The best learned lessons are learned the hard way, yeah right.
I was to meet Novelman at the Queens way ramp in Long Beach. My wife was with me for what was to be a wonderful sail through the Long Beach Harbor. Good weather calm waters a great opportunity to win her over to sailing. :dance:
After taking an hour and a half to rig up she was getting impatient. The boat was set to go as I started to back down the ramp. I got out of the truck to attach the bow line and decided if would be faster to unhook the winch from the bow eye at the same time. I started to back down slowly and carefully when half way down the ramp, the guy power cleaning the ramp made a move to the back of the boat. I panicked and slammed on the brakes. There went the boat, it slid of the trailer and onto the ramp. :cussing:
Fortunately it landed on the keel. Now what to do. I had plenty of shood-ofs and advise from the crowd of people who "reside" at the landing.

:lame:



I decided to try winching the boat back on to the trailer. I released the keel to take the weight off along with removing the rudder and motor. I was able to pull it up the trailer far enough that it rested on the back of the bunks. I was then able to slide it down the ramp using the keel as a skid. It worked well and got the boat floating. Happy ending? Not a chance.
I turned the boat around, tied it to the dock, replace the rudder and motor. Fortunately Novelman was a little late trying to feel his way through the shallows. When he got there we were ready to go. I lowered the motor into the water and pulled the cord. The motor fired up right away. Looks like its going to be a good day after all. I dropped it into gear and revved up the motor and away it went. Not the boat but the motor.

Apparently the early unexpected launching cracked the plywood mounting. The motor didn't sink right away because of the air in the hood. It lingered for about 10 second then slowly sank. The the water is so polluted that Honda label disappeared about 8" from the surface. I didn't take time to change and fortunately I wear boxer briefs that look like trunks. As I was undressing my wife warned me "don't go into that God awful water you'll get a disease, just buy another motor." I explained to her that a new replacement motor would cost a couple of grand. She replied, "Hand me your clothes and don't drink the water." I did take time to put on my diving mask and snorkel, why with 8" of visibility I'll never know (I can only figure that it shielded me from the reality of what I a was about to climb into, kind of like the Kent State riot police helmets.) I did manage to find the motor with my sandaled feet in about six feet of water. I drove down and grabbed the tiller and manage to get it upright. I was then able to drag it up the foot thick muck covered ramp. Needless to say there was no sailing that day.
Things learned:
Don't unhook the winch strap until after you're at the bottom of the ramp.
Replace old motor mounts before they break.
Leash your motor to the boat.
Don't drink water that comes from the Los Angeles river.
Don't use a snorkel in water that comes from the LA river.

Take your wife to a really nice restaurant after a disaster.
Hopefully someone will learn from what truly was a, bone head move.
Frank
An attempt to winch it back on to the trailer.