Guess I had better Fess Up

[cajun555]

Over reading trailers and towing about how not to launch a boat.

Well, about a year ago wife and I decided to go fish. Got to the ramp, make my u-turn to line up to launch. Every thing is normal, Pull off the tie down strap, pull off the transom saver, Pump up primer bulb. All is going as planned, pretty much normal, Stow the straps and transom saver away like I always do. Go up to the bow pull off the saftey strap and stow it away. Jump back in the car to back boat in the water. I back down ramp like always, right before I get to the water I stop so wifey can get in boat and I unhook wench hook.

Well this time when I stopped every thing came to a halt except the boat. I never saw a wench handle spin so fast and yes, the boat ended up half off trailer and half on ramp.

It seems one of the grandkids was playing with the winch and flipped over the catch on the winch. Lucky nothing hurt on the motor or boat, Just my pride, since it was sush a nice day at the park at the ramp and alot of people looking.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Guess I had better Fess Up

Embarrasing Yes....but hopefully no damage done and you now have one more check than you used to. (Especially when the grandkids are with you) LOL

 

[OBJ]

Re: Guess I had better Fess Up

I'm with Kenny.. hope no damage was done. I can only imagine that sudden look of surprise with the "WTF"/deer in the headlights look......happens. Little embarassing sure.

When I screw up at the ramp and people look......for the next 4 or 5 launches I get a feeling that people are looking at me and wondering how I'm going to screw up next.....:^d

 

[Plainsman]

Re: Guess I had better Fess Up

"I get a feeling that people are looking at me and wondering how I'm going to screw up next....."

I always feel like that..:%:%

 

[Daddy O]

Re: Guess I had better Fess Up

Watching the boat launch is better than T.V..

 

[j_martin]

Re: Guess I had better Fess Up

A friend of mine had a bass boat on a bunk trailer, so he always just untied everything, handed a tender line to his partner, and backed it into the lake till the boat floated off.

He then bought a boat that was on a bunk and roller trailer, and his first launch was at one of Minnesota's infamous steep ramps. The boat was completely unloaded about 50 feet from the lake.

 

[troypolla]

Re: Guess I had better Fess Up

The first time I tried to drive boat onto trailer instead of wrenching it up I was embarrased. I always have a mental checklist of things to do before launching or pulling out. Couple of months ago while loading. I sent my wife to pull out of the slip, just as she gets to the top of the slip I see the motor skeg dragging the ground so I run up behind her while she is driving and hit the trim up button. I was red in the face but not too many other people there that day.