Use the parking-break, or else...

[inthesticksnow]

I cringe when I see a “Tragedy” phrased topic, and really I don’t read many because the bad news just bothers me. That’s why I didn’t run for the camera to shoot the whole scene, which I witnessed today after an after-work outing with the better half. But in this case there was no injuries, just damaged pride, and since I was told by my son in the US CG, ALWAYS use your parking-break, I can attest to the wisdom of those words.<br /><br />These poor SOBs. From what I witnessed, all the kids were early off the boat, the husband had brought the Minivan around and had backed the trailer down in the water. HE, put it in park, and proceeded back to the docked boat, the wife was ready to hook up down at the trailer… he carefully maneuvered the boat out and away from the dock, carefully maneuvered to boat up and onto the trailer, and when the wife hooked the safety chain, two-seconds later the whole deal started down the ramp and into the river. I blinked three times, and SOMEHOW, the safety chain had apparently lost its hold, and the boat was free from the trailer. (I’m wondering how THAT happened, and also wondering if it was good or bad. Would the hooked boat-to-the-trailer, been pulled down for a total loss?)<br /><br />Anyway, everyone around was in shock… the poor folks who had this most unfortunate experience have to be devastated this evening… the poor guy was repeating himself that he had put it in park! Put it in park….<br /><br />Here are the only two shots I took. What you are looking at is the top of the MiniVan.<br /><br />

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[05GlastronSX]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

no pics...but my condolences go out to the family. ill remember to do that from now on.

 

[QC]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

We want the pix . . .<br /><br />Also these tragedy threads (I posted one) really help drive these safety messages home for me, so I think they are very important.

 

[gspig]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

Without pics, I'm guessing the minivan was rear wheel drive. I know that a rear wheel drive can move even in park. I know because I was loading a tractor on a trailer behind my full size van. The van and trailer were parked facing downhill on grass and I had placed it in Park. The tractor would not start and I thought that I would use gravity to roll the tractor onto the trailer. As soon as the tractor started up the ramps, the trailer acted as a see-saw and lifted the weight off the rear wheels. Since I had not chocked any wheels, the van began sliding down the hill, with me on the tractor, tractor on the back of the trailer. I jumped and by some miracle the van jacknifed before it slid across a road and over a 10 foot embankment.<br /><br />Story now told, when I load or unload my boat on the trailer, I chock the wheels on the truck.

 

[JasonB]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

Set the parking brake befre putting the transmission in park. Your tranny will thank you for it...

 

[KaGee]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

Trailer or not, I always set my parking brake. It's a habit I got into driving a stick shift.

 

[flashback]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

wish i could set the parking brake! I have a 2001 Gmc sierra and the damn brake is useless!

 

[inthesticksnow]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

Sorry about the pic's... trying to fix.

 

[inthesticksnow]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

Pic’s working now?<br /><br />

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[RubberFrog]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

bummer

 

[inthesticksnow]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

Originally posted by RubberFrog:<br /> bummer

Fixed?

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

I always set my parking brake, and now I know why.<br /><br />Ken

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

And when you are ready to pull out, 1) foot on brake, 2) transmission in gear, 3) then release parking brake. The snap you hear when you DON'T do that is the parking pawl snapping free of the drum. A few times doing that and you will have a useless PARK position. Or in a severe case, youll need someone to pull you forward a little to release the pressure on the pawl so you can get it out of PARK.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

Wife and I had a simular seen. We had just pulled our boat after a day fishing out of Benicia 9 th street ramp. We are Parked in the first open space we found when a man comes running up the ramp saying you have to help us. I looked down the ramp and see a lady holding a boat on the dock. At first I though he was nuts but he explained his truck and trailer had rolled in the water. A closer look and could see the very top of the cab and front of the hood.<br /><br />I backed down the ramp and grabbed the biggest tow line I have. Tied it to the back of our trailer while the guy went under water and tied it to the front bumper. Put our truck in low four wheel drive and snugged up the line. Guy waded in found the door opened it and stood with feet on the floor board and hand on the steering wheel His head barely above water. Pull his truck trailer and boat out and up the ramp to a flat area. As pull the truck found out the boat was hooked the the trailer and it settled right down.<br /><br />After we got him to a flat area he went back down the ramp and carried up a 4 by 4 block of wood to block the trailer wheels. At that point we untied the tow line and went back to talk to them. <br /><br />What happened was it was a manual transmision and he put it in netural to let the truck warm up. He set his parking brake but he knew it was very weak so he blocked the driver side front wheel with a 4 by 4 wood block. Then he went back and started cranking the boat on the trailer. When the boat got almost all the way up as he cranked the truck was pulled back over the 4 by 4 wood block and rolled into the water with the engine running.<br /><br />Sad and Funny at the same time, but at least no one got hurt except the old truck. This ramp has a bar right next to it. Several saw us pull them out of the water and came to help. Before we left they had unhooked the truck and pushed it out of the way then hooked up the trailer to another guy truck.<br /><br />He and his wife came up to say thanks and let us know that one of the guy in the bar was a friend and would get them and their boat home.

 

[mattttt25]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

great pics. that sucks. best method is to chock the rear wheel of the vehicle. takes about 2 seconds.

 

[monoshock]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

I think it's best if possible to have two people when loading or unloading. One loading/unloading the boat and one holding the brake on the vechicle,four brakes are better than two. Also check the ramp for slim at the edge of the water, that stuffs slicker than grease and no tire or park brake will hold. I also have a 9000lbs winch on the front of my 4x4 truck just in case, but I alway have enjoyed a little over kill. I feel for those pore people.

 

[inthesticksnow]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

This is our first year of boating for the wife and I. We are a team with the unloading and loading. I back the trailer/boat down into the water may be 6” “short”. With foot break applied, I put it in park, then apply the parking break. I get out and head for the boat, the wives gets in the drivers side, and with foot on break, waits for me to unhook the boat. I climb over the bow and get in the boat, drop the trim so drive is in the water, start blower, start the engine. Then I signal her to back up 6”, and hit the break… the boat slides off nicely and she pulls around, parks the truck, etc.<br /><br />But when we load the boat, we have to dock so I can jump out, get the truck, back down the ramp, etc. Foot break, then to park, then apply the parking break. I leave the truck (engine off) get back in the boat, trim up, and pilot carefully to and up the trailer. What’s scarring me now is the wife is always between the back of the truck and the trailer, ready to man the winch while I am “driving” the boat onto the trailer. I’m wondering now, if I should get the wife in the truck during the whole loading maneuver, manning the break at all times. I can get the boat up the trailer, reach over the bow a hook the winch-strap, jump down and finish winching myself… my only concern is that the boat may start to float after I jump down (my weight off). Even so, so long as I have connected the strap hook to the bow eye, I’m thinking I can crank it up fast enough and get the safety chain hooked as well. I can then climb back onto the bow (extra weight to the rear wheels of a 2003 Ranger pickup), signal the wife to pull out as she always does.<br /><br />What do you think? Over kill, or grooving in a safer routine between the wife and I.

 

[monoshock]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

That’s about the same way my wife and I load our pontoon. I will beach the pontoon on shore and back the truck down the ramp and then she gets in he truck and holds the brake, I drive the boat on the trailer.I just hook the safety cable and don’t hook the winch up until it on flat ground, my pontoon has never slipped on the trailer coming out of the water. Most people can’t believe we can load and be out of the way so fast. I know a boat is different than a pontoon,but this works fine for us.

 

[monoshock]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

I let her drive the boat on the trailer once, she done great. The problem was I did a big burn out with my 78 F250 4x4 coming up the ramp, I couldn’t help myself (351 Modified 4x4), she said I looked like a big redneck, I guess she was right, so now I drive the boat. LOL

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: Use the parking-break, or else...

I do it all myself while my wife watches.<br />tie the boat to the dock... go get the truck/back it in... pull the boat on the trailer with a rope... hook up the winch strap... finish the job... pull it up the ramp.<br />I even put the two back tires in the water! All this with a the trailblazer in 4wd and the parking brake.