Fishing Victoria Forum

I took my two young boys out from Warneet this afternoon. It's my fourth trip out and I think I've got the launch and retrieve down pretty well. But I've been going at pretty quiet times, so no issues.

This afternoon I came in and someone was retrieving their boat. I parked a little down the pier, but not up too close, since they were drifting about a bit, but finally they got on the trailer. I ran off to get my car and while I was gone another boat went to launch plus another boat parked behind me to retrieve as well. I put my trailer in position up the ramp, giving the launching trailer space to exit, and waited for them to launch. They did and tied up in front of me (closer to the shore). I then reversed in and went to my boat to wait while the launching boat got out of the way (I just drag my boat up to the trailer with ropes and then winch it up). The old bloke behind me started to arc up a bit at the launching boat (the wife was waiting holding the mooring line). I wasn't sure what was wrong, except maybe that the boat shouldn't have launched while we were retrieving (though how would they know).

Anyway, once the launching boat was out of the way I did a pretty quick retrieve in a couple of minutes (with a little help from the old bloke who gave the stern a shove to keep it in line). Then drove into the car park to finish tying up etc.

So did someone break the unwritten etiquette rules in some way? Should you tie up as close as you can to shore when retrieving to prevent boats launching? Wasn't a big deal (we were only waiting a few extra minutes), but it would be good to know what the expectations are. Should I have gone around the launching boat (not that there is space, just to the side of the northern lane is very shallow - I came in at low tide during the week and it's well above water).

Boat ramp rage is real.
Some people are just angry all the time regardless what we do.

Note: I don't have a boat, so I don't know much, but know enough whenever I got around boat ramp.

Sebb wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 04, 2023 9:20 pm

Boat ramp rage is real.
Some people are just angry all the time regardless what we do.

Note: I don't have a boat, so I don't know much, but know enough whenever I got around boat ramp.

On the yak I never had an issue. There was always somewhere to launch or retrieve, plus I was pretty quick about getting out of the way if using a boat ramp.

I just want to know the unwritten rules so I don't commit some sort of faux pas.

It was pretty chill today. I was worried about queues and parking etc. since I've never launched the boat on a weekend with such nice weather, but launching and retrieving was all pretty smooth. Didn't want to disappoint my boys, since they were super keen to go out. I was mildly annoyed when that particular person launched while I was coming back with my trailer, but then just chilled... it was only a few minutes more to wait, plus I could queue with my trailer, so who cares.

Anyway, the boat is awesome Can get to so many places, so much faster than with the yak (50km/h is so much better than 5 or 6).

Oddly, only saw two yaks on the way back down the warneet channel. Made sure to slow down to 5kt, unlike virtually everyone that hooned past me when yak fishing.

Lot of flogs at boat ramps .

From my perspective, at public boat ramps there is no etiquette with respect to retrieve priority. The etiquette is the car queue. Eg even if someone gets back at the pier after you but gets their car first and they are first in the queue then that is the way it is. And as you say, the person that rocks up to the car queue that is launching has no way of knowing who is launching/retrieving.

If the issue was that you couldn't retrieve because the launching boat was in your way because you manually retrieve, please consider learning to retrieve by driving you're boat up your trailer ASAP - eg with a boat catch/latch etc ideally - it's easy and will change your life!
Re going slow past yaks - I deliberately go fast (at a distance). Fast means right up on the plane and virtually no wake. If I go slow, I'm sending our 1-2 foot wake waves. Is this not what Yaks prefer?

Biggest pet peeve - people who leave their lights on in the dark - it's gotten much worse. Ok i get it - new cars you can't turn the lights off. FFS - turn the car off! I don't get why so many insist on leaving their car on (and therefore lights on) at the ramp....

I am not sure about Warneet but some ramps have one side for launching and the other to retrieve, Eg. Governor Rd in Mordialloc, in which case it will be clearly signposted. As Bowl said, plenty of flogs at ramps, once at Mordi. I saw some guy left their car & trailer parked in the preparation area all day while they went out.

PhilN wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 7:29 pm

From my perspective, at public boat ramps there is no etiquette with respect to retrieve priority. The etiquette is the car queue. Eg even if someone gets back at the pier after you but gets their car first and they are first in the queue then that is the way it is. And as you say, the person that rocks up to the car queue that is launching has no way of knowing who is launching/retrieving.

If the issue was that you couldn't retrieve because the launching boat was in your way because you manually retrieve, please consider learning to retrieve by driving you're boat up your trailer ASAP - eg with a boat catch/latch etc ideally - it's easy and will change your life!

Thanks for this. I actually have the Quintrex catch and release, but just haven't gotten around to installing it yet. So far dragging it to the winch and winding it on has been pretty quick, even if a bit wet.

bugeater wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 08, 2023 10:09 am

PhilN wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 7:29 pm

From my perspective, at public boat ramps there is no etiquette with respect to retrieve priority. The etiquette is the car queue. Eg even if someone gets back at the pier after you but gets their car first and they are first in the queue then that is the way it is. And as you say, the person that rocks up to the car queue that is launching has no way of knowing who is launching/retrieving.

If the issue was that you couldn't retrieve because the launching boat was in your way because you manually retrieve, please consider learning to retrieve by driving you're boat up your trailer ASAP - eg with a boat catch/latch etc ideally - it's easy and will change your life!

Thanks for this. I actually have the Quintrex catch and release, but just haven't gotten around to installing it yet. So far dragging it to the winch and winding it on has been pretty quick, even if a bit wet.

make sure u do the safety chain up before your drive up/down the ramp, will save your boat falling off on the ramp if the catch releases for any reason.