Boat fell off trailer

[Monza]

A couple of years ago, I dropped my 5.3m fibreglass boat off the trailer at the traffic lights. The winch hook was not done up tightly and had slipped off, and the safety chain had a quick hitch stainless latch that snapped when the boat slid back. Fortunately the boat dropped off the trailer virtually stationary as my car accelerated away with surprising pace. Only thing damaged was my pride as I winched it back on in front of 20 onlookers. I now use a D shackle for a safety chain latch and double check the winch tension if the missus has wound it up.

Anyone want to admit to anything similar happening ?

Monz

[leezor]

Only time this ever happens to me is in my nightmares!!

Thumbs for honesty though Monza.

[bootyinblue]

Thumbs up for honesty, but thumbs down for silliness (stopped short of stupidity).

Mate, what happened if your boat decided to part company around a corner or something and took out some school kids waiting to cross at the lights?

Was there no rear strap in place? What happened to checking your load was secure prior to travelling on the road?

I will leave the accelerated away at a suprising pace comment right alone...

Maybe use it as a heads up to all, to check you are all fastended and secure prior to travelling.

[seajay535]

I always remember as a kid watching a car turn a corner to go to the boat ramp and the boat and trailer coming unhitched and goin straight ahead no safety chain to stop it .no damage to anything except the blokes pride as a bunch of smart alec 12 year olds cheering him

[ozscott]

Yeah...lets all stick the boot in...lets stone him...

I personally have a winch cable that is the size of my little finger (its for a boat literally twice as big), a large safety chain that is bolted not welded to the winch pole, a large stainess D shackle on the end of the chain and a well understressed rear ratchet strap - couple of inches wide 6 ton or so breaking strain. I am paranoid about the boat coming off. On the other hand I have a mate who has a 22 foot heavy glass boat (inboard cruiser) that does not use any sort of strap or chains apart from a safety and the winch!!!

Thanks for having the balls to fess up to this one Monza, and hopefully others will learn. Taking the piss big time out of guys who fess up to f..k ups like this will stop people posting about them.

Cheers

[Monza]

Thanks for the support Ozscott - we share these stories so others can learn from our own stupid mistakes - in my case I now double check the winch rope, use rated D shackles to connect the safety chain, and keep the safety chain short so boat can't slide back too far. I'd like a dollar for every other boat I've seen with a rusty winch hook, frayed wire or no safety chain however.

[Tangles]

Last week no joke at my girlfriends parents place, i was leaving. Opposite, a brand new Cruiser with large new 23 footer at the back.. brand spankers, all the kit. He reversed out and stopped in the middle of the suburban road pretty chuffed.. Wife, 2 aduls and 3 kids pile in ( thats 7 folks). It was pretty clear no proper suspension in his new cruiser, the sag was unbelieveable, so he drives off.

All the chains and electrics dragging on the ground,, no safety chains.. i tried to run after him, but he was gone... hope he didnt come a cropper.. more importantly didnt involve others, its a lesson alright. I wont say what i really thought of him but even in the driveway it looked scary, hate to think of that combo on the highway and stopping etc,

cheers
Mike

[Fat Chilli]

Mate, what happened if your boat decided to part company around a corner or something and took out some school kids waiting to cross at the lights?


There are too many "what if's" in life and I'm sure, as we all have, he's learn't by his mistakes. $hit happens to all of us, it's only the depth that varies.

Just glad it's never happened to me or in front of me ;D .

I scared the crap out of myself recently, lucky for safety my chains or the boat would have rolled off the 2 metre embankment at the back of my driveway. Lesson number one for FC. always chock the wheels :-/ .

FC.

[murf]

I was the driver (read the driver not the one using the winch or securing the safety chain to boat) at last years Fraser Is Toyota Fishing expo that dropped the boat onto the sand not once but twice during the comp :-[

the second time was in front of a few hundred fisho's and a film crew :)

Its all good, he's having a ball, loving every minute :D

Cheers the clown Murf

[Dr DRIFT]

Monza,

I have never dropped the boat off the trailer(knock on wood)::) ..But as a newbie I have forgotten to put in the bungs.... It went stern heavy and within 5mins I found out real quick:-[ ....I am still on my Ls when it comes to boating but I will assure u I will never forget my bungs ever agian;) ... We all stuff up every now and then but we learn from our mistakes....;) Good on you for ur honesty mate...:)

[finga]

My winch wire rope broke on me once going up Cumminhams Gap. Lucky for me I had a good safety chain and a strap over the boat to hold it on the trailer. The boat moved less then 1 1/2 inches backwards. It didn't even get to test the safety chain.
My safety chain is the first thing to do up and the last thing to undo. The strap never misses a trip even if it's 1 km.

[Roughasguts]

I agree with Fat chilli.
I don't beleive theres such thing as an accident, some how in some combination of events some one is to blame.

Buuuuuuuuuut Shit happens, Only last night I was given roller blades to skate with me family, great 44 years old and only had borrowed skates as a kid.

So what happens Me wife, 6 year old, and me on blades and me 4 year old on her bike at the local lake side bike track. The 4 year old takes a turn in to me wife, a well seasoned ice skater for years. Well she decides to take a dive, great. Spent all last night waiting in emerency, a X ray confirms a nasty shattering of the wrist.

Then tonight at 8:00 she finally gets emergency surgery in another Hospital, wow is she impressed. Won't be able to drive or work for 6 weeks, I knew we should of went out in the boat. Oh yeah no family outing in the boat either.

The Moral be carefull with every thing 'you' or your 'family' does.
Cause guy's, theres something just waiting around the corner to bight you on the arse.

[mark221263]

Every boaters nightmare.

Thanks for fessing up Monza, remember he who make no mistakes makes nothing. Hopefully we can all learn from your honesty.

Cheers Mark

[Flex]

2 golden rules when trailering a boat IMO.

1: Have a safety chain at the front of your boat that doesn't allow the boat to move at all if the winch cable snaps(safety chain that lets your boat go back 2 feet is useless IMO).

2: Always have TWO rear straps on your boat. I have had a barely used 2.5 tonne ratchet strap snap on me when i was going over the gateway not 5 days ago. I even had carpet between the strap and all sharp edges, but it still popped. Luckily I had a thick rope tying the boat down at the back aswell.
So do yourself a favour and put 2 ropes at the back of your boat. Specially tinny's as theres lots of sharp bits to cut em.

[Ron173]

Our fishing club has an annual dinner and presentation night, apart from the usual prizes for biggest of species etc. we have awards for misdemeanors throughout the year which have been seen on the various trips.
I've been up there for bungs out at 5 am and the heavy stern, a token prize is given but you have the embarrassment of going up to collect it and say a few words in your ..erm defence.

My buddy will be getting dobbed for last weekend trying to launch his boat and wondering why he couldnt, then realising the trailer tie downs were still on! When she eventually slipped off trailer, winch wire was still connected.
(after the tie downs he got in a flap, hence winch wire)

We all stuff up at times, but reckon our little award scheme makes you remember not to do it again...... and all in good taste.

Ron

[Jeremy]

I had a similar experience to Finga. Coming back down the highway with a mate towing, he asked me "does your boat usually bounce around like that". We pulled over and had a look and the winch strap (seatbelt style) had snapped through from wear and age (2 years old). The boat was only held on the by the safety chain and strap. Gave me a bloody fright what could have happened.

I have since invested in an extra chain to secure the boat to the trailer (with the double threads for tightening it), and the winch strap has been replaced with dyneema which is going great so far.

Jeremy

[PinHead]

Fortunately I have never had a boat move on the trailer. Last wekk I was travelling from Redbank to Brisbane...semi next to me...the rear set of drive wheels on the prime mover started coming out..moving out from the mover...the complete set of duals and axle decided to part company from the prime mover..I backed off very quickly..the wheels went off the side of the road and hit a car that was sitting there for sale. Thankfully no one was walking along there..wouldeasily have killed them...scared the crap out of me.

[bootyinblue]

Let me clarify that I was not taking the p!!s out of Monza for his story, but rather conveying that it was lucky only his pride was damaged.

And yes FatChilli there are a lot of 'what ifs' in life but it is commonsense to reduce the amount of 'what ifs' by taking proper precautions. Finga and Jeremy have both talked about a winch failure and neither of them dropped their boat as they had adequate ties downs, something I think Monza may have been deficient in...

[Roughasguts]

So that's just about covered the boat falling off the back.
But how many boats go flying in too, and break the winch post, then the bow rides up over the back wind screen and on to the car.

This will happen easily if you hit something above 10 kph.
I think these winch post should be better braced, rearward, and the bow has a briddle on it and held to stop the bow defecting from the better secured winch post.

I think we put a lot of faith in that little winch hook cleat that is bolted in to the hull, of our boats. It shouldn't really take much to rip it out after some age and corrosion you don't see.

[flatstrap]

Just adding my bits:
This is a pic of a winch post that a 7m Cat just went thru. The cat stopped on top of the tow wagon. The speed before the accident was about 27kph. Can you imagine a 100kph accident. The post has since been strutted and strengthened. One length of chain 'D" shackled in the middle to the towing eye, the ends to trailer winch post and cross member to stop movement forward and backward.
The total damage was 21k. Good incentive to double check everything.
flatstrap

[Roughasguts]

That's right flat strap, mines held on by two U bolts. But worse still a friction bolt that only kind off clamps the winch to the adjustable height post for the winch post roller.

[mhdbl]

I have a system that I use every time I go out. I have a check sheet that i used. I have one of my kids follow me around when I get ready. I have tried to cheat but get caught every time. This also teaches the kids as well.
The sheet is laminated and is kept in a water proof bag that has spare parts and the like. The check sheet is used when i get to the ramp and I use it there. The last thing that goes into it is the "D"shackle and the tie down straps when the boat is on the trailer in the water ready to launch.
I sheet is used again when I return to the ramp.
I follow this all the time and have one of the kids/wife or if there is a mate with me on the day check the details as I go.
Some of my mates have called me anal but I know they do the same thing now but won't admit that it (male Pride).
This works my me and every one has there own sysytem of doing things,
Just my thoughts

Mark
ps my boss who is another mad fisherman got caught out and found his bow infront with him when he didn't put the trailer on the towball correctly and the only thing that stopped the boat from going solo was the chain. $80000.00 landcrusier 0 boat 1. was a touching subject for a while

[kevin jackson]

The old man and i lost our 3.5 meter tinny of the back of the trailer when we were loading it on, it was a very steep bank and we were winching it on and the winch arm let go with brace and all. luckly we were on teh ramp to not on the bank and all that happened was there boat returning to the water. but is was a struggle to get the boat back up with only a rope and some truckies hitchers.

[DaMaGe]

One morning towing my beauty I looked in the rear view and noticed my boat in a different position then normal. I had driven from Ipswich to Bribie Island and pulled in at Caboulture for fuel/ice and the works and a double check of boat security, nothing out of place, but crossing the bridge there I noticed the boat movement and dis-position. I pulled over and investigated and I noticed the winch had snapped off, the 2 bolts were missing and winch was still in place but a few more klm's would have seen it bounce off and probably swing into the glass boat, may of even placed a nice hole in it, the boat was only tied with safety chain, but the links made the boat roll back a few inches and when braking it would slide forward and back on the chain, it also had a fair amount more movement as the winch usually tightens the boat into its place.

This stuffed up a days fishing. Lucky I had a few heavy duty truck straps in the ute to tie it all down and motored off home without fishing. We couldn't have launched the boat and retrieved it without a winch. It was a slow trip back with my deckie basically sitting backwards ensuring me all was well why we travelled down the highway back home, wife was wondering why I pulled in at 8am.

Thank god for the safety chain.

[Dicko]

I'll own up to not putting the latch down over the tow ball hitch once. Drove through town not a prob as there must of been just enough weight & no big bumps to dislodge it. When sliding the boat in at the ramp, it reached it's balance point & the trailer come off the ball and flying up to belt me on the elbow till the safety chain did it's job and steered it back down and forward into the tail gate.

Elbow was not happy. :-[

Tail Gate on ute was not happy :-[

Pride was also severley dented :(

[FNQCairns]

Had 2.5 T boat and tandom trailer set down on the crossed safety chains at 100kph or a bit faster, was not dramatic in any way, easily controlable, no damage.
Pretty sure it was my fault for not latching, tried to blame one of the younger members of the field trip but that didn't fly:( .

cheers fnq

[Kleyny]

i cant believe that so many people don't have some kind of strap or tie over/on the rear of their boats.
apart from the thousands of dollars resting on one strap and a small chain.
its against the law to have something not tied down. (most straps and posts don't pull down only across.)
i'm sure the insurance companies would wipe you like a snotty noise if you would to make a claim.
one $30 strap solves this problem and embarrassment

my two cents

[FISH 4 DINNA]

Thanks guys I never thought to check and I've just shortened my safety chain by 2 links and replaced a D - shackle which was way too small . ( Good timing as we're heading up to Taupo from Wellington in 2 weeks with the boat , about a 5 hr journey )
One of the best tips for preparing your boat for launching I picked up somewhere was : start at the back of the boat first and work your way forward eg. outboard flag , bungs , tie downs etc. Seems to work well enough for me and I've got a pretty terrible memory

[Brumby]

Not done that one (yet), but will own up to launching without bungs.

I was very nearly on the receiving end of a stray boat though. Driving along Robina Parkway, near Clear Island Waters when it dropped just short of my bonnet. Fortunately I was staring straight at it trying to work out what it was, when the picture suddenly changed and it rolled off the trailer and onto the road right in front of me. Couldn't reach the camera right away, but came back around the circle to get this one. Looked as though the winch pawl failed, the boat dragged the strap off the drum as it rolled back. A fairly sturdy tie down strap across the cockpit wasn't enough to stop it once it got rolling.

[shayned]

Illegally parked as well by the look of it.

[seatime]

Guilty of not clipping down the tow hitch, well, guilty of not checking after someone else hitched the trailer, still my fault for not checking. That'll never happen again. The dent in the rear door of the Patrol reminds me everytime I hook up.
Driving through a roundabout at Cleveland one day a couple of years ago I found a 5.5-6m plate tinnie parked on the road. The owner was parked up the road with a group of residents staring at it perplexed. Seems he'd turned too tight and hit the curbing, no tie down, no safety chain, and broke the winch wire, crunch!. Sad part was, he was a pro crabber with a loaded boat, It was a hot afternoon to wait for a tow truck, he may have lost his product.

[smiley_doobinator]

I have a mate that usually always goes baoting with me and we have a system inplace where by we are both responsible for the boat and trailer. I check everything first then he goes around and double checks. I tworks everytime except the one time my mate didn't double check everything as he was busy doin something else. We ended going back to our camping spot with no securing strap on the motor. Now this wouldn't be too bad only its an older motor with no trim or tilt. We were lucky it didn't end up dragging on the ground. Not trying to make monza feel bad or anything cause why should he we all make mistakes however striking a deal with the people you are boating with and getting them to double check everything has worked for me. Just some advice.

[flatstrap]

I just remembered an incident about 15 years ago when towing a 5m SharkCat, I think I forgot this one because of selective amnesia.
Anyhow, going thru one NSW North Coast towns, the traffic was divereted thru town streets because of roadworks on the Pacific Highway. The street was narrow and steeply downhill, then levelled off to a cross street which just had a layer of hot mix asphalt put on quite thick. The Toyota then hit the level road, bounced up while the boat/hitch was still going downhill. The result was the hitch hit the hitch tongue on the limit of its arc movement and and snapped the rod (1 3/4"). The whole rig was resting on the crossed safety chains... I'm sweating now just reliving this...
Ahhhh, I feel the anxiety diminishing...
flatstrap

[Fat Chilli]

And yes FatChilli there are a lot of 'what ifs' in life but it is commonsense to reduce the amount of 'what ifs' by taking proper precautions.

Agreed, no denying that one.

As you are more than likely aware, their is no such thing as "Common sense" even in a court of law (what's percieved as common to one party is not common to another party). However, 'Duty of Care' is what is required to reduce the "what if's", otherwise known as reducing the risk of exposure to potential hazards, e.g. hazard = the boat flying off the trailer.

[Kiktz]

I remember years ago as a kid, Coming back from a family week end away.

Driving through Surfers where the Chevron Island bridge is and hearing this
almgihty thump and ginding and then to see the whole hub bouncing up the road past us and into the back of a bus.

Good lesson learnt early in life, I am so particular with the trailer these days
and towing making sure everything is 100% to my knowledge.

Aj

[bootyinblue]

Agreed, no denying that one.

As you are more than likely aware, their is no such thing as "Common sense" even in a court of law (what's percieved as common to one party is not common to another party). However, 'Duty of Care' is what is required to reduce the "what if's", otherwise known as reducing the risk of exposure to potential hazards, e.g. hazard = the boat flying off the trailer.

Then has the 'reasonable person' taken a 'reasonable duty of care' in driving with an unsecure load attached to their vehicle?

Reasonably not I say....

[Fat Chilli]

Your not at work now, so hats off, wipe your brow and relax....Officer ;) .

But whilst we're on a roll, what is the definition of a "Reasonable Person"?

[Burley_Boy]

We certainly learn from others and our own mistakes so thanks for the heads up.
I never use a tiedown but then again the ramps 800M away for whatever thats worth ... but I almost dropped a watertank the other day due to shoddy ropework... live and learn and hope no-one gets hurt.