Boat Fail 2024
BaitMonkey1984 reply :
Sad day. Picking the boat up from the marina after they winterized and shrink-wrapped it.
Got it about 1 mile down the road and BANG! Trailer loose, safety chains snapped, Trailer/boat separated from truck and the trailers laying now on the road. I was turning so going very slow like 5mph, thank god. Still not sure what happened. Perhaps the coupler went bad. Pin was in it. Right size ball. For whatever reason, it doesn't appear the trailer was locked down. Scariest thing I have ever witnessed boating related to see the boat slowly drift away from me.
Checked the boat and trailer quickly and no damage to either. I think I am going to go ahead and have the coupler replaced anyhow, just to give me piece of mind. After jacking it back on the trailer, brought it back to the marina to check the coupler and install new safety chains.
Anyone ever have anything like this happen- anyone want to venture a guess as to possible causes? I have had this boat 6+ years and tow it everywhere. No issues. In these instances, I like to assign operator error but really at a loss here.
Bob C reply :
I've had the hitch not go down all the way where sits on top of the ball and not down around it. At a quick glance it looks right. I caught it before I drove away.
A-Jay reply :
On 10/30/2015 at 2:23 AM, Bob C said:I've had the hitch not go down all the way where sits on top of the ball and not down around it. At a quick glance it looks right. I caught it before I drove away.
X2 ~
I was thinking the same thing.
Also the fact that your chains "snapped" and at only 5 mph is a big concern as well.
This is the last line of defense and in theory, is designed to prevent complete separation from your vehicle.
I don't think it's unreasonable to think they were either way too small or somehow compromised.
Glad no one was hurt and your gear is mostly OK.
Thank you for sharing the story.
I'll be out check my stuff now.
A-Jay
bigbill reply :
I "X" cross my two safety chains under my 10,000lb trailer.
The heavy grade 1/2" chain goes from the trailer vee hitch to the truck frame.
Funny, my dad had a rental business in the 50's he rented out one bag cement mixers. We're towing one when it broke free and passed us on the left side of the truck. While it was on the left side of us I tapped my dad on the shoulder and said isn't that our cement mixer?? Holy cow the old man said as the mixer cut us off and slid into the shoulder.
Ever since that day I go beyond what the safety chains have to be. Weird stuff happens.
Maxximus Redneckus reply :
Triple check and do a finger feel seeing is believing but always check that the coupler is around bottom of ball and lift ..if you can move vehicle your still only 99% safe
jbw252 reply :
Wow. Although you should say lucky day, not a sad day. You were fortunate no one got hurt, or that it didn't cause an accident. Plus there was no damage to the boat or trailer? Lucky, but scary. Glad everything turned out okay. It could have had an altogether different ending.
Glenn reply :
Often overlooked, trailer hitch maintenance doesn't become a topic until it fails. This video takes you through the things to check and maintain for years of problem-free trailering. Watch and see if any of these things may have been overlooked, and possibly the cause of your mishap.
carlm01 reply :
Your very lucky that no one was hurt or any significant damage occurred .....
BaitMonkey1984 reply :
Boat is a 2001 ranger r81vs. The safety chains look to be the originals. I have owned it for 5 years now. Where the safety chains attach to the truck it is typical chain material. No issues there as I checked them regularly. However about 6 inches back from the truck the chains transfer into a thick black cable. That is what snapped. Looked beefy almost 1inch thick and I did cross the two chains creating an x.
The trailer tongue has some road rash on it I am sure on the bottom of the trailer but other than that no damage.
It scared me to death, but am realizing now how lucky I am.
Ski213 reply :
Like others have said, could have not been all the way down. Could also be a faulty coupler. You said it went bang and in a 5mph turn, so I'm guessing it was a pretty sharp turn. It sounds like maybe something got in a hard bind while turning and let go, or I guess it could have been loose the whole time and the turn gave it the little change in direction it needed to pop off.
Did the chain itself break or was it the hooks? It's crazy to me that the chains broke at that speed. Crazy stuff happens though. Glad it didn't go any worse than it did for you.
BaitMonkey1984 reply :
On 10/30/2015 at 6:35 AM, Glenn said:Often overlooked, trailer hitch maintenance doesn't become a topic until it fails. This video takes you through the things to check and maintain for years of problem-free trailering. Watch and see if any of these things may have been overlooked, and possibly the cause of your mishap.
I don't think any of those factors are to blame. Perhaps, because I saw this video not too long ago and heeded your advice. Marina is looking the trailer over, if they find anything I will be sure to re-post.
bigbill reply :
Great video Glenn.
I grease the hitch ball, the locking wedge on the binder guide plate on the hitch. Lube the trailer wheel bearings often. Don't forget to check all the light bulbs
Fishing Rhino reply :
While we are on the topic of hooking up a trailer, have any of you how many of you have driven away without disconnecting the lead to the battery charger? I have, so I developed this practice, and it has eliminated that oversight more than a few times. When plugged in at home, with the trailer disconnected from the boat, I remove the hitch from the receiver, and set it on the rear deck of the boat near the plug connection. When I'm away, and the truck and trailer do not get unhitched, I have one of those short bungee loops, and put it on the top of the steering wheel as a reminder to unplug the charger.
No more driving away without unplugging the charger.
And, I also have set the trailer onto the hitch without it seating all the way down. It fell off in the driveway, so no harm, no foul. Now I check, and double check to make sure the trailer is all the way down over the hitch, not just on it.
Further North reply :
On 10/30/2015 at 1:00 PM, Fishing Rhino said:While we are on the topic of hooking up a trailer,
have any of youhow many of you have driven away without disconnecting the lead to the battery charger? I have, so I developed this practice, and it has eliminated that oversight more than a few times. When plugged in at home, with the trailer disconnected from the boat, I remove the hitch from the receiver, and set it on the rear deck of the boat near the plug connection. When I'm away, and the truck and trailer do not get unhitched, I have one of those short bungee loops, and put it on the top of the steering wheel as a reminder to unplug the charger.
No more driving away without unplugging the charger.
And, I also have set the trailer onto the hitch without it seating all the way down. It fell off in the driveway, so no harm, no foul. Now I check, and double check to make sure the trailer is all the way down over the hitch, not just on it.
Great ideas - I rigged my battery charger plug so it hangs from the ceiling of my garage directly over the plug into the boat. If I forget, it just unplugs and hags there ready for me when I back the boat in when I get home.
Bob C reply :
On 10/30/2015 at 9:50 PM, Further North said:Great ideas - I rigged my battery charger plug so it hangs from the ceiling of my garage directly over the plug into the boat. If I forget, it just unplugs and hags there ready for me when I back the boat in when I get home.
Mine will just unplug also. I'm so paranoid about forgetting something that I'll do 2-3 walk arounds. Especially tripple checking the drain plug. You can probably guess why I tripple check the plug. LOL
WIGuide reply :
Luckily no major damage was done. Not sure what happened, but as others said it's possible it wasn't quite down on the ball. Also, if there was a bang and then it came off, it definitely sounds like something was binding up.
benthinkin reply :
came home towing 50+ mph over a mountain road for an hour last turn before home and the leaf spring breaks going 10 mph. dont know why it didnt break on that mountain only the grace of god i guess.
WPCfishing reply :
I'm not going to reply to this thread............... 
Glenn reply :
Did your hitch look like this?
yugrac reply :
Was your ball latch down when you got out? I know this may not seem likely, I will tell you of my mistake. Left early, about 4 am one day last summer, drove to my "local" lake, about 35 miles away, fished all morning into early afternoon, put the boat on the trailer and headed home. When I backed the boat into the garage and went to unhook the trailer imagine my surprise when I seen I had forgot to latch the hitch! It was down on the ball, but I never pushed the latch down, 70 mile round trip, 60 mph, and never lost the trailer. The thing that saved me is my trailer loaded weighs 285 at the hitch. I was telling my son about it, he has had a few trailer issues also, he said "bet you will never do that again!" I did it again earlier this year! I see some trailers at the boat ramp that look very scary. My tire pressures are checked EVERY TIME before I go out, Wheels jacked up and wheel bearings checked every 3 times and lights checked every time out when I hook up. If I could just come up with a foolproof way to latch the hitch.
WPCfishing reply :
On 10/31/2015 at 8:32 AM, Glenn said:Did your hitch look like this?
That's dangerous! I'm not surprised to see someone was stupid enough to do that.
WPCfishing reply :
On 10/31/2015 at 9:12 AM, yugrac said:Was your ball latch down when you got out? I know this may not seem likely, I will tell you of my mistake. Left early, about 4 am one day last summer, drove to my "local" lake, about 35 miles away, fished all morning into early afternoon, put the boat on the trailer and headed home. When I backed the boat into the garage and went to unhook the trailer imagine my surprise when I seen I had forgot to latch the hitch! It was down on the ball, but I never pushed the latch down, 70 mile round trip, 60 mph, and never lost the trailer. The thing that saved me is my trailer loaded weighs 285 at the hitch. I was telling my son about it, he has had a few trailer issues also, he said "bet you will never do that again!" I did it again earlier this year! I see some trailers at the boat ramp that look very scary. My tire pressures are checked EVERY TIME before I go out, Wheels jacked up and wheel bearings checked every 3 times and lights checked every time out when I hook up. If I could just come up with a foolproof way to latch the hitch.
Tell your wife about it... She'll bust your balls about it every chance she gets. You won't forget again. lol
3crows reply :
Are the chains/chain too short. That you were turning and only at 5MPH the only way a properly sized safety chain could/should break is if they were pulled tight by being too short. Some trailers and chains are set up such that crossing them makes them too short and is not needed or correct.
Fishing Rhino reply :
On 10/31/2015 at 8:32 AM, Glenn said:Did your hitch look like this?
Looks like a quick disconnect setup for sure.
Smokinal reply :
Thank you for posting your story BaitMonkey. For years I have had only 1 chain; I can't remember why I changed it but for some reason, I did years ago. I knew it wasn't right but it worked, so I left it. Well, I read this thread, drove my arse down to Lowes and picked up another bolt and put my other safety chain on the way it was supposed to be. I feel a lot better about my trailering safety now. Thank you
clh121787 reply :
last week I changed my pre departure sequence a little bit. Forgot to put the plug in. Realized after 4 hours of fishing! Never even noticedOn 10/30/2015 at 10:04 PM, Bob C said:Mine will just unplug also. I'm so paranoid about forgetting something that I'll do 2-3 walk arounds. Especially tripple checking the drain plug. You can probably guess why I tripple check the plug. LOL
Snakehead Whisperer reply :
On 11/7/2015 at 12:17 PM, clh121787 said:last week I changed my pre departure sequence a little bit. Forgot to put the plug in. Realized after 4 hours of fishing! Never even noticed
You must have been doing a lot of cruising that day to not notice that.
I did this earlier in the year. I also left an auto-inflate PFD on the floor of the boat while parking the truck that day. Came back to the ramp and saw the boat was flooding. Hurry up and put the plug in, start bilge pump running and then I hear "pshht." Bright yellow pool toy on the floor of my boat now. Costly mistake considering I had just re-armed the life jacket a month earlier.
Catch 22 reply :
Sounds like the hitch wasn`t down on the ball.I always use a master lock on the hitch for many reasons.
HA HA,laughing at myself,no one else.I dragged a battery charger 1/4 mile down the road one morning.It knocked the rubber tabs off the bottom,but still worked later.
C22
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