Accidents happen and when they do, how well you are prepared, will make a big difference on mitigating the damage and managing the situation. From people getting injured or suddenly sick to fuel spills, sunken boats, wind damage and fires.
In this article I’m going to talk about launching boats. Weather the marina is launching the boat or your customer is launching their own, a set procedure should be followed every time.
Before you even bring the boat to the launch ramp, you should do a circle check around the boat, trailer and towing vehicle. Most accidents can be averted right here just by checking everything before you leave.
Things to look for and do before you leave the driveway:
- Check the tires on the towing vehicle and trailer. Make sure tires are properly inflated and all lug nuts are tight. Look for cracks or bulges in the sidewall, nails in the tread, spare tires are ok and you have the proper jack and tire wrench for both trailer and the towing vehicle.
- If you have trailer brakes, check the actuator by pushing it in by hand. If you can push it all the way in by hand, it will need to be serviced. If you have fully electric brakes, make sure the brakes are engaging when you step on the brake pedal of the towing vehicle.
- For outboard or Inboard/outboard motors, make sure the drive is tilted up. I like using a transom saver that holds the drive up by propping it with an aluminum bracket from the trailer to the outdrive. There are several versions of this type of thing. Then put your motor into gear. This stops the propeller from spinning needlessly while you are driving and saving wear and tear on the baring’s.
- Check the straps and make sure they are well fastened and secured. The extra strapping is tied up and secured as you don’t want it flying around while driving. While I’m inspecting the transom straps, I check to make sure the drain plus is in and secure. Check the safety chain that goes from the bow hook to the trailer.
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