Being around boat ramps a guy gets to see all sorts of launching/loading gymnastics. I saw one yesterday I've not seen before. Guy and wife pull their boat to the ramp. He backs the trailer down and lines it up so that all the wife has to do is put the truck in reverse and back up, then straight out. Guy gets out removes the motor tote, stern straps, puts plug in... looking good. He then unhooks the bow strap and climbs in. Lady gets in the truck.
I'm sitting in my boat at the dock waiting for my son to bring our rig around. So I'm casually watching the launch. Then I notice... the boat is sliding off the trailer. This ramp is pretty steep, the guy in the boat is standing up getting something out of a storage compartment, wife in truck is oblivious. I yelled over, "Hey! You're sliding off the trailer!" Took two yells to get his attention. He looks up from what he's doing, looks at me annoyed just about the time the skeg of the trimmed up motor made contact with the concrete ramp. The impact knocked him off balance and while he was scrambling to regain his balance the boat slid completely off the trailer and crashed onto the concrete ramp - high and dry. Boat was a 17.5' Triton glass bass boat with 115 Merc.
I'll say this, his trailer has a heck of a winch. Hooked the boat back to the winch strap and with some help he got the boat loaded back on the trailer. Motor skeg was trashed, lots of gel coat damage on the stern bottom, pad and keel. Said he would file an insurance claim. Reminded me to be aware of the variables in ramps!!!
