Synchronicity

[Jigger]

A few years ago, I'm sure some of you remember quite clearly, a series of intense storms and tornados blew through much of Ontario. My in-laws have a cottage on Twelve Mile Lake in Haliburton. Although the neighbours properties on either side of the cottage were unscathed, my inlaws property was hit pretty good losing about 40-50% of the trees on the lot. There was no damage to any structures and the people inside at the time were more than a little frightened. But compared to alot of folks who fared much worse in the loss of property department, they did allright. The only thing that was damaged in the storm on our site was my boat trailer. Small peanuts, I know. But it wasn't worth it to me to pay the deductable and make an insurance claim. The trailer was crushed on the drivers side and the axle had bent down and to the rear of the trailer making transport impossible.

 

A week or two later I got an axle from a guy in Lindsay and took the chance that the trailer would tow just fine. After doing my damned best to straighten it out with the trusty old 20lb sledge, of course. I got it straight and true and sure as the grass is green, I got it to run straight and smooth. And aside from a blown bearing, the trailer lasted another 2 years without incident.

 

Fast forward.

 

I did check regularily to make sure there were no defects to the trailer after towing the boat anywhere. But after one tow to Honey Harbour this summer, I noticed that there was a tear in the metal on either side of the center beam. Not a good thing, I know. So I put the boat back in the water and there it sat while I tried to figure out what to do about the trailer as it was no longer road safe with a boat on it. Eventually, I brought it to a buddys house, we took it apart, hammered it straight and welded some thick galvanized steel braces to the suspect areas. I was skeptical, but it ran true and it was do or die.

 

I know some of you are thinking at this point"why didn't you just buy a new trailer?" Well, sometimes life gets in the way of things and I just couldn't afford a new one.

 

About a month ago, I was ready to pull the boat out of the water. Fishing had been great pulling out some very nice smallies, but the moment of truth had arrived. I had convinced myself that everything was going to be fine and that I would have the boat home by nightfall...The water had been drawn down to a very low level and really my only option was to go to the marina on the lake. When I got there though, there was a big pickup parked crossways blocking the ramp. This guy doesn't like people using his ramp when hes not there to collect money from them, which is his right, I guess, so he blocks the ramp when hes not there. Never heard of an honour box, I guess. So my only option at this point was to motor back across the lake and pull the boat out at the hwy. ramp which was essentially out of the water.

 

Wouldn't you know it, About a KM from the ramp...out of gas.

Got about 500m before the battery died and the trolling motor ceased to operate.

I'm cursing the guy at the marina, which also happens to be the only gas bar on the lake, something fierce.

So I paddle.

 

Finally get to the ramp and am not too exited at this point, to say the least. My father inlaw backs the trailer in, and in. The water is so shallow, he had to back in past the concrete ramp, which is what I meant by it being out of the water. I got the boat on the trailer, he puts the car in gear and I could feel the thud as the trailer hit the concrete. He backs up a little and leans out saying that hes going to give it some oomph and to hold on tight. I don't even have time to tell him to wait and hes already got the pedal down...

 

I knew before I got out of the boat that something had gone wrong. But wasn't sure of the extent. I got out, checked the welds and everything seemed OK. Put the straps on the boat and started heading out. I looked out the drivers side rear-view to see how things were towing, but couldn't see the trailer?? Look out the passenger side and see WAY too much of it!

 

At this point, I'm livid.

 

So I Drive the boat back at a brisk 40km/hr back to the cottage where its sat, in the driveway, for the last month or so.

 

Fast forward.

 

We hang out at my neighbours place every once in awhile and share some laughs. Well one day, his buddy comes by and I'm telling him this same dude story and he tells me hes had a trailer sitting in his garage for the last 2 years and that if Im in a pinch, I could use it. The only catch is, its a sea-doo trailer. Not thinking too fondly of the idea, but hoping that I could alter it to seat my boat on it, I told him I'd come and check it out.

 

I went over tonight and wouldn't you know it, it the EXACT same trailer as the one that I have!!! What are the odds of that? And because its been sitting in his garage for the last two years, hes letting me have it for much less than I would've had to pay even for the parts to get the old one fixed! I am so blown away by this twist of fate. I haven't been fishing in over a month, I was starting to wonder if I'd even be able to bring it home. Let alone go out again.

 

But my season has been salvaged. I'll be getting the boat Saturday morning and fishing by the afternoon!!! AND its Muskie time WOOO_HOOOOO!!!!

 

Thanks for reading this. Have a great end of softwater season. I know I'll be making the best of it!

 

[holdfast]

Nice to get some luck finally. Im curious though on what exactly was wrong with your trailer?

[Greencoachdog]

Yup!!!

 

 

... just keep telling yourself "everything is going to be ok!"

 

Lookin' forward to your reports and maybe a tourney entry eh!

[ehg]

It's funny how fate works. Things can go from real bad to great as long as you are open to positive occurences.

Now you have a chance at getting a nice musky before the season closes.

 

As an aside, was recently reading about Jeri Ryan (Star Trek, Boston Public) and her divorce from former husband Jack Ryan.

Jack Ryan was running for Senator of Illinois when details of there seperation became public.

The scandal that followed destroyed his campaign opening it for Barack Obama's election as Senator of Illinois.

Four years later Obama is President of United States Due to this stroke of fate.

 

I'd rather have the oppurtunity to go musky fishing like you now, Jigger.

[highdrifter]

That was a good read Jigger. The Musky gods are smilling down on you...

 

good luck!!

 

Don't forgit the camera.

 

cheers

HD

[Jigger]

Thanks guys. Holdfast, the old trailer actually caught the ramp on the way out and it literally drives sideways. Taking it up the cottage road was really scary. Every bump, hump and pothole had me worried the boat was going to end up on the road. I'm glad I'll be able to put it behind me.

 

As an aside. After I wrote the original post last night, I had to make a trip to the bank. Was doing about 80kn/hr when a nice 6point buck jumped in front of the car. Missed him by within 10ft. Fate could've just as easily goosed me.

 

Cool story ehg.

[fishindevil]

Well im glad that things worked out for the best,it sounds like to me that either your boat is way to heavy or your trailer is way undersized !!!!...maybe the place you bought it from made a mistake,and sold you a 600lb trailer when you needed a 1200lb trailer,and that can happen and does on a regular basis,something very similar happened to me,when i bought my first 16ft aluminum fishing boat,it came with an 800lb trailer,and it looked so skimpy,i didnt like it one bit,so i refused to buy the whole boat,motor trailer combo,and the guy right at the northtrail factory near uxbridge ontario,upgraded me to a 100lb trailer,and it looked alot better,and i never had a problem with it ever for the 8yrs i owned it !!!!so you should maybe look into that ...glad your boat was safe and nothing catastrofic happened to it...cheers man