Boat ramp accident

[Cincyrunner]

Was out on a local lake in SW Ohio on Sunday and near one of the boat ramps. We were out in the water and we were watching a truck towing what appeared to be a newer 22 to 23' BR, swinging around and getting truck/boat in position to start backing down the ramp. All of a sudden, we heard a "pop" sound, and the boat and trailer broke away from the truck hitch and careened down the ramp. Owner tried desparately to stop it, but no match against a 5,000 lb load. The boat slammed into the dock. From the angle we were watching from, we couldn't tell what happened, but it appeared no one got hurt.

Thinking it over the last couple days, any number of things could have caused this to happen. It's almost like the owner failed to close and pin the coupler to the ball mount, and didn't have safety chains hooked up. My only thought was maybe he got distracted while hooking up his trailer before leaving his house, and drove to the boat ramp that way. Is this plausible, or anyone have any other opinions what could have happened.

Luckily, no injuries, and no damage to other vehicles or boats. Could have been worse....there was another truck taking his boat out at the time, as well as a nice looking sailboat tied off in the water that could have been slammed into. I know we've all had a long winter and very rainy spring, but I just want to remind everyone to not to get complacent with their trailer hook-ups. Double and triple check everything, every time.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: Boat ramp accident

5k lbs boat with a cheap $20. hitch sounds like the hitch broke maybe even the ball shank if it was the smaller shank. hearing the pop i dont think it would be the trailer ball latch. i had a $20. hitch for my sundowner after 20 minuites of use it split all the way down the one side, luckly boat was at home and i checked it before i left. on another note safty chains to the truck wernt hooked up? if they were i dont think it would have gone barreling down the ramp. also being newer i hope they have insurence could be a mighty big penny to fix any damage to the docks that it hit and the boat and trailer.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Boat ramp accident

Cheap hitch or not, safety chains should easily hold the load (cheap or not) but I suppose they could have been attached to the license plate!!!!!! Coupler popping off the ball should happen ONLY if the coupler was locked, but the coupler was not fully seated on the ball. If it was properly seated but not locked, tongue weight alone on a 5000# boat would keep the coupler down. If you didn't see any hitch parts being dragged down the ramp then something on the trailer failed.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Boat ramp accident

but the coupler was not fully seated on the ball.

That is my guess... Some couplers are worse than others, and can be painfully easy to do this. Granted, still no excuse for no safety chains, that part is just ignorance.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Boat ramp accident

Maybe he was locked onto a ball that's too small. It got him to the ramp, but when he started backing, the stern drops, tongue lifts, and it pops off. Then no safety chains, or inadequate ones, or attached to something too light.
Or the whole hitch rig comes off the vehicle--including the bumper if that is all he was hooked to (ball on bumper, safety chains on bumper= no back-up)
That is a very scary thought, a 23' bow rider rolling down a ramp on a trailer. anyone in the way would be crushed.

 

[gtochris]

Re: Boat ramp accident

I saw something extremely similar a few years ago. As the double axle crested the top of the ramp, it shifted the weight back and the guy had an undersided hitch ball causing the entire thing to become un-hitched, no chains were on and the whole boat+trailer went into the drink.

 

[Mel Taylor]

Re: Boat ramp accident

Quite a few years ago I bought a thirteen year old, 3/4 ton Chevy pickup to pull my boat with. Instead of a drop hitch, it had a heavy duty bumper and a two inch ball with a hole through the bumper for the bolt on the ball to go through. Since the nut appeared to be tight and everything to be in good order I never messed with it. All I would be towing with it was a light weight aluminum boat with a 25 horse outboard on it. That set up should have been adequate. Or so I thought.

After several years of using it, I had the boat hitched up one day and happened to be standing along side the bow of the boat while someone else moved the truck and boat forward. I thought I saw the ball move backward a small amount as the truck eased forward.

It turned out that hole in the bumper for the bolt on the ball was considerably bigger than the bolt. Everything appeared to be tight, and in fact was tight enough that you couldn't move it with your hand, but every time the vehicle moved forward or back, the bolt moved against the hole in the bumper and was very nearly worn through. At some, not too distant point, the bolt would have failed entirely and the thought of suddenly having a boat attached to my truck only by the safety chains was not a pleasant one. That truck is long gone and the replacement has a drop hitch, but needless to say, I'm much more attentive to the condition of the hitch since that little incident.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Boat ramp accident

I think just about every boater with a decent amount of experience can tell several stories about the things they have seen, even the most attentive person can fall victim to carelessness.

Scary stuff guys be careful out there!

 

[Treager]

Re: Boat ramp accident

I would also be cautious of crucial safety components like this that are made overseas. I've seen chains with poor welds on links, inferior metals, etc. For these types of components, I recommend going with "Made in USA" (or Canada).

 

[AZSenza]

Re: Boat ramp accident

Ya, I've seen this going down the hiway. Luckily the chains held while he slowed down. I forgot to lock the hitch once, as I pulled away from the house I realized it. I ALWAYS use chains or cables and have my safety brake line hooked up. Helps that I tow with a 3/4 ton truck with a tow package, the hitch is rated WAY past my 5,000 lb load. My Ball gets measured and greased and nut inspected for tightness. Even though the ball still measures out within specs I think I'm going to change it this season, its had 4 years of towing.

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: Boat ramp accident

One time I parked the trailer and unhitched the boat from the truck. I forgot to release one of the safety chains and when I started to drive off, I heard a loud "BAM!!!" and felt something hit the trunk. Sure enough, the lone safety chain was still attached to the hitch and when I took off, the trailer slingshotted into my tailgate leaving quite a large and round (Idiot) dent.

That was in 1990 and needless to say, even to this day I double and triple check the trailer connection on the truck both when attaching the trailer and removing it.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Boat ramp accident

I have the idiot dent on my tailgate; forgot to latch down the ball; trailer came loose but stayed on the chains and smacked the back. A neighbor has the same mark and his came loose at the same place on the same street as me.

I have pulled away with a chain on and pulled away with the power winch cord plugged in. I am now in the habit of pulling away very slowly.
And it all comes from being in a hurry, trying to do too many things at once.

 

[blifsey]

Re: Boat ramp accident

I think just about every boater with a decent amount of experience can tell several stories about the things they have seen, even the most attentive person can fall victim to carelessness.

Scary stuff guys be careful out there!

So very true! But, nothing is quite as much fun as having a fifth wheel camper come off the hitch. For some DUMB reason, I pulled the release handle on ours once without letting the front landing gear down first. Talk about getting the "you know what" scared out you!

 

[lncoop]

Re: Boat ramp accident

I once sold a pontoon boat to some very nice people who were having trailer light issues (problem was their vehicle). They had come from a town forty-ish miles away and it was getting dark, so I told them I'd be glad to meet them the following afternoon at a halfway point. When I got there I discovered two feet of the extension cord still connected to the on board charger.

 

[Lindeman23]

Re: Boat ramp accident

Was out on a local lake in SW Ohio on Sunday and near one of the boat ramps. We were out in the water and we were watching a truck towing what appeared to be a newer 22 to 23' BR, swinging around and getting truck/boat in position to start backing down the ramp. All of a sudden, we heard a "pop" sound, and the boat and trailer broke away from the truck hitch and careened down the ramp. Owner tried desparately to stop it, but no match against a 5,000 lb load. The boat slammed into the dock. From the angle we were watching from, we couldn't tell what happened, but it appeared no one got hurt.

Thinking it over the last couple days, any number of things could have caused this to happen. It's almost like the owner failed to close and pin the coupler to the ball mount, and didn't have safety chains hooked up. My only thought was maybe he got distracted while hooking up his trailer before leaving his house, and drove to the boat ramp that way. Is this plausible, or anyone have any other opinions what could have happened.

Luckily, no injuries, and no damage to other vehicles or boats. Could have been worse....there was another truck taking his boat out at the time, as well as a nice looking sailboat tied off in the water that could have been slammed into. I know we've all had a long winter and very rainy spring, but I just want to remind everyone to not to get complacent with their trailer hook-ups. Double and triple check everything, every time.

Was this at East Fork lake?

 

[Cincyrunner]

Re: Boat ramp accident

Was this at East Fork lake?

No, it was Caesar's Creek, on the north ramp by the bridge.

 

[jhebert]

Re: Boat ramp accident

One afternoon while driving, a small SUV passed me towing a trailer with two jet skis. The SUV was being driven aggressively in heavy stop and go traffic. As it passed me, I noticed that the hitch ball on the vehicle was loose, and the trailer coupler was rocking it back and forth, appearing rather dangerous. I rolled down my window and tried to get their attention, but I was not able. They glanced once in my direction and I gestured toward the rear of their vehicle. They ignored me and continued their aggressive driving. The nut on the hitch ball was clearly loose.

I try to make a careful inspection of my trailer and hitch after every road trip. I usually find something loose, somewhere.

 

[emoney]

Re: Boat ramp accident

I've seen lots of folks assume that because their bumper has a hole in it for a ball, that they should be "just fine" towing whatever. Most standard, 1/2 ton trucks come with a 2000lb trailer/200lb tongue weight bumper. If that was the case here, then that 5k boat (with it's 500lb tongue weight) could've easily snapped that bumper bracket right off. That would explain the loud noise you heard. I hope he'd already called his insurance agent for the boat to be added.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Boat ramp accident

I've seen lots of folks assume that because their bumper has a hole in it for a ball, that they should be "just fine" towing whatever. Most standard, 1/2 ton trucks come with a 2000lb trailer/200lb tongue weight bumper. If that was the case here, then that 5k boat (with it's 500lb tongue weight) could've easily snapped that bumper bracket right off. That would explain the loud noise you heard. I hope he'd already called his insurance agent for the boat to be added.

Depends on the truck, the bumper on my ram is rated for 5K - but even on my 2wd is way too high for any trailer I've ever owned.