Boat ramp etiquette important at busy times

As the weather heats up, so will the fishing. That means more people hitting the water, and more pressure put on our public boat ramps.

Brian “Filthy” Feltham with a stonker of a queenie he caught while trolling a Bluewater Classic wide of Darwin.

As the weather heats up, so will the fishing. That means more people hitting the water, and more pressure put on our public boat ramps. Here are some great tips to help you and your fellow fishos get on, and off, the water faster.

■ Be prepared. This means putting bungs in, keys in the ignition, battery isolator on and as much gear as possible pre-loaded into the boat before getting to the ramp. Briefly start your motor and turn on marine electronics to ensure they’re all working.

■ While waiting to reverse down the ramp remove any straps, motor supports or tie downs. Now’s also time to load personal belongings into the boat and ensure everyone’s ready. Check you have pliers to loosen D shackles and the winch handle ready.

■ If possible have the skipper in the boat when launching, ready to start the motor and the car driver to unhitch the boat from the trailer.

■ Once launched quickly clear the ramp to wait for your deckie.

■ If you’re teaching your better half to drive the boat onto the trailer that’s great, but 4pm on Sunday probably isn’t the best time. Wait for a weekday.

■ If you see someone struggling to launch or retrieve, don’t yell at them. Give them a hand.