A friend Pete at the club has a 19' Bayliner. The other day, using the pickup truck in the yard, he pulled it out from where it was stored on land for the winter. Kenny was driving the truck, Pete was walking by the boat. He had Kenny stop right at the top of the boat ramp so he can wash, etc. I knew Kenny needed the truck so I put down the jack wheel and lower the hitch (it's on the front of the truck, a hydraulic lift). I had to step on ball to disconnect the trailer, it was stuck. When I did, all hell broke loose.
What I thought was level ground wasn't. Pete was on the port side of the boat, I was at the front, the boat and trailer took off. I grabbed the chains, Pete grabbed the side and we slowed it down but there was no stopping it. The ramp has concrete walls on both sides..mafia blocks actually so Pete yells out "steer it". That's what I did, I kept it straight as it pulled me down the ramp. The cable was still attached, the tires then transom hit the water and we were able to stop it there (thank God). Next Pete yells to Kenny to bring the truck down...quick, the plug is not in.
Long story short, the bilge got a very nice cleaning and Pete saved the day by yelling "steer it" as it was headed toward the wall. Pete's a good friend so he just laughed it off as luckily, there was no damage.
It could have been uglier but at the end of the day, we got some laughs over this mishap. This is my first ramp folly.
Imagine if we were not able to stop it at the water and the Bayliner was launched with trailer but no plug? PS - neither of us are blondes!
What I thought was level ground wasn't. Pete was on the port side of the boat, I was at the front, the boat and trailer took off. I grabbed the chains, Pete grabbed the side and we slowed it down but there was no stopping it. The ramp has concrete walls on both sides..mafia blocks actually so Pete yells out "steer it". That's what I did, I kept it straight as it pulled me down the ramp. The cable was still attached, the tires then transom hit the water and we were able to stop it there (thank God). Next Pete yells to Kenny to bring the truck down...quick, the plug is not in.
Long story short, the bilge got a very nice cleaning and Pete saved the day by yelling "steer it" as it was headed toward the wall. Pete's a good friend so he just laughed it off as luckily, there was no damage.
It could have been uglier but at the end of the day, we got some laughs over this mishap. This is my first ramp folly.
Imagine if we were not able to stop it at the water and the Bayliner was launched with trailer but no plug? PS - neither of us are blondes!
