Warning- burnt out bridge launch

[ScubaLatt]

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.