Several years ago, I was preparing to trailer my 15' runabout with a 72 Johnson electric-shift ( important detail ) engine. I had my 2 small kids aboard while the wife backed the malibu wagon down the ramp. I approached with a little more headway than usual due to a crosswind. I boosted abit, trying to glide up the rails smoothly, especially since a number of folks were watching the ramp " happenings" from picnic tables.<br />It sped up, then I was going to give it a touch of reverse to slow, and it went EVEN FASTER in forward. I slammed it full speed reverse, since the trailer was quickly getting closer, and it went full throttle FORWARD. As you can imagine, after impact... the trailer was listing about 45 degrees port, past the bow stop touching the glass on the car. Both kids had fallen down, unhurt, but laughing like hyenas. They said, " Daddy said &*^$@! , just before we crashed". Spectators helped me get the boat repositioned. My wife offered her suggestions. Turned out a $17 toggle switch in the control handle failed, and the gearcase defaults into forward gear as a " limp home" feature. What a day.
