Jackson Bay fishers and residents are warning recreational boaties to be careful when using the settlement's boat-launching area.
Peta and Manuel Robertson told the Otago Daily Times last week that in a six-day period they rescued 10 vehicles that became stuck in the sand while launching or retrieving boats.
Mrs Robertson said some were buried to the tops of their wheels and one Mercedes 4WD had water running through its interior.
Jackson Bay, 50km south of Haast in South Westland, is a popular place for Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes district boaties wanting to fish off the coast.
Lex Cameron, of Wanaka, was one victim of the launching area last week and had to be towed out of the water and soft sand. He said the problem was worse when the tide was out, meaning boaties had to back trailers about 50m to deeper water.
The Westland District Council recently introduced a mandatory $15 boat launching fee at Jackson Bay, where a donation was requested previously.
Mr Cameron questioned the council's right to charge a fee for what was a track across rocks, shingle and sand.
He believed the council should not be charging before a ramp was in place.
Jackson Bay resident Merv Velenski also believes recreational boaties should not be paying.
"There is no boat ramp. People back down off the road on to the sand and the stones and into the sea.
"I've been here 40 years and it's just the same as when I came here."
Mr Velenski said he had seen eight to 10 people having trouble getting their boats out of the water over Labour Weekend.
The launching area is administered for the council by Westland District Property Ltd and general manager Bruce Smith said yesterday a bylaw was adopted in 2002 allowing for a fee to be charged.
A consultant was seeking approval for a new concrete-tilt boat ramp to overcome the problem.
