Boat Launching Checklist
Submitted by Magic on Mon, 2010-10-04 13:25
I was watching a boating show over the weekend and during one of the segments a bloke was down at a ramp running through a list of things everyone should check before launching their boat.
Aside from all the usual items eg check bung is screwed in, he suggested that the trailer light socket should be disconnected from the vehicle before submersing the lights. Being relatively new to boating, it’s not something I’ve done and can’t really say it’s something I’ve noticed others at the ramp doing.
Would be interested to hear who does it and why.
southcity104
Posts: 1659
Date Joined: 27/01/09
Take it slow..
and dont rush. When i rush thats when i come unstuck
"Its a life style job"
Likc
Posts: 361
Date Joined: 09/08/09
In case your lights are not
In case your lights are not 100% watertight and you hit the breaks, it will blow your fuse. Well, my theory. So it’s just “precorshens 1st” how somebody on this forum would say.
alfred
Posts: 3097
Date Joined: 12/01/07
My brakes are wired into the
My brakes are wired into the same plug as the lights, so they stay plugged in.
The check list will depend on the boat.
Generally you want to know that your batteries are charged, you have the boat keys and that you have your safety gear onboard -before you leave the house.
At the rigging area, have you taken off the rear straps?
Bung/s if any, in?
Lamby
Posts: 3145
Date Joined: 04/08/09
Boat Keys! Forgot them once
Boat Keys! Forgot them once and hopefully never, felt like the biggest tool racing home to get them.
dagree
Posts: 660
Date Joined: 08/12/07
Boat Keys!!!!!!!
Now that is not funny......... but good to know I am not the only one that has done it
Only thing is we travelled over 150 k's to the ramp so put the boat back on trailer and drove home again.
Another thing to add to the checklist is a spare winch handle if it's removable... Left ours on the trailer once when we went out and as you can guess it wasn't there when we got back. Just lucky I had some sockets and ratchet in the car as there were no other people around when we got back in.
Cheers,
David (AKA Grumps)
Location: Heathridge. Toys: 120 Series Prado ... 5.3 Stacer Seamaster/Merc 90HP.
grayzeee
Posts: 2283
Date Joined: 09/07/09
i did have the light socket
i did have the light socket disconnected on sunday , but i found on retrieval , the plug socket had got a dunking in salt water , which is far worse imo.
If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am.
Magic
Posts: 28
Date Joined: 27/10/08
If the worst that can happen
If the worst that can happen is a blown fuse because the lights aren't water tight then I wont bother unplugging the trailer lights from the car everytime I launch/retrieve. After a day on the water theres a higher probability that I'll forget to re-connect the lights after the boat has been retrieved.
just dhu it
Posts: 1081
Date Joined: 14/05/09
safety chain
big tip is leave the safety chain attached until the boats in the water then disconnect and then do the winch hook, saves the hassle of trying to get your boat back on the trailer while its 2 mts short of the water
MattMiller
Posts: 4171
Date Joined: 15/06/09
HAHA
seen that just last week
iana
Posts: 652
Date Joined: 21/09/09
Perhaps the instructors got it wrong.
I think what its all about, is if the boat trailer/boat is fitted with a "Trailer Light Board", which should be unplugged and removed off the trailer/boat before launching.