How far can you safely back your tow vehicle into the water

[thealy]

Our Ski lake became flooded over the winter and the business end of the ramp is under 10’ of water. Unfortunately the approach to the ramp is not very steep so to unload/load the boat you have to back your tow vehicle until the water is right up to the door jams. Can any damage be done to the drive line if it is submerged? Other potential problems anyone can think such as wheel bearings or mufflers etc.

[85 Barefoot]

Our Ski lake became flooded over the winter and the business end of the ramp is under 10’ of water. Unfortunately the approach to the ramp is not very steep so to unload/load the boat you have to back your tow vehicle until the water is right up to the door jams. Can any damage be done to the drive line if it is submerged? Other potential problems anyone can think such as wheel bearings or mufflers etc.

short answer, sure, but it All depends on the vehicle and its height. Most important, in my experience, post-truck "dip" (don't ask me how i know) is to keep top of tranny above water (or wherever any hole mmight be where water can get in). If you're using a truck of som type may wnat to chaneg diff fluids if real deep.

[Aquadisiac]

If the rear end does not have a vent tube it can get water in it and take out the brngs etc. Change the fluid.

Had it happen to a van of mine many years ago from taking a jet ski to Camp Far West (man that place is getting popular all of a sudden) every summer weekend

[R1LOVER]

As mentioned above.. the rear axle vent is one concern as well as the tranny vent. If it's for a quick moment and not as high as the vent hoses your fine... but never leave it in the water for longer then needed to get the boat off/on.

[Levi900RR]

My local ramp is the same way. I dont dare do it yet...

[WakeSwagger]

Submerging the exhaust is never good for your vehicle...doesn't like you have a choice though

[Sunscape fan]

Submerging the exhaust is never good for your vehicle...doesn't like you have a choice though

If you submerge the exhaust and the idle of the engine gets to low, you can actually stall the engine from the back pressure. If that happens, it can be quite difficult to start the engine, possibly not at all. Every engine is a bit different. If you are going to submerge the rear end, make sure the vent tube has a hose that runs up quite high so the water doesn't go in it. Another thing to think about is your electrical connection for your trailer lights. Depending on your connector, they don't like water.

[MARiley]

i've used some very gradual launch ramps that required much of the truck in the water, no problems ever.

[notorious_benny]

If your really worried just use a 30ft recovery strap (non stretch) and back the trailer into the water gently on its jockey wheel.

[TheHardWay]

If your really worried just use a 30ft recovery strap (non stretch) and back the trailer into the water gently on its jockey wheel.

Really? I hope you are joking. You'd never catch me trusting a recovery strap to back a $30k+ boat into the water...to much to risk for me!

[Bill_AirJunky]

It's not like the $30k boat is going to sink. Your only risking the trailer. And as long as your tow strap doesn't come off it, you can always tow the trailer back out. Might get banged up doing it. And I doubt the tongue wheel is going to do very well.

But if the option is leaving your boat on the lake during the flood, it sounds like you should start exploring your options pretty quick.

A few yrs ago we made a 15' extension out of a 15' long pipe, a pair of wheel barrow wheels & a trailer coupler. We'd put the extension on the truck, then put the boat on the other end, And then back the whole mess into the lake. Pulling out was much easier than putting in. But it worked.

[Bozboat]

I watched some guys try to launch a fixed keel sailboat by the tow strap method. I think they went wrong by knocking the chocks out from behind the trailer wheels and letting the boat and trailer enter the lake in a way that would make a submarine launch look boring. They got the boat launched, but stuck the trailer in between the two ramps. They eventually hooked a 4x4 PU to the delivery van and used both to pop the trailer out of the jam. I would pass on the tow strap method, plus at some point you would need to load the boat and the tow strap pull on a boat and trailer would be interesting to watch.

[MalibuTime]

It's not like the $30k boat is going to sink. Your only risking the trailer. And as long as your tow strap doesn't come off it, you can always tow the trailer back out. Might get banged up doing it. And I doubt the tongue wheel is going to do very well.

But if the option is leaving your boat on the lake during the flood, it sounds like you should start exploring your options pretty quick.

A few yrs ago we made a 15' extension out of a 15' long pipe, a pair of wheel barrow wheels & a trailer coupler. We'd put the extension on the truck, then put the boat on the other end, And then back the whole mess into the lake. Pulling out was much easier than putting in. But it worked.

WINNER!

[notorious_benny]

Really? I hope you are joking. You'd never catch me trusting a recovery strap to back a $30k+ boat into the water...to much to risk for me!

LOL they are only rated for between 8,000 and 20,000 kgs!!

Plenty of Aussies put their boats in the water with a recovery strap, primarily if there isnt a ramp at their camping site, just plop the boat straight in off the banks of the lake. Of course if the bank isn't too slippery there is no need, but if the ground is too wet or you have a 2 wheel drive vehicle the recovery strap makes for an easy launch/retrieve.

I have had to use it on my home lakes concrete ramp, my tow vehicle is only RWD and the cement ramp had a bloody sippery algae growing on it at the waters edge ....zero grip...... the car would slide down the ramp with the park brake applied .... = scary!!

Heres the procedure......

1. Back the boat to waters edge/ as far as you are willing to take vehicle.

2. Apply trailer brakes and chock trailer wheels.

3. Deploy jockey wheel and unhitch trailer.

4. Drive car forward, take and take up slack in the strap.

5. Unchock/unbrake trailer and then gently lower her in!!

To retrieve, just reverse the procedure!!

There is no way your going to 'lose' or damage your boat following this procedure, and it might stop your vehicle following your boat into the water on non paved/makeshift ramps which are common on some lakes near me.

I dont see whats so scary about that, I would rather go through that procedure than miss a weekend on the water 'cause I am too scared to give it a go!

Edited May 25, 2011 by notorious_benny

[notorious_benny]

Forgot to add, the boat will happily float with the trailer strapped under it if the worse were to happen, if your that worried you can always leave her strapped down until safely in the water.

I have heard of people crossing lakes to another ramp with trailer strapped to boat ... slowly of course!!!

[MalibuNation]

They make hitch extenders and trailer extenders ... turn to Google.

[thealy]

I really like the hitch extender option. I wonder how long an extender could be if I were to make one. My trailer is a tandem which would probably allow for a longer extension but my buddies is a single which I assume would put more stress on the tongue. The lake in question is a private club ski lake so you can understand the desire to get boats in and out.

http://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Accessories/Reese/RP45018.html

[85 Barefoot]

Don;'t drive your truck in the water based on this, you need to make your own decisions, but I have and frequently do have my truck out in the water (deep). I once had a tahoe that got stuck with 8 inches of water in the back seat....once out, drove home fine....think I put about 130 k on that truck. Bottom line, As long as you're air intake is above water, in my experience, you're fine, just change fluids. Oh and as to air inatke I learned that the hard way. Apparently my wrangler got unhappy in about 4 feet of water . Went home, pulled plugs, changed fluids, ran some marvel through there and ran like a top. BUT these are trucks I'm, talking about, I would not do the same with an AWD minivan

[TheHardWay]

I mis-read the original post. For some reason I was thinking you were launching into a flooded RIVER, not lake. I was thinking that if something went wrong your boat and trailer would be carried down stream. I can see doing this in a lake....but still not something that I think I would want to try.

[85 Barefoot]

I can see doing this in a lake....but still not something that I think I would want to try.

For some reason redrum, I can't help but chuckle, you drive a jacked up 3500! Maybe I just live in an area where we rooted too much growing up, but I don't know anyone who has ever been intimidated by a "natural" boat launch.

Last summer I had boat trailer stuck in sand, jeep attached to boat (stuck), john deere attached to jeep (stuck), and finally a ford pulling all 3 things out. Was a classic afternoon.

[TheHardWay]

For some reason redrum, I can't help but chuckle, you drive a jacked up 3500! Maybe I just live in an area where we rooted too much growing up, but I don't know anyone who has ever been intimidated by a "natural" boat launch.

Last summer I had boat trailer stuck in sand, jeep attached to boat (stuck), john deere attached to jeep (stuck), and finally a ford pulling all 3 things out. Was a classic afternoon.

Not so much the fact of launching on a natural launch (i've done it before without issue) as the fact that the lake is flooded, and my guess is that there is a lot of floating debris. I guess if you want to call me intimidated, it is because of this, not because of getting stuck.

[Devin Perry]

I would only be concerned with the vent on your rear axle. If you do this often enough you could extend your vent line up through the back of your vehicle behind your tail light to be high enough to not get water in it. I would not be to concerned with the water in the tail pipe, think about it, every time you shut off your boat the exhaust fills with water and they start just fine. Water in the exhaust might be a concern if you were on level ground and the water could go several feet (like 6-8') up the exhaust this might cause excessive backpressure that the starter could not overcome.

[Aquadisiac]

I would only be concerned with the vent on your rear axle. If you do this often enough you could extend your vent line up through the back of your vehicle behind your tail light to be high enough to not get water in it. I would not be to concerned with the water in the tail pipe, think about it, every time you shut off your boat the exhaust fills with water and they start just fine. Water in the exhaust might be a concern if you were on level ground and the water could go several feet (like 6-8') up the exhaust this might cause excessive backpressure that the starter could not overcome.

[85 Barefoot]

Not so much the fact of launching on a natural launch (i've done it before without issue) as the fact that the lake is flooded, and my guess is that there is a lot of floating debris. I guess if you want to call me intimidated, it is because of this, not because of getting stuck.

Wasn't menat as a shot redrum, I said it made me chuckle. Trucks must just have a different duty cycle where I am.

Even still, floating debris? a one ton Dodge on what, 35s? 38s? The ultimate "I am an alpha male" truck and you're cautious about loading a boat on an overfilled lake due to "floating debris". You have to admit redrum, that is kind of funny, though I can appreciate you not wanting to cause any damage your truck.

OP, you got any floating debris to look out for? Has anyone walked out there to measure how deep the truck will be for boat to float off?

[Michigan boarder]

Last summer I had boat trailer stuck in sand, jeep attached to boat (stuck), john deere attached to jeep (stuck), and finally a ford pulling all 3 things out. Was a classic afternoon.

You really need to get a picture of that if it ever happens again, that's a riot.