launch ramp show

[BOB'S 283]

anyone want to share one of their launch ramp screw ups ? bet i'm not the only one to put on a show for everyone........

[BOB'S 283]

anyone want to share one of their launch ramp screw ups ? bet i'm not the only one to put on a show for everyone........

[Eriktheviking]

Well Please do share them with us, BOB. http://www.checkmate-boats.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif I'll never forget time with my first boat.It was about 1986 and I just got my 1976 16' Baja with a 115 Johnson. Yes guys thats right a Baja. I was backing down the ramp and the catch wasn't on the winch. The boat started rolling down (roller trailer)and just when it was about 2 inches from the ground the lever caught and saved the boat. http://checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/jpshakehead.gifIt was such a stressful action for the little trailer that it actually bowed it up to the point of cracking the steel channel.Luckily there was NO ONE around to see this escapade! http://checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/jpshakehead.gif http://checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/eyes.gif

[92Enticer]

Im sure everyone has done this.

I had a friend slowly back my boat down the ramp, it was the first time for the year i'd got it in, so i wanted to run it on the trailor awhile. So once the motor was in, i had him stop, i started and began reving the motor, suddenly i was standing in over ankle deep water!!

I yelled for him to pull ahead as i cut the motor, then realized the trailor winch was unloocked, i ran through my open bow and dove over the front as the boat began to slide of the moving trailor, and held the winch lever from spinning. Did it sting like hell when i caught it, as it was beginning to spin as the boat pulled away.

Heh damn drain plugs. One must remember to put them in before putting the boat in the water.

Luckly after he got up off the ground from laughter, he swore his silence.

[BOB'S 283]

had a brand new sea ray on a brand new ez loader , unhooked it at the top of the ramp like i always did with the old bunk traiers , and backed it down the ramp ...... EZ UN-LOADER !! dumped it right on schroon lake ramp . luckily the skeg dug in and kept it from being a total disaster......that was nuthing ,i've got another one but i want to hear from someone else before i share the next one......

[ynnad]

My brother and I watched a 2WD Jimmy get pulled out of the water by a wrecker after the driver went in way too deep to pick up the boat, then couldn't get any traction back up the mud, water and algae on the ramp. It started with just the front tires on the ramp, but by the time the wrecker arrived, it was in the water up to the door handles. Woman operator was not taking any help/suggestions from us chauvanists!! Of course after having her tying up the ramp for about an hour, the next guy to back down does so right in the middle, so nobody else can get along side... then his outdrive won't raise, so he can't pull the boat back out... some days are just too much fun!!

[F150GT]

I'm not to proud to say I have accomplished thes acts of stupidity. I too was backing my Thompson sidwinder and roller trailer down the ramp when I noticed the boat starting to take off, the truck & trailer were nice & straight so I mashed the gas and beat it to the water. We launched with a hell of a splash but never hit concrete. Anouther time I launched at my favorite dirt launch, left my mom to hold it while I parked the truck. when I got back it was half sunk, Damn drain plugs. How about on a crowded Sunday while backing the boat down and it wont slide off the trailer, you have to remove the rear straps first.

[merc245]

the worst i did was forget take off the straps, then wonder why the trailer was floating along with the boat. but most the time the guy that that ran the the ramp would use me as a example and shout out to all to hear! PEOPLE WATCH THIS MAN AND LEARN, HE KNOWS WHAT HES DOING. while all the time i was busy he would be hitting on my dates/girlfriends.

[BOB'S 283]

i tried retreiving the boat by myself at a private ramp that i had never used before .the steepest ramp i had ever seen, like 45 degrees. i backed it in too far until the trailer wheels fell off the concrete ramp . we had to send someone to napa for a couple truck tire tubes , then put a diver in the water and have him inflate the tubes under the aluminum trailer til it floated . chipped the deck UNDER the winch ,when we finally got the boat out it wasn't close enough to the winch post , so they used the fork lift to slide the boat forward breaking the winch , the 2 1/2 hour home was spent with one eye in the rear view watching the bow bounce on the winch wrapped in towels . i think i'm pretty good , but when things start to go wrong , they can really make ya look stupid !!!!!

[Enforcer 24]

I had to swim to get my 185 VIP! It was my dads first time on the boat so I had him back it in. Mind you the safety chain and strap are unhooked when I have him do this. (bunk trailer) I was holding the boat with a rope to the bow cleat while he backed it down the ramp. He gets this "idea in his head" that he needs a little speed in reverse to launch the boat. Well.....he launched it alright, right off of the trailer, in the water and I could not hold the rope to the cleat so away it went!! Jumped in the water, swam my (rear) off, climbed in the boat, started it and got back to the dock in record time. Didn't want the boat to hit some other boat at marina. Thank god only one other person was there and no cameras were involved. http://checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/xxrotflmao.gif It is funny now, back then it was pure panic!

[Eriktheviking]

Hey Bob your story reminds me of a GREAT http://checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/jpshakehead.gif time I had at Rogers Rock in Lake George.I had a 19 1/2' Stingray ZPX and my brother in law was helping me launch it.I was in the boat and he was gonna haul the trailer away.Hes trying to pull it out but the axle had fallen over the edge of the concrete ramp (under water).They're pulling and pulling , he goes under water and lifts it up,it eventually comes out.FROM THE FORCE OF THE TRUCK PULLING ON IT THE ONE SIDE OF THE AXLE SLID BACK ON THE FRAME,BOWING THE LEAF SPRING AND JAMMED THE TIRE INTO THE FENDER SO MUCH THAT IT TORE THE SIDEWALL! http://checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/brickwall.gifSo I watched from my boat as my trailer went up the ramp with a crooked axle and the tire skidding http://checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/brickwall.gif http://checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/brickwall.gif.Then I spent the rest of my vacation realigning the axle and had to purchase a new pair of tires.One of those times you want to FORGET!!

[Convincor283]

Merc245 that sounds like Dave at wynedot boat ramp.

[Convincor283]

Well I had a 19 ft Searay backing down the ramp and heard a strange sound looked back and my boat, trailer, and trailer hitch (with safty chains still conected) were rolling tward the water, but a ramp worker pushed the front of the boat over to the side and stoped it from going in the water.

[CNC Wizard]

Well this didnt happen with boats but one of my friends went and purchased two sea-doo HX's new. We went to indiana to pick them up two weeks before we were all going on vacation to lake cumberland. The main group we were with launched from where they had rented the houseboat, we went down the road some to launch that would be closer to the houseboats final destination. We were susposed to grab some ice and take with us on the ski's..........Well littel did we know that was easier said than done. We had yet to ride these particular style of ski. For those who dont know what an HX is imagine being out in the water and trying to sit atop a basketball... You fall off! Needless to say it was a good 30 minutes for us trying to get up on these jet ski's and people laughing the butts off at us as we would get up and then fall off. And yes.....the ice never stood a chance.

2nd story, while we were down there "Brian" had a 79' hawain jet boat, after an all day of drinking Jack D he was going back into the campgrounds. As he entered the no wake zone at conley bottom the water line had came off, now filling the boat with water and him not knowing. By the time he reached the dock his feet were starting to get wet so he tied the boat up instead of beaching it and was off to get the trailer. By the time he returned the dock was sitting at harsh angle from his boat trying to pull it under. So what did he do.........Grabbed another bottle of Jack D and ended up leaving it there till the morning. He was so drunk that in the quest from returning from the campground pisser that he stumble on to a van that totally did not resemble his and participated to crawl into and passout only to awakened that morning by the owners. He did manage to get the marina to come by and winch his boat from the dock and set on the trailer.


I do have another story thats pretty darn good but ill have to see if anyone is interested 1st and i do think it is better than my previous.

[Redboat]

http://www.checkmate-boats.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gifI always enjoy going over to the launch ramp in the spring to watch 1st timers and drunks drop their boats on the ramp,forget to put drain plugs in,back their cars in too far or not far enough.
I personally haven't done any of the above . YET !
Redboat

[BBB]

I had a frien that work at the local bayliner store. They had a first time boat owner call from the lake and complained they couldn't get the boat on plane. When they got there they couln't believe the stupidity. The new owners left the tie downs on the back and the strap on the front and UNHOOKED THE TRAILER FROM THE TRUCK!!

[BBB]

OK I got one more. I was loading a Mastercraft I used to own and I had my girlfriend at the time driving the boat. I told her to give it a little throttle to more the boat up, she was about 4-5 ft short from the front of the trailer. She nailed it and then paniced and left the throttle open. I ended up on the ground, the boat ended up using the front roller for a ramp and drove up until the prop came out of the water, then the boat slid straight back. the prop was caught up in the trailer and it took a little work to get that one staightened out.

[BOB'S 283]

i saw an old guy do something like that at our marina while docking . he hit the gas hard . probably paniced , jumped the main walkway and was heading back into the water on the other side of the dock bow first with the drive hung up on the dock. a friend of mine who was in his crosshairs walked over and switched of the ignition .

[JUPITER PULSARE]

BACK IN 1988 MY BEST FRIEND AND I GOT SKUNKED ON A 4 HOUR DRIVE SURF TRIP. (COCONUT GROVE TO FT PIERCE AND BACK-NO WAVES http://checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/zx11pissed.gif-LITTLE SLEEP http://checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/sleep.gif)BY THE TIME WE GOT BACK HOME AND DECIDED TO PUT MY VELOCITY IN THE WATER IT WAS 11:OO AM. WHILE IDLEING OUT OF DINNER KEY MARINA TO BISCAYNE BAY I FLIPPED ON THE BILGE PUMP LIKE I ALWAYS DO, LOOKED OVER THE SIDE AND SAW IT PUMPING WATER. I ASSUMED IT WAS RAIN WATER.(BOAT LEFT OUTDOORS UNDER FULL COVER???) AFTER A FEW MINUTES I LOOKED OVER THE SIDE AGAIN AND IT WAS STILL PUMPING?? I THAN DECIDED TO RAISE THE ENGINE HATCH. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE HALF OF BISCAYNE BAY WAS SLOSHING AROUND IN MY BILGE UP TO TOP OF THE OIL PAN. I LOOKED AT MY BUDDY (WHO WAS HALF ASLEEP IN HIS BOLSTER) AND ASKED HIM IF HE REMEMBERED TO PUT THE DRAIN PLUG IN. (YOU SEE AFTER YEARS OF BOATING TOGETHER IT WAS ALWAYS HIS RESPONSIBILITY!!) HE LOOKED AT ME AND SAID "NO, I THOUGHT YOU DID!" BY THIS TIME I WAS IN A PANIC, MADE A U TURN AT THE MOUTH OF THE CHANNEL, NAILED THAT 454 MAGNUM TO THE GLASS, AND RAN THROUGH THE CHANNEL "NO WAKE ZONE" AT 60 PLUS MILES AN HOUR PULLING A WAKE THAT MOST WAKE BOARDERS COULD ONLY DREAM ABOUT. AFTER SPRINTING BACK TO THE TRUCK TO RETRIEVE THE DRAIN PLUG I THAN DOVE OFF THE DOCK AND BLINDLY INSTALLED IT BEFORE MY BELOVED VELOCITY HIT BOTTOM. BY THIS TIME I WAS WIDE AWAKE!!! http://checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/Eyecrazy.gif

[merc245]

when detroit puts on the fireworks on the 4th the best show is at the local ramp.i hang out that night and help (dave, the ramp dude).he moves 125-150 boats in 2 hrs after the show. 40 boats at times in a line waiting. with 100's of cruisers running thru them heading back downriver to there slips.most in the trailered boats are beginers at best. no one with knowlege or sence gos out that nite. i did "once". alot of drunk, aggravated poeple com in i offer my help once, some take it others tell me kiss off.( the worst is you tell them to throw you a line and they have dig around there boat and find a 5 ft. piece of old ski rope, you know your in trouble.)if not i step back and enjoy the show and shout proper techniques like the rest of the peanut gallery who come to watch .some times the gallery is as drunk as the boaters. all in good fun never no real fights. just bruised egos and cracked fiberglass.

[BOB'S 283]

jupiter .... a friend of mine pulled one similar to that , after realizing he had no plug and returning to the launch ramp in a hurry , a good samaritan still had his trailer in the water , so my friend used it .they pulled it up the ramp to drain and the extra weight of the water and collapsed the axel !!! tom baker , gone but not forgotten ....

[JUPITER PULSARE]

NOT QUITE A LAUNCH RAMP STORY BUT BACK 1996 I BOUGHT A SEA RAY F-16 JET BOAT TO KEEP IN THE GARAGE. WHILE BOATING IN SANIBEL ISLAND I SUCKED UP SOME NYLON SKI ROPE, RAPPED IT AROUND THE IMPELLOR SHAFT TIGHT AS A DRUM AND COULD NOT GET THE LITTLE BASTARD TO COME UP ON PLANE AGAIN. I IDLED FOR 2 HOURS BACK TO THE BOAT RAMP WHERE I PUT THE BOAT BACK ON THE TRAILER, BOUGHT A FISHING FILET KNIFE, LAYED ON MY BACK ON THE HOT TARMAC, AND PROCEDED TO SLICE AWAY AT THE LINE BETWEEN THE INTAKE PUMP GRATES. AN HOUR LATER (AND A BURNED BACK) I WAS BACK IN THE WATER. SOLD THE JET BOAT AFTER THAT!!!

[harleyherb]

Not really a ramp show, but we had only one real pulling vehicle, so my wife would pull the Checkmate to the lake and I would pull the jetski behind our Honda Goldwing with a sidecar. On any week-end, we could stop all traffic on the ramp when I would back the jetski down to the water with the motorcycle(yes the bike had reverse) People couldn't believe a bike could launch the jetski. Out of fear of embarassment, the first time I tried this, I went to the lake on a week day so that if things didn't work out nobody would see us.