Chrysler Sailors Forum

You didn't mention a check list where "check that the drain plug is in place" is listed at least twice.

Bob didn't do a pre-season bearings check. When those wheel bearings lock up solid causing the boat to stop suddenly and jump off the ball while Bob continues at freeway speed , we will know it is Bob's boat and trailer in the median of the freeway. It will still be attached to Bob's bumper by those safety chains.

Forgot to step the mast (all real boats have one ) zzzzzzzzzztttttt and then fried the wife when it hit the overhead power lines running across the ramps. That'll teach her to talk divorce

I mention this because there was a note on active captain that the Vilano beach boat ramp in St. Augustine has overhead line running across the ramp...trailer sailors beware. I have launched there many times, never in a sailboat, and did not notice them, always good to find first hand info on the place you're going.

Lotsa stuff.
He didn't hook a hose up and run the motor. Was last years fuel inthe tank preserved properly? Did he charge the battery, check fluids outboard oil etc.? Wheel bearing and manual actuation of the brakes, light check? If he could pick up the tongue of a 24' 200hp boat, the tongue weight was too light. Along with improper hooking of the safety chains he didn't put on a hitch lock.
Going down the hill to the lake he should have downshifted and pumped the brakes. there should have been a line attached to the boat when floating off the trailer until the motor was started.
In Bob's mind however, up till now its been a great day!
Clair

"As the freeway climbs over the larger hill, Bob knocks his rig out of overdrive and floors it to keep up with traffic! No reason to slow down other travelers!"

Following up on Bob, I've found the bearings did not freeze up on him, and he indeed made to this last hill. Of course when he suddenly floored it while climbing that hill the resulting force floated the hitch off the ball due to the tongue weight as Clair pointed out.

And Bob's boat, trailer, and bumper all went backwards down the hill into all those other travelers Bob didn't want to inconvenience.

That is a power boater for ya along with no pre trip on the trailer or boat and no drain plug put the gear in the back of the boat reducing tounge weight more safety chains to the bumper and no break away for those surge brakes. Also here in NY almost every person that has motored up to me and asked "what side of the bouy's should I be on" was in a Bayliner I know you did not know that Scott but I had a good laugh along with 3 of my sailing friends.

Definately a power-boater.
I heard no mention of dilligently setting the mast or putting beer in the cooler.

I LIKE IT! LOL!
Tomorrow I'll list off the problems I intentionally put in the story!


Heh heh! You did indeed finish the story very similar to my thoughts however MUCH more colorfully done!

Nice job!

Scott

Answer:

Or as I stated these issues are more about safety and common sense than legal issues. Because of this there can and are several different answers that are all very good points.

This little story was riddled with poor judgments, Well, in my opinion anyway. Most of my thoughts have been touched on already but not all. I'll list mine out and you will see that even more were mentioned than I had in mind! LOL!

1) Bob never pre-ran his boat. He could have a dead battery, bad fuel, or even wiring issues due to rodents.
2) Bob lifted the tongue with one hand? Clearly not enough tongue weight for the described boat.
3) Bob never did a check on his trailer lights.
4) Bob is missing a chain to his tow vehicle. There should be at least two and they should be crossed.
5) Bob hooked his chains to his tow vehicle bumper. The chains should be firmly attached to the tow vehicle frame not the bumper.
6) Bob and wife tossed all their gear in the back of the cockpit. Without a properly secured load they will lose items and likely get hefty tickets!

Imagine all these potential issues without even leaving his home!!
. . . and there is more!

7) Bob is in a hurry to beat crowds. You should NEVER be in a hurry when towing. You will take unnecessary risks.
8 )Bob is going freeway speeds with an unstable load. Remember the tongue weight? the trailer will cause lifting of the rear of the tow vehicle!
9) Bob is towing in overdrive! You never tow a large load in overdrive! You should always turn overdrive off when towing!
10)Bob floors it to keep up with traffic while going uphill. Can you say burned up tranny clutches, over heated tranny fluid and burned up torque converter? All this is happening very slowly! Bob may find his transmission can no longer hookup when it comes time to retrieve his beautiful boat!
11)Bob rides his brakes all the way down a hill. Bob should have slowed down and down shifted using motor compression to maintain his speed. Riding the brakes will cause them to severely overheat and cause brake fade or even possible complete brake failure.
12)Bob backs his boat down the ramp with no tied owns or even the trailer cable. Should Bob need to stop suddenly he just may unload his boat prematurely.
13)Bob does not allow any time for his brakes to cool. remember he rode the brakes down a hill? Hitting cold water with hot rotors will indeed warp the rotors!
14)Bob did not disconnect his wiring prior to dipping the trailer. Hot bulbs will blow out when dipped in cold water.
15)Bob Launched his wife dead center of the ramp between the docks with no lines to a person on shore. Should the motor not start Bob will now have issues with his wife! LOL!


Capt. Bondo, I love how you wove the possible repercussions of Bobs actions directly into the story! You clearly have towed before! LOL!

OK then, those are my intentional issues I hoped would be discovered and most were indeed discovered!! Very nice!
However, there are extra brownie points for anyone who can list the issues that I missed and were indeed listed in one fashion or another!!!
There are more than one issues beyond my list mentioned! Who's up to find them and re list them?



Pictures stolen from internet!

" 5) Bob hooked his chains to his tow vehicle bumper. The chains should be firmly attached to the tow vehicle frame not the bumper. "

Ok, now I will 'fess up on why I was posting and laughing about the bumper.

We homemade a trailer hitch for my little commuter car because you can't buy one for it. Just something to haul the little Coronado C15, about 400 hundred pounds. Was happy to find a loop of metal already under the trunk right in the center of the car just behind the bumper, so we didn't make ears on the hitch. I just hooked the chains there.

About a year later I was under the car back there looking for an emissions control valve in the fuel line. That was when I noticed that little loop was only attached to.....the fuel tank !!!!

Now can you imagine me losing the trailer at speed and having the safety chains snatch hard on THAT ???

Now, granted, I'm brand new to this boating game but isn't the BOAT end of the trailer supposed to go in the water first instead of the truck end?

I am going to print this whole thread off so I can avoid these mistakes once I get my trailer and boat ready to go.

so we didn't make ears on the hitch. I just hooked the chains there.

Not sure how it is in other states but in MN you're not suppose to hook your chains to the hitch, they should be hooked to the frame. Now does anyone do this, no and it does not seem to be enforced either but it does make sense. Everyone worries about the trailer tongue coming off or breaking all together but when was the last time you checked the bolts on your trailer hitch. A few years back I seen a boat on its trailer in the ditch, the whole trailer hitch was still attached to the trailer.

Adding to Trev's comments, I have wondered how the effects of road salt weeken the trailer hitch over time. I had a nice receiver hitch installed on my van when I bought it new in 98, but now after 12 years of winters in the upper midwest, I'm sure the rated capacity is not what it should be.

Too Funny!

Love it,, but gotta admit to a couple of these myself...

Launching my X- mother-in-laws brand new 18 ft power boat, unhooked tie downs and winch strap on the front, backed down the ramp, touched the brakes, and it rolled off onto the ramp... my sailboat had bunks, not rollers, it never slid off like that! And yup, a bunch of beer drinkin big boys showed up, lifted it back onto the trailer, and all was well again...

First day launching my C-22 after 2 yrs working on it, and I know some of you have seen the picts, had a blow out that shredded the original trailer tire, throwing rubber all over my new paint job leaving black marks... the lugs nuts are smaller than the Dodge truck and no I didn't have my socket set with me either, the State Trooper that stopped to help did have one that fit, and we did have a new spare, but we spent the next couple hours at a tire store getting 2 new trailer tires... didn't get to the lake untill late afternoon and home untill after midnight...