Launching Boats

Kadizzle is sure he holds the record for launching sailboats on Lake Sakakawea.  Today another boat will be baptized.  Launching sailboats is not so bad, but getting the beast back on the trailer is a nightmare.  The problem with sailboats is the keel.  Some larger boats need to be in eight feet of water to get the boat off the trailer.  This means the an extension has to be used.

The normal process it to take the boat and trailer down to the edge of the water, unhook the whole mess, and add the extension.  A favorite memory of this process gone wrong was years ago.  Andrew wanted Kadizzle to help launch his craft.  In the confusion Kadizzle thought Andrew had locked down the hitch and Andrew thought Kadizzle had done the task. Nope, the trailer was not secured to the truck.  This was not a problem until the trailer with the boat started down the ramp.  Kadizzle tapped the brake for a moment.  Andrew was up on his boat the Jenny Rose.  The sudden little application of brake pulled the trailer hitch up in the air off the ball. There was enough slack in the rusty safety chains to let the trailer get a little momentum without the truck.  The old rusty safety chains snapped the welds with no problem.  Down the ramp the boat and Andrew went.  What could you do? Nothing.  Andrew's eyes were the size of two moons.  As the boat went on its way sailing with no wind or water it picked up momentum.  All is well that ends well.  The boat with Andrew aboard launched itself with precision and no problem.

Observing this was old Captain Kit.  There was a minor problem with this procedure.  Now the trailer unhooked to anything was out in the lake by itself under water.  Andrew seemed a bit concerned, but Kadizzle assured him it was no problem.  Kadizzle took a small anchor he happened to have in his truck and tossed it into the water hoping to snag the trailer.  To his amazement the first cast was good. Captain Kit panicked and had the park rangers rushing to the scene.  When the rangers arrived the trailer was emerging from the water hooked onto the anchor rope.  Rushing to the edge of the water the park ranger said " Is there a problem?".   Kadizzle said with a big hidden grin " No, we do it this way all the time".