Got to test safety chain.

[nimmor]

I don't know if this would qualify as a stupid trick or not. The other day I was launching by myself which I do most of the time. I tie on a rope hooked to the boat and trailer and back in until the boat is floating and then pull out, unhook the rope from the trailer and pull the boat out of the way. Some ramps I have to stop a little sudden to slide the boat off and all of a sudden the boat stops with jerk. I have a backup safety chain on the bow tie down in case the winch fails and had forgot to unhook it. At least I know it works.

 

[HondaPower]

Re: Got to test safety chain.

If you had people watching you launch you could always say you were just testing the safety chain, actually not a bad way to safely test the chain. I launch the same way and always hook my rope to the bow eye, impossible to forget the safety chain when the rope clips to the same attaching point.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Got to test safety chain.

Did the exact same thing the other day. Backed the boat in till floating and my wife was standing on the dock pulling on the ropes. We couldn't figure out why it wouldn't budge. I got out of the truck and was like DULP!

 

[loppster]

Re: Got to test safety chain.

My safety chain got a test a while back. We were pulling the boat out of the drive and as we started up the hill, it felt like something slipped on the trailer. I went back to check and the winch had been disengaged and the chain stopped the boat from rolling off of the trailer (roller trailer).

Apparently, when removing the cover, someone (probably me) hit the switch on the winch to nuetral. Now i check the winch before pulling off.

 

[INJUN]

Re: Got to test safety chain.

I did just the opposite. I backed into the driveway to park after a day out and lifted the trailer from the ball and let her rest on the trailer jack. Pulled the truck out and instantly got reminded to unhook the saftey chain.

Luckily no damage.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Got to test safety chain.

good to know it works i think.....
i got a roller trailer and i never unhook the safty chain till i'm in the water.... it don't take much to get a boat rolling on a roller trailer...... good ya were doing it yerself too. had me a buddy along the other day. he was helpin my launch.... first thing he went for was my safety chain..... it's like leave that alone man...... my boat'll go bounceing down the ramp. no thankyou.....

 

[crappiekid24]

Re: Got to test safety chain.

Something like this happened to me. Except we got to test the safety chain that connects to your hitch on the road. We went over a bump and the trailer popped off the ball while doing 45 MPH. Someone forgot to check to make sure the ball was set right.:redface:

 

[darrklim2]

Re: Got to test safety chain.

Something like this happened to me. Except we got to test the safety chain that connects to your hitch on the road. We went over a bump and the trailer popped off the ball while doing 45 MPH. Someone forgot to check to make sure the ball was set right.:redface:

Its a good thing you don't know who it was or I am sure you would want to punch them in the face.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Got to test safety chain.

I had both safety chain moments happen to me. I forgort to unhook the safety chain from the bow eye while launching last 4th of July, which wasn't no big deal my brother had already backed me up far enough to where I was able to pull the boat far enough back on the trailer to unhook the style hook I have from the bow eye.

Then I purchased a boat one time (from out of town) that the trailer did not have a safety chain on it, and my father thought it would be alright to pull it even without a bolt or pin in the hitch until we got a mile from the house and he hit a bump and the trailer came loose from the truck.

I told my father to speed up because the boat was starting to chase us. The boat steered off to the right heading off the road into a teacher's yard who I never had for a teacher when I was in school. Luckily it didn't do any damage to anything other then skin up the yard a little. It missed the water meter box by inches.

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: Got to test safety chain.

I should post a picture of the safety chain that came with the boat I just bought.

I guess the chain wasn't long enough so they used string from the last link to the hook. Granted about 6 wraps of the string and I'm so sure it would have held as long as I didn't give the boat a tap with my hand, but I've replaced it and everything will be fine.

Just hope to never have to test it.