Two wheel drive and wet pavement

[jennis9]

A guy and his son went out yesterday with their huge cigarette boat for some fun. We were parked at the dock when they came in from the storm.

Boat goes on the trailer. Dad jumps in the water and hooks up the winch and tightens it up. Then jumps into the pickup truck and cannot get it up the ramp and starts smoking the rear tires.

This was a VERY short ramp, it was raining and obviously slippery - he is sliding down the ramp and trying to gun it up. Tried about a dozen times. Of course all of the weight for this setup was at the transom of the boat. So dad yells out to the son to stand on the tongue of the trailer and hang on to the boat. Guns, slides back... son hangs on for about five more.

Then a bunch of guys walk over from the bait shop and stand on the tongue and hang on to each other. Two more tries and he's finally out.

We were ready to press send on our cell in case anything happened. You'd think that he would have sand bags for this rig... or think about a 4WD tow vehicle. I wouldn't stand on the tongue if my dad told me to.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Two wheel drive and wet pavement

A few pounds of air out of the rear tires may have helped. That and loading the bow end up in the boat till they got it out.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Two wheel drive and wet pavement

Yeah, that's some scary stuff right there. My friend was killed in a farm accident with similar circumstances, fell off a disc....

That guy should have put the weight in the back of the truck so no one had the chance of getting hurt.

I used to have 6 40-50# rocks that I would load up in the back of my truck right before I got to the lake. Throw the rocks in the truck bed while going down to the launch ramp, then unload them after I pulled the boat out. Kind of cumbersome and red-neck, but it was better than sliding around on the ramp.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Two wheel drive and wet pavement

That always amazes me. Why not put the guys in the back of the truck? Everybody back by the tailgate is gotta be about the same as standing on the bumper / tongue. If it was all that different then they'd be putting the rocks on the tongue.........

But if the ramp was that steep and the boat was as longs as it sounds they could have used the boat motors to help get it going......

 

[xxturbowesxx]

Re: Two wheel drive and wet pavement

heres an idea KEEP A TOW STRAP.. anyone who trailers boats should keep a 50ft tow strap without metal hooks..instead of melting his tires away someone could have helped him pull without being on an incline..ive helped many people on slimy ramps with this.. why risk spinning your tires as you slide down the ramp and drown your tow rig..oh and unhook your trailer first if your going to help..dont help someone off the ramp by using the strap on your trailer then pulling the other guy the hitch ball will shear off in a second..

 

[obezag]

Re: Two wheel drive and wet pavement

We saw the exact opposite at the ramp yesterday! Little 14' fishing boat and a Dodge Ram 3500 dually pulling it out. Guy yells over to us "hope I got enough truck"

 

[Maclin]

Re: Two wheel drive and wet pavement

That is funny Obezag

My brother has a nice 35 foot or so camping trailer that he keeps parked close to the lake. He also has a PWC that he keeps at home. His truck is a 2500 V10 Dodge which is needed for the larger trailer once he gets to the lake, but if you don't know about the trailer then it is kind of funny to see a V10 3/4 Ton QuadCab pulling the lone PWC down the hiway or up the ramp....

 

[eli_lilly]

Re: Two wheel drive and wet pavement

Then jumps into the pickup truck and cannot get it up the ramp and starts smoking the rear tires.

That's how 75% of the boats make it up the ramp here in South Florida... tires smoking, three people bouncing on the bumper, and someone in the boat gunning the engines.

-E

 

[dono16]

Re: Two wheel drive and wet pavement

I always enjoy a good burnout!!!!

 

[External Combustion]

Re: Two wheel drive and wet pavement

Kind of like obezag's story, two years ago I was in between smaller tow vehicles. We just wanted a day of relaxing fishing in shallow water, so I changed the ball on my F-700 and towed the little MFG to the lake. Both the truck and the boat have seen better days cosmetically, but they are in good repair. I knew I was going to get a few comments because it did look redneck. I was trying to think of how I was going to handle the comments from the pretty boys, but the answer came to me right after the guy next to us asked if I had enough truck for the boat.

"I don't worry about the boat, I just wanted a big enough truck to take home all of the fish I'm gonna catch."

There were no other remarks until I had parked the rig and walked back to the courtesy dock. An fellow there in a nice looking Ranger stepped out on the wharf and walked up to me. He had a big grin on his face. He pulled out his wallet and handed me a five dollar bill saying "That's the best fish tale I've ever heard! You've made my day son!"

My wife and I still laugh about that.

I do get embarrassed every once and awhile about my ways, but I hope my ego never gets in the way of having a good time.

 

[obezag]

Re: Two wheel drive and wet pavement

Now you've got me wonderin' External. I didn't even noticed his truck/boat combo until he said something. I wouldn't care if he had a tank as a tow vehicle! Doubt if he cared if I cared anyway.