My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

wanttofly

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
75
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

Grandfather was driving up the Alki with his motorhome towing his brand new truck with less than 100 miles on it. Looked in his mirror and saw the truck heading off into the woods. Turns out when Ford but on the tow bar brackets it was not done correctly. Luckily the truck only received one tiny scratch from it.
 
Joined
Sep 27, 2008
Messages
14
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

I had a similar issue pulling my 71 mustang. I used a nylon ratchet strap (yes a big one) on the front and a chain over the rear end and driveshaft. I didnt put the car in park and the parking break was weak. Needless to say on I-80 between Lincoln and Omaha, the strap broke, the car rolled the back wheels off the trailer which made the drive shaft spin against the chain, sending a shower of sparks into the night sky. I made it to the shoulder drove the car back onto the trailer, put it in park and slowly made my way the last 30 minutes home where it got new Ubolts.
 

skargo

Banned
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
4,640
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

I had a similar issue pulling my 71 mustang. I used a nylon ratchet strap (yes a big one) on the front and a chain over the rear end and driveshaft. I didnt put the car in park and the parking break was weak. Needless to say on I-80 between Lincoln and Omaha, the strap broke, the car rolled the back wheels off the trailer which made the drive shaft spin against the chain, sending a shower of sparks into the night sky. I made it to the shoulder drove the car back onto the trailer, put it in park and slowly made my way the last 30 minutes home where it got new Ubolts.

Whenever I tow a vehicle on my flatbed, I use 4 straps/chains minimum.
 

JZammetti

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 20, 2008
Messages
181
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

Thank you for the post, I am a new boat owner and your situation has been my worst fear. I have two tie downs, a winch strap and safety chain and still fear the boat leaving the trailer. Also, I agree with you about the tailgating, not only fear of the boat coming off but fear some idiot will not stop and rear end my boat and launch it into the Jeep.

Thank you for your bravery to post.
 

GrindKore

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 20, 2008
Messages
211
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

Loosing my boat while towing is one of my biggest fears along side with sinking and capsizing. Last year I have added transom tie-downs in addition to bow eye safety strap.

I now have a bit more secure feeling about my boat being strapped to the trailer even if the bow eye breaks, the transom tie downs will hold her in place.

Here are pics of my rig ready to go.
 

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TWFisher

Seaman
Joined
Apr 9, 2009
Messages
70
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

Thank you for the post, I am a new boat owner and your situation has been my worst fear. I have two tie downs, a winch strap and safety chain and still fear the boat leaving the trailer. Also, I agree with you about the tailgating, not only fear of the boat coming off but fear some idiot will not stop and rear end my boat and launch it into the Jeep.

Thank you for your bravery to post.

Thanks JZammetti,

I guess the biggest thing I learned about the incident was the trailering aspect of boating is not to be neglected. But it's easy to do, right, especially for the novice, we all want a to put our money in the boat, not the trailer.

Simply put, if you're gone have a boat, make sure your priorities in order. Make safety first, for yours and the general public's sake. My experience could have destroyed some innocent persons life as they knew it and landed me sued or in jail or worse case prison. How there was no accident, I have no idea. Cars and trucks were everywhere dodging the boat.

It's definitely worth a look at how your boat is rigged to the trailer and tow vehicle.

I have two straps from the transom eyes to the trailer, the winch strap at the bow,( Im gona replace with a cable soon), a strap from the trailer over from port and starboard at the stern to prevent bouncing, a chain from the winch post to the bow eye, ( I learned that here ), two chains wrapped around my bumper and a pin through the ball hitch. Before I head out I check everything twice, minimum.

The tailgating thing still kills me, I went out Saturday and had someone ride me for the longest. I was going slower than usual to make them pass but they wouldn't go! When they finally did passed they were blabbing on their phone. Poor people, I guess they didn't know who they were followin! I'm a dangerous man!!! :)
 

Djan

Cadet
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
8
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

As a new boat owner, now I'm paranoid. I have a safety chain, but now I'm worried about my bow eye popping off. Ha ha ha. Does anyone use a stern strapdown system that hooks to something besides the bow eye?
 

j_martin

Admiral
Joined
Sep 22, 2006
Messages
7,474
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

Winch, Wench, Wrench?

I have a spelling checker,
It came with my PC.
It plane lee marks four my revue
Miss steaks aye can knot sea.

Eye ran this poem threw it,
Your sure reel glad two no.
Its vary polished in it's weigh.
My checker tolled me sew.

A checker is a bless sing,
It freeze yew lodes of thyme.
It helps me right awl stiles two reed,
And aides me when eye rime.

Each frays come posed up on my screen
Eye trussed too bee a joule.
The checker pours o'er every word
To cheque sum spelling rule.

Bee fore a veiling checker's
Hour spelling mite decline,
And if we're lacks oar have a laps,
We wood bee maid too wine.

Butt now bee cause my spelling
Is checked with such grate flare,
Their are know fault's with in my cite,
Of nun eye am a wear.

Now spelling does knot phase me,
It does knot bring a tier.
My pay purrs awl due glad den
With wrapped word's fare as hear.

To rite with care is quite a feet
Of witch won should bee proud,
And wee mussed dew the best wee can,
Sew flaw's are knot aloud.

Sow ewe can sea why aye dew prays
Such soft wear four pea seas,
And why eye brake in two averse
Buy righting want too pleas.

Author Unknown
 

riverdawg1

Recruit
Joined
Sep 25, 2008
Messages
1
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

i guess you never know whats gonna fly down the road. 2 years ago several of us were going canoeing about an hour or so away. my buddy had a less than year old tahoe with a factory roof rack. we going 65-70 on the interstate with 2 canoes on top, as we went through a little pass a gust of wind ripped the entire rack off and it and 2 canoes went sailing. luckily nobody was behind us and other than some scratches on the boats and minus a roof rack, nobody got hurt.
chip
 

62larkowner

Seaman
Joined
Jul 29, 2009
Messages
64
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

well dang that explanes why trafic was so bad on I 10 that day, j/k

was sitting at a redlight in willis tx , n looked over in the jack in the box parking lot and a guys boat was pushed off the trailor n to the left half sitting on the trailor, on the way back past i understood why it was that way better some one had rearended his boat

definatly a bad boating day
 

jonesg

Admiral
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
7,198
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

Interesting read, then look at the cable vs strap poll.
I've heard of new straps ripping.
 

red boat

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
May 4, 2005
Messages
141
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

well dang that explanes why trafic was so bad on I 10 that day, j/k

was sitting at a redlight in willis tx , n looked over in the jack in the box parking lot and a guys boat was pushed off the trailor n to the left half sitting on the trailor, on the way back past i understood why it was that way better some one had rearended his boat

definatly a bad boating day

Last simmer in that very same Jack In the Box I saw a truck and trailer stuck in the drive through. Some humans actually think they can get through a drive through with a trailer and a boat!
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

While strapping a boat down is extremely important this had to be a roller trailer right? I just can't see a boat jumping off bunks because it was happy . . . Yes if it is hit or under hard braking or maybe even hard acceleration, but makes no sense to me whatsoever just cruising along if it was a bunk trailer. Yes, I know this is a 5 month old thread, but I see no reference to trailer type so it had me wondering.
 

Thad

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jun 8, 2009
Messages
1,028
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

Some humans actually think they can get through a drive through with a trailer and a boat!

I can and have:D. All 25' of it. Of course, my old single axle trailer was a lot easier:rolleyes:.

You have to look first though, don't just go rushing in:eek:
 

62larkowner

Seaman
Joined
Jul 29, 2009
Messages
64
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

Last simmer in that very same Jack In the Box I saw a truck and trailer stuck in the drive through. Some humans actually think they can get through a drive through with a trailer and a boat!

lol thats crazy, ya some people are just crazy,
 

grahamh

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Messages
192
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

I only have a rope, not a cable or strap, and it always scares me. When I bought it, it didn't have a safety chain either, that was the first thing I put on.

If I'm towing any distance, I also use a ratchet strap that goes from the bow to the tongue of the trailer, that way, if somehow the winch post were to break off, the boat would still be held on the trailer by the strap.
 

gstanton

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 3, 2003
Messages
451
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

You'll also want to be very wary around any kind of rental truck/vehicle. Odds are they have never driven/towed anything of significance and are scared sh***less!

That's from truck driving school.
 

basalt51

Seaman
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
65
Re: My boat fell off the trailer on the interstate!

You'll also want to be very wary around any kind of rental truck/vehicle. Odds are they have never driven/towed anything of significance and are scared sh***less!

That's from truck driving school.

I've had an entire axle fall off a rental tandem trailer, and the entire hitch break off a rental RV. Both were completely within weight ratings (trailer was empty thank god!) so it certainly wasn't from user error.
 
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