Lost clutch on the launching ramp

[Andrew Leigh]

Hi, my comedy of errors<br /><br />I tow with a 2,5l VW Microbus. Two weekend's ago ,whilst on vacation, I was launching my boat and backed into the water a little more than usual. With the boat successfully launched I engaged gear let out the clutch only to go backwards, had I been on a steep ramp someone would be posting pic's of a sunken Microbus. Althought the VW is a rear wheel drive the motor and clutch are also mounted in the rear. The clutch got wet and would not take. It never occured to me that the clutch would get wet!! Fortunately the incline was very slight and a friendly boater towed me out. <br /><br />I then parked the microbus (windows closed), locked up and off we went fishing. The temperature rose to 38.8 dec C or in American 102 deg F in the shade. On our return (timed to coincide with the closure of the ramps at 19:00) I could not start the vehicle as the alarm system had crashed. Fortunately a fellow boater remembered having had a similar problem with his pickup and said that the heat had affected the electronics. After much fanning into the open engine compartment the alarm system finally came to it's senses, it was now 20:00 and dark and I was contending with a very unhappy ramp attendent. <br /><br />The saga continues. Get back to the bungalow, reverse park the VW, keeping the boat hitched for an early fishing start the following a.m. Get into the VW at 05:00 bus will not start as the clutch plate had temporarily fused to the now rusted pressure plate (in reverse gear). After some rocking to and fro and brutalising of the gear shift it finally came loose.<br /><br />Happy holidays, we were rewarded that day however with some nice fish.<br /><br />Cheers

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Lost clutch on the launching ramp

I'd sure be looking into a water proof cluctch disk Andrew! I'd sure like some of your one hundred degrees American right now too.

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: Lost clutch on the launching ramp

or put a hitch on the front bumper and front wheel drive your way out of the ramp!<br /><br />

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Lost clutch on the launching ramp

owned several VW air cooled motors in Calif.<br />including a 67 microbus... they sure didn't<br />like inclines! couldn't get it outa 2nd gear<br />goin over mountain pass from LA to vegas.<br />can't imagine being on a steep ramp with one <br />safe boating,<br />M.Y.

 

[bomar76]

Re: Lost clutch on the launching ramp

The really odd part is the security system on a VW Microbus.....

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Re: Lost clutch on the launching ramp

Hi,<br /><br />CastawayRay, never considered that. I already have a bullbar to which it could be attached.<br /><br />Mellowyellow, we have a unique microbus in S.A. developed especially for the caravan towing fraternity. It is fitted with a 2,5l fuel injected, watercooled Audi 5 cylinder motor. Towing with this is substantially different to the aircooled 2,1l boxer motors. The only problem is that there are no repair manuals available. You must get the 2,1l one for the bodywork and the Audi 500 one for the motor. Fortunately I have encountered no steel ramps here, they all tend to be concrete which helps traction.<br /><br />Cheers<br />Andrew

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Lost clutch on the launching ramp

Back when i was an all-wise nothing-I-don't-know teenager, I welded-up a tow hitch to pull my boat with my 450 Honda scrambler. Gotta save money on gas when you're a teen, you know. Spend it on girls, instead. Pulling it along the road, grinning ear to ear with pride at my genius...get to the ramp. Hop off the bike. Look at the ramp. Look at the boat. Look at the bike. Look back at the ramp. Hop back on the bike and tow the boat home feeling like a total idiot. Took the hitch off and chucked it in the scrap pile. Never thought about what would happen to that bike once I backed it into the water and tried to park it to launch the boat. DUH!

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Re: Lost clutch on the launching ramp

The rasheness of youth, like the story though. <br /><br />Sometime youth has little to do with it. I have a professional digital camcorder which I wished to use whilst holidaying on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe to document our trip. As we we taking our own boat with I thought that I would make a bracket that slides over the ski pole to hold the camcorder in position. This would afford one the view of your's truely in all his splendour and glory whilst seeing the view up ahead. In my haste I negleted one teensy weensy fact. The darn ski pole is mounted close to a vibrating 115 hp motor which rendered the mount useless. I spent a lot of time on that.<br /><br />The ski pole again. As I have a bowrider I had two special boards made up for me. By removing the seats foward and aft one fits one board to the bow section and one aft. Each has a fishermans seat fitted giving a "bass boat" compromise. Well now that I have this fishing boat I need a rod holder, the best place for which is on the ski pole? Once again after much design, thought and construction time I fit the holder. Great until I needed to slide up the hatch which conceals the fuel tanks. I have a choice, I can either gas up or have a great looking rod holder. Guess which won.<br /><br />Cheers<br />Andrew

 

[BJM]

Re: Lost clutch on the launching ramp

I, too, tried the camcorder on the pole idea. I didn't go to any great trouble though. I attached the camera to a existing tripod and left the legs collapsed. I used bungee cords to lash it to the pole. It didn't work too badly, you could understand what was happening but it was pretty shaky. This was also with a 115 hp O/B.<br /><br />Don't feel badly though, most people will never try anything ever. They are obviously the ones who will never invent the next wheel.

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Re: Lost clutch on the launching ramp

I'm with you there.<br /><br />Never be afraid to try something new, remember amateurs built the ark and "professionals" built the Titanic.<br /><br />