Boat Ramp Fails

[sarasetp]

I was watching the YouTube video compilations below. These are my worst nightmares, since I launch our G23 everytime we boat. There are some where the tow vehicle obviously had the parking brake on and no boat on the trailer. How did the tow vehicle get dragged into the water. Also any tips on how to best avoid any of these situations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHTOm4MDSu4

[Sailfun]

The problems I have personally observed almost always involve tow vehicles that are rated for far lower loads than actually being towed. A 7500 lb rated tow vehicle that actually is rated for far less with bigger tires and other optional equipment is simple not going to tow a G23 safely. Most SUV’s and pickups also require a load equalizing hitch to tow anything near their max rating yet few install them. Many large SUV’s and some PU’s have a max tow rating of 5000 lbs without them. Read some of the other threads on those who have actually weighed their boats. They are often several thousand lbs above what people think. Towers, stereos, lead, anchors, personal gear, fuel and oil weigh more than most think. If you want to tow a G23 get a vehicle rated for 10,000 lbs as equipped. I bet 90% of the G23’s I see are over the tow rating of the vehicle towing them.

[d_nodixon]

Ha, this one is right down the road from the house. Haven't used that launch in years though, right across from where we launch now


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[sarasetp]

Sailfun , I hear what you are saying about the tow vehicle, but in the video, more than several of the trucks being pulled out of the water seem to be trucks with more than enough tow capacity. Why do you think they may have ended up in the water, even with their parking brake on?

[kylant]

Sailfun , I hear what you are saying about the tow vehicle, but in the video, more than several of the trucks being pulled out of the water seem to be trucks with more than enough tow capacity. Why do you think they may have ended up in the water, even with their parking brake on?

yeah I agree and was wondering the same. there are HD trucks with diesel engines being pulled out of the water.
what is the best way to avoid this??

[wakejunky]

Why is it that more than half will get pulled out with the wipers going?

[Wake.BC]

You can make a truck more than capable to tow just about anything but you can’t fix stupid.


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[Bevostein]

I bet the ones which seem to have the parking brake engaged because the wheels won’t rotate forward are actually in reverse

[Sailfun]

Without a weight distributing hitch there may be very little weight on the front wheels going down the ramp. Rear wheels hit the slime and mud and the sliding starts. I suspect however most of the incidents pictured were the driver stopping the car with the brakes and forgetting to shift into park before jumping out to unhook the boat. Even if they did set the parking brake the 8000 lb boat will drag the 4500lb truck.

[SkiTower]

Why is it that more than half will get pulled out with the wipers going?

water in the switch?

[Wildcat04]

Why is it that more than half will get pulled out with the wipers going?

Many vehicles have automatic wipers that come on when the sense moisture.


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[2019 G21]

I bet most of these people have the diver go attach a tow cable to the sunk vehicle and make sure to tell diver to put the parking brake on full and put vehicle in gear/park before they surface. Then they video tape vehicle being drug out and use that as evidence that it was not driver fault.

[kdonzi123]

First hand experience , algae on the ramp. Algae is very slick , so when you back down and put it in park only the rear wheels are in park which is sitting on the algae infested ramp. Best solution should be a wheel chuck on the front wheels as well. The wipers are on because the wiper module is shorted from the water that gets into the module.
not that i have had this happen were i lost my truck , but had my truck start sliding were i had to have my wife stand on the brakes until i could get the boat on the trailer and the rear wheel up to dry land.

[sarasetp]

On an all wheel drive suv, which wheels are locked in when you put the suv into park and which are locked in when you engage the parking brake?


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2016 G23

[Tom_H]

On every vehicle I've seen, the e-brake is only locking the rear (driver side wheel)

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