# Whiny newb - take outs



## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

You've got just as much right to a boatramp as they do. If you were there first, you should've backed down to the water, then asked them kindly to move so you could load your boat. Don't ever let them intimidate you and if they're not cooperative, get their company name and note the boat numbers the uncooperative guides are running, then call and complain to management and also the managing agency.

It's a shared resource and many, many, more times than not, I've had great & cooperative experiences interacting with outfitters. I try to be cheerful and have a good attitude, but be firm, about staking out my right to use the boatramp. Don't ask permission, let them know you're going to load your boat and get off the ramp as quickly as you can. Usually the guides are friendly and accomodating, and even help with loading my boat ("Hey, if y'all can give me a hand throwing this beast on the trailer, I'll be off the ramp and out of your way in 2 seconds!").


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## cnalder (Jul 7, 2016)

We had something similar in Riggins yesterday. We 2 boats both would be loaded on trailers. No one else at the takeout. We park boats next to ramp, not on ramp. By the time we walk up to get both vehicles an outfitter pulls up to the ramp with 4 boats to take out also They actually pull the boats onto the ramp maybe a couple of them completely out of water. I back trailer down and have to wait for them to empty and move there boats from the ramp. I used to guide so have lots of patience but I was surprised at what they did. I didn’t say anything but just shook my head. It took use maybe 5 min to back 2 trailers and load the 2 boats. 

Need lots of patience at takeouts. Last year I saw one private group take up 3+ lanes at the main salmon takeout, and completely derig in a couple lanes.


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## 2tomcat2 (May 27, 2012)

Like Andy said, most commercial companies help out each other and private boaters, will jump at the chance to look good in front of their customers
Attitude is key, a lot of people are not going to be ready and are horribly unaware of their place in a space (boat ramp)
My friend from Louisiana is a polite Southern gal, she was taught to say of someone who is clueless, "Bless their heart" 
You can make up your own phrase, smile and nod and under your breath, say "!!*??!*"


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## craven_morhead (Feb 20, 2007)

I feel like I have a bit of a disconnect with a couple of these posts. If the ramp is empty when you arrive, or if there is an empty lane, why not put your boat on the ramp and then head up to get your rig? Then it's clear that you're occupying the lane. Is there something I'm missing?


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## KlaustheK (Mar 20, 2021)

craven_morhead said:


> I feel like I have a bit of a disconnect with a couple of these posts. If the ramp is empty when you arrive, or if there is an empty lane, why not put your boat on the ramp and then head up to get your rig? Then it's clear that you're occupying the lane. Is there something I'm missing?


that Is apparently how the commercial companies operate, regardless on the f150 halfway down the ramp. If it had only been a couple of boats I probably would have forced them to move but they had 15 full rafts. It wouldn’t have ended peacefully. I don’t want to claim the lane until I know I won’t be jumping int front of other people. I don’t want to wait on others and I don’t expect them to wait on me.


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

My tactic, when I'm just pulling my boat on my trailer and leaving, is to get everything set, smile big n'say to the folks on the ramp...." If y'all don't mind making one lane for me, I'd like to pull my boat on my trailer and get outta everyone's way. Won't take 3 minutes." 
Most folks, are happy to oblige.
As far as I'm concerned, they're called boat ramps, not derigging, organizing, gear drying, boat deflating ramps. 
One lane should be left open for folks with their shit together. Like the express lane at the grocery store.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

craven_morhead said:


> If the ramp is empty when you arrive, or if there is an empty lane, why not put your boat on the ramp and then head up to get your rig? Then it's clear that you're occupying the lane.


^^^ This. If the ramp is empty, and you're just going to get your truck to load your boat, then you have every right to occupy the bottom of a lane with your boat - that space is rightfully yours. Even if you've got to derig and roll your boat, that's your lane because you got there first. Gotta derig and roll your boat and another group wants that lane because they're in a hurry? Then they can offer (or you can ask them) to help you take your boat and gear up to the top of the ramp and put it where you can deflate and load up at your leisure. Sure, you should be expedient and get your stuff loaded without lollygagging around but that space is yours because you were there first.

The only time to even think about setting your boat off to the side of an unoccupied ramp or lane is if you're going to be there for a long time, like waiting for someone to go shuttle your vehicle back from the put-in.

All this said, above all else, communicate with others on the ramp, be courteous, keep an eye upstream for big groups coming in, and if someone seems clueless, give them the benefit of the doubt and offer to help before giving nasty looks.


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## cnalder (Jul 7, 2016)

In my situation the ramp wasn’t empty. My wife, friends wife were on the side of the ramp with our boats waiting for us to back down. If there are no other boats at the ramp I might take the ramp but I would never take a lane if there are others with boats there unless I ask if it was ok. 

I can guarantee as an ex guide if we would have pulled up to the takeout and there were boats on the ramp and no vehicles around, we would have not been very thrilled.


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## Whitewater Worthy Equip (Dec 11, 2013)

Call the company and ask to speak with the owner or GM. Tell them what happened and ask if that their normal protocol. Make sure to have co creat info and feedback and offer them solutions. Be careful to not come across as entitled or pompous.
Most company managers want to avoid conflict with the public. If they do t know know what’s happening on the ramps it won’t improve.


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

I read through your accounting how it went down...and I feel like had you actually politely asked them to make some space for you to load your boat up they would have. Just staring at them expecting them to read your mind and do something isn't gonna get much done in my experience. I know you said the guy was kind of giving you the stink eye so it was kind of awkward...but they all understand that its not just their ramp. You gotta let people know what your intentions are and that you wanna pull out. For all they knew, you were just pulling down waiting for someone from upstream to come down or something.

I agree that boat ramps, especially when taking out, are probably the most stressful place on the river. I think the worst for me was Cache Bar when taking out on the Middle Fork. SO many agro impatient boaters there. I had my truck parked waiting to just pull down to the ramp and load my boat that was fully derigged and ready to load and some stranger lady that I had never met tried to get into my truck and move it so that she could take my spot on the ramp. I'm usually pretty soft spoken...but definitely barked at her with some expletives and she had the audacity to look at me like I was the a-hole. The ramp cleared a bit...I dumped all my stuff in the truck in less then 10 minutes and got out of the way.


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## jeffro (Oct 13, 2003)

Ah, the takeouts. Where drunk sun-burnt floaters transition to piloting trucks down the road. Generally people (private and commercial) are respectful of the limited space and help each other. But there are the exceptions. A lot of private boaters on the Upper Colorado struggle to grasp this. If you're on the Arkansas it's clearly Performance Tour's of BV world; you're just living in it when they can spare a little space.

Even better are the regulated ramps with rangers barking at you before you even touch ground. You'd think they could find five seconds to ask how your float was before laying into you for future offenses. I imagine they did before countless jackasses screwed it all up.


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## KlaustheK (Mar 20, 2021)

if it had only been two or three boats I would have forced the issue, but I’m working on my anger and fighting through fifteen commercial boats coming in hot would have been counterproductive in the anger management process.


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## basinrafter (May 12, 2009)

jeffro said:


> Ah, the takeouts. Where drunk sun-burnt floaters transition to piloting trucks down the road. Generally people (private and commercial) are respectful of the limited space and help each other. But there are the exceptions. A lot of private boaters on the Upper Colorado struggle to grasp this. If you're on the Arkansas it's clearly Performance Tour's of BV world; you're just living in it when they can spare a little space.
> 
> Even better are the regulated ramps with rangers barking at you before you even touch ground. You'd think they could find five seconds to ask how your float was before laying into you for future offenses. I imagine they did before countless jackasses screwed it all up.


LOL. One time on the Ark we floated up to Hecla...it was 100% empty....and the ranger asked us to move over to the dirt derigging spot because "there's commercial boats coming in that need the ramp". We refused to move, and were trailered and out before the commercial boats even showed up. And don't even get me started on the Upper C. I've stopped boating there on the weekends because I'm afraid I'm going to smack somebody. F'ing humans.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

basinrafter said:


> LOL. One time on the Ark we floated up to Hecla...it was 100% empty....and the ranger asked us to move over to the dirt derigging spot because "there's commercial boats coming in that need the ramp". We refused to move, and were trailered and out before the commercial boats even showed up.


"Hey, we have a special place for private boaters to derig and load!" Yeah, fuck that dirt derigging spot at Hecla. Never let anyone tell you that you that you aren't allowed to use the concrete ramp and that you have to use that downstream dirt takeout because it's "specially reserved for private boaters."

Maybe I'll use it if I come in and there're about 10 huge outfitter trips that just pulled in, and it's an absolute shitshow on the concrete ramp, AND I've got to get on the road right ASAP, but only then....


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## jbolson (Apr 6, 2005)

KlaustheK said:


> why do the commercial companies treat the public ramp like a private ramp?


I think you have a valid bitch as well. Another option is to call them out by name on this forum (if you are still perturbed).


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## gnarsify (Oct 5, 2020)

Boat ramp lanes?!? What is this sorcery? Up in my parts its a single lane ramp and it works pretty well except on high use weekends. If you're putting on, you rig while your boat is on your trailer in the parking lot (or next to the ramp, _out of the way,_ if you don't have a trailer), that way you just slide your boat in the water, have your bowman move it out of the way and tie it off while you run shuttle/park. Take-out is the same just in reverse, land your boat out of the way of the ramp (even if it's empty, someone might be about to put-on), tie the boat off, get your truck, load your boat rigged and de-rig up in the parking lot out of the way of the ramp. Everyone, except the folks who are new to boating or don't know better, follow this etiquette. And if you don't, the fishing guides will not so kindly teach you these rules very quickly. Even the commercial companies follow this principle, although they tend to be a little slower because they're stacking 5 rafts on a trailer. Is it normal for people to rig/derig while on the ramp in CO? If so, no wonder there is so much angst at the boat ramps.


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## spencerhenry (Jun 21, 2004)

So many posts bitching about takeouts start with, "We took out at two river park".
Its a shit show!


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## cain (Dec 28, 2011)

Try the Upper C. A COMPLETE FREAKING SHIT SHOW>


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## smhoeher (Jun 14, 2015)

My thoughts and experiences - more often than not, the shuttle drivers are the evil ones, not the guides. Don't let them bully you! I've rarely seen bad guides. The day trips are where the biggest conflicts seem to happen, especially on popularly stretches of rivers. Scheduling your departure and arrival can help.


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## Pine (Aug 15, 2017)

There are plenty of clueless and selfish people out there. 

I was at a power boat ramp at the lake the other day, and some clueless weekenders - trying to launch a party barge - were blocking the ramp for some very squared away looking fishermen in a fancy bass boat. 

One of the fishermen used the tactic of giving the offenders a very polite, but exceptionally long lecture on the intricacies of boat ramp etiquette, including a very long list of tips on efficiency, trailer backing techniques, parking brake operation, and offloading, etc. By the time he was half way done haranguing the offenders, they couldn't wait to get off the ramp.

The absolute worst offenders are the ones that show up for a multi-day trip, and think the boat ramps is some sort of staging area for inflating, packing and rigging their gear. I've seen these types block access for other boaters for hours and a time with gear strewn all over. They seem particularly common on the main Salmon.

The worst commercial ramp hogs I've seen were on the Owyhee.


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## bob larrabee (Apr 4, 2007)

do not engage in ramp rage. Drink wine and take your time. Don't let those other boaters get you down. Make a smile out of that frown, and don't you let that ramp rage get you down


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Pine said:


> The absolute worst offenders are the ones that show up for a multi-day trip, and think the boat ramps is some sort of staging area for inflating, packing and rigging their gear. I've seen these types block access for other boaters for hours and a time with gear strewn all over. They seem particularly common on the main Salmon.


I'll counter that: there's 5 lanes at Corn Creek and at least 3 lanes at Carey Bar. Each group gets a lane. During normal permit season, there are 4 privates and 4 commercials launching each day. Someone inevitably has to wait a bit. Some people drive 16-20 hours to go boating and not everyone trailers their boats, and some will have to inflate, pack, and rig on the ramp. There's no good beach access from either the campground or parking area, especially with the protected area for historic Sheepeater pit houses. It pretty much has to take place on the ramp.

I've only done the MFS twice, and was honestly and pleasantly surprised that the ramp at Boundary isn't more of a shitshow. Generally cool level of cooperation, especially to belay everyones' boats down the single ramp.
Did see one commercial (Tight Lines) bomb right in between a bunch of privates with their sweep rig and stack of drift boats at 1030am for their next morning launch and one guide gave everyone the stink-eye and what-for for not having already been off the ramp and beach (when the eddy had been FULL until only an hour prior with the commercials who rigged the night before).



bob larrabee said:


> do not engage in ramp rage. Drink wine and take your time. Don't let those other boaters get you down. Make a smile out of that frown, and don't you let that ramp rage get you down


^^
Be Zen. You're getting on the river. Life is awesome.


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## Pine (Aug 15, 2017)

MT4Runner said:


> I'll counter that: there's 5 lanes at Corn Creek and at least 3 lanes at Carey Bar. Each group gets a lane. During normal permit season, there are 4 privates and 4 commercials launching each day. Someone inevitably has to wait a bit. Some people drive 16-20 hours to go boating and not everyone trailers their boats, and some will have to inflate, pack, and rig on the ramp. There's no good beach access from either the campground or parking area, especially with the protected area for historic Sheepeater pit houses. It pretty much has to take place on the ramp.
> 
> I've only done the MFS twice, and was honestly and pleasantly surprised that the ramp at Boundary isn't more of a shitshow. Generally cool level of cooperation, especially to belay everyones' boats down the single ramp.
> Did see one commercial (Tight Lines) bomb right in between a bunch of privates with their sweep rig and stack of drift boats at 1030am for their next morning launch and one guide gave everyone the stink-eye and what-for for not having already been off the ramp and beach (when the eddy had been FULL until only an hour prior with the commercials who rigged the night before).
> ...



"There's 5 lanes at Corn Creek and at least 3 lanes at Carey Bar." Exactly, so if you need to inflate and rig use 1 of 5 or 1 of 3, not 3 of 5 or 2 of 3. There is a polite way to rig on a ramp, and an a-hole way to do it. No one complains about ramp riggers if they just use a little common sense and courtesy.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

I do agree


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## cnalder (Jul 7, 2016)

We launched at Corn Cr on 7/3, had a pvt group take almost three lanes. Not only were they rigging boats, they were also sorting/ packing dry boxes/ammo cans. Lasted until late into the night. Wasn’t much better in the morning. Couldn’t walk upriver from ramp with their gear strung out. Almost took pic but didn’t. Always amazes me.


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