Boat launch disasters

[kaulbr]

I can't help but watch all the boat launch disaster videos on YouTube where the tow vehicle ends up under water. How does this happen? I'm terrified of it happening to me but I don't even understand how it happens. Is this just all people who didn't completely put it in park and set the emergency brake? I'm seeing some big ol' 4WD tow vehicles so I can't imagine they just couldn't handle the weight of the boat on the ramp or that the ramp was slippy/too steep. The videos only show the aftermath so I'm trying to figure out how that actually happens.

 

[briangcc]

One that I watched on Youtube was caught when the tide came in. The boat was attached to the trailer and lifted the back of the truck up. Since the rear wheels keep the truck from rolling backwards you can see quickly how that became a mess.

One of the ways to avoid that particular scenario is...not get into it in the first case. BUT you could toss the truck into 4x4 which would lock the truck again by the front wheels and *might* be enough to get you out of that situation.

Otherwise you're only relying on a little finger in the transmission to keep you from going backwards when relying on PARK alone. Should that break, you're going in the drink unless the e-brake/parking brake was set.

Then you're also forgetting about mechanical failure when retrieving the boat. Motor goes south in the truck you're loosing braking which inturn means I hope you have your swim suit on.

Other factors can cause this as well as this isn't a comprehensive list.

 

[alldodge]

IMO most happen on rivers and ocean ramps. The river or tide drops and exposes slick surfaces. If you don't have 4x4 or launching from the front, the tires cannot stop of pull.

Parking brake needs to work and use it. Also if your boat weight is about the same or more then the truck, and ramp is steep, get it started down the ramp, then put the shifter into forward and let continue to back down. If you need to slow or stop, just give it a little gas.

 

[tpenfield]

The problem is that since just about all of these YouTube videos are made AFTER the incident happens, we have no idea how they happen, and few will tell the tale

My guess, as with the others, probably not securing the vehicle and or loosing grip of the tires on the ramp.

During my trailer launching days, I used a wheel chock behind the rear wheel, just in case the vehicle slipped out of park and the e-brake failed.

 

[Tassie 1]

Inexperience
inattention...forgetting to put it in park or pulling the handbrake on
with a manual vehicle l would put it in low range 1st and switch off the motor

Distraction...nearly everyone gets distracted by bikinis etc etc

 

[SkiGuy1980]

I've seen it happen once on our local lake... A guy in a big Ford 4X4 backed in a little too deep... and the boat pulled him back a little deeper as it cast off. The truck was now almost backed down to the front wheels. As soon as he hit the gas (in 2 wheel drive) the tires slid on the slime and it was done. Trailer and truck continued down the ramp and finally stopped when the trailer dropped off the pavement and hit muck - about 20 feet under the surface.

 

[poconojoe]

I too was wondering the same thing and I created a thread about too.
After seeing some of those very capable 4x4 trucks being winched out of the water, it made me a little paranoid too.
I always use my parking brake and sometimes put it in 4 high. And always throw my wooden chick behind the rear wheel when leaving the truck cab. Better safe than sorry!

 

[SkiGuy1980]

I think for sure you should not get down into the slime.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I have witnessed it on multiple times. Tides are one cause as mentioned, lack of parking brakes are another cause. Bald tires are what I believe to be the highest probable cause - at least down here, and a few times, people throwing it in park and actually throwing it in reverse.

The most spectacular was a manual trans truck with 44" tires and lots of chrome. Guy backs up, keys off, gets out to put plug in and un strap the boat, locking his keys in the truck and gravity pulled his truck and boat toward the water. The tall tires and wrong gear ratio without use of park brake must have had that motor spinning about 500 RPM by the time it hit the water....boat must have lasted for about 3 minutes before the weight of the trailer had that on the bottom too.

I always put the truck in 4hi. Not because i need 4 wheel drive most times, but because when i hit the park brake, all 4 wheels are then holding

 

[dwco5051]

I always use my parking brake and sometimes put it in 4 high. And always throw my wooden chick behind the rear wheel when leaving the truck cab. Better safe than sorry!

I so the same except my chock has about 5' of rope attached and I chock the driver's side front wheel and toss the rope over the mirror. As soon as I start up the ramp I lift it up until I am back on level ground. I always roll my windows down before backing down the ramp, Makes it easier to see (tinted windows) and just in case things go south I can exit the truck quickly.

 

[poconojoe]

I so the same except my chock has about 5' of rope attached and I chock the driver's side front wheel and toss the rope over the mirror. As soon as I start up the ramp I lift it up until I am back on level ground. I always roll my windows down before backing down the ramp, Makes it easier to see (tinted windows) and just in case things go south I can exit the truck quickly.

I always roll my windows down too. This also helps to hear better too. You never know...
I really like your rope attached to the chock trick! Simple, but genius!

 

[Harritwo]

I use a chock with rope, set chock behind Drivers side rear wheel, drop rope over coupler. When i pull forward, rope pulls chock. Quick and easy for me.

 

[H20Rat]

Inexperience
inattention...forgetting to put it in park or pulling the handbrake on
with a manual vehicle l would put it in low range 1st and switch off the motor

Distraction...nearly everyone gets distracted by bikinis etc etc

In a manual vehicle, you ALWAYS put the transmission in the same direction that you would coast. It is possible to destroy an engine by putting it in 1st (forward) with a backwards pull. Engines are meant to spin one way only, and by doing that, you risk the timing chain/belt tensioner being compressed and potentially skipping timing. (depending on engine of course)

 

[Scott Danforth]

In a manual vehicle, you ALWAYS put the transmission in the same direction that you would coast. It is possible to destroy an engine by putting it in 1st (forward) with a backwards pull. Engines are meant to spin one way only, and by doing that, you risk the timing chain/belt tensioner being compressed and potentially skipping timing. (depending on engine of course)

not a problem on a V-motor or in-line diesel found in trucks.

 

[ajgraz]

Almost had a truck-dunk myself once. Backed boat into the water, then the shift linkage broke and I couldn't shift out of reverse.

Luckily I had one of my kids with me, so she could go find a brick to chock the tire, and then stand on the brake pedal while I looked under the truck. Turned out to be a plastic bushing that broke away in the linkage. I was able to temporarily replace the bushing with a wad of dried-up seagrass picked from the ramp. Lasted until I got home after the days' boating and could order a new one (like a $2 part).

Now I keep a few bricks in the truck. But I'm liking the chock-on-a-rope idea.

 

[Tassie 1]

In a manual vehicle, you ALWAYS put the transmission in the same direction that you would coast. It is possible to destroy an engine by putting it in 1st (forward) with a backwards pull. Engines are meant to spin one way only, and by doing that, you risk the timing chain/belt tensioner being compressed and potentially skipping timing. (depending on engine of course)

I've got to my 60's and never heard of or experienced that,
Almost 20 yrs of driving 4WD fire trucks, both petrol and diesel, in some decent hill country in rural Victoria Australia, where l lived at the time
this was a Govt service that demanded full training and operational ability,
not a bunch of geese running around with a privately owned appliance.

in both operational and training situations,
get a quarter of the way up or down with 3000lts of water and crew, stop and park the truck in gear, spray some trees and then move on to the next spot where someone else could practise doing HILL STARTS,
Did the same in various privately owned 4wds when hunting or just going 4wding for " fun"

 

[AlabamaNewbie]

I'm terrified of it happening to me too. One thing I will mention - is to give your rear pads/shoes some love and don't forget they need replaced too. They are often forgotten about since they wear so much more slowly than the fronts.

 

[MTboatguy]

I'm terrified of it happening to me too. One thing I will mention - is to give your rear pads/shoes some love and don't forget they need replaced too. They are often forgotten about since they wear so much more slowly than the fronts.

Not on all trucks! I have replaced the rotors on my truck once in the last 3 years and went through 3 sets of pads on the rear, it seems like it is a yearly thing on my Chev...

:grumpy:

 

[Scott Danforth]

and with most new trucks, the park brake shoes are inside the rotor/drum. dont forget to spend the $30 on new shoes every brake change

 

[Tassie 1]

We came across two incidents of vehicles being drowned while launching,
good concrete 6 lane ramp,

one was a fj 40 swb that had been refurbished,
in neutral with handbrake on,
other one was also a toyota but a tray not sure which model,
same cause

yrs ago l had a FJ 55 wagon with a dodgy handbrake that wouldn't hold on any slope or ramp,

would always switch off and leave in gear.
never had a problem that way.

it did get drowned later on but not at a boat ramp lol