DALLAS -- Boating bottlenecks usually occur at the boat ramp, where vessels are launched and retrieved. Most ramps have only two to four launch lanes, but that's not the real issue. Too many boaters do not know how to effectively back a boat trailer.
There's a reason you seldom see a fishing boat jackknifed on the ramp. Fishing is a year-round sport, and anglers get a lot of practice launching and retrieving their boats. Recreational boaters? Not so much.
Many of them launch only a dozen or so times each year, and that's not enough experience to master the tricky art of backing a trailer. Trailering skills are crucial, because the boat ramp is an unforgiving environment filled with boaters in a hurry to launch. It's a tough crowd and there's a lot of pressure. Learning boat-backing skills at a crowded ramp is like learning to shoot free throws at the NBA Finals.
