Warning- burnt out bridge launch
 

We launched at the burnt out bridge today near Vinton. Had a great fishing trip catching bass and speckled trout.


When we put boat back on the trailer and headed home we rounded a corner near I-10 and my 2 month old Ranger bass boat came off the trailer hitch! Or so I thought. Upon stopping and assessing the damage I discovered that my hitch pin was the culprit. The entire receiver hitch came out of the receiver. I know I put the pin in last night and pulled the boat all the way from Moss Bluff to the launch with no problems.


1 of 2 things happened: #1: the cotter pin that holds the hitch pin in broke off and allowed the pin to wiggle loose on the rough road or #2 someone stole the hitch pin as a prank.
It could have ended very badly had I gotten on I-10 and been going 70 mph. Fortunately I was only going about 15-20 mph when it happened.
The boat slammed into my Tahoe lift gate causing a sizeable dent.
So beware and always check your hitch before you leave that launch.

OH, the launch is getting crappy again. The large boulder size limestone is sinking and there is a hole at the edge of the concrete that if your 2 WD truck got in it may not get out. I am going to call Police Jury Monday Am

Sorry to hear about your almost disaster. Something similar happened to me, except they stole the whole damn hitch. Invested in a BW fold away hitch and a locking pin. Just don't lose track of the key:cheers:

Since high school I've had a locking pin on mine because they were stealing hitches in our school parking lot.


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How did you pull your boat out of the launch with the hitch pin missing?

Guess its my Aviation back ground, but I always do a walk around every time I move, usually more then once. How bad did it tear up your equipment?

Damn Sacred Heart criminals

I think the hitch pin was in place but not the cotter pin that holds the hitch pin in place.

I have seen those type of quick clips break or back out often. It's because of the slack in the hitch . It puts a lot of pressure on the clip pin slapping around. It doesn't take much movement . I used to go thru a box just on 2 fairway mowers every 6 months or so .

I removed the pin and drilled the hole larger. Replaced cotter pin with lock and key.

I just bought a locking hitch pin. Pretty simple

Locking hitch pins nice, but you need to pull the pin out occasionally and check to make sure rust hasn't caused reliability failure.

Been having mine for years and when I pulled it off my old truck to put on my new truck it looked as good as new.

Only problem I have is getting it unlocked. lol


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My locking pin is cake to unlock, but a real pain to put back on and lock lol

Yea I don't think someone else is to blame for this, those pins are crap.

Trailer pin
 

Pulled the 25' Cape Horn from the house(5 miles east of Opelousas) to the camp in Pecan Island, then to Fresh water City the next morning with no problems. Fished all day and loaded the boat on the trailer, and back to the camp we went, one problem. Any of you who fish out of there know the little concrete bridge just after making the second curve? Well imagine seeing the hitch coupling in the rear view mirror as you feel the load just lift off the truck as we cross said bridge. Luckily, damage was minimum, I pictured truck and boat upside down in the marsh as it was happening. Someone unlatched the trailer, the design of the hitch had a huge catch in the pull ring that locked it in place, was not designed for a lock or pin to be needed. Moral- always check you trailer. The guy in the flat bed dually crossing us had a show.

You can buy a locking hitch pin that you uses your truck ignition key. You put your truck key in first time and it imprints key. So if you have truck key your good to go. Bought mine at Zacks

They have em at Wally Marks too

That's a good idea I do it as well.
Also have a list on my trailer tongue to check before getting on road, since it's usually real early, and I've been leaving motor trimmed down in shed to avoid water sitting on cylinder and don't wanna drive off with it down.