dude....where's your boat?

[sparkyice]

you left it on the side of I-86 in corning just west of rt.414. they were winching it onto a roll-back truck as i drove by on my way to work this morning.

i assume you noticed it was gone when you got to the lake.

it was dark and i didn't get a real good look but it appeared to be 19'-21' I/O.

 

a few years back i met my buddy in watkins to go on up the lake and i asked him where his boat was. he laughed at me. i said no, seriously dude, where's your boat? it had bounced off his trailer in horseheads. he went back and retrieved it from the cop shop. his was just a 10' injection molded sunfish that came off his little utility trailer, it didn't hurt the boat.

i can't imagine what hitting asphalt at 65mph would do to an aluminum or fiberglass hull on a boat.

 

[TileMan Dan]

Wow!!!  Never heard of a situation like this before.  Would imagine they had to have heard something or feel that the load was lighter?

[sabonation]

Is it possible he blew a bearing on the trailer and was having it intentionally towed to a repair shop? Stuff like that happens pretty frequently.

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[floatfisher]

Looked like it was just a flat when I went by at about 5:45.  There was a cop and tow truck but the boat was still attached to the truck that was towing it.  He was changing the tire, maybe the bearings, dont know?

[sparkyice]

floatfisher,

i guess you got a better look than i did. i went by about 6:15. there was traffic around me so i could only glance at it. i didn't notice trailer or truck and it did look to me as if they were winching it up onto a rollback though.

hope all it was is a bearing or a flat.

i couldn't imagine the feeling you would have in your gut if you arrived at the lake minus your boat!! 

 

a guy at work said he did witness one come off a trailer and land in the median some years ago. he tried to signal the driver and all he got for his trouble was a one finger wave, so he hung back and took in the action. i guess it went rolling sideways down the highway, stuff flying all over the place.

 

fish on

[floatfisher]

Yeah, I didnt get a great look at it either, you know when people see lights flashing and their necks turn in to rubber you gotta watch out for the other guy...  Maybe I saw the tow truck driver trying to get the boat hooked up to get it on the trailer?  Anyway, not a good way to start the day if you were headed to the lake for some relaxing and fishing!!!

 

Never witnessed a boat coming off a trailer my self, would be a sight to see though I would guess!!

Edited September 25, 2014 by floatfisher

[TOP SECRET]

The person who bought our 28' chris craft years ago tried towing it home with an undersized ball and it came unhooked on I95 and was totalled... it happens, especially when people try to cut corners.

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[dukhnter8]

It also amazes me the people who never tie down their boats. I've seen some bouncing pretty good and try to get the h#$% away from them as wouldn't want a boat coming off in front of me when i'm doing 70 mph.

[MadPerry]

The person who bought our 28' chris craft years ago tried towing it home with an undersized ball and it came unhooked on I95 and was totalled... it happens, especially when people try to cut corners.

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That is so stupid it makes me angry. Whatever the cost of that boat was, a proper ball hitch would have been the tiniest fraction of that and taken no effort or time to get. And to put other motorists lives at stake because you are lazy is WRONG! Nearly as bad as drinking and driving.

[sparkyice]

mad,

i agree. i watched a couple pieces of firewood come off a trailer on the interstate. they went cart-wheeling 20' into the air, could have killed someone. guys didn't even know it happened.

it's criminal. i'm pretty laid back about most stuff but i'm totaly anal about securing a load. i've seen tons of boat stuff on rt.14 south of watkins glen over the years, a baot cushion might not hurt a car too badly but if a driver swerves to miss it the utility pole sure could.

batten down the hatches, boys. the edmund fitzgerald might still be afloat if they had.