chopped
Veteran Member
Thought Id share this funny video of a boat launch gone bad. It does have a tractor in it lol..
Funniest boat launch ever! - YouTube
Funniest boat launch ever! - YouTube
Boat fail launch tractor rescues it
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phiferpharm
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2010
- Messages
- 984
- Location
- Fort McCoy, Florida
- Tractor
- Kioti DK45se HST - Rhino 660 4X4 - Snapper Pro ZTR - Craftsmen Chipper/Vac
Yup, seen stuff like that at the boat ramp in Miami twice. In one case, the owner of a new Cigarette style boat didn't have any lines attached to the boat, backed it in, saw the boat float off the trailer- and keep going.
He jumped out of his car in a panic, which then as it was still in reverse, proceeded to launch itself fully underwater. So now he has a fully submerged truck and trailer AND his boat floating out of the ramp area and heading for the intercoastal by itself.
A boater went and got his boat, which ended up on the rocks in the intercoastal and a tow truck pulled his very soggy truck, now full of Salt water inside and as the engine was running, also full of Salt water. Wouldn't want to buy that rig off of ebay!
He jumped out of his car in a panic, which then as it was still in reverse, proceeded to launch itself fully underwater. So now he has a fully submerged truck and trailer AND his boat floating out of the ramp area and heading for the intercoastal by itself.
A boater went and got his boat, which ended up on the rocks in the intercoastal and a tow truck pulled his very soggy truck, now full of Salt water inside and as the engine was running, also full of Salt water. Wouldn't want to buy that rig off of ebay!
bubbacuse77
Platinum Member
I could write a book on the boat ramp follies.
creekbend
Super Star Member
Although I have heard of these mishaps before, I have only witnessed one actually happening. A boater had backed his Jeep Cherokee with trailer down the ramp to retrieve the open fisherman that his partner had just driven onto the trailer. He apparently didn't take the Jeep out of gear and apply the parking brake, because when he got out to connect the winch on the trailer to the boat, the Jeep continued backward down the ramp. The amazing part is that before the Jeep was completely submerged, he dove in the water and opened the door and attempted to drive the Jeep back up the ramp onto dry land. The engine was still running at this time, but the engine finally stopped running and his Jeep and trailer began drifting and both were soon under water and out of sight. The driver swam safely back to the boat with his partner still aboard. This happened at Sneed Island Cut in Bradenton, Florida at one of the Bradenton Yacht Club's ramps.
JD 4520
Platinum Member
Some of the best and cheepest forms of entertainment are at busy boat launches, particularly launches in larger cities. Hit the launch on a sunny summer weekend, bring your camera and ice chest and enjoy.
Mace Canute
Elite Member
I've posted this before in another thread so here's a C&P of it.
Years ago, a friend told me this story. There was an older man in town and these two locals glommed onto him and would hang out with him everywhere. Apparently the old fart, who didn't have many friends, was a bit of a loner and so tolerated these two guys ...whom the locals called BDM and Beetle Bag Bailey. BDM thought they called him that because he drove the local school bus...Bus Driver Mike, eh, but everyone else knew it really meant Big Dumb Mike. Beetle Bag Bailey's nick was one of those things whose origin was lost in antiquity. Anyways, one fine summer weekend, the three of them decided to go boating so they hooked up the old fart's boat and trailer behind the old fart's station wagon and headed to the lake. Once there they got to the boat ramp and unstrapped the boat tie downs so when they backed it into the water, it would float free. Now BDM figured he should be the one to back the boat down the ramp since the old fart was hesitant about backing it up so he jumped into the car and got it straightened up and started to back up to the ramp...but he got a little vain and just had to show off his prowess at backing up a vehicle with a trailer attached so he was giving it good! He had that thing flying and of course the old fart was scared he would jack knife it and total it all off so he started waving and shouting at BDM to STOP!!! and Beetle Bag Bailey did too once he saw the old fart doing it. BDM saw both of them hooting and hollering and waving at him frantically and panicked and hit the brakes as hard as he could, sliding the station wagon and trailer to a stop. The boat though...the boat kept going and shot off the trailer and landed on the ground a good thirty feet from the water, smashing the prop and leg on the motor in the process. Turns out Beetle Bag Bailey had decided that he should unhook the winch line also.
Years ago, a friend told me this story. There was an older man in town and these two locals glommed onto him and would hang out with him everywhere. Apparently the old fart, who didn't have many friends, was a bit of a loner and so tolerated these two guys ...whom the locals called BDM and Beetle Bag Bailey. BDM thought they called him that because he drove the local school bus...Bus Driver Mike, eh, but everyone else knew it really meant Big Dumb Mike. Beetle Bag Bailey's nick was one of those things whose origin was lost in antiquity. Anyways, one fine summer weekend, the three of them decided to go boating so they hooked up the old fart's boat and trailer behind the old fart's station wagon and headed to the lake. Once there they got to the boat ramp and unstrapped the boat tie downs so when they backed it into the water, it would float free. Now BDM figured he should be the one to back the boat down the ramp since the old fart was hesitant about backing it up so he jumped into the car and got it straightened up and started to back up to the ramp...but he got a little vain and just had to show off his prowess at backing up a vehicle with a trailer attached so he was giving it good! He had that thing flying and of course the old fart was scared he would jack knife it and total it all off so he started waving and shouting at BDM to STOP!!! and Beetle Bag Bailey did too once he saw the old fart doing it. BDM saw both of them hooting and hollering and waving at him frantically and panicked and hit the brakes as hard as he could, sliding the station wagon and trailer to a stop. The boat though...the boat kept going and shot off the trailer and landed on the ground a good thirty feet from the water, smashing the prop and leg on the motor in the process. Turns out Beetle Bag Bailey had decided that he should unhook the winch line also.
Larry Caldwell
Elite Member
With a shallow slope sandy beach like that, I don't see why they just didn't run the boat ashore and load it from dry ground. For that matter, with that many people they could have just hauled the boat out by hand.
SPIKER
Elite Member
see things like that too, even done a little similar.
backed my boat down in a very narrow semi natural ramp, gravel with a small amount of concrete only in the water. well dark water my car/boat was only in to the back of the boat shallow for sure. needless to say I backed off the end of the concrete... :O took me about 20 min to get it free jacked up bumper and stuffed logs under rear wheels. stupid part was boat was not in enough water to float it free from the trailer. luclky it was fresh water so rust wasnt as much an issue.
my two brothers, went down. John had nice boat & truck, Ken went fishing with him to Alum Creek, 30' out from the ramp it is 50' deep. coming back Ken said he'd get the truck & back it down. while John staid on boat to drive it onto trailer. ken left it in revers after backing in and when he left off brake it started rolling backwards. thinking he was in drive he gave it more gass smashed the truck cap into the boat which probably kept the truck from sinking having the cap sealed up the rear floated up and lost all traction & kept drifting back... Luckily it was a fishing club outing and a few other fishermen were there jumped in and pulled the truck back to solid ground prior to it sinking... ended up with water in oil & trans & a smashed up cap with a big crunch in the front of his 20K bass boat...
My Nefue still owns the boat as John passed away a year ago from PKD. The gell coat is still crunched up 15 years later.
Mark
backed my boat down in a very narrow semi natural ramp, gravel with a small amount of concrete only in the water. well dark water my car/boat was only in to the back of the boat shallow for sure. needless to say I backed off the end of the concrete... :O
took me about 20 min to get it free jacked up bumper and stuffed logs under rear wheels. stupid part was boat was not in enough water to float it free from the trailer. luclky it was fresh water so rust wasnt as much an issue.my two brothers, went down. John had nice boat & truck, Ken went fishing with him to Alum Creek, 30' out from the ramp it is 50' deep. coming back Ken said he'd get the truck & back it down. while John staid on boat to drive it onto trailer. ken left it in revers after backing in and when he left off brake it started rolling backwards. thinking he was in drive he gave it more gass smashed the truck cap into the boat which probably kept the truck from sinking having the cap sealed up the rear floated up and lost all traction & kept drifting back... Luckily it was a fishing club outing and a few other fishermen were there jumped in and pulled the truck back to solid ground prior to it sinking... ended up with water in oil & trans & a smashed up cap with a big crunch in the front of his 20K bass boat...
My Nefue still owns the boat as John passed away a year ago from PKD. The gell coat is still crunched up 15 years later.
Mark
