I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

[DBreskin]

I've been reading all the tips and stories here about all types of boating; launching, repairs, and everything else. I'm usually pretty careful and don't make the stupid mistakes. Today, my third time out, I made up for lost time.

My wife, son and I get to the public ramp, which is empty except for some neighborhood kids swimming and fooling around. I prepare the boat in the parking lot (or so I thought) and with my 15-year old son in the boat I go to back down the ramp.

I'd removed the safety chain but left the winch strap connect in preparation to launch. Apparently I neglected to lock the ratchet on the winch, because as I reached the slope of the ramp the boat rolled back off the trailer and onto the ramp! The outdrive hit the concrete and stopped the boat. I jump out of my truck not believing I made such a stupid mistake. The boat is now about halfway off the trailer.

Three of the neighborhood kids hear the crash and come over to see what's happened. Fortunately I can still winch the boat back onto the trailer. One of the kids looks to see what damage has been done. Amazingly there's no apparent damage to the drive other than paint missing, and the hull did not make contact.

The kid mentions it might be a good idea, before I put the boat in the water, for me to put in the drain plug.

We did finally launch and had a great day on the water without further problems.

I hope I can get all the stupid out of me before next time.

 

[dbuffington]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

I've been reading all the tips and stories here about all types of boating; launching, repairs, and everything else. I'm usually pretty careful and don't make the stupid mistakes. Today, my third time out, I made up for lost time.

Oh, at least your mistake didn't show up in an abandoned corner of the lake a mile from the dock...:redface:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?p=2656161&posted=1#post2656161

 

[fat fanny]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

That stuff does happen to the best of us but and not being a what if guy I personally would never forgive myself if something god forbid would have happened allot worse and gone of my kids got hurt while in the boat when I wasn't ! J ust something to think about. Glad to here your rig is ok along with you and yours.

 

[JB]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

Just another learning event, DB. No harm done.

When I first came to iboats, 9+ years ago, I had been boating and fishing for about 50 years and thought I knew a thing or three about it. I have learned many lessons since then, the most important being that I am not even close to as smart as I thought I was.

 

[woodrat]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

saw this at the local ramp a couple of summers ago. The trailer was so rusty that as the guy was backing down the ramp, the trailer broke in half and dumped the boat off onto the ramp. It made a hell of a noise! These guys were working on this for a while. You can see a tractor in the background that had just showed up when I took this picture.

 

[j_martin]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

A friend of mine bought an old runabout with an inline 6 Merc on it he was interested in. A couple of blocks from home with it, a rusty trailer spring broke, and the boat and trailer swerved/rolled/flipped right into an oncoming SUV.

The motor survived with a few scratches and a cracked cowl. The boat didn't make it. Did about 7 grand damage to the SUV.

 

[DrWiffel]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

I think it's safe to say that those kind of mistakes are normally ones that you only make once. Glad it all worked out for ya.

 

[karatejoe]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

Im sure most of us have a " OMG what was I thinking " story.
Just be glad your son didnt cushion the boats fall.

 

[karatejoe]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

...

 

[j_martin]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

Im sure most of us have a " OMG what was I thinking " story.
Just be glad your son didnt cushion the boats fall.
My first boat outing was so bad my wife and daughter do not want to go boating again. Smart people doing stupid things.
You can read about it in my" daily blog" on the link to my blog site below.

Did they freak out a bit when you karate-chopped the forward deck, splitting the boat in half?

 

[milmat1]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

Im sure most of us have a " OMG what was I thinking " story.
Just be glad your son didnt cushion the boats fall.

My Whole life has been a "OMG WHAT WAS I THINKING" Moment...

 

[70Torino]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

Now that's funny, and gald nobody got hurt. Are you sure you weren't at the same boat ramp as me on Sunday. My 1st launch with my "new" old boat, kinda the samething. I took my neighbor "the boat guy" and when we got to the ramp I asked well.. Just unhook the chain and lossen the strap the boat will float off once in the water, don't worry I have the lines. So I back up, stern hits the water, boat goes off the trailer, like real quick. I hit the brakes (not good) that just sped up the boat. And of course the ramp was full of people, I just well that's new and here's something to talk about all week.

 

[Grand Larsony]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

My Dad did exactly that (same as the OP) when I was about 15 or so. We still blame each other for not throwing the clicker on the winch. Took 3 hours of jacking up the transom, cranking the winch, repeat repeat repeat. That was a 19' Grady White -- heavy boat -- but all ended up ok. Had a nice day on the water as I recall (once my Dad stopped shaking, that is).

 

[oceansbreeze]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

My first ever launch, I did the same thing, as I was "being advised" by my buddy who knew it all. What he didn't take into consideration was I had rollers, not a bunk. The boat flew off the trailer halfway down the ramp, and gravity helped it keep sliding until she was floating... The bottom of the hull at the stern was damaged, and had to be repaired (and was never 100% sealed again...)

My advice... which I am surprised was not mentioned already in this thread.... ALWAYs leave the chain on and the winch cranked on. Back down, until the stern is over water... Park the vehicle (or at this point, have your wife remove the chain, and the winch) and THEN continue backing in. Never take off the bow chain until the boat is safely over water, and it can't fall anywhere except into the lake! Oh, don't forget the plug and the transom tie downs tho!

Glad it all worked out in the end.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: I'm not as smart as I thought I was...

Did the same thing, however I launched the same as always. Just used a product designed to make your bunks slick the day before. Normally I had no choice but to unhook everything and jerk it off the trailer, this particular day it slid off as soon as I started down the ramp. Motor up, scuffed the bottom a bit, but no harm done. Scared my daughter a bit though. We had a great day on the water afterward.