[Rhodes22-list] Traveling with motor mounted.

[Luis Guzman]

I had a close call while trailering the boat, and I believe the saving grace was that the boat was strapped.
 
I was tired and let my friend drive. I don't know what the hell  my friend did, but I woke up to a trailer swaying the car. I saw the car heading for the ditch that separated the two way highway, and I thought this was the end. In the blink of an eye, we ended up perfectly parked on the shoulder of the road heading the wrong direction. 
 
The cars behind us had kept a distance when they saw what was going on, so nobody was hit. Several motorists stopped to make sure that we were ok.
 
I was mad as hell. Checked the truck, trailer and boat, and everything seemed in perfect condition. I was told not to go on the dirt to try to do an u turn as the dirt was soft. Well, I was not going to wait for the cops to show up. I waited until there were no cars coming, step up in the gas, and did a quick u turn. I got off the highway at the next exit, and stopped at a gas station. That is when it hit me that we could have been killed, and I started shaking.
 
That incident kept me awake and I drove the rest of the 10 hrs home.
 
To this day, I have no idea how this happened, but I believe that the boat would have come off the trailer if it was not strapped down. Oh, I did have the motor in the back of the truck.

Luis A. Guzmán II
S/V Coincidence
1983 Rhodes 22
Bradenton, FL


----- Original Message -----
> From: "Lowe, Rob" <rlowe at vt.edu>
> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Cc: 
> Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 9:22 AM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Traveling with motor mounted.
> 
> Rummy,
> True about losing the boat.  But is it a legal requirement to strap down your 
> load? - rob
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org 
> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of R22RumRunner at aol.com
> Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 9:20 AM
> To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Traveling with motor mounted.
> 
> Rob,
> If you hit a pothole large enough to bounce the R22 off its trailer, losing  the 
> boat is probably the least of your troubles. Your tow vehicle would be  damaged 
> and the axle on the trailer would be history. I have never heard of a  R22 
> coming off the trailer during towing and most people rely on the trailer  design 
> to keep the Rhodes in place.
> I believe Stan does not recommend using straps because they could damage the 
> hull.
> 
> Rummy
> 
> 
> In a message dated 5/22/2013 8:40:17 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
> rlowe at vt.edu writes:
> 
> Ted,
> I think you'll find you must legally strap your boat down  to travel on 
> public roads.  And, I expect it would be really embarrassing  to hit a big 
> pothole and have your boat bounce off the trailer.  Very  unlikely, yes, but 
> explain that to the cop.  I expect a citation for  failure to secure load would 
> be in order.  So strap the boat to the  trailer.  Find something 
> compressible to go between the straps and the  boat to protect the boat.  Or use 
> the 
> eyes on the bow and stern to strap  her down.  Relying on the weight of the 
> boat to keep her in place on the  trailer is a bit chancy.  Just my thoughts. 
> -  rob
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From:  rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org 
> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org]  On Behalf Of Theodore Boender
> Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 7:04 AM
> To:  The Rhodes 22 Email List
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Traveling with motor  mounted.
> 
> Richard,
> 
> I noticed you strapped your boat down. I did  not for my trip home to 
> Boston. Do most trailer sailers use tie downs?   It looks like you would get 
> some 
> serious rubbing on the gel coat from the  straps. Good padding would be key.
> 
> Good luck with launch  day!
> 
> Ted
> 
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