Congrats! Hope the first trip goes good. On my first trip:Originally Posted by SLP
Thanks for the offer! But it is all done
Hopefully tomorrow will be the maiden voyage
1. Forgot to put the drain plug in. Discovered it just as boat was coming off the trailer and bilge pump kicked in. Back on the trailer she went, pull up a little and plug went in.
2. After the boat came off, parking lot was full, so parked the trailer and pulled truck in the grass. Rained while we were out. When I came back to ramp out, had to be towed out of the grass.
3. Put the boat on the trailer, and wife started to ramp us out. As we pulled out, heard a grinding noise, and then discovered engine was still down and the engine skagg was dragging and grinding its way up the ramp. Stopped and elevated engine, and continued to pull out.
4. Halfway home kept hearing rattling in the back of the pull vehicle, couldn't figure it out. Stopped for coffee and to check it out. That's when I found the boat's stern tie down straps in the truck, not on the boat. Good news is the boat was still okay on the trailer.
When I got home from my first trip, I broke out the tablet and pen, listed all my mishaps, and then used that to create my "pre-trip" checklist. That list went into a document protector on a clip board in the garage. With a grease pencil, I check items off at home, on the ramp, and back on the ramp after haul out and before trailering home.
Works well.....so long as this old guy can remember where he left the checklist
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