Take out mistake

[Nandy]

This is the third launch I do with this Cobia Tradewinds boat. It sits very high in the water. When taking out I drive the trailer to the ramp and tried to calculate how deep it needed to be. The trip previous this one was at another lake were the ramp was very shallow. This is one of the ramps that I am used to in my local lake which has a good incline. Anyway, I had a bit of wind when I drive the boat to the trailer so I hit the forward a bit. Before I know the bow has past the first 3 rollers and it has started to take a starboard trajectory, I shut the motor off! It hits the last roller on the port side and sends the boat straight to the rocks on the starboard side. I always have the boathook on hand and took a step to the port side and hooked to the trailer stopping the boat. I did hear a light clank when the motor, hit the trailer.
So I am bobbing there, feeling a bit stupid having done this after what... over 20 years of boating??? I used the boathook to move the bow closer to the trailer and "jump" on the trailer and finish up loading the boat....

 

[freddyray21]

Re: Take out mistake

Are you power loading? Never a good idea in my opinion. Not only does it invite boat damage it screws up the ramp for others.

 

[Nandy]

Re: Take out mistake

All depends on what you call power loading. I do not run the boat to the bow stop. I generally kill it as soon as it hits the first roller. As far as the ramp, it is all a concrete slab that goes past the end of the dock so no problems there unless you can hit the slab while loading.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Take out mistake

Nandy:

The problem is that if you power load, your prop wash goes well beyond the end of the concrete. This then washes out the gravel, sand, or whatever that is at the end of the concrete. The gravel, sand, or whatever underneath the concrete then slowly washes out from under the concrete and leaves an unsuported length of concrete hanging out in the water. The next guy does it again. Eventually, you get either a big hole at the end of the concrete or the unsupported concrete breaks off. In the first case, some poor sucker rolls his trailer off the end of the concrete and gets the wheels stuck in a hole. In the second case, you slowly ruin the ramp and still get the big hole as well.

It does not sound like you are power loading to me. I would define power loading as using your motor to force you up on the trailer. (In my opinion, the difference is driving the boat to the trailer vs. driving the boat onto the trailer.) I think that you are just coasting up on the trailer (I hope so). Here in Michigan, you can get a ticket for power loading.

TerryMSU