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Author Topic:   How not to Launch a PWC

Tallydon posted 01-08-2003 06:18 PM ET (US)
I don't know if you've seen this one yet, but it's a hoot!
http://www.garrigans.com/topfuel/pwclaunchingl.jpg
thunderbay posted 01-08-2003 09:48 PM ET (US)
Does anyone know if your full coverage insurance covers that? I am kinda afraid to call and ask them! Thanks, Shawn
triblet posted 01-08-2003 10:38 PM ET (US)
A year or two ago, I was loading the Montauk
in Monterey, and there was a PWC tied up on
the other side of the finger pier. The PWC
owner backed his pickup down the other ramp,
and into the water until there was 6-12" of
water in the bed, then drove the PWC into
the bed. This was is SALT water! He did the
same thing the next day.
Also, with 2WD, if you back in until the
rear end floats, the hand brake does zero
good. It nicely locks the rear wheels, which
are no longer on solid ground. The front
wheels just roll down the ramp.

Chuck
hauptjm posted 01-09-2003 10:26 AM ET (US)
"Gilligan goes wave riding"
pequotman posted 01-09-2003 01:57 PM ET (US)
guess these guys had a misunderstanding of what "SUV" means. It certianly does not stand Submersible Untility Vehicle.
keltonkrew posted 01-09-2003 05:05 PM ET (US)
It stands for:

"Sunk Utility Vehicle"
North Beach posted 01-09-2003 06:24 PM ET (US)
What exactly causes that--the handdbrake thing ? How does the truck slide down the ramp?
triblet posted 01-09-2003 07:48 PM ET (US)
One important factor is that the hand brake
only locks the back wheels (see 4x4 exception
below). So if the back wheels float, you got
no effective hand brake, and the truck
becomes a submarine.
If you have 4x4, AND you've put the truck in
4x4, AND you have a locked transfer case, the
hand brake is still back at the back wheels,
but the whole 4x4 system up to the front
wheels is locked too, so the hand brake also
locks the front wheels.
Exception to the exception: if you have
full-time 4x4, you probably DON'T have a
locked transfer case, and so the handbrake
doesn't lock the front wheels. Test: put the
truck in 4x4 and make a tight U turn. If you
hear the tires scrapping and slipping, you
have a locked transfer case.
Another factor is that brakes are designed
so they have leverage that amplifies the
braking effect (they sorta wedge themselves)
when going forward. They don't work as well
going backwards.
If I gotta get out of the truck on the ramp,
I put it in first forward, yank real hard on
the hand brake, put the clutch in (you DO
have a clutch ;-) and bounce around in the
seat to make sure it's going to stay put,
then shut it off and get out. I DO have a
locked transfer case. BTW: I put in forward
just to eliminate a quarter second of shift
time if something goes wrong. It usually
goes in forward first as soon as gravity
takes over on the ramp.
If you have an Automatic (UGH), all of the
above commments about the hand brake also
apply to Park on the slushbox.

Chuck
North Beach posted 01-09-2003 09:20 PM ET (US)
Thanks triblet, I think I follow that. Hard to imagine that the back wheels can float, but i think I follow you.
triblet posted 01-09-2003 10:28 PM ET (US)
Drive a car into the water, it floats, for a
while. How long it floats is a function of
how well sealed it is and whether the windows
are open. The original VW Beetle was reputed
to float for like an hour.
If the car floats, the wheels float.
BTW, forgetting to unstrap your boat can
cause this too. Back in too far, boat
floats, trailer floats with it, trailer lifts
(or even just lightens on a slimy ramp) the
back of the truck, truck goes for a swim.

Chuck
Steve Leone posted 01-09-2003 11:54 PM ET (US)
Another thing that can ruin a good day is not taking the boat off the trailer or launching the boat with the boat still strapped to the trailer. Don`t laugh. A mechanic I know told me a story of a person who did just this. Drove around the lake a bit too. Kept complaining about not being able to get up on plane. And they say ignorance is bliss....
Bigshot posted 01-10-2003 09:36 AM ET (US)
That is the oldest urban legend on boat forums. You would have to disconnect the trailer from the vehicle so it never happened.
This neighbor of mine got busted by the park rangers for driving a beetle across the lake by me. He siliconed the doors shut and climbed in the sunroof and away he went. He made it about 2/3's the way across until the engine flooded out and there he was drifting in the lake with the authorities waiting for him on the other side. he got away with a few tickets but no jail or anything.
where2 posted 01-11-2003 03:15 PM ET (US)
So, anyone expecting to see this SUV on AutoTrader/Ebay any time soon? CarFax should be good to read on that VIN...
Marlin posted 01-11-2003 06:02 PM ET (US)
Bigshot,
Everybody knows you can't do that with a beetle. The water comes up through the rusted-out floor pan too fast! ;-)
-Bob

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Author	Topic: How not to Launch a PWC
Tallydon	posted 01-08-2003 06:18 PM ET (US) I don't know if you've seen this one yet, but it's a hoot! http://www.garrigans.com/topfuel/pwclaunchingl.jpg
thunderbay	posted 01-08-2003 09:48 PM ET (US) Does anyone know if your full coverage insurance covers that? I am kinda afraid to call and ask them! Thanks, Shawn
triblet	posted 01-08-2003 10:38 PM ET (US) A year or two ago, I was loading the Montauk in Monterey, and there was a PWC tied up on the other side of the finger pier. The PWC owner backed his pickup down the other ramp, and into the water until there was 6-12" of water in the bed, then drove the PWC into the bed. This was is SALT water! He did the same thing the next day. Also, with 2WD, if you back in until the rear end floats, the hand brake does zero good. It nicely locks the rear wheels, which are no longer on solid ground. The front wheels just roll down the ramp. Chuck
hauptjm	posted 01-09-2003 10:26 AM ET (US) "Gilligan goes wave riding"
pequotman	posted 01-09-2003 01:57 PM ET (US) guess these guys had a misunderstanding of what "SUV" means. It certianly does not stand Submersible Untility Vehicle.
keltonkrew	posted 01-09-2003 05:05 PM ET (US) It stands for: "Sunk Utility Vehicle"
North Beach	posted 01-09-2003 06:24 PM ET (US) What exactly causes that--the handdbrake thing ? How does the truck slide down the ramp?
triblet	posted 01-09-2003 07:48 PM ET (US) One important factor is that the hand brake only locks the back wheels (see 4x4 exception below). So if the back wheels float, you got no effective hand brake, and the truck becomes a submarine. If you have 4x4, AND you've put the truck in 4x4, AND you have a locked transfer case, the hand brake is still back at the back wheels, but the whole 4x4 system up to the front wheels is locked too, so the hand brake also locks the front wheels. Exception to the exception: if you have full-time 4x4, you probably DON'T have a locked transfer case, and so the handbrake doesn't lock the front wheels. Test: put the truck in 4x4 and make a tight U turn. If you hear the tires scrapping and slipping, you have a locked transfer case. Another factor is that brakes are designed so they have leverage that amplifies the braking effect (they sorta wedge themselves) when going forward. They don't work as well going backwards. If I gotta get out of the truck on the ramp, I put it in first forward, yank real hard on the hand brake, put the clutch in (you DO have a clutch ;-) and bounce around in the seat to make sure it's going to stay put, then shut it off and get out. I DO have a locked transfer case. BTW: I put in forward just to eliminate a quarter second of shift time if something goes wrong. It usually goes in forward first as soon as gravity takes over on the ramp. If you have an Automatic (UGH), all of the above commments about the hand brake also apply to Park on the slushbox. Chuck
North Beach	posted 01-09-2003 09:20 PM ET (US) Thanks triblet, I think I follow that. Hard to imagine that the back wheels can float, but i think I follow you.
triblet	posted 01-09-2003 10:28 PM ET (US) Drive a car into the water, it floats, for a while. How long it floats is a function of how well sealed it is and whether the windows are open. The original VW Beetle was reputed to float for like an hour. If the car floats, the wheels float. BTW, forgetting to unstrap your boat can cause this too. Back in too far, boat floats, trailer floats with it, trailer lifts (or even just lightens on a slimy ramp) the back of the truck, truck goes for a swim. Chuck
Steve Leone	posted 01-09-2003 11:54 PM ET (US) Another thing that can ruin a good day is not taking the boat off the trailer or launching the boat with the boat still strapped to the trailer. Don`t laugh. A mechanic I know told me a story of a person who did just this. Drove around the lake a bit too. Kept complaining about not being able to get up on plane. And they say ignorance is bliss....
Bigshot	posted 01-10-2003 09:36 AM ET (US) That is the oldest urban legend on boat forums. You would have to disconnect the trailer from the vehicle so it never happened. This neighbor of mine got busted by the park rangers for driving a beetle across the lake by me. He siliconed the doors shut and climbed in the sunroof and away he went. He made it about 2/3's the way across until the engine flooded out and there he was drifting in the lake with the authorities waiting for him on the other side. he got away with a few tickets but no jail or anything.
where2	posted 01-11-2003 03:15 PM ET (US) So, anyone expecting to see this SUV on AutoTrader/Ebay any time soon? CarFax should be good to read on that VIN...
Marlin	posted 01-11-2003 06:02 PM ET (US) Bigshot, Everybody knows you can't do that with a beetle. The water comes up through the rusted-out floor pan too fast! ;-) -Bob