A unique website dedicated to fishing information from Florida's Northern Big Bend. This includes the area from the Econfina River west to the Apalachicola River
The one and only time I let my wife pull the truck and boat off the ramp ended somewhat the same. I drove the boat up onto the trailer at Keaton Beach public ramp. She was supposed to pull it up off the ramp. Lucky, I jumped out of the boat into the bed of the truck before she attempted to pull forward. Instead, she put it in reverse and gunned it. The truck was about half way under before she got it stopped with me yelling instructions from the bed of the truck standing in about waist deep water. The water was about twelve inches deep inside the cab by this time. Beleive it or not the engine stayed running. It was a 1992 Ford F150, I'd expect no less! Cost me a new computer for the truck, but it survived to launch many more boats. That was the last time I trusted my wife to do the duty though.
The wife and I have a pretty good system by now. For launching, we get the boat prepped, coolers loaded, transoms straps off, winch off, safety chain ON. I get the boat and trailer lined up so she only has to back straight, soon as I'm off the trailer, she pulls forward and parks. For loading, I get the trailer wet, put it in drive and set the parking brake; she jumps in the truck as I return to the boat. I get the boat far enough up, attach the winch and winch it home, no power loading for me. Only after the boat is secured full forward does she take the parking brake off.
My wife and I have a great system as well. Her only obligation is to hold the rope when I back the boat down. She has no duties after that and I wouldn't want it any other way.
Was staying at a duck camp in Miss. real cold. Long ramp to the oxbow was real steep. I was nervous launching with 4wd. Later in the day we were sitting on the deck eating and saw a smoke plume. Figured a boat was on fire, but when we came over the hill we could hear the tires burning. 2WD was trying to get up a steep iced over boat ramp with a heavy old glass boat on it. He finally made it before we could get around there and hook to him, but the smoke rising was most impressive.
Ducks, turkeys, flats fishing. Who has time for golf?
SS-342 wrote:My wife and I have a fool proof system that insures she won't have a ramp accident. She doesn't go with me.
Ditto on that TC
Double ditto. If she does go she waits on the dock while I load and unload. I let her load the boat once, and she broke my push pole by hitting one of the guide post.
Tin Can,
That system was tried at my house once. I finally put my foot down and demanded that my wife let me go too. If my wife stayed on the dock, I would bring home about a quarter of the fish I do now! She's one of the few women I've met that ask for fishing tackle for birthdays, Mother's Day, and Christmas.
I just don't trust her to help at the ramp.
rocket wrote:My wife and I have a great system as well. Her only obligation is to hold the rope when I back the boat down. She has no duties after that and I wouldn't want it any other way.
Same here and it works every time. She does a great job too.