Funny (sad) launch stories

[hanson]

I thought this was a thread I wouldn't be able to post on... that is until this last weekend. And not just 1 story either, but 2!

Boat Landing Accident #1:
My grandpa, 2 other relatives, and myself put in the boat north end of Mille Lacs to fish last weekend. Of course, boat gets out into the lake and the motor isn't running right. New plugs go in, no success. We decide to pull the boat out and try to find a mechanic that can work on. Grandpa loads the boat, winches it up, and 'supposedly' secures it. As they are pulling out of the resort onto the highway, the boat rolls off the trailer and onto the highway. That was the worst noise I ever heard in the world. Thankfully there were a number of people around to help get the boat back on the trailer. Grandpa's boat, grandpa's own darn fault. Thankfully there was no yelling. Happy side to the story is the motor got fixed, the boat survived falling off the trailer, and we caught a few fish.

Boat Landing Accident #2:
This one involves my brother and his new girlfriend on a somewhat steep boat landing in northwest Minnesota. I wasn't around to witness this one but I got a pretty good recap from my parents. My brother backed the trailer into the lake, then went to load the boat onto the trailer. He had backed the trailer too far into the water so he had his girlfriend pull the truck forward a little bit. My brother drives a Ford Ranger with a stick. Either his girlfriend got the pickup in reverse or had a problem with the brake/clutch/gas pedal dance you got to do to get a vehicle with a stick moving on an incline. Anyway, panic comes on as the pickup starts rolling backwards into the water. Brother starts yelling at the girlfriend to hit the brakes. More panic, confusion & yelling until the entire pickup is in the water up to the dashboard. So what you got now is 2 soaking wet people, a truck & trailer in the lake and no one around to help. A pickup came by after a few minutes and pulled them out. I still don't know about the condition of the pickup yet.

Best words of advice my brother has is "That's what you get when you let a girl launch your boat."

[united jigsticker]

I watched last year as a couple unhooked their 18 foot fiberglass boat from the trailer on top of the ramp.

The gentleman proceeded to back his boat down the ramp with his Buick Sedan as his lovely wife guided him as she walked onto the dock.

The boat started to bounce off the trailer as the lady ran towards the car, arms flaling in the air. The gentleman slams on the breaks and sends the boat further off the trailer, narrowly escaping contact with the concrete ramp.

I was laughing hysterically (sorry sir.) as they winched the boat back up on the trailer.

20 minutes later they had the boat launched as the sir drove by me, wiping is hand across his forhead as a sigh of relief.

[This message has been edited by united jigsticker (edited 05-19-2003).]

[Fishn'Lady]

Hanson, tell your brother that not all women are dumb when helping their other half launch or load the boat.

They hubby relies on me for when he's backing in or pulling the boat out to watch for bumps, potholes, etc. I motion to go slower as I hold on to the side of the boat. The back end is tippy with the rear strap off and will easily tip off if not careful.

We never take off the winch strap or the safety chain until we are backed into the water and ready dump it. When we load it up I give the hubby hand signals as he drives towards the trailer. I signal a thumbs up when he's headed straight and he gives her gas and she just rolls right up. Clip the strap and a couple of cranks and she's loaded, clip the safety chain on and we get out of the way.

The thing that really ticks me off is those men and women that don't have a clue when sitting at a dock. Last Friday night we went out and this couple pulls in with their boat, he goes off to get the trailer while she stands on the dock with the boat rope in hand. They are at the very end of the dock taking up a whole side so when we launched the only place I could put the boat while waiting for the hubby was at the very end of the dock. The front of the boat at the tip of the dock and the boat out in the lake. I couldn't go anywhere else because there were other people launching and they needed a place to put their boat. When we dumped it into the water she says to me, "Wow that went real well, easy." I said to her, yeah we have it down to a science.

It's amazing what you see out there. Don't get me wrong. We've had our share of little mishaps, boat plugs left out, etc. but that was many years ago. Live and learn.

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Fishn'Lady

[Surface Tension]

Launching a boat is a one person job.
We hand our partner the end of a rope and tell them to stand on the dock. That way we have someone to blame when things dont go right.

My best ramp story I didnt see but rather listened to while laying in bed. We had been fishing Salmon on Lake Michigan for a few days and our boat was all ready tied up our slip so we slept in. Our campsite was close to the launch and the mornings activities could be easily over heard. I can hear everything. Axles squeaking, water running off of trailers as their pulled out of the water.
One by one rigs pulled up and launched and things went "normal" as I happily lay there and listen in a warm bed.
Things are about to change.
Next truck and boat pull up with 3 guys in it. All of a sudden this loud demanding voice starts to bark out orders. After a couple minutes I start to think this guy is a real SOB. So he backs the boat into the water. Things definitely are being done his way as they go about rolling the boat off the trailer and all. Then this little voice says go ahead. Engine revs up and the truck starts to roll up the ramp. I hear horrible sounds. Sounds that shouldn't be happening. Sounds like a huge tackle box being tipped on its side and then thrown into the lake. And now yelling from little voices, STOP STOP.
Truck door slams and the loud one starts yelling, @!#$$*!!!. "IT'S GOT A FUC_ING HANDLE, GRAB IT! is a phase I'll never forget. Somehow they flipped the boat on its side while pulling the trailer out. This isn't a little fishing boat either. The next half hour is spent with sounds of them picking gear out of the water, draining water and easing the boat back onto the trailer.

So standing on the dock holding a rope really is an important job. scapegoat

[This message has been edited by Surface Tension (edited 05-20-2003).]