DID YOU EVER SINK YOUR TRAILER AND TRUCK

A

anthony m coons sr

Well-known member
Years ago in late December just before Christmas. I just got out of the Hospital after having knee surgery. It was a cold and snowy day. My brother was suppose to met me at five in the morning at the State Boat Launch. I was still in a semi cast. I hook up the boat to my jeep and was waiting for him to show up. A half hour went by and know brother. If you knew me ,I'm the kind of guy who can't wait. If you tell me to be there I'm there. Anyway! Found out he was home in his warm bed with his lady friend. Told him I was putting the boat in the water to get his butt up and hunt with me. He hung up! and right then,I knew I was on my own. Well thank God! I had my best friend ,Henry the hunting dog with me in the back of the jeep. So I started backing my 18 foot trailer into the water. Something was not right ! I had my foot on the brake but I keep sliding backwards(black ice). All of a sudden water came rushing into the jeep. It came fast and hard ,it was as cold as ice pop. I got my door open and jumped out. After hitting the ice cold water. I noticed my poor dog was still in the jeep and it was almost filled to the top with ice and water. Not caring about my safety , I dove into the water and entered the water filled jeep, pulling my dog out. After getting the dog to safety. I needed help and my phone was in my boat . I dove into the ice cold river and swim a little ways to my boat. I climbed into my boat and went to shore. Called my brother and my friend to help tow me out. It took two four wheel drive trucks and lots of man power to save everything. Never got to hunt that day, had to go back to the hospital for a new cast. Learned that day! never to hunt alone. true story
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My eyes scrolled down the threads and saw this, before looking at the poster my first thought was, "This has got to be Anthony"......
 
Paul

I lived a good life, and my stories are true. Should of wrote a book. This helps me live the days of years past. Hope to have new stories in the years to come.

Thanks
 
I've watched tooo many you tube videos about this. Went to the ramp one frozen day, checked the ramp and shear ice. Opted to launch from the shore. Ramps out here are fair, but one too steep.
As I came back to the ramp, a bayman was launching and had a hard time slipping on the ramp. Quick launch and layin tires up the ramp. I don't want to make you tube.
 
capt.

Good story, Thank God when mine happen it was long before U tube. My brother took a header into the river one time because of black ice on the ramp. He was tuff he hunted all day. Thank God he didn't hit his head.
 
Although I,ve never done what you commented on I got that sensation this past gunnin season. When I return from salt water gunnin I always drive down to ramp in town on fresh water river and run some fresh thru motor and wash trailer off with a few quick dunks. This trip I was using my big 2072 seaark which was still loaded with all gunnin rig plus boat blind attached. River ramp had been covered with thick ice. Backed boat over and dunked trailer a couple times with trk. 4 whl drive locked in. No problem spinning ahead on ice and thought I,d spun down far enough to obtain some grip with tires. Backed boat over deep enough to run motor while standing in boat, set parking break on truck and hopped into boat. Started 90 up and starting flushing motor out.Put motor in reverse at idle and felt whole rig start slipping down ramp. Quickly put motor in forward to hold rig in place. Now I,m thinking how the hell am I gonna explain this if it continues slipping once I take motor out of gear to shut down. Held my breath and gingerly took it out of gear and quickly jumped out of boat, into trk, and spun forward . As many times as I,ve laughed at pics of whole rigs submerged in a ramp I guess it almost was karma, almost !
 


I've not done it my self, but years ago at a boat launch at Shenango Lake. I watched a boat trailer and car go all the way under, as the boat floated away. Impressed the heck outta me and all others that saw it. It was Summer time. Every time I launch for fishing, or hunting, after seeing that I do my best not to do something stupid.


A fellow decoy carver was waterfowl hunting the same lake. Parked his vehicle (without a boat) much to close to the waters edge long before day break. The lake is a flood control lake. They raise and lower the lake as needed, and many times very quickly.

As he sat in his blind the water came up very fast. By the time he waded back to his vehicle all but the roof was under water. This was long before cell phones.

He climbed up on the vehicle roof and began to yell, and just before sunset was rescued.


Can't ever be to careful around water, no matter where you are.
 
Hey, chances are that if you continue on this path, you will eventually make the Darwin top ten![huh]
 
I bill fished out of Indian River Inlet Del. for many years, when it blew to hard we would take a cooler of beer and set up by the ramp, best show on earth.
 
On a cold December day I was pulling up to launch my boat at a ramp on the BigHorn River. The ramp was covered in ice. Even though the BigHorn below the dam doesn't freeze up in the winter, on really cold days the ramps can get a thick glaze of ice on them from the water dripping off boats and trailers as they are pulled out of the river. I watched the guy in front of me jackknife his trailer as he was backing down the ramp and the trailer and truck started to slide backwards into the river. The truck regained its traction when the wheels got into the river. He was able to launch his boat and get his truck back up the ramp with a lot of spinning of tires and some effort. After watching that, I decided to keep the boat on the trailer and spent the day wade fishing instead.
 
Dwight

Glad it wasn't you sliding down the ramp. I would like to say! I would of been as smart as you an not try to put my boat in. But that would of been a lie. I have never been smart when it comes to stuff like that.

Thanks
 
I don't understand how an icy ramp would cause one to sink their truck. We have plenty of icy ramps here. As soon as the tires get to water, there is no ice, and one again traction.

There was one icy day when I was hunting Lake Rathban with my nephew and Hunting Dave, that I didn't think I would be able to get the truck and trailer back UP the ramp... but did.
 
Phil

When I lost my truck and trailer it was on a ramp. I was backing it down, I had a small jeep and a big heavy boat. It happen so fast I didn't know what happen. Trust me it happen, Wish it didn't but it was a long time ago.And a good story now. I'm glad I 'm here to tell it.

thanks
 
Phil Nowack said:
I don't understand how an icy ramp would cause one to sink their truck. We have plenty of icy ramps here. As soon as the tires get to water, there is no ice, and one again traction.

There was one icy day when I was hunting Lake Rathban with my nephew and Hunting Dave, that I didn't think I would be able to get the truck and trailer back UP the ramp... but did.
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I remember that day. I had driven the boat onto the trailer and was still in the boat. Your truck was slipping sideways and I remember thinking to myself; "Phil is going to end up driving up the riprap along side the ramp, instead of driving up the ramp. I wasn't sure that was going to be possible. Especially seeing as how we didn't have my Ford. [w00t]
 
Fro all these frozen ramp horror stories it would seem to me that anyone up north launching a boat after October 1st would have a couple of bags of sand and ice melt in the truck at all times.

Just sayin......
 
Carl

After what happen to me I will carry that stuff all the time. Ice is a funny thing, Wasn't thinking about putting anything down at five in the morning .


THANKS
 
Carl said:
Fro all these frozen ramp horror stories it would seem to me that anyone up north launching a boat after October 1st would have a couple of bags of sand and ice melt in the truck at all times.

Just sayin......
Click to expand...

Carl,
No worries here,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I have a Ford. However, yes I've been know to carry; shovel, sand, ice melt and a set of tire chains. Oh, and a big pry bar for chiseling the ice on top of the water, so I can get the boat into the water.

As I get a bit older, I find I am a bit less motivated.
 
Growing up in PA my parents always had a box full of coal cinders in the trunk. They are great for traction and melting snow. But pro oh hard to find these days.
 
I carry a small shovel and a 5 gallon bucket of mixed sand and salt on my winter boating excursions just for days when the ramp is greasy with ice and snow.
 
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