Don't Forget Your Safety Chain . . .
 

OR your transom tie-downs . . .

OK - they were stacked up at the Ramp like airliners over O'Hare in a snowstorm.
There was a diesel spill in Huntington Harbour.
I need to quick fetch my boat to top it up with street gas. . . seeing the traffic at the Ramp, I want to execute the perfect "dip and go" retrieval. I get the trailer in quick, and the boat on the trailer. PERFECT. As I'm headin up the Ramp, the tongue pops off the ball and the trailer rolls ( STEEP RAMP ) back down toward the water. The trailer safety chains catch, but the bunks are slippery from the diesel spill and the boat slips backwards on the bunks.
The winch-strap SNAPPED at the hook.

The only thing saved me from the resounding crunch of fiberglass on concrete was the safety chain from the bow eye to the trailer. I did not have transom tie-downs.

LESSON: Don't let the traffic at the Ramp influence your safety check. Take EVERY precaution before starting up the ramp. Because I was in a hurry, I almost waited to connect the safety chain until I was clear of the ramp. Figuring the strap was enough.

IT WASN"T . . .

Re: Don't Forget Your Safety Chain . . .
 

I make quality winch straps and transome tie downs if you are interested. Sorry to hear of your troubles. :(

Re: Don't Forget Your Safety Chain . . .
 

Stain your undies, or what? :eek: :eek: :D :drink:

Re: Don't Forget Your Safety Chain . . .
 

It could have been SO bad . . . don't forget your walkaround. No matter how many people are waiting . . . it doesn't take that long.

Re: Don't Forget Your Safety Chain . . .
 

For some reason, I have this fear of the boat slipping off the trailer on the ramp and the winch strap breaks. I put a new strap on just because, and I also use another strap as the safty chain, until I can find a good set up for a chain. I don't care how much of a hurry I'm in, that 2nd strap goes on so I don't have any "oop's" storys to tell.

Hearing your story reinforces my idea that I need to tie that baby down!!!! Thank you! :D

Re: Don't Forget Your Safety Chain . . .
 

I would FREAK OUT if this happened. Thank you for sharing your close call/story. This is the last straw I needed to go and add a safefy chain. Hell, I might add two, (one anchored forward, one anchored backward). I rely on my winch strap when coming up the ramp, and I have a step bottom boat which would have difficulty sliding off the trailer; but its still needed.

I did lose my Polaris PWC off my trailer once, in my driveway. We were working on several PWC, moving them from trailer to trailer, in & out of the garage. I picked up the tongue of the single place trailer, high enough to swing a 180* turn over another ski and sure enough, bloop... whomp... right onto the pavement. Ride plate took most of the blow, and was not damaged, and I was able to ease the bow down gently. This was only a 550lb PWC, so we loaded it by hand, but it still was an eye openner.

Re: Don't Forget Your Safety Chain . . .
 

I can say that I always snap the bow safety chain on before the boat starts up the ramp. I have this horrific fear of the boat slipping backwards off the trailer.

Thanks for sharing the story. It just reinforces it for ALL of us.

Re: Don't Forget Your Safety Chain . . .
 

Saving just ONE hull, one outdrive . . . my work here is done.

DON'T . . . I repeat, DON'T rely on your winch-strap.

Re: Don't Forget Your Safety Chain . . .
 

safety first always

Re: Don't Forget Your Safety Chain . . .
 

By the way - if you have a winch-strap with a few years on it, inspect the threads that secure the loop where the strap meets the hook.
That ( pretty much obviously ) is where my strap failed.

My safety chain right now is so tight, I will not be able to remove the pin from the shackle until I float the boat somewhat. . . . IT SAVED MY ASS.
I have already purchased the new winch-strap and tie-downs.

Sharp lesson, well learned.