Well, for the first time I had trouble at the boat launch.. luckily my wife was not there to see it. 
<br /><br />There is a little lake near our house we play at frequently. I launched there about 15 times now, and believe that I knew the area pretty well. <br /><br />So last Sunday I back the trailer down to load up the boat, and when I pull it out it is really off-center on the bunks. Well, I re-dip her a few times, and nothing seems to straighten her out when I pull. Wierdly, I look great until the last minute when the boat suddenly lunges and goes cockeyed on the bunks again. <br /><br />Someone waiting for me tells me that the lake is lower, and the concrete planks are failing. So, I send my brother out in the boat while I re-position the trailer on another area of the ramp. My bro has never driven a boat before, but he wants to try to take it into the trailer. Luckily, he err'd on the side of caution and engaged reverse before catastrophe. At this point, I asked him to inch toward the dock, and I jumped into the boat when he was within reach. <br /><br />Finally, we were on a solid piece of ramp, and once connected we pulled out without incident. I hated to hold up the others for that mess, but somtimes s**t happens, and you have to work it out while you are there. <br /><br />Interesting side-note: This was the first time launching/retrieving with my new Dodge Ram diesel. The big variable was that it is a stick shift.. that was a little tricky on the ramp. I kept envisioning the thing rolling backward into the drink. I have to work on the e-brake / clutch orchestration. Unfortunately, that is not something I can practice in a parking lot. I will have to find a hill sometime this week and get good at starting without any roll-back.<br /><br />/Ty
<br /><br />There is a little lake near our house we play at frequently. I launched there about 15 times now, and believe that I knew the area pretty well. <br /><br />So last Sunday I back the trailer down to load up the boat, and when I pull it out it is really off-center on the bunks. Well, I re-dip her a few times, and nothing seems to straighten her out when I pull. Wierdly, I look great until the last minute when the boat suddenly lunges and goes cockeyed on the bunks again. <br /><br />Someone waiting for me tells me that the lake is lower, and the concrete planks are failing. So, I send my brother out in the boat while I re-position the trailer on another area of the ramp. My bro has never driven a boat before, but he wants to try to take it into the trailer. Luckily, he err'd on the side of caution and engaged reverse before catastrophe. At this point, I asked him to inch toward the dock, and I jumped into the boat when he was within reach. <br /><br />Finally, we were on a solid piece of ramp, and once connected we pulled out without incident. I hated to hold up the others for that mess, but somtimes s**t happens, and you have to work it out while you are there. <br /><br />Interesting side-note: This was the first time launching/retrieving with my new Dodge Ram diesel. The big variable was that it is a stick shift.. that was a little tricky on the ramp. I kept envisioning the thing rolling backward into the drink. I have to work on the e-brake / clutch orchestration. Unfortunately, that is not something I can practice in a parking lot. I will have to find a hill sometime this week and get good at starting without any roll-back.<br /><br />/Ty