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So I backed into a boat dock this weekend

5K views 40 replies 26 participants last post by  Dan_Lorenze 
#1 ·
So I went to the river this past weekend and pulled a rookie mistake backing up my friends boat trailer. I have been boating for over 15 years now and besides leaving the drive down once I now have this to add to my list of mishaps. After a long day of boating on the river I went to get my friends truck and trailer to do my part. As I was backing down the launch ramp the trailer completely disappeared on me due to the angle of the launch ramp and the height of the truck (chevy 4 door long bed deisel on 38' tires). I was lined up perfect, so I thought and some how I managed to hit the boat dock. I was so sick to my stomach the rest of the trip because not mine and my friends boat/trailer are basically brand new. Hopefully someone can relate, just feel like shiat.

Wondering how much a triple axel fender with diamond plate will run me?

Alloy wheel Tire Vehicle Wheel Automotive tire

whoops.:dumb_ass:
 
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#2 ·
i have the exact same truck and size tires as well as triple axle trailer and i know what you mean. I can easily see how you can loose touch of the trailer being that high, next time put the tailgate down, it does help so you can see the end of the trailer a little bit. since its not a stainless fender, it should not be too much to fix at all, probably re-using the diamond plating since it looks to be rivited on. good luck.
 
#6 ·
I wanted to drop the tailgate but I was afraid of hitting the gate on the trailer jack. i guess it would have cleared it no problem being so high. lesson learned, when it doubt stop and get out.
LOL, my wife did exactly that. Wasnt till the next day that I saw it, took me a while to figure it out, bless her soul, she felt horrible but hey,shit happens right.
I've done worse myself!!!!!!!! Fix it and boat on;)
NSF
 
#5 ·
You need to tell your friend to drill a hole and mount a back-up camera in the center of the license plate! And get one of the Rex marine stringer washers and add some angle to it on the bench grinder(to face it down). :D

Oh and the diamond plate can be reused, just rivot it on to the new fender.
 
#8 ·
I on my old trailer, I had a flip up off road flag on about a 8 foot whip that I set up on the back of the trailer for backing....Works especially well with little short trailers behind big tall trucks.
 
#17 ·
with the angle of the ramp and the height of truck the trailer disappeared in the mirrors, even looking over my shoulder to try and get a glimpse of the trailer wasnt an option. i thought i was lined up pretty good until i saw the boat dock move a bit. got out a shiat my board shorts.
 
#20 ·
Even if the truck is lifted - you shouldn't have been able to lose the trailer in the mirrors. I just backed down my friend's trailer (smaller 25' Shockwave Tremor boat) with their truck (6" lift and 35s) and I never lost the driver's side wheels of the trailer. I just line them up with a line on the dock and follow the line. Simple.With my lowered truck and longer 34' (hitch to tail) trailer, it's even easier.Hey, it's over now. Just fix it and don't do it again.
 
#23 ·
The first thing I was taught when I learned to drive a semi truck. No looking over your shoulder, that is what mirrors are for.
Exactly. Looking at the MIDDLE of the trailer or boat is not doing anybody any good. You HAVE to see both sides.
 
#27 ·
Minor backing boo boo? No big deal, we've all done it. At least it's a relatively inexpensive fix, and a hell of a lot better than a fat gouge in the gelcoat on his new boat doing something retarded. Once you get it fixed, it'll be "water under the boat" so to speak.

You want something expensive to fix, try hitting a f^&#!*g truck retread laying in the roadway at 70 mph. When I did it, the steel cords gouged the trailer paint to the metal, the gelcoat on the hull through to the underlaying fiberglass sheeting, and bent the fender until it touched the front tire. Yeah, I was thrilled with that repair bill.

As an aside, I regularly backed my boat trailer with a rhino in the bed of the truck, no way to look over the shoulders to see. I got decent at it by practicing the mirror technique with an unloaded trailer for about 15 minutes in an open lot. Once you get it down, piece of cake. ( In fact, I think every boat retailer shold make new buyers do this, makes the frustrating "launch ramp serpentine" antics much less frequent.)

Good luck and don't worry, stuff like this happens. True friends fix it right away when they do it, and true friends forget all about it when it's all over.
 
#28 ·
I'm pretty sure that all of you guys that are taking shots at using the mirrors are NOT getting the fact that the OP lost view of the trailer because of the angle of the ramp. Trailer goes over the edge, truck is still level.........
 
#29 ·
I'm pretty sure that all of you guys that are taking shots at using the mirrors are NOT getting the fact that the OP lost view of the trailer because of the angle of the ramp. Trailer goes over the edge, truck is still level.........
Well, I have been being nice. But since you want the actual answer - that is false. EVERY time I back down a ramp, I watch the left side tires of the TRAILER in the mirror. I check the right side occasionally, but only have to look again if there is some form of blockage over there. If it's all clear, only watch the left side.

So, MOST trailers are at LEAST 96" wide, wheel track to wheel track. Some of the bigger ones are the full 102" The average tow vehicle is not wider than 6' (72") or 7' (84"). So, you can ALWAYS see the trailer tires, as they are ALWAYS wider than your tow rig - unless it's a tiny boat, maybe. This is why most people who have a lot of towing experience tell you to use your friggen mirrors. Not enough people do.

Had this guy used his mirrors - or his FRIENDS mirrors, as it is - he would never have lost sight of the trailer. I've been over some pretty steep ramp transitions and never lost sight of the wheels in the mirror.

Let's go to fairlyland for a minute. Let's say you DID find a crest of a ramp that made for lost vision in the mirrors. IF YOU WERE ACTUALLY STRAIGHT AND LINED-UP before you transitioned, there would be NO way you could shift the trailer far enough over to hit something before you got the rear tires of the tow vehicle to the crest. If you're straight when you lose sight - you will be straight when you regain sight. UNLESS you make a turn in between. It's just physics, people.
 
#31 ·
belly pistol, that sux but hey shit happens if you boat long enough !!! i've been boating for some 30 + years i've seen my share of stupid and god knows i've been part of that stupid equation a few times also . long as your buddy is cool take care of everthing the right way and he'll be cool !!!good luck TUNNEL T
 
#34 ·
It's not that hard to keep an eye on any trailer at any time; steep ramp, snow on the windows, pea soup fog, single sea-doo trailer behind a lifted truck, etc. It just takes a bit of practice to get the feel, which is what I was suggesting. You go out and do it enough, you can probably do it blindfolded.

And yes, I've made PLENTY of mistakes while backing, especially into my garage. (There's still a small fender hole in the drywall from making the turn a bit too slowly.) THATS why I went and learned how to be better at it, so I'll cut down on the chance of it happening again.

Just suggestions, take them for what they're worth...
 
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