Heavy boat, slick ramp= Bad

kclm7 · September 2, 2004

A guy that works in our plant in Fargo managed to lose his truck at the boat ramp over the weekend. He has a heavy fiberglass boat and I guess when he was trying to pull it out his truck lost traction on the ramp and slid all the way back into the lake. The divers said the truck was in park with the brake set when they went down to it. Anway, he sent us some pics here today so I thought I would share.

Getting ready:

kclm7 · September 2, 2004

Trailer still attached

:haha:

Steve

99Silver6.0 · September 2, 2004

Oooohh does that suck! Few months back somebody sent me a link to pictures of some guy pulling a jetski with a C5 Vette! When he was backing down the ramp he started sliding and the car/ski trailer went bye-bye into the water.

kclm7 · September 2, 2004

Oooohh does that suck! Few months back somebody sent me a link to pictures of some guy pulling a jetski with a C5 Vette! When he was backing down the ramp he started sliding and the car/ski trailer went bye-bye into the water.

Post that link if you've got it. I'd like to see that.

tmf6902 · September 2, 2004

How is the truck now?? I imagine it's a total loss??? Was it saltwater or fresh....as if it makes a difference when you entire truck is underneath it...cool pics though

GMCSLE · September 2, 2004

I would be absolutely sick..... That would have to be a total loss now wouldn't it? Just picture all the dirt, water, etc sticking to various places inside the truck.

I've never loaded/unloaded a boat from a trailer before but how exactly does a truck loose traction on dry pavement with that much weight sitting on it? Did he have the wheels buried in the water? I'm guessing the boat wasn't already hooked to the trailer and ready to go if it's not in the picture. Almost sounds like the truck was too far into the water if the brake was set and it was in park.

Hey steve! Another old ClubGP'er here.

Here's the link to the Vette and jetski. The pictures are broken but the story is there.

http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=114542

99Silver6.0 · September 2, 2004

I would be absolutely sick..... That would have to be a total loss now wouldn't it? Just picture all the dirt, water, etc sticking to various places inside the truck.

I've never loaded/unloaded a boat from a trailer before but how exactly does a truck loose traction on dry pavement with that much weight sitting on it? Did he have the wheels buried in the water? I'm guessing the boat wasn't already hooked to the trailer and ready to go if it's not in the picture. Almost sounds like the truck was too far into the water if the brake was set and it was in park.

Hey steve! Another old ClubGP'er here.

Here's the link to the Vette and jetski. The pictures are broken but the story is there.

http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=114542

Dammit! The pics made it 10 times funnier! Oh well, you found the link before I did.

Cool Zr2 · September 2, 2004

I would cry if that was my truck.

99silveradoz71 · September 3, 2004

Time to find a giant hair dryer

ness5575 · September 3, 2004

there has got to be more to this story.

was he actually in the truck trying to pull the boat out (as in putting the truck in drive and hitting the gas?).

or did the truck just slide in while he was out of it on the pier?

i know boat ramps get slippery, but not enough to let something that heavy (the truck) start sliding.

and if it was the weight of the boat pulling the truck in, at some point the boat would start floating and stop pulling the truck?

i wonder if the piece of the transmission that holds it in park broke and the p. brake couldnt hold?

seadoons · September 3, 2004

There is definately something more to this story! I was very surprised to see that this truck is 4WD - I launch our boat constantly and have never had a problem. Yes, the ramps do sometimes get very slippery because of the algae growth, but typically I can pull out in 2WD. Sometimes 4WD is needed if the back tires just won't grab, but that hardly ever happens. I guess maybe that ramp isn't very steep and if he had to back way down into the water to get the boat to float it and all 4 wheels were on the slick algae I could see it happening...who knows!

superbee · September 3, 2004

Yup, it sunk. "LIKE A ROCK!"

Sorry, couldn't resist.

kclm7 · September 3, 2004

How is the truck now?? I imagine it's a total loss??? Was it saltwater or fresh....as if it makes a difference when you entire truck is underneath it...cool pics though

The insurance company totalled it right away. It went into freshwater but still nothing would work right again. He's already got a new 1500 Crew.

kclm7 · September 3, 2004

I would be absolutely sick..... That would have to be a total loss now wouldn't it? Just picture all the dirt, water, etc sticking to various places inside the truck.

I've never loaded/unloaded a boat from a trailer before but how exactly does a truck loose traction on dry pavement with that much weight sitting on it? Did he have the wheels buried in the water? I'm guessing the boat wasn't already hooked to the trailer and ready to go if it's not in the picture. Almost sounds like the truck was too far into the water if the brake was set and it was in park.

Hey steve! Another old ClubGP'er here.

Here's the link to the Vette and jetski. The pictures are broken but the story is there.

http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=114542

I agree, the story doesn't make total sense. I need to get more info from him. I do know from talking to another guy here that his tires were pretty bald. He was "getting by until winter" before putting new ones on.

BTW, Hi to a fellow ex GP'er!

kclm7 · September 3, 2004

I guess maybe that ramp isn't very steep and if he had to back way down into the water to get the boat to float it and all 4 wheels were on the slick algae I could see it happening...who knows!

You can see by the pics that the back tires need to be about 1/2 in before the trailer really gets covered good. I don't think the ramp is very steep.