COPS - what did they do wrong?

[Rustic Charm]

The guys in the boat of the OP just made a silly mistake and the first one they made is that no one person took charge, and that one person is meant to be the skipper of the vessel. It doesn't matter about rank on the ground, it's the skipper of the boat.

When I was doing marine duties, I'd let others hitch up the trailer, even load the boat at times, but I considered it my responsibility to check everything before driving off. These guys simply added to the mess, probably conscious that a camera was on them, by proceeding to put the trailer and all in the water.

BUT there is an element of but by the grace of god go I in this. Mobile phones (cell phones) with cameras make it so much easier to be caught out now adays and as we are seeing GoPro Cameras are being used more and more on boats so we are seeing water accidents and mishaps occuring too. Back in the mid 90's I had fixed a hydrolic leak in the steering lines of our police midnight mariner and without checking I'd connected the correct lines I then put it in the water to go for a spin. As it was a cat I hadn't picked up until I was 50 meters off that I'd reversed the steering lines. I got back alright being a cat as I steered by the engines, but not before a few guys from the local yacht club noticed what was going on and had a really good laugh.

Another time a junior collegue who had recently been authorised to use the vessel had taken it out with another officer had attempted to cross into a channel well known for it's shallowness. He'd not followed the markers and got stuck on an almost high but falling tide of all things. He spent the entire day sitting there and at low tide was high and dry. Nothing was said officially the log book didn't record this incident. But the town next to this channel was awash with laughter and jokes about it and people asking me if it was me. I had no idea what they were talking about and given the log didn't record it I decided to check the vessel. He'd tried to wash away the evidence but it was clear from mud inside the cabin and on other items of gear that it had been stuck in mud. Eventually his crewman at the time owned up to what happened. I'm surprised that at least a still picture was not taken.

Eventually, we all do stupid things. The wisdom is not to keep repeating them.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You guys really want to see something funny, go down to Austin Tx, Lake Travis specifically on like a Memorial day weekend, best time is late afternoon after there are many drunks. There are very few public boat ramps so they are very crowded.
The festivities are hilarious, then if you get bored shoot over to "Hippy Hollow"

The Hiram Chittenden Locks in Seattle are another good place to see "festivities" late afternoon on a holiday weekend when the drunks come home.
I once saw a stern drive metalflake deep V with an all chrome V8 engine come in. No fenders, they tied to the lock bollards with string because they had no lines.
Another similar stern drive boat (different day) in the big lock which has a width big enough to handle ships, T boned the wall because he was so drunk.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Guys - some of these posts are getting pretty close to where I'll have to start moderating them. Let's lighten up please

Thanks Carsten. I posted this for entertainment and sport. -- and then a fight broke out.

My list:
Wrong hitch size or the hitch not latched
The tongue caddy was down. May have been transported that way
Caddy wheel hit a bump and lifted the hitch.
No chains
No life jackets
No painter
Left the trailer winch cable attached
Was there a stern tie-down for transport? None seen.

The potential here for bodily injury was high. The officer tossed out in the ground-loop was lucky. Getting the cable free from the bow was not without its hazards either. Once the cable was free, they also had to dive for the trailer.

How many of these things would get one of us a citation?

The boat launch here in Grand Rapids on Reeds Lake is a constant source of entertainment. Never go without a camera.

[sailnow2011]

That is Albany police department in NY. The boat ramp is in down town albany by the swing bridge. This exact video was shown during my boaters safety course in 2005.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

Thanks Carsten. I posted this for entertainment and sport. -- and then a fight broke out.

It's Cruisers Forum isn't it?

[carstenb]

One of the funniest I've ever seen was a guy who was launching fromthe trailer ramp. Unfortunately, he'd forgotten to take the 2 web strap he had wrapped around hte boat/trailer off.

Trailer goes down into the water, boat starts to float, lifts the trailer, hitch comes undone(no safety chain) and now the boat is floating around out there with the trailer tied to its bottom.

We did manage to drag the boat/trailer back up to the ramp, get the straps off and get him boating.
I actually felt sorry for him - he just forgot the strap were there

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

Thanks Carsten. I posted this for entertainment and sport. -- and then a fight broke out.

My list:
Wrong hitch size or the hitch not latched
The tongue caddy was down. May have been transported that way
Caddy wheel hit a bump and lifted the hitch.
No chains
No life jackets
No painter
Left the trailer winch cable attached
Was there a stern tie-down for transport? None seen.

The potential here for bodily injury was high. The officer tossed out in the ground-loop was lucky. Getting the cable free from the bow was not without its hazards either. Once the cable was free, they also had to dive for the trailer.

How many of these things would get one of us a citation?

The boat launch here in Grand Rapids on Reeds Lake is a constant source of entertainment. Never go without a camera.

Though it is the U.S, I doubt any of those would get you a citation (ticket). Certainly wouldn't here. Comical errors like this in Australia are not illegal. Life jackets are not required to put a boat in the water, only when operating the boat here. It's not unlawful to 'unhitch' a trailer, or 'un do the safety chain' to launch a boat here either. Not ver bright. But not unlawful. I doubt that it is there either.

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by carstenb

One of the funniest I've ever seen was a guy who was launching fromthe trailer ramp. Unfortunately, he'd forgotten to take the 2 web strap he had wrapped around hte boat/trailer off.

Trailer goes down into the water, boat starts to float, lifts the trailer, hitch comes undone(no safety chain) and now the boat is floating around out there with the trailer tied to its bottom.

We did manage to drag the boat/trailer back up to the ramp, get the straps off and get him boating.
I actually felt sorry for him - he just forgot the strap were there

The commodore of the Manly Yacht Squadron took the straps off, but he also disconnected the winch hook on the front of a really nice new certerboard daysailer. The boat started to roll off the back of the trailer before it hit the water. The driver then slammed on the brakes, which was exactly the wrong thing to do. The boat then slid about 10 meters on the rough concrete ramp, and was no longer new...

[buzzstar]

Come on people, each person who has ever participated in launching a trailer boat of any size that has a drain in the transom that should be closed with some type of plug, but someone in the launch group has forgotten to install it, please stand up, take deep breath, and count to ten slowly before launching your next speculative hit on the cops. If anyone who has actually launched a trailer boat perfectly every time wants to comment, please proceed, and just wait, your turn will come.The video itself tells the story, none of us can meaningfully augment it unless we were there.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

The commodore of the Manly Yacht Squadron took the straps off, but he also disconnected the winch hook on the front of a really nice new centerboard daysailer. The boat started to roll off the back of the trailer before it hit the water. The driver then slammed on the brakes, which was exactly the wrong thing to do. The boat then slid about 10 meters on the rough concrete ramp, and was no longer new...

Our neighborhood has a community boat launch.
A few years ago, we heard a huge crash followed by a lot of scraping.
Yup, his brand new boat was no longer brand new.
It didn't slide all the way to the water, but to get it back on the trailer required that they push it the rest of the way to the water.
And yes, they also forgot the drain plug !

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Though it is the U.S, I doubt any of those would get you a citation (ticket). Certainly wouldn't here. Comical errors like this in Australia are not illegal. Life jackets are not required to put a boat in the water, only when operating the boat here. It's not unlawful to 'unhitch' a trailer, or 'un do the safety chain' to launch a boat here either. Not ver bright. But not unlawful. I doubt that it is there either.

Are you sure about this? I reckon if you were caught towing a trailer without a safety chain fitted, you'd get booked.

[0urh]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Are you sure about this? I reckon if you were caught towing a trailer without a safety chain fitted, you'd get booked.

Yes, and in Qld, if you do not use rated shackles to connect your safety chain to your vehicle, you will also be booked! The rules are becoming ridiculous to save idiots from themselves

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by 0urh

Yes, and in Qld, if you do not use rated shackles to connect your safety chain to your vehicle, you will also be booked! The rules are becoming ridiculous to save idiots from themselves

You could technically be booked for it here, but I've not heard of it happening. There has been a lot more publicity about having rated shackles here since a trailer came of a mini bus head on into a car and killed the occupants on the Bass Highway about two years ago. So, personally I don't see them as rediculous anymore.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Are you sure about this? I reckon if you were caught towing a trailer without a safety chain fitted, you'd get booked.

I reckon if you were caught towing a trailer without a safety chain fitted, you would definitely get booked. Yes! But that's not what I was referring to now was it😒

[SimonV]

People Sleep Peacefully in Their Beds at Night Only Because Rougbh Men Stand Ready to Do Violence on Their Behalf



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