It is always entertaining at the ramp in Hopewell, Va. A couple of years ago I saw a man hit another boat and break a bunk boar off his trailer as he insisted on power loading his boat, even though he did not have the necessary skills to do so, and a friend already in the water to hook up the winch cable.
This weekend was no different. While waiting for my turn to load, I saw a fellow with a Chaparral deck boat, and a tandem axle trailer, clip the concrete curb at the top of the ramp with the right-front wheel. This ramp is kind of offset from the rest of the parking lot and makes you want to turn right as you come up the ramp. This is fine if you wait long enough to cut it over. This guy didn't, and backed up to try it again. Apparently he wasn't watching his mirrors because the next time he came up he clipped the curb hard enough to pop the bead on the tire. Still can't get it up though, so he backs up again to give it another whack and keeps clipping the curb. On the third try after popping the tire bead, he wasn't taking any more crap from that curb, he'd show that darn curb. He poured on the fuel to that F250 Super Duty and yanked that boat up the ramp, completely mangling the right-front rim on his trailer. I was in disbelief. No one was rushing him. We were all just standing there waiting patiently, watching the "show".
I waited for two other boats to load before I loaded mine, using the same side of the ramp with no problem (and I have a longer trailer), then leisurely packed it up and tied down. When I left I passed by him and a buddy, trying to get the spare tire installed.
I did kinda smile as no one got hurt, but now he's paying for his stupidity with all the labor time and a new rim, and maybe a new tire.
Chris
This weekend was no different. While waiting for my turn to load, I saw a fellow with a Chaparral deck boat, and a tandem axle trailer, clip the concrete curb at the top of the ramp with the right-front wheel. This ramp is kind of offset from the rest of the parking lot and makes you want to turn right as you come up the ramp. This is fine if you wait long enough to cut it over. This guy didn't, and backed up to try it again. Apparently he wasn't watching his mirrors because the next time he came up he clipped the curb hard enough to pop the bead on the tire. Still can't get it up though, so he backs up again to give it another whack and keeps clipping the curb. On the third try after popping the tire bead, he wasn't taking any more crap from that curb, he'd show that darn curb. He poured on the fuel to that F250 Super Duty and yanked that boat up the ramp, completely mangling the right-front rim on his trailer. I was in disbelief. No one was rushing him. We were all just standing there waiting patiently, watching the "show".
I waited for two other boats to load before I loaded mine, using the same side of the ramp with no problem (and I have a longer trailer), then leisurely packed it up and tied down. When I left I passed by him and a buddy, trying to get the spare tire installed.
I did kinda smile as no one got hurt, but now he's paying for his stupidity with all the labor time and a new rim, and maybe a new tire.
Chris