DATBL: Down At The Boat Launch

"Aremmes" (aremmes) 05/01/2019 at 10:30 • Filed to: boatlopnik, failopnik, launch it

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My father regularly sends me pictures of sunrises, sunsets, beaches, palm trees, and other assorted reminders of the fact that he lives by a beach on the Caribbean while I live 25 degrees north in quantitatively definite non-tropical environs. Sometimes he sends me pictures of random happenings at the town’s harbor like the occasional cruiser dropping anchor there. Last night he sent me this doozy.

The story goes that the owner had just bought the pictured ~20-foot Seabaygradyraylinerwhite, his first boat purchase, the previous day and towed it about 60 miles to the boat launch to try it for the first time. It seems that he bought the boat without a trailer, so he had someone put the boat on a flatbed truck, hoping that the flatbed would extend far enough back and down to dip into the water. The truck’s driver (Dad didn’t mention if he’s also the boat’s owner) apparently didn’t notice the launch ramp nearby, and instead parked the truck on the beach. Then, thinking that the water was deep enough, they slid the boat down into the water and immediately stuck it in the sand. Apparently they figured that the tide would flow a few hours later and lift the boat enough to float it to the pier, so they then proceeded to slide the flatbed out from under the boat and drop it down there to wait it out, but not before raising the outboard engine out of the way, thus promptly cracking it.

Let this be a PSA - if you’re going to launch your boat on your own, make sure to have the proper equipment and follow the proper precautions.

Sovande > Aremmes 05/01/2019 at 10:35

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My slip overlooks the laun ch ramp at my marina. I get endless hours of enjoyment watching the antics.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Aremmes 05/01/2019 at 10:43

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Idiota

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Sovande 05/01/2019 at 10:48

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Not dealing with other people at the launch ramp makes the price of our slip worthwhile in and of itself.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Aremmes 05/01/2019 at 10:59

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I can’t even fathom doing this 

Aremmes > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/01/2019 at 11:05

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This guy didn’t have enough fathoms to do it right.

Aremmes > Sovande 05/01/2019 at 11:07

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One of my favorite pastimes is to sit in the cockpit with a cold beer in hand and watch other people fumble.

just-a-scratch > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/01/2019 at 13:04

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It just gives you a sinking feeling, doesn’t it?

just-a-scratch > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/01/2019 at 13:05

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The boat owner thought they would bow down to his ingenuity. Only the boat did so.

functionoverfashion > Aremmes 05/21/2019 at 10:46

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I was watching a show the other day called Chasing Monsters, which is far better than it sounds. It’s a guy who travels the world fishing for huge fish, he speaks several languages and goes places like the Amazon, South Africa, far northern Canada, etc.

Anyway, they were in South Africa and the guy he’s with goes to beach-launch his boat, something they do regularly, in a place with significant surf. So they dump the boat on the sand facing the waves, using a big 4wd tractor. Then spin the tractor around and put a ~30' wooden pole between the boat and the tractor - each has a special metal bracket to hold the pole in place and not damage either vehicle. At the boat driver’s signal, the tractor shoves the boat off into the waves as hard and fast as possible. The tractor gets wet, but is able to back up and not get submerged. The boat charges forward up and over the incoming waves and off it goes.

Holy shit, it was the craziest successful boat launch I’d ever seen. This is with a ~25' twin- outboard center console, mind you.

Like this (at 1:20) but WAY bigger surf coming in, and the tractor went in much deeper.