Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

[AG]

Brother in law and I went duck hunting in NJ - it was about 5am - still dark. <br /><br />The truck is backed down the ramp, I asked my B.I.L. to get something from the parking lot, he puts the parking brake on and proceeded to the parking lot. I push the boat off the trailer - wow this is easy today...that's because the boat and trailer are moving...I ran as fast as I could to the driver's side door. <br /><br />Thank God the door was ajar. He didn't apply enough parking brake (standard shift - left the motor running)...<br /><br />Worse yet, the whole thing almost ran me over - I would have drowned for sure because the B.I.L. was nowhere to be found.

 

[ztim]

Re: Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

At least your bil learned a lesson. Too bad it wasn't with his own stuff. <br />Still got a laugh though. I can say that because I've been there done that cried and later laughed.

 

[AG]

Re: Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

I'm new to boating and I learned a lesson as well... i recently finished building a boat - every time I launch, I check everything twice - especially the parking brake and bilge plug.<br /><br />Happy father's day everyone.

 

[beermunk]

Re: Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

you turn your vehical engine off? i do the following:<br /><br />parking break and then PARK gear, but i leave the engine on so the fluids inside the transmission still circulate.<br /><br />i'm not sure if this is a big deal or what, but better safe than sorry...

 

[jtexas]

Re: Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

I keep a wheel chock on a rope to chock the front wheel driver's side whenever I leave a vehicle on the ramp. Use the rope to pick it up on your way up the ramp.<br /><br />I think with a standard shift I would definately turn the motor off and put it in a forward gear!

 

[beermunk]

Re: Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

oh yes.. i forgot that it was a standard.

 

[cdivrmike]

Re: Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

After boating this weekend I went and got my Doge 3500 diesel stick shift and trailer and backed it down the ratehr steep ramp, put it in 1st, applied the brake and turned off the motor. My wife isn't really readyu to load the boat on the trailer yet so I have to get out of the truck and do it. I was in the boat and almost on the trailer when the truck moved a little kinda like it was slipping in gear so I yelled to my wife to jump in the truck and hold down the brake peddle( she was on the rear passenger side) while I hurried up and got the boat on the trailer and was holding it from backing up anymore by keeping the engine powered up. I think that had I not been able to get the boat on the trailer so quickly that the whole rig would be in the water and how was I gonna explain that to the boss seeing how it is my work truck. Also, my wife does not drive a standard so she had to shimmy across the seat so I could get in without the brake being let off for more than a second... Too close of a call for me.....

 

[beermunk]

Re: Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

whoa man... is your clutch going out or what?

 

[cdivrmike]

Re: Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

Funny thing is that the clutch and flywheel were just replaced 2 months ago so I will be taking it back to dodge to be checked out

 

[swat'in flys]

Re: Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

Took my mother-in-law and father in-law, wife and there boat to a lake for a quick fishing trip. Very old wood fiberglass boat with 60hp evinrude on the back. Backed the 78 jimmy down the ramp, thru it into park and jumped out to help. Ther is a clicking noise and the jimmy is backing itself into the lake. By the time I get back in water is pouring in the back window. Father in-law says take your foot off the brake and see if you can pull it out. I slide back even further. Water is now across my lab. Luckily the boat broke free and I was able to drive the truck up the ramp. We had just bought that truck in 88 used. Used a truck chaulk from then on. Pretty scary then pretty funny now.

 

[tryan]

Re: Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

i recently had the same experience when the parking brake mechanism failed on an '01 f250 stick.<br /><br />hey mike and you guys sporting a diesel hand shaker (manual), you must shut off the motor and use REVERSE. any diesel will 'back off' when loading the motor in opposite rotation. i would say your clutch is fine if you where using first gear.<br /><br />i use a 10# sledge as a scotch under the front tire as back up.

 

[cdivrmike]

Re: Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

<br /> hey mike and you guys sporting a diesel hand shaker (manual), you must shut off the motor and use REVERSE. any diesel will 'back off' when loading the motor in opposite rotation. i would say your clutch is fine if you where using first gear.<br /><br />

Thanks, I had no clue of this

 

[tryan]

Re: Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

if you have a diesel with a manual, you need to use reverse on the ramp.

 

[ae708]

Re: Always, always, always, turn motor off, put in gear, put on brake.

My uncle and I went fishing several years ago.. his new chevy and my new boat. We launched, fished the day and he backed down the ramp and got out to shoot the bull while I winched the boat up..... back in the day of tilt trailers. All of a sudden the car started back.. he yelled "Oh s**t, my car" and I yelled "Oh s**t, my boat. I jumped on the bow and cut the line and floated the boat as the trailer and car went underwater. At least it was HE who backed it down.<br />Glad it wasn't me. Totalled the car, insurance replaced it.