You are retrieving your boat from the water. What should you do to prevent a traffic jam on the boat ramp?

Pulling your boat away from the ramp to prepare it for the drive home is the best practice to prevent congestion at the boat ramp. Boat ramps are often busy areas, and good etiquette dictates that you should minimize the time spent at the ramp. By moving your boat to a designated area after retrieving it from the water, you create a more efficient flow of traffic and allow others to access the ramp without unnecessary delays. This ensures that multiple boaters can use the ramp effectively and reduces frustration among those waiting to launch or retrieve their boats.

While leaving the boat in the water might seem convenient for preparing, it can create a bottleneck and hold up other boaters. Unloading gear at the ramp can also contribute to delays, as this takes time and space that should be used for launching or retrieving boats. Asking others to wait is also not considerate of the shared nature of the facility and often results in tension rather than smooth operation. Therefore, moving your boat from the ramp for preparation is the most courteous action to keep traffic flowing smoothly.