Boat launch mishap.
- Thread starter Major Catastrophe
- Start date
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
I don't understand how the car was turned 180 deg. with a trailer attached 
jfm
Well-Known Member
I reckon that's Hurricane's car. And it was in the west country. 
nyx2k
Well-Known Member
did anyone see the 4x4 jeep under water last week at itchenor.
he got out the car to check on the boat and the car rolled backwards and the boat floated off and the car and trailer continued into the water and was covered right up to the roofline.
he took it well though
he got out the car to check on the boat and the car rolled backwards and the boat floated off and the car and trailer continued into the water and was covered right up to the roofline.
he took it well though
epervier
Well-Known Member
Well if he's the owner in the first photo, he doesn't exactly look dressed to recover a sports boat up a slippery launch ramp!
Although you have to feel their pain, being photographed and put in a national paper, now the internet, and then filling in his insurance claim form, do you think they'll pay out?
Although you have to feel their pain, being photographed and put in a national paper, now the internet, and then filling in his insurance claim form, do you think they'll pay out?
Philiz
Well-Known Member
Interesting that no-one was in the car when it happened. so they weren't even trying to tow it up the slip. Wonder if the photos are out of sequence and it turned 180 degrees after being submerged. But where's the trailer, or at least a rope attached to the trailer?
gjgm
Well-Known Member
can believe the first photo.. some hoodlum is breaking into the front seat storage box !
Philiz
Well-Known Member
Yes, as long as he's comprehensively insured and a mechanical defect didn't cause or contribute towards the incident.
Bobobolinsky
Well-Known Member
Easy enough to do, I had a similar incident with a Saab 900 at the slip at Stockwith basin in February, can't remember the year. Luckily, a passing 4x4 pulled us clear before we slid into the water. It's one of those questions, Why does all the rubbish end up on a slip?
Csail
N/A
Maybe thats where slip way comes from. Our 6 ton boat went like a lifeboat launch out of the slings when the tractor lost grip.
mlines
Well-Known Member
I don't understand how the car was turned 180 deg. with a trailer attached
It didn't, the pictures are not in order and you have to read the captions and text carefully.
The FIRST picture is as the car is being RECOVERED. Note the blue boat cover has been put on the slipway.
The SECOND picture is during the incident. Note the blue boat cover floating in the water.
If you read the text "They watched helplessly as the BMW 7 series filled with water, slowly spun through 180 degrees, then slowly disappeared from view in West Bay, Dorset."
So it went into the water backwards as you would expect. Then I would guess that weight of the engine end, compared to the "floatiness" of the boot end meant that the car span 180 degrees as the engine continued down the ramp and the boot floated around. The only thing not explained was how the trailer parted company with the car, perhaps it was on a rope as using a proper technique would suggest it should have been.
Martin
Major Catastrophe
Well-Known Member
No, you are wrong. Callum (AndieMac) is Australian so everything down there happens upside and backwards.
They always launch their cars and drive home in the boat.
Lakesailor
Well-Known Member
I reckon the clue is on her sweat shirt.
tinkicker0
Well-Known Member
Might have had one of those front mounted towbars for trailer launching.
I recall my first visit to Windermere on me Yam RD250 with me mates. Must have been around 1980, watched a bloke reverse a Granada Ghia Estate down the ramp with boat on.
Interestingly the boat went in and floated. So did the trailer, I guess he forgot to untie the boat.
He jumps out of the car to see what's what and the car slid backwards into water right up to the bottom of the driver's seats.
We all got hold and managed to stop it going in further until a tractor arrived to pull it out.
That was pretty trippy.
I recall my first visit to Windermere on me Yam RD250 with me mates. Must have been around 1980, watched a bloke reverse a Granada Ghia Estate down the ramp with boat on.
Interestingly the boat went in and floated. So did the trailer, I guess he forgot to untie the boat.
He jumps out of the car to see what's what and the car slid backwards into water right up to the bottom of the driver's seats.
We all got hold and managed to stop it going in further until a tractor arrived to pull it out.
That was pretty trippy.
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
That may be the case Major, but its always good to get some inspiration from our British cousins
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
During my very first beach launching, with my very first speed boat (15' with 110 hp Merc.) at the ripe old age of 18 years, I bogged the car in the sand with an incoming tide.
Within a few short minutes, it seemed like half the population of the beach ran towards the stricken car, and pretty much lifted it up and forward with the trailer attached, so I could get it out.
At the time the water was nearly in the exhaust pipe on a really flat, shallow beach.
A really impressive show of help and support by the beach goers, and needless to say, a very grateful car owner
.
Searush
Well-Known Member
During my very first beach launching, with my very first speed boat (15' with 110 hp Merc.) at the ripe old age of 18 years, I bogged the car in the sand with an incoming tide.
Within a few short minutes, it seemed like half the population of the beach ran towards the stricken car, and pretty much lifted it up and forward with the trailer attached, so I could get it out.
At the time the water was nearly in the exhaust pipe on a really flat, shallow beach.
A really impressive show of help and support by the beach goers, and needless to say, a very grateful car owner
Today they would stand around jeering & taking videos & pics on mobile phones for posting on the internet to further humiliate you.
I can remember trying to help a guy in danger of sliding down a slipway & being told to "Sod off". In the end he did get away with it - but only just!
AndieMac
Well-Known Member
Locally a little bit of 'ramp rage' occurs on busy days at busy ramps/slips, as people slowly take their time to prepare the boat for launching, but generally folks are only too willing to do what they can to help.
Our biggest problem is yobbo fisherman standing on jetties and river pontoons and not letting boats berth alongside. The resentful thugs will even resort to violence to claim space for their fishing rods and cans of beer, even though signage states, 'priority given to vessels berthing'.
Our biggest problem is yobbo fisherman standing on jetties and river pontoons and not letting boats berth alongside. The resentful thugs will even resort to violence to claim space for their fishing rods and cans of beer, even though signage states, 'priority given to vessels berthing'.