When unloading your kayak...

Allow me to lay out the setting....

It's early... you're pulling up to the spot, one you've never been to before. The sun is seconds from poking up over the trees and as you pull up to the water, you see this...



You get out, walk down to check things out and head back up to unstrap your kayak. It's a bit chilly and there's not a cloud in the sky. There's a thin layer of condensation that has formed on everything. Fog is dancing on the water. As you're beginning to unstrap the yak, you turn around to look again and see this...



Cripes! Must...get...OTW!

So, from here on out, I'm going to let you know what I did... or actually, what I didn't do right...

At this point, after seeing this beautiful setting, I'm nearly giggling out of my skin with excitement.
I'm so focused on getting on the water as quick as possible to take advantage of whatever morning bite I can get into, that I forget about some very important things... like gravity, for example. My truck is parked pointed at the water. Those of you that were at the tournament in September know what I'm talking about, but it's parked downward on a pretty decent slope. After I unstrap the kayak, I do my usual shimmy to unload it. I stand on the bumper while I pull down on the back end to lift the front end up and swing it to the side so it's pointed off to the side of my rack, onto my boatloader. Then, as I set the front end down on side of the rack, I let go of the yak so I can hop down off my bumper to prepare to move the back end off the rack. Due to the downward slope and slick surface it's resting on, the kayak accelerates off the rack, and shoots off the front of my truck, slams onto the ground and slides to a stop, half-way in the water. I'm helplessly watching this whole thing happen and I'm just standing there, shocked, but a part of me was also pissed I or someone didn't get that on video! It seems it was more excited to get into the water than I was!
Well, there goes that peaceful silence!  A crash from the kayak and and echoing explative!

Surveying the damage, there was a nice deep mark on the front end of the kayak, but it didn't punch through. Now, I look at my truck... The mirror was busted off and dangling by the cords. There's a nice, big dent & scratch combo on my hood and the roof of my cab which indicated the path of the keel as it sailed off my truck.

Thanks to cobrakak76 for lending me some epoxy putty to stick my mirror back on later that day at the campground.

So when you get to wherever you're going and you need to unload your kayak, pay attention to how you position your vehicle and how gravity will play a role once you start to unload. Don't ask me how I know.... because I just told you. 

Man you should have a film crew follow you.  That sounded hilarious 

I thought you were going to tell us to avoid ramps unless you have a functioning parking brake.

But maybe that's my story.

I thought you were going to tell us to avoid ramps unless you have a functioning parking brake.

But maybe that's my story.

Give me some time and I'm sure I'll come up with something about that along the way! 

We have all probably seen this before ... It may even have been posted here.

http://www.totalprosports.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/how-not-to-get-your-boat-in-the-water/

Allow me to lay out the setting....

It's early... you're pulling up to the spot, one you've never been to before. The sun is seconds from poking up over the trees and as you pull up to the water, you see this...



You get out, walk down to check things out and head back up to unstrap your kayak. It's a bit chilly and there's not a cloud in the sky. There's a thin layer of condensation that has formed on everything. Fog is dancing on the water. As you're beginning to unstrap the yak, you turn around to look again and see this...



Cripes! Must...get...OTW!

So, from here on out, I'm going to let you know what I did... or actually, what I didn't do right...

At this point, after seeing this beautiful setting, I'm nearly giggling out of my skin with excitement.
I'm so focused on getting on the water as quick as possible to take advantage of whatever morning bite I can get into, that I forget about some very important things... like gravity, for example. My truck is parked pointed at the water. Those of you that were at the tournament in September know what I'm talking about, but it's parked downward on a pretty decent slope. After I unstrap the kayak, I do my usual shimmy to unload it. I stand on the bumper while I pull down on the back end to lift the front end up and swing it to the side so it's pointed off to the side of my rack, onto my boatloader. Then, as I set the front end down on side of the rack, I let go of the yak so I can hop down off my bumper to prepare to move the back end off the rack. Due to the downward slope and slick surface it's resting on, the kayak accelerates off the rack, and shoots off the front of my truck, slams onto the ground and slides to a stop, half-way in the water. I'm helplessly watching this whole thing happen and I'm just standing there, shocked, but a part of me was also pissed I or someone didn't get that on video! It seems it was more excited to get into the water than I was!
Well, there goes that peaceful silence!  A crash from the kayak and and echoing explative!

Surveying the damage, there was a nice deep mark on the front end of the kayak, but it didn't punch through. Now, I look at my truck... The mirror was busted off and dangling by the cords. There's a nice, big dent & scratch combo on my hood and the roof of my cab which indicated the path of the keel as it sailed off my truck.

Thanks to cobrakak76 for lending me some epoxy putty to stick my mirror back on later that day at the campground.

So when you get to wherever you're going and you need to unload your kayak, pay attention to how you position your vehicle and how gravity will play a role once you start to unload. Don't ask me how I know.... because I just told you. 

Dude that's crazy. That would only happen to me if lots of people were watching.

 If you put some pipe insulation, foam kayak blocks, or saddles etc. the yak won't slide, and your boat won't dent on a hot day.....but you probably know that already.

J

We have all probably seen this before ... It may even have been posted here.

http://www.totalprosports.com/blog/index.php/2009/09/how-not-to-get-your-boat-in-the-water/

Crap! There goes my idea of inventing the drive-thru boat launch.  I guess I hadn't thought the idea through all the way.

--Craig

OK now that we all know about the negative part of your day.....Tell us the positive part...How was the fishing?
Please tell me after all of that, you at least had a good time...

Chuck

Then, as I set the front end down on side of the rack, I let go of the yak ,,,,,,, A crash from the kayak and and echoing explative!


So when you get to wherever you're going and you need to unload your kayak, pay attention to how you position your vehicle and how gravity will play a role once you start to unload. Don't ask me how I know.... because I just told you. 

I REALLY wish I didn't know what you were talking about.


Note: You too can achieve these results with a much shallower angle relative to the center of the earth if the roof rack has a layer of ice on it!

(Took out the driver's side mirror)

(twice)

That is one benefit of bow and stern straps...  I usually use the stern strap as my handle to pull the kayak off the roof when the truck is nosed downward.

And always remember to NOT LOCK your keys in the cab!!!