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  #21   Report Post  
bb
 
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Default Boat fell off trailer

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 14:46:16 -0500, "Paul Schilter"
paulschilter@comcast,dot,net wrote:

bb,
You didn't by chance just wax that boat?


No wax, and nothing new. I haven't had it out in about a month, but
nothing I can put a finger on as to why now.

Sorry to hear of your
misfortune.


Thanks, but no real dammage, except to my huge ego.

bb


  #22   Report Post  
bb
 
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Default Boat fell off trailer

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 09:34:27 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

I've seen a couple of boats slide right off bunk trailers on steep ramps
when boats were not attached to the trailers.


Well, this certainly couldn't be considered a steep ramp, but my
launch methods are modified from here on out. My favorite ramp is
twice as steep. If it had started to slip off on that ramp, no doubt
the whole rig would have come crashing down.

Seems like I have to learn the same lessons over and over again, but
I'm pretty sure this is one I'll get right the first time.

bb



  #23   Report Post  
JimL
 
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Default Boat fell off trailer

bb,

Glad no one got hurt as well as no damage to the boat. I was out
Wennesday at the coast with a neighbor down there when he launched
his boat. He was launching on a fairly steep ramp and unhooked the
boat halfway down the ramp. I was quite surprised the boat didn't
slide off then and there. I had a little talk with him about how
he launches and hopefully what I pointed out sunk in for him. I
don't remember if he had bunks or rollers, but either way, I was
surprised the boat stayed on the trailer!

When I launch, I don't unhook the boat until I'm pretty much at
the water with it. Even though I have rollers, I have to back in
pretty far (back wheel at or in water) for the boat to want to
come off the trailer and even then, I apply the brakes for that
extra boost. Once the boat is floating, I'll get on the dock and
tie it off.

I'm thinking you should open the lower drain plug on your
gearcase to make sure the shock didn't affect anything and cause a
leak. If you do, you should only need to let a few drops out as the
water will have sunk to the bottom or the oil will have turned a
milky white from mixing with water.

-JimL




bb wrote:
More often than not I take my trailerable fishing boats out by myself.
I have a routine where I get ready back down the ramp, unhook the
boat, tie the boat to the trailer with a 20' or so line, then back
down the ramp. Usually, once the boat is partially floating, I have
to stiffly brake a couple of times to get the boat off the trailer.
If the transom of the boat is not partially in the water, the boat
just doesn't budge off the trailer.

Well, today, I went through my normal routine at a ramp I've used many
times before. About half way down the ramp the boat just slid off the
trailer. The skeg of the ob took the brunt of the impact, but the
boat slip at least half way off the trailer. I stopped he truck and
cranked the boat back up the trailer, then proceeded to back the boat
into the water and launch successfully.

My trailer has bunks with indoor/outdoor carpet, not rollers. The
ramp was one I've used before and not unusually steep. I was backing
down the ramp slowly and did not even tap the brakes. When I put the
boat back on the trailer I have to give it a pretty good shot of power
to run it into place. On this particular day I was going with another
person who has launched trailerable power boats for years and says he
goes through the same routine as I do and has never seen anything like
what happened today.

Like I said, my normal routine for years has been to stop out of the
way in the ramp area, check the boat, unhook the crank and safety
chain, attach a 20' rope then move to the ramp area. I'll then back
down the ramp and get the boat free from the trailer by stiffly
braking a couple of times when the boat is partially floating.

After this incident, from now on, I'll back down until the boat is
right at the waters edge before disconnecting the safety hook. I
can't say I see others doing what I'm describing, but I'll be damned
if I'll have the boat slide off on the ramp again.

What are other folks experiences in launching their boats? Do you
stop just as the boat reaches the water and then disconnect the safety
chain? I can't say I've notice anyone else doing this, but maybe I'm
missing someing.

bb


  #24   Report Post  
Jim Woodard
 
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Default Boat fell off trailer

I don't like real steep ramps....I made the mistake of keeping the
chains on my boat trailer too tight, and did not know the ramp was
so steep (first time on it).....and the chains scratched my bumper
pretty deeply, making kind of a mess with it.

bb wrote:

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 09:34:27 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

I've seen a couple of boats slide right off bunk trailers on steep ramps
when boats were not attached to the trailers.


Well, this certainly couldn't be considered a steep ramp, but my
launch methods are modified from here on out. My favorite ramp is
twice as steep. If it had started to slip off on that ramp, no doubt
the whole rig would have come crashing down.

Seems like I have to learn the same lessons over and over again, but
I'm pretty sure this is one I'll get right the first time.

bb


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  #25   Report Post  
bb
 
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Default Boat fell off trailer

On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 05:12:48 GMT, JimL
wrote:


I'm thinking you should open the lower drain plug on your
gearcase to make sure the shock didn't affect anything and cause a
leak. If you do, you should only need to let a few drops out as the
water will have sunk to the bottom or the oil will have turned a
milky white from mixing with water.


Thanks for the heads up on that. I was planning on doing just that,
but a reminder doesn't hurt.

bb


  #26   Report Post  
Rod McInnis
 
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Default Boat fell off trailer


"bb" wrote in message
...
What are other folks experiences in launching their boats? Do you

stop just as the boat reaches the water and then disconnect the safety
chain? I can't say I've notice anyone else doing this, but maybe I'm
missing someing.



I have seen this happen before, which is why I have always waited until I
had the trailer in the water before disconnecting the bow hook.
Specifically, I will back the trailer into the water until the tongue is
right at the water's edge, where I can reach it without getting my feet wet.
On some ramps this is far enough to get the boat off with a gentle push. On
other ramps I will back up another foot or two and tap the brake to slide
the boat off.

I would say that you were lucky that the boat only partially came off the
trailer. I have seen it in the past where the boat came all the way off,
and then had to be dragged down the ramp to the water. That is REALLY hard
on the bottom. Plus it ****es everyone off who is waiting to use the ramp.

Why did it happen this time and never before?

Well, perhaps being winter the bunks never dried out from the last time
you used the boat. Dry bunks will hold the boat okay, but the boat will
slide much easier on wet bunks. If it has been cold and damp since the last
time you launched the carpet pads could have still been wet.

Rod


  #27   Report Post  
jchaplain
 
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Default Boat fell off trailer

On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 02:45:55 GMT, bb wrote:

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 14:25:17 GMT, jchaplain wrote:

I would have to say that what you have been doing is unsafe, but you
have been lucky enough to get away with it until now.


Well, I think thats pretty much what I admitted to, but thanks for the
echo.

Why would you think that putting thousands of pounds on an inclined
surface without restraint is ok to do?


I would have to say because I was taught that years and years ago by
people I considered knowledgeable in launching trailerable power boats
in our local, because as I have observed literally hundereds of other
folks launching their boats that same way at my local with no
problems, and because there is actually restraint called friction.

Just because it hasn't slid of
before?


Well, yes, that, and because I've never seen or heard of it happening
to anyone else in my boating area.

Someone could get seriously hurt.


Brilliant deduction. That was kinda the reason for my post and I'm
very glad you were able to gleen that titbid of wisdom from it.

It would be the smart thing
to do to keep the safety chain on until you get the transom in the
water.


Uh, yeah, that was kinda the conclusion I had made in my origial post.

Sorry to be so hard on you, but you really need to think about doing
what makes sense rather than what has worked before or worked for
other people.


Oh, I don't mind you being hard on me. I realize there's always a few
folks out there who have a need to feel superior. Have at it.

I see nothing wrong with relying on what has worked before, or works
for other people. The method I described appears to the the norm for
launching boats in my area. When something has worked for me for
years, and appears to work acceptably for others also, I see no real
problem with considering it a viable process.

Now that I've experienced a problem with what was considered the norm,
I'll make changes to my procedures so it doesn't happen again.
Thanks for much for your helpful and condescending input.

bb


I didn't intend to come of as condescending. You admiited you made a
mistake, and I appreciate that. I've made plenty myself, and I'll
admit them too.
It's just that you defended it by saying it's always worked before
when you know it was always the wrong thing to do from the getgo.
Better luck this season.
I hope to get less bend props and scuff marks myself this coming
season.

John C.

  #28   Report Post  
bb
 
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Default Boat fell off trailer

On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 22:35:45 GMT, jchaplain wrote:

I didn't intend to come of as condescending.


Fair enough, sorry for the somewhat harsh counter reply.

It's just that you defended it by saying it's always worked before
when you know it was always the wrong thing to do from the getgo.


I defended it by saying I was taught the method years ago by
trailerable power boat people who had lots of experience and by the
observation that the method I used was certainly the common method on
the ramps I use. What I never said was I knew it was the wrong thing
to do. If I had the slightest inclination the boat might slide off
the bunks on our local ramps I would have modified my methods before
this incident.

Hey, I learned a lesson with very little negative consequenses, and
hopefully I've alerted someone else to the possibility.

Happy boating.

bb
  #29   Report Post  
C. Sadler
 
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Default Boat fell off trailer

bb wrote in message SNIPBoat fell off the trailer SNIP
bb


Any chance it rained recently and your plug was in?

I could see a bilge water movement causing the mystery suicide attempt.
  #30   Report Post  
modervador
 
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Default Boat fell off trailer

"QLW" wrote in message ...
Here's another way to get a boat off a trailer.
After hurricane Alicia, my daughter way bringing our 25' sailboat back from
a friends house on "high ground" when the trailer decided to part company
with her truck. The trailer ran down into the water logged drainage ditch

[snip]

So that we can avoid this disaster ourselves, what was the status of
the safety chains and what caused the apparent decoupling?

%mod%
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