a buddies bad day towing

[booger man]

came to work monday and a co-worker had a rough time sat. at the boat launch .he took his 6 yesr old to a elec. motor only lake,the road there is rough ,well he launched his 15 ft bass boat (just got it last year)with 9.9 motor with a bunch of bank fishermen watching fished most of the day and when it was time to leave he left his boy in the boat cause he isn't steady on the dock,loaded up got back in the truck pulled the trailer up the ramp about 60yds and stopped well the trailer came off the ball,broke the chain and headed for the lake with his son still in the boat,he got dragged on his knee's trying to stop the trailer,another boater loading his boat helped and they managed to turn the trailer into the grass on the side of the launch...the boat and trailer and boy are ok....Turns out that someone unlatched his trailer while he was on the lake...HE races 1/4 mile drags so he has trailered stuff before,I told him that it's unlikely that a fellow boater would do that,but he isn't a happy camper right now,his legs look like he slid on a cheese grader,i just hope this doesn't end his boating career before it starts...

 

[Silvertip]

Re: a buddies bad day towing

Another example of the value of a coupler lock. People simply can't keep their grubby mitts off things that don't belong to them. You might also check the gas nozzle before turning a pump on. Some idiots like to lock the lever so when you fire up the pump you get sprayed with gas.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: a buddies bad day towing

Left his 6 year old in the boat while he went and got the trailer.....And then pulled it up the hill with him in it.... Man oh Man...

 

[bomar76]

Re: a buddies bad day towing

add to the above: no coupler lock, safety chains that obviously were not adequate...<br /><br />there is only one person to be pizzed at.....the fool who is the root cause of all this ... him.

 

[roscoe]

Re: a buddies bad day towing

Ditto on the child. He should have been in the truck.<br />Keeps him from drowning, falling, getting run over, and from taking a ride in a run-away trailer.<br /><br />I learned long ago to check the vehicle/trailer before moving it, after every stop.<br />I also use a coupler lock.<br />It won't stop a thief, but will stop a prankster.<br /><br />Everytime I get in the vehicle, I do a walk around, checking the coupler, receiver hitch pin, winch strap, safety chains, bow tie-down, and transom straps.<br /><br />Stop into the bank, do a walk around before driving away.<br />Stop for gas, do a walk around before driving away.<br />Stop at McDonalds, do a walk around before driving away.<br /><br />Ever see 15 tons of corn spilled on the Chicago tollway?<br />Ever see a tractor that rolled off a flatbed?<br />Ever see a boat that flipped backward off the trailer?<br />Ever see 20 tons of paper on the highway.<br /><br />And for those of you that leave the plug in the boat all the time, always check it before you launch. I've seen kids steal them at a gas station, just for kicks.

 

[Zamboni]

Re: a buddies bad day towing

Child should not be in the truck at the launch either. Struggled with where my own kids were safest, mine are in life jackets a safe distance from water and far out of the way of launch traffic.<br /><br />Seen tragic news stories of kids drowning strapped into seatbelts of tow vehicles that ended up in the lake.

 

[P51D]

Re: a buddies bad day towing

Very informative story, Booger Man. In my 30 years of trailering boats, I've never heard of such a rotten, nasty trick (regarding the criminal who tampered with his latch). SIGH. Some people.<br /><br />And before hearing your story, I would have thought Roscoe's "every stop walkarounds" were a little excessive. Now I'm going to start doing what Roscoe does.<br /><br />Finally, Zamboni seems to have a good solution for where the kids should be. NO WAY should that poor kid have been alone in the boat when Dad went for the trailer, nor while hauling out the boat.<br /><br />Again, I learned a lot from your story. Thanks

 

[Pony]

Re: a buddies bad day towing

How can one be certain the coupler didn't open up because while driving he bounced the trailer a bit on something. Maybe it wasnt properly latched from the get go. Unless the couple had a pin and it was gone when the trailer was recovered.................I wouldnt be so quick to say it was a prankster. <br /><br />I like others keep a lock on the coupler at all times. Also have the hitch locked into the reciever. Like Roscoe says it wont stop everything, but will deter the pranksters etc......

 

[Dave Abrahamson]

Re: a buddies bad day towing

Another vote for the padlock. It goes on before I leave the house and when I unhook back home. Evidently the safety chain(s) weren't up to the task, maybe he's lucky the trailer came unhooked when it did...insted of on the highway. BTW what's he doing on an electric motor only lake with a 9.9? Maybe that's what t'eed someone off and they sabotaged his rig. There are idiots out there that will do that kind of stuff.

 

[DaveM]

Re: a buddies bad day towing

There seems to be an ever growing group of disturbed individuals pulling such pranks. I also found my trailer tampered with-- the screw-down coupler was loosened and the emergency brake cable was detached and placed to look like it was attached. Luckily I discovered it before anything bad happened. Believe you me I now do a walk-around even after filling with gas.

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: a buddies bad day towing

Sucks that other people get kicks from causing others woes. Sure the guy did several things wrong, but having some @$$#ole mess with your stuff is sooo invasive and perturbing! I do property redevelopment, and it really upsets me everytime we are the subject of vandalism. We are trying to better a community, and someone else thinks its funny to cost us money!

 

[Mr. Ross]

Re: a buddies bad day towing

I wonder if kids raising themselves in front of the TV have anything to do with a lack of values? Where do people that want to created misery for others come from?<br /><br />I can criticize all I want here relative to the child left in the boat, or not checking the coupler after being away from it for a time, but this whole situation would not have happened if someone with a warped mind was not helping it along.