Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

[Jeepnn]

This past weekend I say the stupidest thing I have ever seen happen on a boat ramp. I was out with the family waiting to put in when the guy in front of me towing what looked like a 24-28' cruiser behind a Ford Ranger 2wd pick-up proceeds to start backing down the double ramp. Well as he started to apply the brakes he just slid. now the panic sets in... I couldn't watch but I had too! He is backing in as the Game Warden is pulling out. The guy lets go on the brakes to try to staighten out and turns the wheel the wrong way as he is picking up speed. He slams on the brakes and slides into the wardens boat. Then the truck bounces off his Tahoe. This guys ride isn't over, the rig keeps going till it hits the water. Lucky for him once the boat hit it stoped. The truck was spared any more damage. He ended up launching the boat and beaching it off to the side so he could get the truck out of the drink. I didn't hang out long after the cops took my statement but appearently he just bought it and had never towed a boat before. Thank God he wasn't drinking!<br /><br />Mike M.

 

[vipzach]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

What complete lack of common sense!!!!!!

 

[JB]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

The trouble with common sense is that it is only common to those with experience/knowledge of the situation at hand.<br /><br />Neophytes with zero understanding of what they are doing are buying, towing, launching and operating boats all over the world.<br /><br />Watch out!!

 

[vipzach]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

Originally posted by JB:<br /> The trouble with common sense is that it is only common to those with experience/knowledge of the situation at hand.<br /><br />Neophytes with zero understanding of what they are doing are buying, towing, launching and operating boats all over the world.<br /><br />Watch out!!

Sad but true, read the I see dumb people line....<br /><br />I would think that when he attached that 28' boat on a ranger, there would have been some question in his mind...."can my little truck do this?" At that point, I would have checked towing capacity. <br />If he had never towed anything before, he had no business towing that boat.

 

[brother chris]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

That is just crazy.<br /> Luckily no-one got hurt. <br />I have seen episodes like that before and people just do not realize what their tow vehicles can and cannot do. <br />Hopefully he had a better day on the boat and that he did not forget the plug too.

 

[Jeepnn]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

The worst part of it is he didn't know why the cops were "harrasing him" about it!

 

[djzyla1980]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

Not sure how much that boat would weight..... But I had a ranger.... 4sp w/od the towing capacity on it was 5000lbs... the guy across the street has same truck only Auto.... rated for 8500lbs. <br /><br />Don't think it's the towing capacity on the truck or vehicle..... but if what your towin is 4 times as big as the vehicle I wouldn't attach it.<br /><br />Pulled a 3500lb 25' camper with mine. Had no problems.... however I never tried launching it into a downward sloped ramp into a pool of water.<br /><br />Hmmmmmm.... anyone know where I can get a few empty plastic barrels????

 

[tomatolord]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

SIL did that she "towed" a 24ft crownline with her 2 door explorer sport. She argued quite heatedly that her "truck" could pull it. That it was well within the range of its capacity.<br /><br />She had to go only 30 miles round trip and she burned out the transmission...<br /><br />Lucky for her the ramps here are pretty shallow.<br /><br />She took it into the dealer and claimed she did not know what happened, but the car wont go now.<br /><br />Never saw the incident SIL does not invite me onto her boat....<br /><br />Tomatolord

 

[Braxton]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

must stand well clear when you see that at the ramp.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

its even more fun when they do it at low tide and the truck hits the sea slime on the concrete. its like driving on grease.<br /> my old chebby has hauled more than one wet truck back up the ramp. its easier if ya let the tailgate down before the haulout.<br /> last one was a 2wd tahoe that the brillance of the plan was since the ramp was at low tide they would accelerate back down the ramp and hit the brakes to slide it off. boat was 26-28 ft with a mercruiser of some kind. well seems they had undone the bow strap yet forgot the safty chain on the bow eye. boat moved aft 6" and took up. the momentum,coupled with the ramp slime pulled the rig into the water to the drivers door. water was covering the lower part of the steering wheel. had to go borrow some bolt cutters to cut the safty chain as the back of the boat was floating sideways on the trailer and the bow was hung on the chain.<br /> last I saw of the tahoe it was being loaded on a roll back .<br /> ya shoulda seen the guys around the ramp howl. felt sorry for the guy but what could ya say somepeople cant wait and will attempt boating no matter what.<br />had they waited 2 hours it could have been floated off as designed.

 

[robsp2000]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

I saw a 96 Honda Civic launching a 16 ft bayliner last week. No way that car is rated to tow that. They launched ok but I wish I could have seen them we they got it out of the water.<br /><br />I don't think they were too experienced either, one was in the boat and started it up, the other released the rope. But then the one in the boat jumps out chest deep and pulls the boat to the courtesy dock and waits when she could have just drove over there. No need to get wet.

 

[Brew2]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

Can't remember where I saw it, but there is a great video clip on the net somewhere of a really small car (maybe and old lada or something) pulling abuot a 20' camper trailer up a steep hill. It drives by a British couple stopped on the side of the road to change a flat bicycle tire and just about chokes them with the smoke coming out of the car. The guy on the side of the road says totally deadpan "It seems to be running a bit rich". Moments later after the car has gone by, you hear it coming back.....the car has died and it is being pulled back down the hill by the trailer....the trailer goes of the road and it and the car flip over as it enters a field. <br /><br />Hope no one was hurt, but it is one of the funniest things I have ever seen on the net.

 

[djzyla1980]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

Still lookin for those plastic barrels...lol

 

[reach]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

Originally posted by Brew2:<br /> Can't remember where I saw it, but there is a great video clip

Here ya go...<br /><br /> http://www.metacafe.com/watch/32990/caravana_2004/

 

[Jeepnn]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

Now that is histaricaly stupid!!

 

[djzyla1980]

Re: Why an appropriate tow vehicle is important!

LMAO.... thats all I can say....