Phew!

[gaelforce]

me wife 3 kids, neighbour all off to pier on busy coast road on sunday. rib in tow and looking forward to spin. look in rear mirror..........no rib. OH SHIT!!!!!!
Hear clunking and rib appears in mirror at a crazy angle. Brake slooooowly and nip out back of jeep to see wide-eyed motorists behind, tralier nose jammed under back left bumper.
I had let the jockey wheel down and trailer ball had gone onto hitch BUT I HAD FORGOT TO LOCK IT DOWN.

1. Remember to lock down hitch

2. Always use safety chain (it saved my arse here)

3. Hang engine to left (left side drive countries) so boat falls away from oncoming traffic.

A close one.

[Nauti Buoy]

I think you are a lucky man getting away with that one

[Nick Hearne]

Lucky b****d comes to mined, did it do any damage?

[ollyit]

"hang/tilt" engine on left looking at the back of the boat was that? thanks

ps: lucky you!

[roohairy]

Years ago I hitched a trailer to a landrover at a strange angle, vehicle on a steepish slope but trailer was level. pulled it up slip, at the top the trailer bounced over a rut and fell off the hitch - it hadn't engaged properly due to the angle between the vehicle and the trailer and as the angle changed it just levered itself off. No damage but it still gives me cold sweats when I think about it, I hadn't connected the safety wire as I was trying to keep my feet dry....
BUT I'm glad it happened as it's made me much more careful.

[gaelforce]

yes - hang to left as you look at back of boat (right if you drive on right). The weight of the engine on the left, allied to any road camber SHOULD mean that if the connection between car and trailer breaks, the trailer will tend to head to the verge (hopefully pedestrian-free !) rather than head into oncoming traffic. I sincerely hope that no-one depends on this!!!!!!!!!

As for damage, the lhs of the bumper got bent and my confidence took a severe dent.