OOPS at Spring Park Access today

[TBone1]

I was heading back to Spring Park access today after a long day on T nka and as I was about 1/2 way across the bay I noticed things didn't look right at the access. As I got closer I realized exactly what I think I thought I saw. In an attempt to launch their boat, which was what I believe was at least a 30 footer, these people not only unhooked their tie downs but also their winch strap before backing it into the lake. Yowza, 2/3 of this ship was laying on the ramp,with the lower unit in the water and the bow still barely on the roller trailer. And as you can imagine they had a crowd of on lookers, some even had out their camera phones taking pics. of the unfortunate incident. After much winching and backing the trailer underneath it, with the strap also breaking at least one time they were able to get the S.S. minnow back on the trailer inspect the underside and I/O and again launched the boat. I'm sure they will not make that oops again!!

[SkunkedAgain]

Hilarious, although it brings up a good question. How do people launch their boats when they are alone?

I've got a 16' old fishing boat. I unhook everything and tie the dock line to the trailer. I back in and let the momentum carry the boat into the lake. The rope stops the boat from getting away, then I tie it up to the dock (or beach it) while I park the truck.

[Jeremy airjer W]

I do the same except I back the boat into the water, unhook the winch strap, tie the boat to the trailer and back it in the rest of the way.

[Water Hazard]

I don't see how that would be considered hilarious. Especially for the boat owner.

I was out at WBL a couple of Fridays ago and saw this same thing only with a brand new Lund 2150. I took 10+ of us almost an hour to get that thing back on the guy's trailer. If we had all stood around laughing and taking pictures, I don't see how that would have helped the situation.

That being said, here is how I launch when I am fishing alone:

-Get the boat all ready just like you normally would

-Back the boat until the trailer wheels just start to get wet

-Unhook the winch strap and safety chain

-Connect a rope to the dock (if there is one)

-Back up until the boat is free

-Slowly pull forward (making sure not to bring the boat back up the launch with the trailer and making sure the rope holding the boat to the dock isn't caught on the trailer)

-When the trailer is mostly out of the water, I swing the boat to the other side of the dock and tie it up

-Park the truck

Hope that helps.

[SkunkedAgain]

I laugh just about every time I see some shiny SUV launching or trailering a giant boat. I'd say 75% of them mess it up over and over again. It seems as if most people these days drop a load of money before learning how to use a boat.

So I do find things hilarious. Besides, everyone you meet tends to take everything so seriously.

[iFishMN.YT]

I wouldnt be laughing in front of the guy, but I sure would be laughing inside and when I tell the story to others. I also would help the guy for sure, but it is funny.

[Maximum12]

<Best Infomercial Voice> Thanks to Fishing Minnesota I never made this mistake!

Seriously, when I had a little 12' Alumacraft, I always unhooked the boat, chain & winch, before I backed down the ramp. It wasn't until I read about some, ahem, (Contact Us Please) here doing the same thing that I belatedly realized what gravity might do to my boat. Now that I have a little bigger Crestliner I'm sure I'd have been one of those, ahhhh, (Contact Us Please) if it weren't for that little tidbit of wisdom I picked up here.

So I'm not going to laugh at the poor guy - could've been me!

[river rat316]

Quote:

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I don't see how that would be considered hilarious. Especially for the boat owner.

I was out at WBL a couple of Fridays ago and saw this same thing only with a brand new Lund 2150. I took 10+ of us almost an hour to get that thing back on the guy's trailer. If we had all stood around laughing and taking pictures, I don't see how that would have helped the situation.

That being said, here is how I launch when I am fishing alone:

-Get the boat all ready just like you normally would

-Back the boat until the trailer wheels just start to get wet

-Unhook the winch strap and safety chain

-Connect a rope to the dock (if there is one)

-Back up until the boat is free

-Slowly pull forward (making sure not to bring the boat back up the launch with the trailer and making sure the rope holding the boat to the dock isn't caught on the trailer)

-When the trailer is mostly out of the water, I swing the boat to the other side of the dock and tie it up

-Park the truck

Hope that helps.

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Hmmm I launch alone probably 95% of the time, heres my method, pull the straps, put the plug in, back the boat in, unhook winch rope, start the boat, dock her or beach her whichever is easier, get in the truck pull out the trailer.... takes me about 30-40 seconds to do this....... some people put way to much thought into stuff.... launching a boat is not a difficult task, it cracks me up when people that have owned a boat for years can't seem to get it down!

[river rat316]

Quote:

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I laugh just about every time I see some shiny SUV launching or trailering a giant boat. I'd say 75% of them mess it up over and over again. It seems as if most people these days drop a load of money before learning how to use a boat.

So I do find things hilarious. Besides, everyone you meet tends to take everything so seriously.

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Whats the deal here with people and there $ envy??? Every post here about boats or whatever eventually turns into people bashing other people about how they spend there $.

[Dkoy]

I do the same, back trailer in until it almost touches water, unhook all and back in, let boat drift off, and pull out.

Now what ticks me off the most, is people with expensive boats who don't know how to load up, especially when they come out to mess around the smaller lakes. I see this almost everytime I go out on smaller lakes where the ramps aren't as nice as say on bigger lakes. They always put their trailer in too deep and everytime they pull out, their boat is slanted. So they have to repeat the process 5-6, maybe even more to try and get the boat on right. By the time they get out, average 15-20mins, there's usually a good line formed waiting to load up. I try to help if I'm the next one in line, but when I'm 2nd-3rd, I'm left wait in the street with my truck. Anybody see this happening a lot also?

[SkunkedAgain]

Sorry River Rat, it's called profiling not $ envy. You point me out some guy with an old pickup, a 12' boat, and a 5hp motor having trouble getting their boat in and out...and I'll retract my statement.

[Iceman73]

When it comes to owning a boat, I would call myself an amateur in most cases compared to most people on this forum. I've had my boat for about 6 years (first boat I've ever trailered), and after about the first 4 or 5 times, you pretty much should have it figured out. I do it just like the guy stated above: unhook the back straps, put the plug in, unplug the trailer lights and back her in. Hopefully there is a dock there if I am alone, and I can back close enough to the dock to hop in the boat, start the motor and unhook the winch and back off. Pull her up onto shore or tie her to the dock, hop out, park the truck, and off I go. The problem I would have would be at a busy access like Garrison where I was at yesterday. The dock is right in the way of the ramp, so you don't really want to tie up and then go and park your truck and hold up the line, and the shoreline is all rocks, so you can't beach her. There, I would have a hard time doing it without another person to back her out and out of the way and come back in to get me, or to pull the truck out for me and I retrieve them when they are ready. Given the proper situation, I can do it all by myself and be out of the next guy's way in 2 minutes tops. But don't ask about my first time ever putting my brand new boat in at the crazy access at Eagle Lake off of 169. That was not the best place to go on my first shot. Boat was on the water for oh maybe an hour, and in trying to cut that sharp turn and get her on the trailer, dinged up my prop on the rocks in the channel pretty good. Oh well, you live and learn.

[river rat316]

When your boat ways 2 pounds and you can lift it up to adjust it on the trailer you should have no problems..... its not that hard to figure out, Ive seen plenty of people not able to back a trailer in, in old POS of trucks! Half the time there to drunk to even tell if the boats on the trailer.... ohhh Im sorry is that profiling

[TBone1]

I did not believe it to be all that funny, But I was in awe, because I feel that if a person has a boat this size they should have some common sense, and common sense would tell me that if I disconnect this beast of a boat which is on a roller trailer and back it down a fairly steep ramp something is going to happen. And if a person does not have the common knowledge and know how of trailering and launching a boat such as this I would believe they may be a little short on their boating skills also. Tonka is a jungle and there are way to many inexperienced and careless people thrown into the mix.

[MuleShack]

Quote:

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I laugh just about every time I see some shiny SUV launching or trailering a giant boat. I'd say 75% of them mess it up over and over again.

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I thought this was the hill billy network for a little bit. Getting on people just because they have newer equipment. Granted some people cant get out and "Practice" every day like others....because they have to work to pay for their new stuff.

Me personally, i fish hard when i do fish, but it is not my life. I get out once a week early and then mid summer it could be every other week. I can still put my Tournament Sport in with the best of em "alone" and do it with my shiny truck too!

What people drive has nothing to do with their ability to operate. People that would rather point and laugh, rather than help are in a category by themselves also...

[bgreen82]

i have a 14' boat and a santa fe to tow it with. i dont unhook b4 i back down. i back it in and get my feet wet unhooking it and tying it to the dock. no problems yet.

[McGurk]

This may or may not be the case here, but have you ever heard of someone borrowing a boat for the day? Experience only counts when you are manning your own boat in the water and at the landing. How quickly we all forget our first try's at backing a boat in.

I'm pretty sure we all want the ramps to move as quickly as possible. To help this along, help them along. Show 'em how it's done if they are struggling. A little hurt pride is easily overcame by a little teaching from an nice experienced boater or fisherman.

And as far as laughing at the guy while it's happening; well, Karma can be a real (female dog). i.e.: Get ready for a tire blowout on your trailer, so the people driving by can see you and write a quick post on FM about the guy who didn't check his tires before going out with his boat.

And yes; I have helped out an older gentleman load up a 14' beat-up aluminum boat behind his modest ride. Rich or Poor, Old or Young; we all could use a hand sometimes. I'd rather go onto a lake with a good-natured feeling than all wound up from a longer-than-usual wait in line.

[hunting4walleyes]

How do these posts get so far off their topics??? I think McGurk is right, if everyone would stop laughing and pointing fingers and just help out things would be a lot better. I am sure everyone bashing these people launched their first boat with no problems at all(yeah right!!!). I was on Minnetonka a few weeks ago and there was a couple having a tough time backing in the trailer. I was next in line and jumped out of my "new truck" and walked next to his truck and guided him into the ramp and explained a few things that will help him in the future. So either do your part and help out or keep your snickering and comments to yourselves at the launches.

[Cowdy]

Amen!!

[markkstanley]

The best OOPs I ever saw was a guy at Lake POwell in Utah. Very steep ramp. Very large boat. Stopped halfway down the ramp to unhook the tiedowns etc. Did not put truck in park. The whole shebang rocketed down the ramp. Ended up with truck in 10ft of water submerged and the boat at a 45 degree angle as truck weight pulled the bow under. One really angry wife and a bunch of onlookers just trying hard not to crack a smile. We tried to yank it out with another truck that had a winch on the front but ended up calling in a tow truck to do the job. Lesson learned - always set the parking brake and od all the prep work on flat land before getting to ramp.

[Midwesterner]

Wow, SkunkedAgain. You must be a real pro at the landing to be throwing stones like that. You ever had a problem launching your boat? And speaking of shiny tow vehicles and boats that you like to laugh at, what do you drive?

[Sandmannd]

I've only been boating for a year and no pro by any means. I can get the boat off the trailer with no problem but getting it on (at times) takes a couple of tries. Still when I'm at the dock if someone needs a hand (Even if they are driving a Hummer) I offer them one. Most people are very grateful and in turn help me with my boat. I'm not saying I wouldn't have had a little snicker over this guy and his big boat but I would have offered a hand if there was anything I could do. I think it was either someone with a new boat or borrowed boat and just wasn't sure what they were doing. Hard way to learn a lesson. First time driving a boat for me was my Brother-in-laws pontoon and I dropped the lower end against a rock and knocked it out. Bad lessone for me but I haven't had a problem watching for them now.

[stokesbayrat]

Yes, alot on Forest Lake on weekends. I have a Alumacraft 165 50 hp tiller I back the trailer in just so the back rollers in half way, to load the boat, I line up hit gas just enough so where you think you would hit your winch, keep the throttle locked go up front hook up the chain and strap shut your motor off get out crank it up and drive out. I tought a another guy this with a new boat( he also had a new suv, ritzy titzy guy but nice and willing to learn). after a few times of practicing this method it's easy!!!!

[fishinpapa]

I just wonder if this was their first time why in gods green earth did they not practice during the week. It gets frustrating when newbies come out on the weekends for their first time...or teaching the wife how to back the truck up.

[McGurk]

Busy Weekend and Week and following Weekend coming up; let's all try to get along at the ramps and get on the lake as quickly and easily as possible! Practice on land and if someone needs a hand, jump right up and give it to 'em, don't be shy.

Happy 4th all!

[Slyster]

... and keep a note on the stories and post them here! Really interesting reading and educational.