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Did something stupid yesterday


Norm02

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So I always told my workers that a stupid move is only half stupid if you are thought A lesson and don't repeat it again. Any time we do something that has a routine out of order it much easier to mess things up.

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8 minutes ago, Norm02 said:

Moral of the story is never get complacent and always remember the status of the plug!  😳🙄

I would be willing to bet most if not all of us have a story like that.   And familiarity breeds arrogance and complacency if you are not careful.

I have a very well practiced routine for launch and recovery.   Our regular crew knows it well, and pitches in.   Part of my launch routine includes a prep area walk around of the boat with a mental checklist - Oil and Coolant checked, gear loaded, blower on, winch strap secure, center plug in, transom plug in, transom straps stowed, etc.  It just forces me to think about everything one last time.   Its a function of having my boat ready, and preventing any extra wasted time on the ramp (really annoys me to find people prepping their boat on the ramp). 

Mid last year, it was just my wife and I, and I was doing everything (she was off with the dog).   While I was under the swim platform to put the plug in and release/stow the transom straps, a guy came up to compliment me on the boat.   After a short conversation (feeling pretty good from the conversation),  Im thinking we are ready to go, my wife was back, and we were slower prepping than usual since I was doing it myself, and I was anxious to get on the water as our guests had also arrived.  I skipped my walk around.   BAD choice. 

I did have the plug in, BUT... I had not removed the transom straps -  To make a long story short, no damage to the boat, but the transom ratchet straps were trashed, and I was bright red embarrassed as I had a hell of a time getting it resolved on the ramp.   I was unable to fix the straps, so it was a moderately expensive complacency mistake. 

So my rule has become a bit firmer... I dont trust myself to not be distracted, and ALWAYS do my walk around no matter how much of a hurry I am in.    

 

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49 minutes ago, Sixball said:

So I always told my workers that a stupid move is only half stupid if you are thought A lesson and don't repeat it again. Any time we do something that has a routine out of order it much easier to mess things up.

That’s very true and thankfully no harm/foul other than my kids hearing words they’d never heard before! 

37 minutes ago, JeffC said:

I would be willing to bet most if not all of us have a story like that.   And familiarity breeds arrogance and complacency if you are not careful.

I have a very well practiced routine for launch and recovery.   Our regular crew knows it well, and pitches in.   Part of my launch routine includes a prep area walk around of the boat with a mental checklist - Oil and Coolant checked, gear loaded, blower on, winch strap secure, center plug in, transom plug in, transom straps stowed, etc.  It just forces me to think about everything one last time.   Its a function of having my boat ready, and preventing any extra wasted time on the ramp (really annoys me to find people prepping their boat on the ramp). 

Mid last year, it was just my wife and I, and I was doing everything (she was off with the dog).   While I was under the swim platform to put the plug in and release/stow the transom straps, a guy came up to compliment me on the boat.   After a short conversation (feeling pretty good from the conversation),  Im thinking we are ready to go, my wife was back, and we were slower prepping than usual since I was doing it myself, and I was anxious to get on the water as our guests had also arrived.  I skipped my walk around.   BAD choice. 

I did have the plug in, BUT... I had not removed the transom straps -  To make a long story short, no damage to the boat, but the transom ratchet straps were trashed, and I was bright red embarrassed as I had a hell of a time getting it resolved on the ramp.   I was unable to fix the straps, so it was a moderately expensive complacency mistake. 

So my rule has become a bit firmer... I dont trust myself to not be distracted, and ALWAYS do my walk around no matter how much of a hurry I am in.    

 

I’m religious about completing a pre/post-launch walk around also but for some reason I forgot that detail.  Won’t be happening again!

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8 hours ago, tvano said:

it always amazes me the number of different ways that are available to screw this process up.

i've tried most of them.  no injuries is always a welcome outcome.

welcome to the crew (you will fit right in)

So true!

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Been there done that too!   1st time two weeks ago after 20 years I forgot to put the middle plug in.  Caught a lot of flack from my wife.  Luckily it was still partially on the trailer as she was driving it off.  We were able to recover quickly.   Apologized to fellow boater for the delay I forgot to put in the plug.  He response was WHO HASN'T.  

Similar to story above was distracted from my routine procedure.  I will from now on add the final walk around Double Check as that is GREAT advice!   Check it off the mental list then double check it again.  

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I forgot the plug after washing out the bilge- on my lift.   I can’t even remember why I thought I needed to lower the boat in he water, but I did and it quickly started filling.    I caught it before it got to anything it could hurt but it gave me a scare.  

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Glad it worked out. Fyi if my boat isnt perfect on the trailer (it usually is since my wife is a pro loader) then it will center itself after the first 2 bumps on the highway even with tramsom straps installed.   

You may see of yours will center itself next time. 

 

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Never forgot the plug... fingers crossed... 

although we have had one rather interesting experience. First day out on our families first boat ever, an older simple I/O.  Great day on the water, everything goes great. My dad is driving the boat onto the trailer and I’m at the winch, after many attempts to get it on the trailer my father gets as close as he can and jumps out. Soon to realize the boat was in the slightest amount of reverse... so he is holding onto the bow of the boat while it’s being pulled out into the freezing cold lake...  because it’s an I/O swimming around to the back would be way too risky as the prop is right there. Luckily there were two young guys in a aluminum fishing boat that were able to drive out and click the boat out of gear. 

So yeah... sometimes it’s good to learn from your mistakes and other times an extra precaution should be taken. 

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The only time I forgot the plug was when I got out of routine. A guy drives down the ramp with the boat I sold to him the previous year.  I was thrilled to see my old girl, and got out of rhythm.  I launched the boat, tied it to the dock and went to chit chat some more on the ramp.  It happened to be the same day that both of the bilge pumps in my MC decided not to work.  As we walked over to check out my new boat, he commented on how excited I must be to ride because the ballast appeared full.  I immediately knew what happened and popped the center hatch to find water barely below the floor.  I don't know why it wasn't worse, because we talked on the ramp for quite a while after I launched.  I immediately put the plug in and yelled to get my trailer back.   It sat on the trailer for a really long time before all of the water was gone.  And that boat had 2 plugs.  I had only forgotten the center plug (never removed the rear plug).  

I had to replace both bilge pumps.   

Another testimonial to not get out of rhythm.  

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On ‎6‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 9:15 AM, Norm02 said:

 I also realized that I FORGOT TO PUT THE MIDDLE PLUG BACK IN IT!!!  

That doesn't even count as stupid, everyone's done that.

I'm kinda disappointed, thought it was going to be something extraordinary.......

  • Like 1
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Damn near broke my hand a few years ago trying to re-launch the boat after the initial pull out, dunked it back in and disengaged the winch. Of course it under load and ripped out of my wet hand spun around and smacked the back side of my hand as the boat slides into the water. 

Just didn’t think that one all the way through. 

Edited by Stevo
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I had two separate instances with similarities. I was replacing some bunks (with another forum member) so we went to the lake on a weekday morning so i could leave my boat tied on the dock while i got some work done. I launched the boat, tied it up and got ready to get started. Like you, i was out of my normal launch sequence and realized i left the plug out. It wasn't out there long but it took 10+ minutes to drain all the water out. I was a little embarrassed but nothing happened. On another trip, i was launching by myself. Usually, when I'm with someone else, i unhook my winch at the top of the ramp, back down and someone drives it off the trailer. I was by myself and not thinking so i loosened the winch strap and unhooked it. Then i caught what i did and got back out and hooked up the strap, got back in the truck and slowly backed down til the boat floated. I didn't lock the winch so when the boat floated, it floated off the trailer and the winch unwound with the boat floating off. In a panic, i when to jump out of the truck but forgot to put the truck in park. Luckily i caught it before the truck backed into lake but the boat floated off far enough to pull out the whole winch strap out. Again, i was embarrassed but no harm done. 

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It’s amazing how routine and complacency can lead to carelessness. Not related to boating, but I wasn’t paying attention tonight while using my mitre saw, and cut my thumb. I just ended up nicking it, but it could have been so much worse. 

Edited by FSSPCat
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  • 2 weeks later...

>>> Steps into confessional <<<

Forgive me Malibu, I have sinned.  I havent been able to even talk about this for a week, I had been so ticked off.

Last weekend, the ramp was a typical zoo.    It was time to recover, and I had dropped of my driver to back the trailer in.    I moved safely away from the dock, and watched helplessly as some poor lady tried desperately to back her trailer down the ramp, with NO success.   She had the trailer jackknifed at least three times during the attempt.  In the mean time, someone with a Mercedes SUV was backed in so far that the bumper was under water, and the boat was floating off the trailer.    We decided to drop my son in law to be a good Samaritan and help out before the entire ramp was blocked.    It was tight... boats everywhere, and I nosed up to the dock and dropped him off.   But as I backed out I was blocked by another boat behind me.   I was trapped, so I tried to edge forward and asked my crew to help make sure I didnt contact the dock.   I got the requested bow help, but with relatively new crew in the back,  the reaction was slow, and I caught the corner of the dock right at the center of the boat.   I knew when it hit that it was a bad day... and it was.     After recovering, there it was, a nice 4-6" gouge in the gel (fortunately not to the fiberglass, and is above the waterline) and another 6" of mark (didnt break the surface tho).   It was my own stupidity... and there is no anger I have like being angry at myself.  I should have just idled until I could get further way by whatever means.   But there it is, and I have to look at it until this fall when I can get it repaired.   Otherwise, the boat is nearly as perfect as it was the day I took delivery. 

So I felt angry at, and sorry for myself the entire week.   I might not  have even  launched this weekend, but had a request from our visiting family for a day out on the boat.    So out we went, scratch and all.  We had an awesome day yesterday, but again, not surprisingly the ramp was a mess at 5:00 when we recovered, and it had become fairly windy.  People were struggling.   Our recovery went smooth as silk, but just as I was hooking up the strap, I heard this sickening crunch from next to me.   I looked over, and a Supreme picklefork had missed his approach, and caught the guide pole in the pickefork, snapped off the top 12" of the guide pole, and dragged it along the broken guide pole from the bow back past the windshield.   From my position (15' away), I could see the gouge in the gel.   The guy trying to catch the boat (I assume the owner by the pitch of his voice) was shouting to back up, and as the driver tried, it high pointed on the broken guide pole.   The guy in the water muscled the bow up the best he could, and it dragged coming off too.   I was sick.  I dont know how old the boat was, but it was obviously very well cared for.   I couldn't see, but was worried about what damage might have been done when it high pointed when he tried to back out. 

It has made me wonder, seems like it could be very easy to trap a guide pole in a pickle fork if on a missed approach... where as with a traditional bow it might just deflect.    Either way, the result is sickening, but my scratch as annoying as it is, seems pale in comparison. 

>>> exits from confessional <<<

 

 

 

Edited by JeffC
  • Like 3
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On 7/9/2018 at 8:41 AM, JeffC said:

>>> Steps into confessional <<<

It has made me wonder, seems like it could be very easy to trap a guide pole in a pickle fork if on a missed approach... where as with a traditional bow it might just deflect.    Either way, the result is sickening, but my scratch as annoying as it is, seems pale in comparison. 

>>> exits from confessional <<<

 

 

 

It is actually quite easy to catch the guide with the pickle fork! While we are confessing, I caught the guide with my 22 MXZ on my first time out. Fortunately, the guide just crumpled at the base where it attaches to the trailer, so other than a bent pole no damage to boat or trailer. Well, a bent pole and a severely damaged ego! You really have to bring the pickle fork on dead center. No forgiveness like a traditional bow. I was very happy when the new guide came in and I could put that mistake behind me.

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Nice thread...

It's unfortunate that there is so much anxiety launching and loading, at least for me. Mental checklists, etc. 

I launched my 22 VLX for the first time on a ramp I had never used. Launched without a problem but the ramp was sooooooooo steep with a short big drop off in a river with a slight current. I knew it was going to be weird loading it. Sure enough, to get the bow anywhere near above the winching point I had to completely bury the trailer and float the boat into the correct spot while slowly pulling out. If I had power loaded (not allowed there) the bow would have collided with the winch post about two feet below the roller. I mean, the ramp was crazy steep and dropped off into the river to the point where the top of the guide polls where underwater... yes, underwater. And the rear tires of the truck where not even in the water. I feel like the trailer should have a v shaped bunk to bring the bow up to the correct height when loading.

The embarrassing part was the foam guide poll protectors floated off and away. My daughter had to jump in and save them. The absent pads resulted in a guide poll scratch on the hull just under the water line.

Never using that ramp again... shame because its right by my house.

 

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I did that the very first time I loaded mine. It doesn’t seem right, but putting the trailer in deeper is what caused all of your problems. It would be hard to winch it in by hand, but it will work every time

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16 hours ago, toddthelineman said:

I did that the very first time I loaded mine. It doesn’t seem right, but putting the trailer in deeper is what caused all of your problems. It would be hard to winch it in by hand, but it will work every time

I bought some carpet bunk spray to ease winching it on for next time, but I don't want it to slide off the trailer when launching it either ( I keep the winch strap on and locked).

Whats the deal with Malibu trailers and no safety straps anyway?

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2 hours ago, Norsman said:

I bought some carpet bunk spray to ease winching it on for next time, but I don't want it to slide off the trailer when launching it either ( I keep the winch strap on and locked).

Whats the deal with Malibu trailers and no safety straps anyway?

Mine has a safety chain from the frame of the trailer to the bow eye. ‘91 though

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