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1 for the road????

floater212floater212 Confirm Email, Member Posts: 121 ✭✭
in General Boating Discussions
here something you don't see often... a guy trying to trailer his boat all by himself, on a river, with strong current, and strong cross winds. after 6 tries he drifted down river from launch just missing... oh about everyone out there. the launch has 4 lanes and he was in the first upriver lane. my son got my truck and trailer in the lane and I lined up for the drift and just before I touched the trailer that guy missed my trailer because of my son pushing him out, lower end would have cut my tires if he had it in gear. I did a quick 360 and on the trailer I went and downstream he went for try # 8, people on the dock kept on asking if he needed help and he said he's got it.... I'm thinking he was never on a river before....please don't be that guy.. if you don't know how ask for help, there's someone there that would help....
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    Black_DiamondBlack_Diamond Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Some of the best entertainment is a six pack, under a tree watching a public launch. 

    Past owner of a 2003 342FV
    PC BYC, Holland, MI
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    212rowboat212rowboat Member Posts: 2,591 ✭✭✭✭✭
    my favorite launch, about 1/8th mile from the house and within a half mile of the ICW has a dramatic drop at it's end... the sign says "ramp ends here" and that is precisely what it means... it's about three feet to the mud below- that coastal type mud that steals the flipflops of people who don't know, never to be seen again....

    I've seen axles ripped off trailers several times when people backed too far, and instead of owning up to their oops, they try to drive off like nothing ever happened...

    when it's really low tide, and when the wind and current from the channel is strong, I'll angle the trailer on the ramp, and people watch me like I'm crazy- I overshoot the ramp, twirl a 180 (love that ron hill pleasure five!) and go either directly with the current or directly into it straight up the trailer..... I don't powerload... I can count on one hand how many times I've done that, and there was reason when I did.... I can't count how many times I've seen a powerload go wrong.... I shouldn't laugh at anyone's misfortune or lack of experience- but the arrogant ones that won't take help or advice kinda ask for it...

    212- I can't say I've seen what you've seen... it just seems like a bad recipe to me... I'd rather be seen dragging the boat over than I would goofin' like that, and placing people and property in danger.  
    click here for faults (BEEP) list
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    Glassguy54Glassguy54 Member Posts: 588 ✭✭✭
    My Admiral & I make a great team. I back the trailer down the ramp then I get in the boat and launch, she parks the truck. When loading, she drops me off at the dock, I get the truck/trailer then she pilots the boat onto the trailer. I give hand signals, thumb left or thumb right or forefinger beckoning straight ahead, and she nails it every time, even one time at an unfamiliar ramp we had never been to before on the main channel of the Mississippi with strong current and a very windy day. We have a 246 Captiva, so while not a HUGE boat, its still fairly good size.  I have seen many inept attempts with all manner of boats larger and smaller that although somewhat amusing, could easily wind up as minor disasters!
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    MDboaterMDboater Member Posts: 298 ✭✭✭
    Back in the late 80's I owned a 19 ft bow rider on a trailer and did most of my boating in the Delaware River around Trenton NJ.  I used to launch at the Trenton public boat ramp and witnessed a wide range of stupidity.  The standout however was a trio of 20 something men who owned a 14-15 ft boat, a trailer that was sized for a 16-18 ft boat being towed by a Fiat (yes, a car).  The ramp was wide enough for two boats to launch at the same time so this occurred within 10 feet of me as I was launching my boat.  

    So I arrive as our trio are attempting take their boat out of the water.  They had backed the car down the ramp, left it running and in neutral (since it was a standard transmission) and applied the parking break.  With several failed attempts, they are having a lot of trouble getting the boat to sit properly on the trailer due to the current, wind, and mis-sized trailer.  Anyway, they finally get it as properly aligned as possible and begin cranking the winch to pull the boat onto the trailer.  At about the time the boat gets 3/4 of the way onto the trailer the parking break fails and the car, trailer and boat start to roll down the ramp into the water.  Being fortunately fleet afoot, the guy cranking the winch was able to get to the driver door and open it just as the door was entering the water.  The car continued to roll back however and the driver door was almost a foot underwater before he stopped the car from moving further.  So they released the boat from the trailer and miraculously drove the car out of its predicament.  Next came the classic finish to this story when, safely up the ramp, the driver opened the door to let gallons of water spill from the car onto the boat ramp.  
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    212rowboat212rowboat Member Posts: 2,591 ✭✭✭✭✭
    MD, that's almost as good as the story a buddy of mine tells. 

    he owned and operated a seatow business out of key west.  he was contacted by the proud new owners of a cobalt or crownline- whichever, it was an expensive boat... 24' class bowrider... his 'shop' was on the channel with a port behind him and a marina on the other side.  He's waiting at his launch (part of the lot he leased; actually adjacent cow key iirc) for these gents to show up and instead he gets a call that they're coming around the corner.  While still on the phone with them he spots them and instantly knows something is wrong... He said his first thought was "did they put the plug in?" because the boat was riding so low... the guys spotted my buddy about the same time he's thinking to ask them about the plug, when all the sudden the captain of that beautiful rig pegs it, and runs it almost out of the water up his ramp.... his concrete ramp.... and it flops on its side..... at least it didn't sink because it turns out he didn't put the plug in.... but wait- this story isn't over yet...

    guess where this guy's truck is at?  

    the ramp a few minutes away... when I say the ramp, I don't mean the parking area... his truck was parked on the ramp with the trailer dunked- locked up tight and just awaiting his return.... my buddy figured that out when he put two and two together while asking where he launched and telling them they needed to go retrieve the trailer, and absently listening to the radio and a bunch of tweaked boaters cursing about an unattended truck ON the ramp at whatever launch...

    some folks ought not own boats..... or.... maybe there should be a community issued license once a person has proven themselves to regional boaters.   
    click here for faults (BEEP) list
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    NRathNRath Member Posts: 135 ✭✭
    Definitely got some laughs out of those stories!  As a rookie, I am making note of things not to do, though!  I think common sense took care of most of those.

    We had a Toyota Rav4 get pulled in at the ramp a month or so ago.  I only heard about it and saw a pic.  Boat was floating, frt low as the trailer was connected.  The Rav4 was about 2/3 under water.  After it was towed out, there actually was a small sunfish left in the driver's floorboard!

    These river stories make me just a little leery of launching where there is some current.  I'll make sure to avoid the busy times!
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