Boat launch folly

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Donald

Donald

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Near the beach in Delaware
I stumbled across a YOUTUBE video of various cars and trucks at boat launches where a tow truck was towing the vehicle and trailer out of the water. The vehicle was filled with water.

So what was the cause? Did the driver really get out of the vehicle with it in NEUTRAL? Did PARK fail to hold the vehicle? No e-brake?

I guess if it was a manual and you left it in gear and turned the engine off and no e-brake it could creep backwards. But most vehicles are automatic these days. Especially if you don't count sports cars.

My understanding is that PARK pushes a pawl into one of many notches on a large circular disc that prevents the vehicle from moving,
Maybe a lot of people have jammed their car into park with the vehicle moving and worn the pawl or the notches in the large circular disc.

I seldom use my e-brake, maybe I should more to keep the cables from rusting.

Maybe bring my HF wheel chock(s) with me. I see some utility truck people always put out a cone and a wheel chock whenever they get out of their truck.

Of course having a few people and keeping a driver in the vehicle when its on the actual ramp is always a good idea.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh988eSAPc8
 
Usually they go back too far, the rear of the car/truck begins to float, they lose traction, and the rearward momentum cant be stopped, so it continues rearward until it sinks.
 
Originally Posted by bubbatime
Usually they go back too far, the rear of the car/truck begins to float, they lose traction, and the rearward momentum cant be stopped, so it continues rearward until it sinks.


What would float in a heavy vehicle. The tires and the empty part of a fuel tank and the only things with air in them.
 
Originally Posted by Donald
Originally Posted by bubbatime
Usually they go back too far, the rear of the car/truck begins to float, they lose traction, and the rearward momentum cant be stopped, so it continues rearward until it sinks.


What would float in a heavy vehicle. The tires and the empty part of a fuel tank and the only things with air in them.


You've never seen any movies where a car lands in the water? Not one???
 
Originally Posted by Donald
Originally Posted by bubbatime
Usually they go back too far, the rear of the car/truck begins to float, they lose traction, and the rearward momentum cant be stopped, so it continues rearward until it sinks.


What would float in a heavy vehicle. The tires and the empty part of a fuel tank and the only things with air in them.


People rock back and forth when they get stuck. I can see them digging in deeper every time.
 
The ramp I visited the other day, a state operated one had three poles that had these instructions printed on them:

1. Ramp ends in 10 feet

2. Ramp ends in 5 feet

3. STOP STOP

The end of the ramp leads to deep bay water, not a nice firm bottom. It is likely the trailers "fall off" the ramp and the rest is self explanatory.
 
Our minister let his 16 yo son borrow the RX7. son spills Coke in car. dad reads son the riot act, repeatedly.
dad borrow sons Cutlass to launch fishing boat. dad ends up putting the Cutlass in the water. totally.

son calmly says: " are we even for the spilled Coke now? "

true story. it made a great sermon! sorry Bill....
 
My uncle George lost control on a slick boat ramp. Made the local newspaper which had a picture of his vehicle in water up to the windows. Tow truck towed him home and a week later he was driving it again. Ed
 
A truck with an open differential and no parking brake set can roll in easily when the boat is on the rear of the trailer and it takes weight off the drive wheels. That's what happened to my friend.
 
I use a ramp with a steep angle/drop off but know it's there. Once came in with my boat and the ramp was taken up with a crazy scene. 3 young guys had a really large/nice boat - but an open diff 2WD … he had backed too deep and could not pull it and one of them crawled in the big boat and suddenly a tire is smoking and a VMax is doing a 5000 RPM rooster tail trying to help push the truck and trailer. I quickly tied up and walked over and motioned to stop. They came over and talked - and then let me shed my trailer and pull them out with my 4WD. What a wreck we avoided that day.
 
Originally Posted by tiger862
Most went in from slick ramps


This!

When backing down the ramp, you are usually in 2wd, and using your "service brakes" which are braking all four wheels. You back in to the point where your rear wheels are now in the water, on a surface that is more slick than ice...(until you experience just how slick it is, you just can't understand). The driver then puts it in "park", and maybe even sets the "parking brake"...all which rely ONLY on the rear wheels to now hold the vehicle, trailer, and boat on the steep ramp. The driver hops out, door closes, and the whole rig slowly slides in the drink with the rear wheels locked.

If I ever have to back far enough in the water for my rear wheels to get wet, I am always in 4wd!!! I learned this first hand...lucky for me, I never got out of the cab, and could stop it with the service brakes, engage 4WD and get it back up the ramp with no drama.
 
So no one has mentioned any type of mechanical failure of a parking brake or the PARK setting of the transmission.

So the key to success is know the ramp (potential drop off and if slippery) and use 4WD if you have it, launching and retrieving.

I have been trailering boats for decades and have never had it happen. But always good to know how it might happen and how to prevent.
 
Originally Posted by Donald
So no one has mentioned any type of mechanical failure of a parking brake or the PARK setting of the transmission.

So the key to success is know the ramp (potential drop off and if slippery) and use 4WD if you have it, launching and retrieving.

I have been trailering boats for decades and have never had it happen. But always good to know how it might happen and how to prevent.



Or keep your rear wheels out of the water. My current boat is long enough, and the ramp is steep enough that my tires never get wet.
 
Or get full coverage, Insurance pays out for this BIG LEAGUE. A flooded vehicle is totaled.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by DriveHard


Or keep your rear wheels out of the water. My current boat is long enough, and the ramp is steep enough that my tires never get wet.


Not always possible. On many ramps it is a necessity to get the rear wheels a bit wet. But of course, best to not get them wet if It is possible.
 
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