Heads up, Slippery boat launch

Had an eye opening moment at the launch yesterday.

I have launched at this lake 50x the last two years, but yesterday I had to back in a little deeper than normal, due to lake level being slightly lower.

Rear tires of truck were in the water and the algae on the cement was slick.

Truck started to slide deeper, truck in park, parking brake on and foot off brakes.

If I had exited the truck, there was no stopping it from sliding into the lake.

I had to put truck in 4WD so front tires would not roll.

I guess the videos I have watched where truck and trailers go into the lake and towed out, many of the trucks have the rear wheels locked up. This tells me my incident it fairly common due to algae growth on the ramp.


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Had this happen to me this year. I have a place in eastern wa on the Colombia river. The level dropped so far one day that the entire ramp was covered in alge. I set the brake put in park, all good got out of the truck as I walked to the trailer to start loading the boat the entire rig slid down the ramp water went up over the bed. I was able to jump back in put on 4x4 and get it back out. Scary moment always cautious after that.


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Easy fix is to throw truck in 4WD so that the front wheels can be locked in park.

But if you are in a 2wd truck, well you are kinda screwed at that point.


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Scary for sure. I don't own a 4x4 so we always launch with a 2wd. Our ramps get super slick as well to the point where you have to hold on the to the vehicle and take baby 6" steps to get to the trailer to unlatch the bow eye but I have never had an issue with the vehicle slipping. Even on ramps this slick I have never even spun a tire pulling out, empty or loaded. I wonder if the texture of concrete or maybe the type of algae is the difference maker?

I think as the season is winding down here in Michigan, the reduced traffic at this launch has allowed more algae growth.

Traffic would wear off the algae.

Some ramps are ribbed or textured (insert condom joke here), this one is not.

I won’t have a problem going forward, but just a heads up to others as it was a surprise.




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ramp in wisconsin was pretty steep. I almost ate $hit a couple times from algae.

our ramps here at mead are very shallow. guy that we bought our house from has a 30ft carver. he can't get it all the way on the trailer as he has to put the rear tires in the water to get it on. 2wd and all he does is spin in his f250. going to cost him 2 bills to get boat positioned to drive it to his new house in cali. we have to use 4x4 to get our boat out and diff is pretty much in the water. I see a lot of rear diff fluid changes going forward.

The first few vehicles in this video are all in park or parking brake, rear wheels are locked as they get pulled out.

https://youtu.be/YOoYj-J21xs


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Originally Posted by larry_arizona

The first few vehicles in this video are all in park or parking brake, rear wheels are locked as they get pulled out.

https://youtu.be/YOoYj-J21xs


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I want to know how that dually ended up in there. The ramp was clearly not slick, he says toward the end that the parking brake doesn't work, and it's a manual transmission.

Parking brake is pretty important on a manual lol


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Originally Posted by larry_arizona

Parking brake is pretty important on a manual lol


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Yeah don't I know it. That ended up, in a roundabout way, killing my dad.

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Originally Posted by Shoebox

Yeah don't I know it. That ended up, in a roundabout way, killing my dad.

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I am very sorry to hear that.


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I found a line lock kit that would work on most trucks.


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Originally Posted by larry_arizona

I found a line lock kit that would work on most trucks.


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That is a great solution for those who need it, I wouldn’t have thought of it for this application, though I do have a line lock on my camaro!

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Originally Posted by sandm

ramp in wisconsin was pretty steep. I almost ate $hit a couple times from algae.

our ramps here at mead are very shallow. guy that we bought our house from has a 30ft carver. he can't get it all the way on the trailer as he has to put the rear tires in the water to get it on. 2wd and all he does is spin in his f250. going to cost him 2 bills to get boat positioned to drive it to his new house in cali. we have to use 4x4 to get our boat out and diff is pretty much in the water. I see a lot of rear diff fluid changes going forward.

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Extend your rear breather line higher. Problem solved. This ain't nothing new to anyone that's owned a wheelin' rig.

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Originally Posted by rdlangston13

Scary for sure. I don't own a 4x4 so we always launch with a 2wd. Our ramps get super slick as well to the point where you have to hold on the to the vehicle and take baby 6" steps to get to the trailer to unlatch the bow eye but I have never had an issue with the vehicle slipping. Even on ramps this slick I have never even spun a tire pulling out, empty or loaded. I wonder if the texture of concrete or maybe the type of algae is the difference maker?

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I'll admit that my boat sticks to our dry bunks really well and our ramps aren't ridiculously steep, so I unhook the bow chain and strap before I back the trailer down the ramp. So the driver never has to get out of the truck. And with the boat not attached to the trailer, the boat couldn't add to the mass of the trailer pulling the truck backwards, the boat would just float off the trailer.

But yeah, I guess it's a good idea to use 4WD regardless... We have plenty of times where the wife will nose me up to the dock, and I'll get the truck and trailer and then she'll nose up again so I can drive the boat onto the trailer (if it's crowded, or windy, or bad river current I won't have her drive it on--and we're STILL faster at loading than almost everyone else at the launch). So yeah, my truck is unattended with the empty trailer in the water for about 30 - 60 seconds. And that's all it would take. I do however reach over the bow on my XLV and can clip the bow hook myself after putting the boat on the trailer. so if someone else is backing the truck, they never have to get out. If I ever got a Max, I'm sure that wouldn't be possible anymore. But on the XLV, it's great to drive the boat on, clip the bow hook, turn off the engine, and have the driver pull us out while everyone else is chasing their tail.

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Originally Posted by trayson

Extend your rear breather line higher. Problem solved. This ain't nothing new to anyone that's owned a wheelin' rig.

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huh??......

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Originally Posted by sandm

huh??......

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You commented that the rear differential was in the water and you expected more differential fluid changes. The differential is a sealed unit except where it needs to have the 'breather'. Very often there's a breather hose (or you can add one). And it's a quite simple job to extend the rear differential breather line higher so that water can't enter. They even make one way valves for the end of that line to keep water out. It's a very common practice on 4x4 wheelin' rigs that see stream crossings as part of their usage. I had extended breather lines on my transmission, both differentials, and even a intake snorkel on my jeep.

got it.
we're talking about a stock silverado diff here. water has a way to get into anything. I bet there's some water intrusion just the dozen times or so we've launched the boat. my old ford had water in it and caused a $800 rear diff seals/service.

I follow your basic launch/retrieval process. driver of the truck never gets out. we never used 4x4 on ramps in idaho/wisconsin but here in nevada we have every time but I think it's more about the craptastic factory tires chevy sticks on their z71 packages. I think new rubber will eliminate the need for 4x4.
guess it's a good thing I need tires this winter......

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Originally Posted by sandm

got it.
we're talking about a stock silverado diff here. water has a way to get into anything. I bet there's some water intrusion just the dozen times or so we've launched the boat. my old ford had water in it and caused a $800 rear diff seals/service.......

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I guess that's what I'm saying. Stock vehicles either don't have differential breather tubes or they're not very tall. So all that's necessary is to extend the breather tube up higher than the water level will ever get. Sometimes you have to be creative. But once that's done, the water won't get in the differential. It's a lot easier to spend some time and a few dollars in hose than have to mess with that stinky gear old in the diff.

That also was where I was able to convince my buddy that having a lifted truck for launching a boat is actually a benefit. keeping the drivertrain and body out of the water is a good thing!

I can throw the hook onto the max from the trailer so the wife's feet stay nice and dry..... not super comfortable but doable.

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Originally Posted by FamilyMan

I can throw the hook onto the max from the trailer so the wife's feet stay nice and dry..... not super comfortable but doable.

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So if you drive the boat onto the trailer, do you have to climb out of the boat and onto the trailer tongue? I drove a max onto the trailer after a demo and I couldn't have told you if the bow eye was anywhere close to the roller. On my XLV, it's so easy to tell when I'm centered and all the way up. On the Max I was clueless.

This post made me think twice when dropping in the boat on Sunday.

The ramp had a few logs to clear, so I walked down to move them. Nothing like a good fall on the ramp when your trying not to bust your azz. Dang, it was slick.

Jumped back in the truck, put it in 4x4, backed down and dropped her in.

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Originally Posted by trayson

So if you drive the boat onto the trailer, do you have to climb out of the boat and onto the trailer tongue? I drove a max onto the trailer after a demo and I couldn't have told you if the bow eye was anywhere close to the roller. On my XLV, it's so easy to tell when I'm centered and all the way up. On the Max I was clueless.

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It’s not nearly as straightforward as my buddies mondo or outback, but you develop a feel for it. Am I perfectly straight each time, no... I’ll be off an inch one side or the other and occasionally perfect. I only trailer 200 yards so I am not very picky. I have a steep ramp and with the Max I can also unhook at the top and she stays put but I usually am the one launching by my lonely self and keep her hooked.

I do leave it in gear a bit to keep her pressed against the roller while I reach over and hook it up. Anything to keep the wife enjoying boating (I also do almost all the wipe down and boat prep etc [emoji16]).


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Originally Posted by FamilyMan

It’s not nearly as straightforward as my buddies mondo or outback, but you develop a feel for it. Am I perfectly straight each time, no... I’ll be off an inch one side or the other and occasionally perfect. I only trailer 200 yards so I am not very picky. I have a steep ramp and with the Max I can also unhook at the top and she stays put but I usually am the one launching by my lonely self and keep her hooked.

I do leave it in gear a bit to keep her pressed against the roller while I reach over and hook it up. Anything to keep the wife enjoying boating (I also do almost all the wipe down and boat prep etc [emoji16]).


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I'm spoiled. The wife is always ready to drive the boat off the trailer, drive the truck once I've put the boat back on the trailer, drive me as much as I want skiing, wakeboarding, surfing, and foiling.

And she's taken point on all the wipe down while I take care of gear in the boat.

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Originally Posted by trayson

I'm spoiled. The wife is always ready to drive the boat off the trailer, drive the truck once I've put the boat back on the trailer, drive me as much as I want skiing, wakeboarding, surfing, and foiling.

And she's taken point on all the wipe down while I take care of gear in the boat.

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That is a keeper for sure!

I will admit that I kind of took over the role, as the alternative of bathing and feeding kids vs pampering the boat was an easy decision for me lol. My other buddies wives won’t even attempt backing the trailer up... “so I have that going for me, which is nice.” Bill Murray


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by trayson

So if you drive the boat onto the trailer, do you have to climb out of the boat and onto the trailer tongue? I drove a max onto the trailer after a demo and I couldn't have told you if the bow eye was anywhere close to the roller. On my XLV, it's so easy to tell when I'm centered and all the way up. On the Max I was clueless.

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If you have long arms you don't have to get out lol. I can't reach it but my husband can. I don't have to get out of the truck. I just back him in and he in hooks and takes off, when we pick up I back down and get out to hook him up and get the boat all the way on the trailer.

Lol y’all don’t even want to see the maneuver I have to do when loading and unloading the Max. I do a dive into the boat from the trailer and carefully have to crawl off the bow when hooking up. I don’t powerload so I always walk my boat off the bunks until it floats or come in and let the boat settle on the bunks then winch the boat to the bow roller the remaining 6” or so.

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Originally Posted by haknslash

Lol y’all don’t even want to see the maneuver I have to do when loading and unloading the Max. I do a dive into the boat from the trailer and carefully have to crawl off the bow when hooking up. I don’t powerload so I always walk my boat off the bunks until it floats or come in and let the boat settle on the bunks then winch the boat to the bow roller the remaining 6” or so.

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This is exactly what I have to do. I typically launch the boat by myself and just hope nobody is watching. I know one day when crawling out of the bow onto the trailer to unhook, I’m going to miss the trailer with my foot and end up on someone’s Instagram. With my LSV, I could reach everything from inside the boat. There’s no way for me with the max.


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too bad the boat buddy wasn't more reliable. had it on the front of my old supra trailer and when it worked I could be on the trailer locked in and up the ramp in under a minute without ever leaving the drivers seat....

when it worked it was money. when it didn't it sucked and could leave a boat on the ramp.