Lesson learned the hard way.
By my rough estimates, I have launched/retrieved my boats about 60-70 times.it`s bout 800` from the parking spot to the ramp at my marina, at 10mph,maybe.
thurs night, 5:00PM, drop the trailer on the ball , give the screw knob 5-6 twists clockwise, feels tight, on our way. 3 Hr. ride, back to the ramp about 8:00. As I pull trailer up out of the water, the Admiral walks alongside holding the dock line until I get up on the flat, then she secures them , gets in truck. This time, I reach the top of the ramp, she yells "The trailor`s off the truck"! I slam into park, bail out, thinking that if the tongue is in the air, maybe I can grab it and spin it sideways before it takes off.
By the time I get to the back of the truck the boat is halfway down the ramp in third gear. Al we can do is stand and watch slackjawed as it splashed down.
THAT reminded me of the old film clips of boats lauching, water everywhere!
It`s a "thank God" miracle the trailer didn`t hit a rock or a pothole and spin sideways smashing the boat into the bulkhead. Also that no one was behind it!
When it stopped, we stared at it a few seconds, then at each other, then back to the boat.
HOLY SH%$#!
When it stopped, al we could see of the trailer was the winch about 1 ft. above the water level. The boat wasn`t going anywhere, it was still attached by the winch strap to the 20` long, 2axle anchor.
Annie ran up onto the bulkhead and grabbed docklines, I emptied my pockets, phones off my belt, started wading in to ramp water about as clean as the Inner Harbor. The winch strap unclipped off the boat easily, I pulled it out full length (20`) up the ramp, backed the truck into almost bumper deep, pulled out the trailer.
We reloaded, once up o the flat, Annie tells me she though she saw the rudder bump up when it splashed, we should check it. We walk to back of boat, it`s gone.
"Hand me the boat hook" ( I keep one in back of truck to grab the boat when hooking up the strap") Shirt off , dark now, walking neck in probing ahead with the pole so I don`t walk off the end of the ramp. At almost neck deep I found the rudder, was able to get a bite on it with the boat hook and pull up so I didn`t have to duck down below surface.
Tiller tamer broke apart when it flew off, tiller handle is split at the stern where the bolt goes through to attach it to top of rudder. This morning, in daylight ,I see where the tongue scratched into my truck tailgate as it went up. Leaving soon to inspect boat again in daylight and bring rudder/tiller home to start repairs.
Now, I`m in construction and fully aware of safety chains and towing. I have pulled compressors, generators, pumps, light plants for miles and miles . I have refused to tow when no chains are on the machine. This is because I still remember clearly seeing (someone else`s) compressor come loose off of an F250 on Georgia Ave. north of DC and T-bone a Subaru injuring he driver. And, when I bought this boat, I was dismayed to see it had the screw type ball hitch and not the flip type my P18 had.
All this, and I still thought it was ok to not hook up because I`m just in the yard at 5mph.
Lesson: when you hand tighten that knob, do it again after you have moved a short distance and ALWAYS USE THE CHAINS!!
Read, remember,learn.
By my rough estimates, I have launched/retrieved my boats about 60-70 times.it`s bout 800` from the parking spot to the ramp at my marina, at 10mph,maybe.
thurs night, 5:00PM, drop the trailer on the ball , give the screw knob 5-6 twists clockwise, feels tight, on our way. 3 Hr. ride, back to the ramp about 8:00. As I pull trailer up out of the water, the Admiral walks alongside holding the dock line until I get up on the flat, then she secures them , gets in truck. This time, I reach the top of the ramp, she yells "The trailor`s off the truck"! I slam into park, bail out, thinking that if the tongue is in the air, maybe I can grab it and spin it sideways before it takes off.
By the time I get to the back of the truck the boat is halfway down the ramp in third gear. Al we can do is stand and watch slackjawed as it splashed down.
THAT reminded me of the old film clips of boats lauching, water everywhere!
It`s a "thank God" miracle the trailer didn`t hit a rock or a pothole and spin sideways smashing the boat into the bulkhead. Also that no one was behind it!
When it stopped, we stared at it a few seconds, then at each other, then back to the boat.
HOLY SH%$#!
When it stopped, al we could see of the trailer was the winch about 1 ft. above the water level. The boat wasn`t going anywhere, it was still attached by the winch strap to the 20` long, 2axle anchor.
Annie ran up onto the bulkhead and grabbed docklines, I emptied my pockets, phones off my belt, started wading in to ramp water about as clean as the Inner Harbor. The winch strap unclipped off the boat easily, I pulled it out full length (20`) up the ramp, backed the truck into almost bumper deep, pulled out the trailer.
We reloaded, once up o the flat, Annie tells me she though she saw the rudder bump up when it splashed, we should check it. We walk to back of boat, it`s gone.
"Hand me the boat hook" ( I keep one in back of truck to grab the boat when hooking up the strap") Shirt off , dark now, walking neck in probing ahead with the pole so I don`t walk off the end of the ramp. At almost neck deep I found the rudder, was able to get a bite on it with the boat hook and pull up so I didn`t have to duck down below surface.
Tiller tamer broke apart when it flew off, tiller handle is split at the stern where the bolt goes through to attach it to top of rudder. This morning, in daylight ,I see where the tongue scratched into my truck tailgate as it went up. Leaving soon to inspect boat again in daylight and bring rudder/tiller home to start repairs.
Now, I`m in construction and fully aware of safety chains and towing. I have pulled compressors, generators, pumps, light plants for miles and miles . I have refused to tow when no chains are on the machine. This is because I still remember clearly seeing (someone else`s) compressor come loose off of an F250 on Georgia Ave. north of DC and T-bone a Subaru injuring he driver. And, when I bought this boat, I was dismayed to see it had the screw type ball hitch and not the flip type my P18 had.
All this, and I still thought it was ok to not hook up because I`m just in the yard at 5mph.
Lesson: when you hand tighten that knob, do it again after you have moved a short distance and ALWAYS USE THE CHAINS!!
Read, remember,learn.
