Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

[Expidia]

So, we just spent two days camping on Northern Lake George at the Rogers Rock state park.

I try to get away from the dock area as fast as possible because launch ramps can be a scary place as the inexperienced weekend warriors try and launch

I pulled a few hundred yards away and had to turn back because I forgot my sunglasses.

As I approached I see this (see pics)

My guess is because he had a roller trailer and released his winch hook and safety chain before he started backing down the steep cement ramp . . . his boat shot right off the trailer!

Good thing that blond was not standing behind the boat guiding him in or she would have been toast . . . But his skeg and prop took it pretty hard.

Definitely the kind of thing that will ruin your day!

Also read what they had painted in big white letters on the back of the SUV's rear window.

In this case, it looks like they received very little help from a higher power

 

[douglloyd]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

Been there,done that. Got the t-shirt.
Luckily no damage. Except to my ego.
and yes I keep the chain on.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

That would suck. If they would of had the motor trimed up they wouldn't of had any damage at least to the motor. Plus the cost of the a tow truck or whatever they used to load that boat back on the trailer . Or did they drag it back into the water? Looks like they left enough room for others to still launch or maybe not. Wonder how the hull held up?

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

Good thing that blond was not standing behind the boat guiding him in or she would have been toast . . . But his skeg and prop took it pretty hard.

.....

Also read what they had painted in big white letters on the back of the SUV's rear window.

In this case, it looks like they received very little help from a higher power

[end of quotes]

On the other hand maybe they did receive some help. No one was injured in this mishap.


TerryMSU

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

Oopsie! Their bad.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

The writing on the rear window make that situation very funny. I'd bet it's a borrowed boat or it was the owner first trip to the ramp because that ramp is far from being steep.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

That would suck. If they would of had the motor trimed up they wouldn't of had any damage at least to the motor. Plus the cost of the a tow truck or whatever they used to load that boat back on the trailer . Or did they drag it back into the water? Looks like they left enough room for others to still launch or maybe not. Wonder how the hull held up?

Ya, I thought of that too as to why didn't he have the motor trimmed up as I was taking the picture. My guess is he wanted to look like Joe Cool while driving the boat off the trailer once it was the wheels hit the water!

 

[Expidia]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

The writing on the rear window make that situation very funny. I'd bet it's a borrowed boat or it was the owner first trip to the ramp because that ramp is far from being steep.

I know! I had so many quips to hit us with from that phrase written on the truck . . . but I know how this site frowns on religous stuff.

But there is a higher power, because when we returned to our site guess who moved in right in front of us. From the front that blond in the picture was very attractive! I asked her how they made out and she said some people came over with long pieces of wood and tilted the boat upright enough crank it back up on the trailer.

She said someone said there was about $3500 worth of damage, but she said insurance would take care of it.

I bet it was not their boat too!

Funny, I still can't tell you what brand or model their boat was . . . but I could describe her perfectly

I said to my Wife at the campsite later on that evening "the bad news" is the hot blond who was with that boat that fell onto the ramp this morning just moved into the site across from us . . . But the "good news" is we were invited to bible study class in the morning . . . Praise the ****

 

[Expidia]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

The writing on the rear window make that situation very funny. I'd bet it's a borrowed boat or it was the owner first trip to the ramp because that ramp is far from being steep.

I know. No one wants to see anyone smack up their boat like that but what made the whole situation so funny to me was the writing on the rear window!

 

[Nandy]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

From the front that blond in the picture was very attractive!

I am so disappointed at you sir, NO PICTURES FOR US!

 

[Expidia]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

I am so disappointed at you sir, NO PICTURES FOR US!

Ya, I know but I couldn't get that obvious. Maybe I should have just walked up to her and asked if I could snap her pic since she was just standing there doing nothing and the boat wasn't going anywhere for awhile?

The best pic is the last one with the driver (the guy in the blue shirt) standing right underneath "There's Hope In Jesus" looking all dejected. Wonder what he was saying to himself when that pic was snapped?

That picture should win an award or something Maybe I'll send it in to the Tonight Show!!!

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

. . . but I could describe her perfectly

I said to my Wife at the campsite later on that evening "the bad news" is the hot blond who was with that boat that fell onto the ramp this morning just moved into the site across from us .

I think someone above may have been looking out......for you! If I said that to my wife, I would be wearing a boat hook outta my azz.

 

[captquest]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

...and the number one reason for keeping your boat fastened to the trailer until you are in the water is...
I have seen many pictures like this one. There is even a product being sold around here that makes your bunks slippy. Some one at a ramp I go to was trying it out and works great. He was in the middle of the parking lot when his boat slipped right off with almost no resistance.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

"Damn that sheet WORKS or what"....

 

[Adjuster]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

How would you guys fix that situation? Lift the motor and have another boat pull you into the water? Push the boat with the truck into the water? I am not sure I understand how they were able to winch it back onto the trailer??? Is that possible from the ground? No matter how its done there are going to be some glass/gelcoat repairs.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

How would you guys fix that situation? Lift the motor and have another boat pull you into the water? Push the boat with the truck into the water? I am not sure I understand how they were able to winch it back onto the trailer??? Is that possible from the ground? No matter how its done there are going to be some glass/gelcoat repairs.

Actually, you should be able to pull that whole rig back onto the trailer with just the winch. You'd tilt up the motor, of course, and may be have a couple people roll it near verticle.

With a tilt bed, or roller trailer, if you want to work on the trailer you can just dump the boat off in the yard on stacks of junk tires. When you want to reload you just back the trailer against it, winch till the nose lifts, and remove tires and back under it a bit at a time till it's on. It's harder to describe the process than to do it.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

When I spoke to them later on at the campsite they said they were able to winch it back up onto the trailer.

They said several people came down with some long pieices of wood that they held against the side of the boat and levered it back towards an upright position so he could start winching it back.

They broke the skeg off when the boat fell off the trailer. Should have had it in the up position before backing it down to the water anyway.

He probably borrowed the boat anyway to screw up this bad. Shows another good reason to never to lend your boat to anyone.

 

[TheMFA]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

I was so terrified that this would happen to me as the wife and I took the boat out for her first launching. Luckily we survived and I am still married.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

Ouch.
I've seen this before.
Yes, do not rely on your winch alone.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Tip: keep your safety chain on . . .

Winch is a variable, chain is only a variable if it snaps or breaks free.
Using both till you are far enough into the water.......priceless !!!!