Friends first trip out with out experienced help and he bent the trailer

[zebrex]

I had at first titled this thread friends first trip out, but I guess it is actually the third. first trip was with me as a shake down run (those are the pictures of the boat in the water) the second was to be first time with his family but the boat would not start and this is the third trip but his first trip alone. My buddy just got a new to him Bass boat. its a 1973 16 foot bomber tri hull with a 50 hp johnson. the previous owner took very good care of it and for $700 is a perfect starter boat for my buddy to get started with. He has no boating experience other than going out with me a few times in my 19 foot bow-rider. He took his boat to a local fishing hole that was made out of a mining pit. The ramp is rather steep. He didn't have his winch locked when he backed down the ramp and the boat slid off the trailer as he was backing down the ramp (with his daughter sitting in it) the boat landed in the water but bent the trailer badly before the front of the boat came off of it.
He and another coworker decided that they needed to get the boat off the trailer to get it fixed the following photo album is how they decided to do it. The superduty, the gooseneck trailer and the tractor all belong to me but I did not participate in the project and took pictures instead.

http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c14/zebrex/russells%20boat/

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Friends first trip out with out experienced help and he bent the trailer

A trailer shouldn't bend from the weight of the boat; it needs to be replaced.

He shouldn't drive around or launch with a person, especially a child, in the boat; all kinds of things can happen. An exception might be for larger, enclosed boats when the children need to be kenneled.

As he learned from a roller trailer, it doesn't need to be sunk; you can launch and retrieve with the axle dry. This is important in salt water.

 

[Knightgang]

Re: Friends first trip out with out experienced help and he bent the trailer

I say that trailer is to week for that boat if it bent that easily...

 

[henrye718]

Re: Friends first trip out with out experienced help and he bent the trailer

yup something is wrong, that trailer should not have bent like that, Its no longer road worthy either its like a totaled car, illegal to fix and operate again.

If he can not operate a trailer and boat why let him play with heavy equipment .

 

[26aftcab454]

Re: Friends first trip out with out experienced help and he bent the trailer

even us folks with 35 years experiance bend trailers - usually the tounge against the bumper-I have not done it myself but stuff happens. get past it and go out and have fun!!! thats why we're all here aint it???

It's not a perfect day unless you can help someone who can never repay you.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Friends first trip out with out experienced help and he bent the trailer

I've never heard of bending a trailer, except here in salt water you sometimes see the end bend down or break off b/c it's rusted from the inside. I have >35 years experience, and could easily gather 100 more from friends and family.

 

[boat1010]

Re: Friends first trip out with out experienced help and he bent the trailer

I always have someone in my boat when I launch it. Yes Home Coonin is right, something could go wrong.. But it can go wrong in a car too. I guess I didn't like the term of Kennel the kids. But I have someone drive my boat off of the trailer when I dip it in the water. To each his own. I say fix the trailer and have fun..

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Friends first trip out with out experienced help and he bent the trailer

A very young child should not be in a boat alone when it is being launched or retrieved.
As with everything boating, there are exceptions in the exercise of good judgment or extenuating circumstances. And all children aren't created equal--my 7 year old saved the day when a knucklehead adult running my boat didn't know what he was doing and the engine quit on an outgoing tide.

A boat, like a car, can serve as a kennel for young children and may be safer than the ramp/dock/parking lot. I use the term figuratively.

 

[moonfish]

Re: Friends first trip out with out experienced help and he bent the trailer

It looks like it's just the last cross piece that is bent and it looks like it's just there to hold up the lights. Maybe the trailer's a bit short for the boat as the frame looks like it stops at the axle.

I probably wouldn't unhook the boat, stick my kid in it and then dump it in the ocean but I bet he won't do that again. He's sort of lucky he didn't make it to the water, imo.

 

[zebrex]

Re: Friends first trip out with out experienced help and he bent the trailer

I am not sure of the formal name but the bunks that are on the sides are what caused the trailer to fail. the trailer use to have a different style side bunk that was replaced with the clamp on ones that you see on there now. the U bolts that hold the bunks on were to large for the C channel frame of the trailer. the bottom lip of the Channel frame bent up from the u bolts. When the boat sat on the back of the trailer the trailer bent at the week spot just in front of the axle (where the bottom lip of the C channel was bent). to straighten the trailer we used a jack on the rear and pushed down on the tweaked part in front of the axle with the loader bucket of my tractor. We used a vice to unbend the bottom of the C channel. we then boxed in the entire C Channel with 1/8 inch plate. some have said that this trailer should not be repaired but it is my opinion that it is considerably stronger than new. I can all but promise that my friend will not disconnect the boat before it is in the water or put his kids in the boat on the ramp (perhaps his wife but not his kids). We put the boat back on the trailer before I had a chance to take any pictures.

 

[SKEETR]

Re: Friends first trip out with out experienced help and he bent the trailer

I wouldn't rely on a winch alone to hold the weight of a sliding boat anyways. Might wanna bolt on a safety chain and hook while you are doing those trailer mods.