| Boat Ramp Etiquette: Loading Your Boat onto the Trailer |
From "Shipshape Boating"
episode DSSB-209 |
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There are a few things to know about loading your boat onto the trailer. Host John Greviskis shares a few tips on how to do so quickly. - Whenever you approach a boat slip, make sure your engine is at idle speed. This will keep the wake from bouncing around other boats who might be loading their boat..
- Drop your passenger off at the dock so they can get in line to back into the water.
- Be aware of who is in line next to load or unload, and wait your turn.
- Once the trailer is in the water, line the front of the boat up with the center of the trailer (figure A).
- Have the passenger guide you to which direction you should power up the boat, taking the boat as far up the trailer as possible.
- Secure the boat by attaching the winch strap onto the bow ring. Tighten everything up, and then attach the safety chain to the bow ring.
- Turn off the engine and trim up the motor.
- Pull the boat out of the water and away from the slip so it will be available to other boaters.
- Pull out the drain plug (figure B).
- Strap the boat back down to the trailer.
- Plug in the trailer lights and ensure that they are working.
Once you are home, hose down the trailer and boat with fresh water. Also, you might want to scrub the boat with a mild soap made for boats. If you were boating in salt water, attach the earmuffs to the lower unit to flush out the salt from the engine.
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