Launch Ramp Shit Show

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worst? spinning wheels in my truck and being pulled backwards into the water by my boat. couldnt exit the truck as it would start to get pulled backwards. luckily had a strap and pulled it out. couldnt unhook the boat as there was so much load on the pin.

That ramps sucks now as much as it did before they redid it. Years ago launching there with my brothers truck, a 6.0 6 speed F350 and I was driving. Put it in L and idled out with the boat on. While going up the ramp shift into 1st, let the clutch out and went sideways straight for the wall. Stopped in time and after some reverse and forward got out of there. Got my 1 wheel drive F250 almost stuck at castle rock lagoon with a 19' boat. Actually the thing is always spinning 1 tire at every ramp. I need to get this 4wd swap done.

 

[svlperry]

In the early 80's I saw a woman's legs get chopped up by an outdrive after she slipped on the boat ramp while launching in Havasu. Saw a guy in Arkansas with his bass boat as he backed in the trailer, tied his boat to the dock, pulled out, and watched as his boat dropped high and dry on the launch ramp - ropes were way too long........ afternoon storms can get nasty here in Colorado. Used to go down the the public launch and watch everyone trying to get off the water when one blew in, pretty entertaining, not like site six shit, but a good end to the day sitting there with a cooler full of beer.

I think that lady who got her legs chopped up is my friend


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[LHC Kirby]

Metal hanger, socks and a belt (why they were even in the truck??) tie down strap..... think about it.... dock lines, ski rope, innertube rope... don't limit yourself to the tow vehicle, your boat has supplies too

 

[Lucky Larry]

Years ago we had dumped in at the park in Big River , pretty steep ramp. When we tried to get out the truck was just too light in the back end and the wheels would just spin. We were wondering what to do next when along came Mr Skinny and Mrs Heavy Heavy Duty. She looks at us and says “you boys need help” She jumps on the back of the truck and we drive right out. She smiles and says “I am good for something “. Everyone has a purpose in life!

 

[farmo83]

We were going for a shake down cruise after installing a new steering cable in my Schiada.



We backed it down. I had my mom and sister in the boat with me, Dad was doing the backing so this was a well oiled machine. We backed in, I fired the boat, he pushed me off. I turned to the left and bumped the gas to move out of the way and off to the right I went and almost drove right into the boat putting in next to me. The guy I almost hit lost his shit and understandably so, we had put the new steering ram in upside down so the entire steering was reversed. I yelled at Dad to bring the trailer back down. I could not think fast enough to actually drive, trying to go left so need to turn right etc. I hoped out and we guided it on the trailer by hand and back to the house we went for repair.



We also have tried to load a 26 pontoon boat with bunks floating off. All we had was duct tape.


A long time family friend has a 24 foot Spectra with a V drive. When I was a kid I noticed he had a deep gash in one of his fenders from where the skeg dug into it while loading. I asked Bill about it and he said a mutual friend helping him load fell while trying to catch the boat. Years later I made a comment about that to the mutual friend and not surprisingly he said the Bill had been hitting the Coors Light all day and wasn’t the most accurate when driving the boat on. Knowing both parties I’m inclined to believe the latter.

 

[cofooter]

I think that lady who got her legs chopped up is my friend


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Thinking 82 or 83, hope she recovered........

 

[ArizonaKevin]

We were able to find a shop to rebunk the trailer with through bolted and countersunk bolts before we leave for Powell and new strap will be here and installed today.

 

[MagicMan]

Launching at the Nautical ramp if your facing the water do not trailer your boat too far to the left. There is a drop off there. My wife trailered last year in this sweet spot, trailer dropped boat hit the right fender and my spare tire mount. When my wife trailered out she didn't notice the broken tire mount, dragged the spare until it popped. Also the fender came nearly off the mounting bolts and was rubbing on the front tire.

I've also lost bunks and used electrical tape and zip ties to keep them in place. My wife trailers the boat, she now checks our trailer every time she pulls out of the water. I don't care if people are waiting they can wait.

 

[Ziggy]

Forgot to reconnect the hose on my old jet boat after a hose run once. Ended up driving it onto ramp so it didn't go under. Bilge pumped it out and reconnected hose. Off we went for a fun family day.

 

[74 spectra20 v-drive]

I totally forgot about this, a couple weeks ago up at Kings River, we are sitting around and I hear what sounds like a prop guard from a trailer dragging, if you own a flat bottom you know this sound. The sound keeps going and going, I look over at the launch ramp and here comes a jet boat with only three wheels, and the guy is dragging the spring perch and burring his spindal in dirt and rock. Felt sorry for the guy but dude stop and jack up that spring and chain it off.

 

[was thatguy]

Forgot to reconnect the hose on my old jet boat after a hose run once. Ended up driving it onto ramp so it didn't go under. Bilge pumped it out and reconnected hose. Off we went for a fun family day.

I had a hose come off the pump nipple years ago in the middle of Big Lake in Wasilla AK.

Almost lost my first Miller.
Had one hand over the nipple and one hand trying to fix the hose.

On my current Miller I have all the hull water system hard lined with 3/4” pipe, and gate valves at every system T so I can shut in the water at various points in the system.

 

[25Elmn8r]

We were going for a shake down cruise after installing a new steering cable in my Schiada.

We backed it down. I had my mom and sister in the boat with me, Dad was doing the backing so this was a well oiled machine. We backed in, I fired the boat, he pushed me off. I turned to the left and bumped the gas to move out of the way and off to the right I went and almost drove right into the boat putting in next to me. The guy I almost hit lost his shit and understandably so, we had put the new steering ram in upside down so the entire steering was reversed. I yelled at Dad to bring the trailer back down. I could not think fast enough to actually drive, trying to go left so need to turn right etc. I hoped out and we guided it on the trailer by hand and back to the house we went for repair.

I did that years ago on my jet boat! I was able to drive it over to a beach and fix it. Same day the seal around the jet transom plate let go and we almost sunk it! Put it on the trailer just in time and jumped in my friends boat for the rest of the day. Wasn't letting that ruin the day.

 

[svlperry]

Thinking 82 or 83, hope she recovered........

She did



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[cofooter]

I almost forgot my own launch ramp shit show. About 10 yrs ago I took my GF to the river for her first time. I showed her all the sights including Roadrunner where she had to try a Road Raper. She downed the first one and was halfway through the second one when that shit hit her like a brick to the face. She was hammered. So, the suns going down and I decided to head back to the launch ramp. We hit the no wake zone down by the casino and I'm telling her to put her clothes back on because they fell off on the ride down river. We pull up to the launch ramp and against my better judgement, I told her to go get the truck/trailer. I was mostly sober so thought that she would be better off backing the trailer down as there was no one in the marina, and I'd stay with the boat. Not!. She struggled backing the trailer down the wide ass ramp a few times, and by this time people on the balconies of the hotel were beginning to gather and enjoy the show. She tried again and jack knifed the trailer up onto the small jetty beside the boat ramp and got the wheels stuck in the rocks. By this time those people on the balconies were laughing and yelling and I thought, shit, I better get out of here before the cops come. So I dove off the boat into the cold ass February water, managed to get the trailer off the jetty, backed in, swam back to the boat and loaded without further incident. She's pretty good these days both backing the trailer down or loading the boat, but never again after a Road Raper.

 

[wayniac]

I almost forgot my own launch ramp shit show.

Im sure all of us have a story... for the last 6 years my father in law and i have been partners in boats. Ive done the majority of the driving, and always launched the boat. Last year apparently we have finally bought a nice enough boat that he wants to drive all of the time. I back him down the launch, get him floating, get out to unhook the winch strap. Me personally, I never unhook, until we have the motor going and I get a thumbs up from the driver. Well, as soon as he floats, he turns his head and starts backing up. I try to stop him, and he continues until the strap reaches the end, and comes to an abrupt stop. He panics, and forwards back onto the trailer sideways. mother in law s yelling, hes yelling, and i was just trying to be safe... then to make it worse, i wind the strap up backwards so it wont latch when we retrieve. we thought we broke the locking mechanism and had to use a wire to lock the strap down. I woke up in the middle of the night and finally realized what i had done went out in the garage and fixed it.