I was "that guy" at the launch. |
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tullfooter
Grand Poobah Joined: March-02-2007 Location: White Lake, MI Status: Offline Points: 2225 |
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Posted: August-19-2014 at 6:03pm |
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In the excitement of the launching our boats for the Buckethead Barefoot race, I gapped out, and backed my trailer too far down the ramp at the launch, and the tires dropped off the bottom of the ramp (It had nothing to do with the fact that we stayed up socializing until 3:00am). I have launched my boats at least 10 times at this ramp and have never had any issues, other than a dead battery. In my haste to get the truck and trailer out, I just locked it in 4-low, and powered the trailer back onto the ramp. Well, here's the result.
Ok, why won't my photos unload? I will try later. The result was the cross member in front of the axle is now bent back about 6", causing the center bunks to be raised up about 2". I will try to bend it back into shape this weekend. I'm just glad nothing worse happened. |
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Play hard, life's not a trial run.
'85 BFN '90 BFN White Lake, Michigan |
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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Been there, done that. Hilariously in my case we were leaving from a lake vacation. Had the car packed to the gills with stuff. All moved out of the rental house. Baby asleep in the boat. Boat full of stuff. All we had to do was land the boat on the trailer and go home. New ramp for me, backed it right off the "end" of the paved portion. Fully clothed I had to wade into the water and lift the trailer (the tires make it pretty light under water) while coordinating with somebody else to hit the gas on the car. Bent my cross member a bit, too, not nearly as badly though. Oh, I was so furious.
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2000 SN GT40 w/99 Graphics/Gel
2016 SN 200 OB 5.3L DI https://forum.fifteenoff.com |
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AAM196
Gold Member Joined: October-23-2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Status: Offline Points: 846 |
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Ohh,if ramps could talk!
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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But Tim can!! |
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OverMyHead
Grand Poobah Joined: March-14-2008 Location: MN Status: Offline Points: 4861 |
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Oowwww, feeling your pain. Some say its hard to be humble but I find life makes it pretty easy most of the time. I somehow guess it will be a little harder to straighten back out than it was to bend.
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For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats.
1987 Ski Nautique |
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boardersdad
Senior Member Joined: June-18-2013 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 409 |
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Sorry to hear it, Steve. Been there multiple times with a long pontoon trailer. Damn power loaders.
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Hollywood
Moderator Group Joined: February-04-2004 Location: Twin Lakes, WI Status: Offline Points: 13512 |
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Do you always leave your kid in the boat for the ride home? |
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jbear
Grand Poobah Joined: January-21-2005 Location: Lake Wales FL. Status: Offline Points: 8193 |
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c'mon Joel...you? john |
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"Loud pipes save lives"
AdamT sez "I'm Canadian and a beaver lover myself"... |
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Morfoot
Grand Poobah Joined: February-06-2004 Location: South Lanier Status: Offline Points: 5312 |
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"Morfoot; He can ski. He can wakeboard.He can cook chicken.He can create his own self-named beverage, & can also apparently fly. A man of many talents."72 Mustang "Kermit",88 SN Miss Scarlett, 99 SN "Sherman"
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Hollywood
Moderator Group Joined: February-04-2004 Location: Twin Lakes, WI Status: Offline Points: 13512 |
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Gary too.
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phatsat67
Grand Poobah Joined: March-13-2006 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 6149 |
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Don't feel too bad Steve. I bent the front cross bar on my 86 trailer. It didn't effect the bunks so I left it alone until I was going to paint it.
Similar scenario. The gravel on the bottom of the private ski lake ramp got washed out over the summer and the water was low. Dropped it off. I couldn't pull it out because it's a partially gravel ramp with a 2wd truck. After I tried a time or two we had 3-4 guys lift it up in the water to get it out. |
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Hollywood
Moderator Group Joined: February-04-2004 Location: Twin Lakes, WI Status: Offline Points: 13512 |
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My 88 SN trailer came to us with that front cross member in "speed mode". I can see how it would be a problem on a BFN trailer but at least Steve has the heavy equipment to pull it back.
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75 Tique
Grand Poobah Joined: August-12-2004 Location: Seven Lakes, NC Status: Offline Points: 6107 |
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Many moons ago (mid 80s) a buddy of mine pretty much ripped the axle off his Sea-Ray trailer that had dropped off the end of the ramp. Went something like this:
Lets see, take the boat off and pull the trailer back up onto the ramp...Nahhhh Ease the loaded trailer back up on to the ramp....Nahhhhh Floor the Bronco and yank the loaded trailer up onto the ramp...Yup, sounds like a plan, lets go with that one. Nightmare ensued. Before cell phones. Had to get a flatbed there to get it home. Nice. |
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_____________
“So, how was your weekend?” “Well, let me see…sun burn, stiff neck, screwed up back, assorted aches and pains….yup, my weekend was great, thanks for asking.” |
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81nautique
Grand Poobah Joined: September-03-2005 Location: Big Rock, Il Status: Offline Points: 5772 |
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Certainly not as exciting as the drop offs but first trip out this year I forgot to take off the transom tie downs. Wife backed her in and boat floated sideways about 4 feet with the river current trailer and all. Doh!
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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Ha! I've mellowed out in my old age. This was probably 8 years ago. |
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2000 SN GT40 w/99 Graphics/Gel
2016 SN 200 OB 5.3L DI https://forum.fifteenoff.com |
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75 Tique
Grand Poobah Joined: August-12-2004 Location: Seven Lakes, NC Status: Offline Points: 6107 |
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That's pretty amusing Alan, especially for an old salt like you, but none of us are immune. Last year, first time launching the boat, I was alone, so it was one of those one man deals. Dropped the boat in, parked the car, started the boat, sounded a little funny. Opened the cover and my bilge was full of water. No, I didnt leave the plug out, not me, I'm a "professional" boater. Instead, I never hooked the water intake back to the through-hull after my spring time start-up/warm-up. Too much water to pump out, so back on the trailer, drain on the way home, take off the starter, open it up, dry it all out. (Fortunately my starter is on top of the bell housing, but when the bilge is full, the flywheel catches the water and throws it up into the starter. Found that out the hard way a couple years ago. The first time my starter was inconsistent then dead. Opened it up and rusty water poured out. I'm no mechanic but I knew right away that that can't be good.
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“So, how was your weekend?” “Well, let me see…sun burn, stiff neck, screwed up back, assorted aches and pains….yup, my weekend was great, thanks for asking.” |
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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Larry, I wonder who has never forgotten the drain plug?? |
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Air206
Grand Poobah Joined: September-28-2008 Location: Roanoke, VA Status: Offline Points: 3000 |
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Telling a story of a forgotten plug is like telling a story about the last speeding ticket.... it will jinx you and make it happen right away!
Don't fall for the trap! And I'm not talkin' about it! |
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Morfoot
Grand Poobah Joined: February-06-2004 Location: South Lanier Status: Offline Points: 5312 |
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It's like the saying goes...... "There's those that have left plug out...and those that haven't yet.
I think I've covered them all seeing as how this thread is a confessional Ramp Stern strap left portside attached to the trailer Plug out Plug in ( when towing through monsoons) Ignition key on overnight. I think I'm set! |
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"Morfoot; He can ski. He can wakeboard.He can cook chicken.He can create his own self-named beverage, & can also apparently fly. A man of many talents."72 Mustang "Kermit",88 SN Miss Scarlett, 99 SN "Sherman"
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MrMcD
Grand Poobah Joined: January-28-2014 Location: Folsom, CA Status: Offline Points: 3604 |
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I have to confess and I hope it makes you feel better, I have done all of the above at one point in my life, 30 years of tournament boat ownership. When I failed to hook up the intake hose after running the boat on the driveway it got really expensive, the next time out I went with a friend who had not boated much. He drove the boat off the trailer and proceeded to idle around waiting for me. By the time I got back to the dock to meet him he asked if it was normal to have 4 inches of water at the back seat, that was not too bad, the impeller had come apart and the engine was running but spitting and knocking with the timp gauge pegged. The exhaust hoses had collapsed. It was ugly and expensive to leave that hose off one time.
Worse than that was launching my Wife with a two year old and our new born 25 years ago in the river one spring with high run off. We usually launched, I go park and she comes back for me at the ramp. I came back and saw our boat with my family about a 1/4 mile downstream. Lucky I grew up a swimmer, I dove in and chased her for about a mile. Got on board to find a flooded carb, dead battery and one really pissed off wife with crying babies. I paddled the boat to a dock that had a small houseboat tied up to it. No body was around anywhere so I "Borrowed the houseboat battery" for a jump start and we were off again running. I did return the houseboat battery just as I found it but missing a few amps. 25 years and my wife has not forgotten! These things happen, we try not to ever let them happen twice! And share these notes so new boaters can avoid our pitfalls. |
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boardersdad
Senior Member Joined: June-18-2013 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 409 |
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My son and I were "those guys" our first time out this spring--left the plug out. He took the boat to a dock one over from the launch while I went to park. I came back to find him putting the plug in with 3+ inches in the bilge. Not a good feeling! Now our plug hangs on a BRIGHT orange zip tie looped around the throttle handle. We always run the boat on the hose at home before towing to a lake, so we put the plug in then. So far, so good.
As to towing with the plug in, it's probably illegal, I'm not sure. I think it's illegal in Minnesota, not positive about here in Wisconsin. They wouldn't care that I'm going *to* the lake, not coming *from* it, so I'm not spreading invasive species... but I don't care, we seldom tow in a serious rainstorm and I don't want to launch without the plug again. So it gets put in before we tow. On forgetting to reattach the hose to the thru-hull fitting after running on the hose... when we first got the boat, I messed around with the bucket method and with detaching that hose from the thru-hull--both a total PIA. I installed the tee-valve-garden hose fitting set-up that Tim has well documented here on the site... ah, the only way to run on the hose. The valve is even well above the water line, so if we left it open nothing would happen with the engine not running, and with it running, I suppose it might suck some air; not sure if would fail to develop prime. I'm not going to try it--pretty anal about that stuff. Though I thought I was anal about that darn drain plug, too... arghhhh. Steve |
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boardersdad
Senior Member Joined: June-18-2013 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 409 |
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While we're talking about stern straps... I still run one up over the hull just fore of the trailer guide pipes. Impossible to forget that one. It'd be cleaner to put a couple at the back, but I'm not sure I want them hooked to the platform brackets. I know those brackets are strong and the mounting into the hull is pretty solid, but roading loads are some of the highest loads a boat will see. Thoughts?
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OverMyHead
Grand Poobah Joined: March-14-2008 Location: MN Status: Offline Points: 4861 |
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Also I have heard of people ....
Forgetting to hook up the trailer lights Forgetting to hook up the safety chains Or forgetting to couple the coupler. To my credit I have at least never done the trifecta,or even the safety chains and coupler combo (scary to think about). I have added a preflight walk around the trailer and a routine for the plug and stern straps when launching. It has nicely improved my compliance rates. |
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For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats.
1987 Ski Nautique |
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JPASS
Grand Poobah Joined: June-17-2013 Location: Orlando Status: Offline Points: 2283 |
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When I first installed the retractable rear tie down straps, I backed the boat down the ramp (in the dark mid you) to watch the xmas boat parade on the lake. The ramp was packed. I unhooked everything (I thought), climbed into the boat, and attempted to reverse her off the trailer. When she didn't budge, I assumed she was stuck on the bunks, so I gave her more gas. Still wasn't budging. I sat there thinking WTF could possibly be wrong, then it dawned on me that I forgot undo the straps. Instead of pulling the trailer out like a normal person would do, I ran to the platform and laid down on the now submerged platform to reach down to release the straps. Needless to say I got soaked, but the boat was finally free.
Sad thing is that I've done this more than once. |
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'92 Correctcraft Ski Nautique
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Orlando76
Grand Poobah Joined: May-21-2013 Location: Mount Dora, FL Status: Offline Points: 3108 |
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This past Sunday dad and I took the boats to the lake. I back mine down, wifey backs boat off and docks it like a champ. I park the truck. While walking back I see dad backs his down but stops just shy of the water to hop in boat and mom only has to back that last 20 feet down so dad can launch. Dads waiting in the boat but moms not backing down. Couple seconds pass So dad says "ok", mom drops the truck in drive, stomps on it. Parks the truck, gets out, walks to the dock and asks "where's dad?" WTF, he never got to launch because you forgot a key step, backing down.... you didn't notice the big bald guy in the white boat still on the trailer attached to the truck you drove?!
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OverMyHead
Grand Poobah Joined: March-14-2008 Location: MN Status: Offline Points: 4861 |
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I haven't shared this one in awhile, When my son was about 5 he had a toy truck boat and trailer. The living room rug was the "lake". I watched him back the trailer onto the rug, off load the boat, and then turn the truck around and push the truck back to the rugs edge. Curious I asked what he was doing, he said "I am jump starting the boat!"
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For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats.
1987 Ski Nautique |
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jbear
Grand Poobah Joined: January-21-2005 Location: Lake Wales FL. Status: Offline Points: 8193 |
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Haven't we all...but still one of my very favorite mornings was the one spent on the far side of Green Lake our first year there. Was a long cold bumpy ride to find footing water...then the guy in the Mastercraft was running back & forth just a little to close to us...until you explained to him exactly where he oughta be skiing! john |
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"Loud pipes save lives"
AdamT sez "I'm Canadian and a beaver lover myself"... |
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