Boat Launch Comedy/Horror Stories

[WapitiTalk1]

On the tail of CP's etiquette thread, this one had to be done.  Tell us a story of what you have seen (hopefully not experienced) at the boat launch over the years funny or frightfull.  I haven't had my salmon chaser for a few years now but got a good handfull of stories about the comedy and/or the horror that occurs at boat launches. 

Bring em on    or 

[Rainier10]

Double boat launch before sunrise.  Long line of guys waiting to launch.  Two guys go down, one comes up, next guy in line backs down and right into the guy still launching with his lights off.  He should have left his parking lights on to make sure he didn't a get a 250hp lower unit through his grill.

[baldopepper]

Used to run a charter out of Edmonds and between trips we'd sit on the outside deck at Anthonys and watch the launch/gas dock show.  Numerous times guys forgot to put the plug back in before launching (always good for a Chinese fire drill), twice saw small outboard kickers dropped overboard as guys tried to attach them at the dock.  Funniest we saw was a guy trying to navigate thru the moored boats while his wife used a boat hook to push them away.  She inadvertently hooked up and he pulled her overboard as he went out.  Guy kept on going out past the  breakwater while others helped his wife up on the dock.  He finally came motoring back in a few minutes later and his wife literally attacked him with the boat hook.  Kinda figured he either slept on the couch or in the boat for a week or two.  Best enjoyment was watching people try to navigate into the gas dock when there was a breeze or it was crowded.  Guess a lot em seemed to think that boats come with brakes.  Dock attendants knew when to run like crazy and when to try to actually help-not a job I wanted.

[TONTO]

 Seen a few boats hit the launch, safety chain and winch cable unhooked before backing down, boat slides right of trailer well short of the water Seen one guy launch a boat at the east end basin in astoria with a Toyota Supra. He forgot to unhook the rear straps. When the boat hit the water it floated the trailer, which in turn flaoted the back of the car. The whole rig ended up in the water.

[duckmen1]

One day this year saw a guy in a good size truck rev it up pretty good when he went to back it up and jack knifed the empty trailer flipping it up on end into the bed of his truck.

[duckmen1]

Another day I saw three boats launch at a super steep little launch. All three had something happen. First truck  Blew a tire on launch. Second truck got boat on trailer and went to leave and trailer fell of the ball on truck straight to ground. Helped him out to get his big bay liner on trailer back up on truck.He was really thankful we were there to help lift it back up. The third was a two wheel drive Cadillac towing a big bay liner. He launched good. But as he tried to pick up his tires spun and it sucked the car straight into the water. Later he did get everything out ok.we stuck around ready to help tow out. Just in case. Crazy day for sure. But we had no issues.
Guess that launch hates the bay liners.

[smdave]

You can always drop your boat on the ramp, I followed this guy to the ramp he pulled over and let me past he had no trailer light pulling off the highway. He did not seam to understand that that you should not unhook it before backing down the ramp.

[BigGoonTuna]

Saw a guy dump a nice inboard sled on the ramp at blue creek a few years back.  Winch slipped and he forgot to hook up his safety chain.

[Rick]

Back in September 2009 we were launching in Everett to fish Coho in the sound.  We had just got my boat in the water when we saw an older man try to run behind a 24-26' Bayliner as it was being backed down the ramp.

 The trailer knocked him down, he got caught under the trailer and was dragged partially down the ramp before people yelling got the guy in the truck to stop.  The man ended up pinned under one of the axles.

I thought for sure he wasn't going to survive,but according to the Everett Herald he made a full recovery.

[boneaddict]

I've watched a guy not untie his boat and try to launch it.   I've watched a boat launched without the plug.

[Gringo31]

Auke Bay Alaska

Needs a new parking brake....

[Jonathan_S]

He appears to be striking a provocative pose on the hood

[Gringo31]

It's a great expression of body language.  lol

[boneaddict]

Ya it is!

[Jonathan_S]

I can hear the conversation now...

"Hey is the intake submerged?"

"huh?