Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

[Boatcephus]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

Ok, I've meant to post this for along time. This seems like a good opportunity.<br /> Last year a guy helped me swap an 85hp outboard for a 70hp outboard on my 21ft pontoon. On the way back from his house at about 60mph on the highway, I hear a bang and see sparks in the rearview (nightime). Hit the brakes, the pontoon on the trailer hits the back of my truck. I get stopped on the shoulder, jump out and run right past the hitch and look at the back of the boat, expecting to see the newly mounted outboard gone and tumbling in the ditch. It's right where we left it. Run back to see the hitch. Trailer has jumped off the hitch, broke the 2 flimsy chains, and when I slowed the tongue went under my truck, missing the gas tank. Both pontoons scraped down the outside flanks of my '02 pickup. No real damage to boat or trailer. $1800 of body damage to truck.<br /> This trailer did not come with a pin for the hitch, so I assumed it didn't require one. I drove all summer without one on way worse roads than that highway. Apparantly with the added outboard weight though, it jerked it right off the ball. So now I have a locking pin and a $30 extra a month insurance payment to help me remember to use it!

 

[chuckybaby]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

Interesting info about crossing the chains. I was told to do it and I'm told it's the law up here in Ontario, Can. Never knew why...makes sense tho.<br /><br />C

 

[ChrisMcLaughlin]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

Chains? What chains, Officer? I swear I was only going a few miles!!! <br />Trailer lights???...

 

[KeltonKrew]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

we used to tape flashlights to the rear of our horse trailers because my friends dad NEVER had a trailer with lights that worked!<br /><br />as far as my trailers, perfect lights, tags, tires, etc....

 

[Ron Everson]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

A few years ago, my son and I docked our 16' Texas Maid Fiesta (the 21' Reinell CC was getting a valve job and was out of commision) at Halls Crossing on Lake Powell, getting ready to head home. As we pull in. We see a beautiful classic Chris-Craft cruiser, 60's vintage, probably 60' long tied to the dock and a couple of guys from the Marina services fussing over the hitch on a long boat trailer attached to the back of a truck tractor on the ramp that was apparently going to pull out the Chris-Craft. They were spending a lot of time wrapping logging chains around the trailer tongue, securing it to the truck. Boy, I thought that looked real professional. While I was getting my pickup from the lot, a bystander informed my son that the Marina guys were a little nervous because they were about to attempt taking out the Chris for the 2nd time. Apparently on their 1st try, just before we got there, they got half-way up the ramp towing this massive Chris-Craft, when the trailer came loose from the truck and headed back down the ramp. The boat and trailer successfully made it back into the water, with the pilot on board, and they had to fish the trailer back out. I'm assuming that the pilot was not the owner, since he wasn't trying to kill the Marina guys. If you haven't seen the ramp at Hall's Crossing, it's very long and very steep, so that was one heck of a ride. They finally did tow it out while we were still there, with no further mishaps. It sure was a beauty of a boat (yacht), and it was quite a strain pulling it up the ramp. <br /><br /> Ron Everson

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

Wow Ron Emerson, this is the first reference to a Texas Maid I've seen on this forum. Our first boat was a 22' Texas Maid, converted into a shrimping vessel. I thought we owned the only one ever built. We have great stories about that boat.<br /><br />Okay, back to the topic at hand.

 

[ED21]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

Now I remember why I double & triple check the trailer before hitting the road.

 

[Ron Everson]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

The Texas Maid Fiesta was our 2nd boat. It was a 1961 aluminum runabout. It had no seats when we bought it. Just a shell with a 1959 50hp Johnson Super Seahorse V4 that was broken. I built seats, fixed the motor, put a canvas top on it, and used the heck out of that boat for quite a few years. It used to occasionally pop a rivet from pounding off the big ones at Powell and McPhee. You'd be suprised how much water could leak in through that little rivet hole in a short time. Electrical tape over the hole on the outside always took care of the problem until I could replace the rivet. Sold it a couple of of years ago to a guy who then brush-painted it red. I saw it for sale in the local paper last summer, so he had enough. Anyway, it was a good little boat, very seaworthy in rough conditions and light enough to be able to move it on the trailer with a little help. Had little fins on the back. Too bad I never had the time or money to really restore it.<br /><br />Ron Everson

 

[LadyFish]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

Not to hijack this thread but Ron, ours was a 1966 4 cyl, no seats, the floor flexed when running accross waves and one time while fishing, I accidently stepped on two wires and it started. The throttle also stuck when trying to pick me up at the dock and sent my husband back to the boat ramp at a high rate of speed and both of us screaming our lungs out. Every fisherman on the dock either ran or jumped in.<br /><br />And that was just our "Maid"n voyage.<br /><br />Okay y'all carry on with the topic.

 

[jtexas]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

Personally I enjoyed your stories but I cringe every time this thread jumps back up to the top!

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

Just for the cringe factor. <br /><br />-W

 

[ala whaler]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

Great information on the crossing of chains lubedude....l always use chains just never thought of that trick....probably would have prevented this one from happening; My dad was always hauling things to the dump years ago up in Methuen, Ma....one nice fall afternoon Mom decided to go and ride shotgun while l was in back seat....going down a steep hill mom glances out the window and says "Look George there is a trailer passing us that lQQks EXACTLY like ours" I have never seen my fathers eyes get as big as that moment....and just as he formed his lips to say "oh #$%^"...it crashed into a parked car and did a lot of damage...while the owner and Dad were discussing making it right....Mom says (with a hint of a tone)"Why did you park your car there in the 1st place"....l thought my dad was gonna die on the spot.....they're both gone now but I still chuckle when l think of it.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

After reading through the posts I have a couple for you all. <br /> First one; Best friend (no names) was bringing home his freshly painted 17’ Scottie Craft (very rare) one day after working on it for years. The tandem trailer broke just before the chains and passed him doing about 45mph. He told me “for a second I couldn't believe my eyes, A boat just like mine was passing me” and as fast as that thought went through his mind he realized there wasn't a tow vehicle in front of it and he knew it was his as it went down the hill and through the woods. Lucky enough his brother had a flat bed tow truck and a few hours to get it out of the woods. As they were pulling it out I know I herd him say under his breath at least 10 times “my new trailer comes in next week”.<br /> The second; My boat ramp has two ramps with two lanes each so unless its the 4th of July there isn't much of a wait except for this day. As I am coming up the channel I see a lot of boats wanting to use the ramp but no one was. As I got closer I saw why. The first ramp looked like someone beached a boat on it. Come to find out they were pulling there 25’ to 30’ boat out when the cranks lock let loose and the boat rolled off the trailer and onto the ramp (I always use a chain from the trailer to the bow eye to prevent this). The second ramp. About the same size boat was being pulled out by a van when it broke its drive shaft. The boat, trailer and van rolled back down the ramp and into the water to where the back doors were nearly under water. <br /> The nearest ramp was about five miles away and me being by myself I couldn't drive my boat and the truck and trailer over there at the same time so I had to wait and watch for a couple hours. I was lucky that a friend worked down the street and when he got off he was more then happy to drive my boat to the other ramp while I drove the truck and trailer over. A small price to pay. They didn't get the ramps clear till 7pm and I had to pick my kids up at 4pm.

 

[Darian F.]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

Question for Ryoken? What were you buffing the hustler with? Did it come from NASA?<br /><br />heard several stories about steep boat ramps and those neat boat trailers with all rollers<br />seems that if the bow strap isnt hooked up the boats waits to just the right moment AND.....THEN......<br /><br />Leaps off the trailer onto the ramp!

 

[GeeFrankk]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

2 accidents....Was behind a 18'IO bowrider, as he turned left onto another road at a high rate of speed, boat slipped off the trailer bunks and hit the dirt, but was dragged some distance due to the winch rope. Busted the IO and the tramsom. Wouldn't want to be his insurance agent!...Came up behind a small 14' alumin. boat w/10hp. at a stop light. Noticed something missing on his trailer, no wheel or hub on one side, he had lashed a 4X4 to the frame at the same height a tire would be, and was dragging it down the road. Hope he didn't have far to go!

 

[youngboater]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

My dad was towing our 14 foot Grumman down the road going about 60 MPH and all if the sudden a tire goes flying past and then a bunch of rednecks drive by yelling and cussing at us. We pulled over quickly and realized that was our tire. We used the spare and the axel wasn't damaged too bad. The only problem was that we had 4 lug nuts and need four per tire. We used two lug nuts for each tire. We drive about 15MPH for 25 or so miles halfway on the shoulder. We never did find the tire or lugs because it rolled down a slope and into a river. <br /> Then on a 14 foot alumacraft the tongue wasn't all the way on the hitch when we put the lock through and while slowing down at an intersection the trailer tongue poped off. Luckily we put if back on with no damage and continued to the lake. I guess we're pretty lucky since no major damage has ever happened on either occasion.

 

[Capt Joe]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

Last January, during a tropical downpour, I towed my 6 metre Quintrex home from a fishing trip. During the heavy rain I was down to about 50 KPH & hit a stick/stone that I didn't see. On arrival home my mate said "where's your back wheel?" The stick/stone was actually the back left trailer wheel taking off & bending the mudguard bracket. There was no adverse handling effects even later at 100 KPH (65 MPH). I haven't worried about carrying a spare tyre since

 

[swist]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

The thing that scares me the most about stuff like that is what happens if the boat/trailer/wheels etc that come loose then plow into something or someone else causing death/injury/huge damage. <br /><br />You'd have trouble living with yourself in more ways than one... how much of us have enough liability coverage on our insurance to handle a multimillion $$$ lawsuit. And after the insurance pays they come after your other assets. Nice to lose your house and life savings because you goofed a trailer hookup in a moment of distraction.<br /><br />Check, check, and then check again. If it is then truly an unavoidable accident and not negligence, you have a much better chance in court.

 

[bcj19]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

Hehe... In the three years I've been pulling my 23' cuddy, I've had more than my share of flat tires, but I'm always careful to check all connections / lights / wheels prior to departing. It is easy to get distracted, though, especially since I only have about 15 miles to get to the lake.<br /><br />However, just the other night, my wife and I ordered a pizza. When the delivery guy got here, he rang the doorbell and then removed his vehicle from my garage door! (Looks like I'm getting a new garage door, courtesy of the pizza guy.)

 

[beezee28]

Re: Passed on the street by my own boat & trailer

I was taught when I went for a boating safety class to cross the 2 chain that is at the tongue of the trailer and there should not be much slack on the chain either. Just enough slack for you to turn the trailer without putting too much stress on the tow hitch or stretching the chain too much. The crossed chain should be under the tongue is for / should the tongue jump out of the ball then the chain acts as a cradle for the tongue and the tongue would not dig into the road.