Another runaway!

[Kachina26]

 

[old rigger]

What the hell does that guy running along side think he’s gonna do!?

 

[J DUNN]

I did this to a boat in a parking lot one time. Fortunately it was stopped gently by a bush and a convenient curb before it hit anything. It did go through two lanes of empty parking spaces and was completely uncontrollable. Since then my new rule is to NEVER unhook a coupling without having chains on. So basically chains are first things on and last things off. They're called safety chains for a reason.

Fortunately the biggest thing hurt in my scenario was my pride, which prompted a well learned and engrained lesson.

 

[rivermobster]

What the hell does that guy running along side think he’s gonna do!?

He's "driving" it!

 

[old rigger]

I've told this story before so I'll make it short. My old barber who I met through Roger Weiman bought a Tahiti back around '67, he and his partner went in partners on the boat too. I actually built them a few Rogers and later an Advantage. Anyway, the 16 Tahiti jet was their first boat and I think it was Nacimiento that they chose for their first outing, both had their wives and kids there too and were camping out. They pulled into their camp site which was on a hill, the lake shore about 100 yards away. Of course the truck is pointing up hill, transom facing the lake. They un hooked the trailer and went to set the tongue down when the boat and trailer took off towards the lake, taking tents, chairs, a picnic table and whatever else was in its path down to the waters edge. Both trailer and Tahiti ended up in the drink. hahaha Shit, I'd pay anything to have seen that happen.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

I did this to a boat in a parking lot one time. Fortunately it was stopped gently by a bush and a convenient curb before it hit anything. It did go through two lanes of empty parking spaces and was completely uncontrollable. Since then my new rule is to NEVER unhook a coupling without having chains on. So basically chains are first things on and last things off. They're called safety chains for a reason.

Fortunately the biggest thing hurt in my scenario was my pride, which prompted a well learned and engrained lesson.

I got that beat.

Early 2000's we were doing all the ski races we could, but the boat needed a tune-up prior to the Catalina Ski Race, so it went to Bob Teague at his shop in Valencia. He got it done like that Friday before the race which is boat inspection day. We need to haul ass down to Long Beach to make boat inspection. My father is inside paying Bob, and I am getting the tow vehicle backed up to put the trailer on. While I'm hooking up, my dad comes up to me and starts talking to me about something. Either is was he had spare parts and wanted them in the boat or something. Anyway, I was sufficiently distracted that I went back to hooking up and raised the trailer jack.

We pull out of Bob's parking lot. The tow vehicle bounces as it exits the driveway and makes the turn to go down the street. Lo and behold, the boat continues straight across the street! It goes rolling across 4 lanes of the street and heads for a grassy embankment where the trailer tongue hits the grassy embankment and digs its way up it, coming to an awkward stop heading up the embankment.

Meanwhile my dad is freaking out, and I'm like holy shit! We quickly back up and get next to the boat to guard it. My dad takes off back to Bobs and Bob comes out with a forklift and gets the trailer off the embankment and back into the street. He had a good laugh at my expense. We hook back up, again, the right way this time, and just make it to Long Beach.

Getting distracted, the boat could have hit a car, or done some property damage, or damaged itself. Thankfully none of that, so it was a good lesson with no major consequences.

My new rule now is no one is allowed to talk to me while I'm hooking up the boat trailer. My dad, if he's around, double checks me, or I double check him if he hooked it up.

When we had the incident, Bob tried to cheer me up by telling me he had a boat trailer disconnect once. Except for him, it happened on the freeway! He said he got the truck in front of it while it was rolling without him and hit the brakes and was happy to put the trailer tongue through the back of the truck, just to get the trailer stopped. Between my incident and Bob's story, I am constantly checking the hook up every time we stop for gas, etc.

 

[77charger]

My dad and uncle had a boat get unhooked about 30 years ago. Dads motorhome towing uncles carerra 20.5

They picked it up at uncles in bullhead on way to Powell guess couldn’t find hitch pin used a bolt and nut like they have done in past. Somehow got loose there on hwy dad sees boat along side coming up shits his mind uncles like oh shit.

They slow boat passes all they could do is watch we’ll boat is headed to shoulder they calm down but hits dirt still going and there’s a billboard poles about 10 ft apart yup boats headed for it it’s oh fuck moment now. Somehow it squeezed through then right after hit sand spot the tongue dug in deep boat slid a few ft foward no damage but pride.

After an hour or so they got help from some who saw it thread the poles who were amazed. Couple trucks they pulled trailer out and got boat centered enough in trailer.

 

[NicPaus]

My old Tahiti and Nacimiento. Friend is missing his old lady and pussy whipped. Wants to leave early from our week long trip. I towed camper he towed my boat. Other buddy says just use my boat let him go. He forgets the second pin on the hitch. Pin wiggles out on the 5 while he is doing 80. Other buddy says he looks over and boat is passing them on the freeway throwing sparks for days from the receiver digging in. Says they go what seems like a mile and then there is a turn in the road. My boat ends up a half mile out in a field. They throw truck in 4x4 and retrieve it. I get back few days later and it has fucking tumble weeds still in it and my scoop is gone. 2 inches of the receiver is ground off but ball never came out from trailer.

That boats story goes on to be continued.

 

[EarpRider]

Been there;
I thought my police car was in park, I get out of the car to check a dumb parking violation. Then the door swings closed and next thing I know my B&W is rolling south on 3rd Pl from Ocean Blvd towards the beach.
I am almost able to run back and get back into the car, but it jumps the curb and slams into a residential fence, ugh, sooooo embarrassed.

 

[rrrr]

I've told this story before so I'll make it short. My old barber who I met through Roger Weiman bought a Tahiti back around '67, he and his partner went in partners on the boat too. I actually built them a few Rogers and later an Advantage. Anyway, the 16 Tahiti jet was their first boat and I think it was Nacimiento that they chose for their first outing, both had their wives and kids there too and were camping out. They pulled into their camp site which was on a hill, the lake shore about 100 yards away. Of course the truck is pointing up hill, transom facing the lake. They un hooked the trailer and went to set the tongue down when the boat and trailer took off towards the lake, taking tents, chairs, a picnic table and whatever else was in its path down to the waters edge. Both trailer and Tahiti ended up in the drink. hahaha Shit, I'd pay anything to have seen that happen.

I had two buddies that owned Tahiti 18s, one an Olds jet and one a 150 Merc. We were towing the jet down to Elephant Butte with my Suburban, and going down a long hill on I-25, the boat came unhooked, went into the desert between the freeway lanes and traveled a good ways before it hit a small arroyo and flipped upside down.

The guilty party that had supposedly hooked up and checked the trailer and chains was identified, and we made him hitchhike into Socorro to hire a tow truck. It showed up after an hour or so, and we got the boat dragged back to the shoulder and hooked it up to my Sub again.

Amazingly, there was very little damage to the boat, engine and trailer. We reloaded the cooler with beer that was stashed in the nose of the boat and continued south.

God watches over idiots.