How to launch a Car?

[Tezza985]

Just got this off another site. Hope it doesn't scare anyone off their favourite hobby. Tezza.

[aido]

;D ;D ;D
jetski operator, say no more...

seriously though, i'm getting into the habit of park brake on,
motor off and transmission in gear when launching.
if the bloody handbrake fails, anyone could be in a similar predicament.

;D ;D ;D ;D
aido

[Mr__Bean]

An uncle of mine was launching his ski boat at Lake Mulwala some years back when his handbrake started to slip as he pushed the boat back off the trailer , the whole lot went back into the water.

Luckily the ramp had a ledge at the end and the back of the tilt trailer caught on it, otherwise he would have lost a magnificent fairmont into very deep water.

There is merit in turning off the motor and puting it in gear, I assure you.

Thankfully it was freshwater and he only ended up with a small bend in the trailer that was easily repaired, scarey stuff.

- Bean

[drevil]

I saw some pics recently where the wheels of a trailer carrying decent sized boat with a bit of weight slipped off the end of the ramp and started dragging the whole rig in. #

The thought of that happening and not being able to pull it out as it slips down is pretty frightning stuff.

Bloody idiots with the jet ski though, who would even think of launching from the back of what looks like a new 4WD?

[SeaHunt]

Yank wanks, if you can afford a new 4b and a new PWC you can afford a trailer for it. :P

[MY-TopEnder]

Nah thats in australia here... its a Nissan Patrol Ti model and i swear i've seen that pontoon looking thing down at southport.

I saw these photo's a while ago printed and laminated at Archies Boat License training centre...

[littlejim]

Saw the same thing happen at Woolamia ramp a few years ago. Fellers all taking care of boat, girlfriend given job of taking car off ramp.
Either put it in reverse or stalled and missed the brake.
Started to go downstream with tide. Luckily we were able to get some of the anchor rope on to the bumper and then pull it back to the ramp by hand. Bloke with a 4wd then pulled it back up the ramp. Emptied about 150 gallons of salt water out of the cabin.
What surprised me was that the air under the bonnet kept it afloat nose up, so despite it starting to go out with the tide, all wheels off the ramp, we were still able to pull it back in. I expected all the air to wheeze out letting it sink.
For those who plan to perform the same stunt, it was an older ford falcon wagon.