I saw something awful happen today (or) why carpet bunks rule

[lancesaville]

Today was a BE-AUTIFUL Arkansas day, 88 degrees, 40% humidity, light wind, so everyone was out at my fav lake (degray)

The guy we were behind in line for the ramp was going through all the regular stuff, checking this, checking that, put some stuff in the boat, unclipped his winch line from the bow hook and proceded to back down the ramp to launch his boat...

One problem, his trailer didn't have carpeted bunks, it had rubber ROLLERS.

Yep. As soon as he started backing down, the boat slid off of the trailer, with him in it, bounced, and skidded down the ramp and came to a stop about a foot short of the water. Wife, kids, and a buddy in the car, ready to hit the water - not happening today.

It left a yellow paint streak down the ramp and little bits of fiberglass with it. Now I'm not sure if alcohol was a factor or not, but HOW do you forget that you have rollers on your trailer, this was not a new boat, so not the first time he'd launched. I didn't want to ask, he looked pissed, I got out of the truck and asked if there was ANYTHING I could do to help him out, he said thanks but no, and that he had forgotten he had rollers. I told him I'd be in the truck if they needed an extra hand, then watched as he and his buddy slowly winched it back off the ramp and onto the trailer. SUCKS. As a boat owner, and fellow male, it made my stomach start hurting just to see it happen. I really felt for the guy, hopefully he has good insurance.

Not really a reason for this post, just have NEVER seen such a thing happen so I had to share. Beyond that, we got some more wakeboarding practice and did a lot more surfing, I'm ALMOST to where I can freeboard, but each time I dropped the rope today, I could only stay in the pocket for a few seconds before I popped back inside the wake and sank, I think I'm putting a little too much weight on that back foot, practice practice practice

side note - MCDYE, think I saw you out there today, pulling some kids around on an inflatable, was that you man?

[wolfeman131]

Oh, what a bad day at the lake for that guy. how do you even explain that one to the insurance company other than, "Yes, I am a dumb a$$."

Last week, we saw a boat run up on one of the islands with loal police pulling it back out into the lake. Crime scene tape all around. Not sure what happened, but hope nobody got hurt.

As we were closing things up at the house on Monday, I guy on a pontoon cruises up to the dock and asks if I've seen a new, navy Bayliner adrift. He says, "I may have left it a bit too low in the lift last week when I left or someboday might have stole it." Ouch.

Then today, we spot 2 DNR boats at a dock and a tow truck in the yard. Get a little closer and see a deckboat busted 1/2 way through the front of the doack. They hooked the tow cable to the bow eye and winched it up over the dock, through the yeard and onto the back of the flatbead tow truck.

Sometimes, it's just best to sit on the dock and watch . . .

[Razzman]

I unhook when the boats backed to the water and not a second sooner, guess this guy didn't know that. I've seen a few good ones though.

Kinda long but worth reading and starts not on the water but ends up there. We were camped on the plateau at the Putah Creek campground at Lake Berryessa (CA) surveying the madness on Memorial weekend about fifteen years ago. This dude pulls in with a custom painted & lifted chevy 4X4 (new, no plates), a painted to match pickle fork jet as well as a painted to match Kawasaki 440 jet ski in the bed. Totally posing he was. Well he'd pulled in the wrong way on a one way road and couldn't back in so he gets pissed and trys to turn around uphill, the jetski breaks the wimpy rope holding it and slides into the tailgate which busts open and the jetski drops onto the starboard sponson busting off the tip and putting a big hole in the jetski! He starts screaming at his girl and a bunch of drunks run over to help. They lift it back into the bed but the tailgate won't close because it's bent to hell! Guess what? Next day we see the moron about thirty yards off the ramp sinking in the jet, he'd tried to duct tape it! Even funnier was the jet ski already nose up full of water trying to tow it in!

Then there was the guy that dropped his jet boat right on the ramp, forgot to hookup the winch strap and took off like his a$$ was on fire. Left it sitting right at the waterline!

Gotta love it!

[lancesaville]

Hehe razz, I SWEAR I've heard you tell that story before... All good, we're all multi-boarders. I usually post anything good that's not specifically moomba related on WW. Plus, I just love WW for the haters if anything, it's amazing. Our board here is a much more mature board for sure

[Razzman]

Our board here is a much more mature board for sure

Amen to that huh! Yeah i'm all over these things everyday!

[mmandley]

Yea even though i dont have rollers on my trailer i still would never unhook the boat before shes floating. Back in May we did a huge group and when i wasnt watching someone unhooked the eye on my boat before Claudia backed me down and i about came unglued when i hit the water and the boat started floating off the trailer, i always always have her back me down, start the engine, then i reach over and finaly unhook the boat eye. Im not about to have to winch that beast up a trailer LOL

[BensonWdby]

Doug at Liquid Edge told me that we was with a guy who had his Master Craft slide off his trailer with bunks at the landing, right on to the pavement.

I can't even imagine that. The first month I had my Mobius I tried to move the boat about an inch on the trailer to snug it up to the bow roller. Winded up splitting the drive gear on the winch instead of moving the boat. Darn near took my head off when that gear came flying off the winch.

[mcdye]

side note - MCDYE, think I saw you out there today, pulling some kids around on an inflatable, was that you man?

We were there ALL day, next time track holler. Freinds came up so we did everything. I kept my eyes opens for you.

[GeauxTigers]

Man! That is horrible! I thought the day I forgot my plug was the worst day of my boating life, but this definitely tops that one! Luckily, my bilge pump came on as it is supposed to and I was able to flag the wife down before she started up the ramp and all was good for me.
This one really challenges the saying that a bad day at the lake beats a good day at work!

[jester]

Man! That is horrible! I thought the day I forgot my plug was the worst day of my boating life, but this definitely tops that one! Luckily, my bilge pump came on as it is supposed to and I was able to flag the wife down before she started up the ramp and all was good for me.
This one really challenges the saying that a bad day at the lake beats a good day at work!

GeauxTigers,
You where just testing the bilge pump to make sure it was still working. You know you have to test it once a year just to make sure.

I have seen on the boat ramp where 3 boats almost one after the other forgot their plugs. I tell you that some days on a busy day it is better to sit back and just watch the boat ramp then join in on the fun.