PDA

View Full Version : (Yeppoon) lost my car down the boat ramp at rosslyn bay harbour



mitch_wahoo
04-07-2012, 07:10 PM
Well on sunday i went for a fish for some bait around the blowhole at the front of rosslyn bay harbour (Yeppoon)

When i went to pull the tinnie out of the water my nissan patrol rolled into the water at the boat ramp:( Im not really sure what exactly happened as i was in a hurry beacause it was busy.

I hopped out of the car and it took off into the water with the trailer on the back :( I quickly chased my truck and jumped in and stopped it. By this time water was up around the foot pedals. I put the car in drive but the back must have been floating and i didnt move. I quickly put it in 4x4 and got the car half way out of the water then the auto died and the engine wasnt runniing properly and i had no drive at all.

The coast guard pulled me and the trailer the rest of the way up (Thanks for the help) then got it towed home.

Did anyone on the forum see it happen? There were heaps of people there at the time of the accident. Has anyone else had this happen to them before?

Cheers, Mitch

FisHard
04-07-2012, 07:20 PM
You poor bugger! I hope its all covered by your insurer?

mitch_wahoo
04-07-2012, 07:37 PM
Thanks fishard, Insurance company has picked the vehicle up for assesment and i am waiting to hear back from them.

rocklobster
04-07-2012, 07:46 PM
Hi Mitch ,
bit of bad luck but a lesson learned . I did see a 5.6m Hydrofield coming out on sunday at 12 midday but left before it came out of the water . I couldnt be sure it was you only that there was two blokes on board . Hope your car dries out

TheRealAndy
04-07-2012, 07:54 PM
You got balls, thats all I can say! I would certainly not admit to it, let alone post it on a fishing forum!!

Bet ya wont do that again.

When I pull my rag boat out, its always in low 4, and I usually leave it in drive (its an auto) with the park brake on when its on the ramp.

DAZMC1
04-07-2012, 08:28 PM
It,s in salt water. Should be a write off.

bigjudge
04-07-2012, 08:54 PM
I agree with rocklobster bad luck, got to watch those hydrofield owners.
CHEERS AND BEERS

mitch_wahoo
05-07-2012, 06:19 AM
Yeh it was bloody scary. I wasn't in the Hydrofield I had my old mans Tinnie out.

ozscott
05-07-2012, 06:46 AM
I don't usually shut my discovery down because I use a big leccy winch and I don't want to flatten the battery. It's a manual so it has to be in neutral idling. Never had an issue though with the handbrake because it's a big fat drum that is part of the drive shaft so it locks up all 4 wheels. I am anal about yanking it on hard - don't feel pressured by people waiting mate! Cheere

fishfeeder
05-07-2012, 09:22 AM
Hope your insurer comes to the party and you get it replaced in quick time..

If its a low tide I engage 4 wheel drive on my old cruiser before reversing down the ramp...
I also turn the engine off because it activates the sensa-brakes on the trailer and locks the brakes, this helps it all stay in place while I load the boat.

Rushing seems to cause more problems at the ramp then anything else, People don't normally mind if you take a few minutes to launching or retrieving your boat.. if it takes longer then 5min you need to work out a better system...

Good to see you posted your mishap, It just proves we are all human... (well some of us)

Cheers
Brett

Still_Dreamin
05-07-2012, 09:38 AM
wow that took some guts posting that. I always leave my car in gear (motor off) and handbrake on. never had an issue touch wood. if it is low tide or muddy ramp i also put it in 4wd.

Zippidy
05-07-2012, 10:01 AM
Mine's constant AWD, but I always turn my motor off and sit in in 1st with the handbrake on as well.

MTAQ/BTAQ
05-07-2012, 02:39 PM
I do boat and jet ski licences and the course theoretically covers most things but I always say the one item it lacks is how to put your vessel in and out of the water - that is the most difficult skill to acquire when boating, especially the reversing down the boat ramp.

nigelr
05-07-2012, 04:02 PM
Sorry to hear that Mitch, must truly be a terrible feeling....reckon I'd pert near expire on the spot.
Hope the insurers come to the party.

johncar
05-07-2012, 10:48 PM
Yeah sorry about your mishap. I also turn off engine, in park, and hand brake well and truly on. I also chock both front wheels as it only takes seconds and a little extra insurance, mine only a 2x4 and a lot of weight comes off the back wheels while winching on and off.

phantomphisher
05-07-2012, 11:40 PM
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalianz insurance, that's right::)

That sucks!!! Better luck next time

Cheers, PP

Humdinger
06-07-2012, 08:24 AM
bad luck mate . would be interested to see how your insurance goes

Noelm
06-07-2012, 09:48 AM
That is fairly common at my ramp, at low tide it is just a mass of green slime, and you can barely walk on it, let alone park a car, plenty have done the "old skid the boat off" you zip back, stand on the brakes and the boat comes off right? wrong, at low tide, the wheels just lock, and the whole rig just sails into the water, luckily most cars stop when the trailer hits the sandy stuff at the end of the ramp, but some don't, I warn most visitors if I am there, some thank me, some just carry on! I mentioned this once before, one day (in winter) I saw a husband and wife combo launching a big newish boat, he was in the car, she was holing the "hang on rope" (that was way too short) standing on the mossy ramp, as the boat slid off, the rope tightened up, and she just slid perfectly into the water, still standing, holding the rope as she went! he got out and abused her, I was just coming in and managed to get the boat before it drifted away, and she just crawled back up the ramp!

timeout
06-07-2012, 10:00 AM
i had a mate do the same thing years ago and he had no insuance.We stripped his car out ,interior and all,then hosed it out with fresh water and then filled every thing with fish oil.we drilled small holes in the sill panels to get the fish oil in and the same with the doors etc.We also changed diff engine and gearbox oils.The old hilux was still ok last time I saw it 5 years after.

WalrusLike
06-07-2012, 10:05 AM
What ramp is that Noelm? If you don't want to say then just ignore this question.... I am only wanting to know what ramp to avoid.

mitch_wahoo
06-07-2012, 10:20 AM
Still haven't heard back from insurance. It was supposed to be getting assessed 2 days ago but hasn't happened yet. It's probably already starting to rust. I tried to explain to them that they should probably get onto it quickly as its been in salt water.

Noelm
06-07-2012, 10:26 AM
What ramp is that Noelm? If you don't want to say then just ignore this question.... I am only wanting to know what ramp to avoid.

Most on here will never use it, but it is at Shellharbour NSW, great ramp, but you need to be alert at low tide. Not only is it slippery, but it also has a deep side and a shallow side, when the tide is low, the "good side" that is next to the jetty, has bugger all water at low tide, you would be falt out lanching a tinny, but the other side is fine for any size boat (if you don't slide into the drink)

Jarrah Jack
06-07-2012, 11:40 AM
Salt water emersion for a car is an automatic statutary write off. The insurance company wouldn't bother trying to anything to it.

mitch_wahoo
09-07-2012, 06:50 PM
Heard back from insurance today. They have written the car off. One thing that was strange but, he said it will be sold to a wrecking yard as a repairable write off.

I cant see them fixing it too easily but. He said there was rust stains coming through the seats already. Plus the motor and gearbox will be costly to repair.