently pull up to pick you up when you get back from parking). If you haven’t done that, or you are by yourself, at least be on a trot back from the truck. Your fellow boat ramp warriors will feel the respect. 4. If your boat won’t start, MOVE If your boat, trailer, and truck are blocking the ramp, that is NOT the time to crack open the cowling and start diagnosing. If it won’t crank after a couple of minutes, pull it up out of the way and then you can go to work on it. You should always see if your motor will crank before even leaving to head to the ramp. 5. Know how to back a trailer before heading to the ramp It’s OK if you don’t know how to back your new boat trailer. No one is born with trailer backing abilities….it takes practice! A Saturday in July is not that time to practice, though. Find a terrible weather day, or a day in the off season, to head to the ramp and practice over and over. Not knowing how to back your trailer on a busy day can lead to you getting nervous and in a hurry. Getting in a hurry can lead to you doing something stupid that will mess up your boat, trailer, or someone else. 6. Be Nice! This one is the rule that could fix so many problems at our ramps. Just be nice! It’s not hard. There are some other more nuanced parts of this but this should keep you out of a dustup. New to boating? Our New Boater Training classes might be for you. Let’s navigate the boat ramp together! So, you've never seen yourself as an "outdoorsy" person? Maybe the extent of your outdoor experience is going to the beach. But now you live in the beautiful place, with so much to explore and you want to get out there. Where do you start?
Here are some easy options for easing into a new outdoorsy lifestyle: 1. Try out some easy camping! You don't have to backpack into the wilderness, or kayak to an uninhabited island, to get a taste of camping. Try one of our nearby, beautiful state parks! Carolina Beach State Park, Lake Waccamaw State Park, and Jones Lake State Park are all within an hour drive from Wilmington. Each one of these allow you to park right next to your campsite, use a bathhouse (which will make you feel more at home), and have hiking trails and other attractions close by to your tent. Don't have camping equipment? You can rent from places like lowergear.com or you can even give us a call. We could work out a way for you to maybe use some of our equipment. 2. Book a GUIDED outdoor excursion! A guided outdoor excursion, such as a kayak excursion here on the coast, is the best way to learn the easiest and safest way to explore our area! You can check out all of our adventures at capefearadventurecompany.com/adventures . If you are heading up to the mountains, check out NC Outdoor Adventures or Natahala Outdoor Center. 3. Just go for a hike! Does all of that sound like a lot? Just go for a hike! We've got some great trails right here in the Wilmington area, that are perfect for a beginner. The Sugarloaf trail at Carolina Beach State Park, the Basin Trail at the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, and the Abbey Nature Preserve at Poplar Grove Plantation are all beautiful, easy trails to get you out exploring the outdoors! Any questions? We are glad to talk it through with you so give us a call or shoot us an email! |
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