Trailer collapsed on my Son's legs last night

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-29-2009, 7:30 AM

So I rode with some friends at Ray Roberts (Far North Dallas, TX)yesterday evening. My son came along even though he didn't ride that evening. He is 9 and likes to help me with getting the boat ready, wiping it down, and helping with the trailer. He's gotten really good at handling himself around the boat and can be a big help. Safety is number #1 when he is with me. He knows where to stand and where not to stand at all times when backing the boat up. Well after backing my boat into the storage unit last night. I was on the boat picking up the rest of our things while Trent (my son) and my friend were disconnecting the trailer from the truck. Trenton was cranking the jack and next thing I know....BOOM... the boat CRASHED down and my son is screaming. The swivel trailer jack had not locked into position and the trailer had collapsed onto my sons legs. I leaped out of the boat over to my son and couldn't believe my eyes. He was pinned under the trailer. My friend and I lifted the trailer and at the same time I was able to pull him free. I just assumed both legs where broken as I loaded him into my truck. I laid him down and was amazed. There was no blood, no breaks, just a large abrasion and what will be a large bruise. Because of this we skipped the ER and went home to ice it down and give him some Motrin. As you can imagine he was very shaken up. I am not one to get on a message board and preach, but I witnessed a miracle last night. God was watching over my son. His legs could have been completely sheared off from the force of the trailer with the VLX crashing down on him. At a min...legs would be broken. Nope, nothing but a bruise. Amazing. I pray for my son every morning for his safety and protection. I believe my prayer was answered. Lesson learned on my part of course. My son will have nothing to do with helping disconnect the trailer. He can stick to wiping the boat down.

(slipknot) · (slipknot) **Join Date: Aug 2001** 09-29-2009, 7:33 AM

Thank you for sharing this. I am glad he is ok! Go to church and make a large donation Sunday! You are very very lucky, God was watching for sure.

(pacifichigh) · (pacifichigh) **Join Date: Jun 2008** 09-29-2009, 7:34 AM

Glad it turned out the way it did, tragedy avoided!

(sethenol) · (sethenol) **Join Date: Jun 2004** 09-29-2009, 7:46 AM

Thank you for sharing, my 4 year old also enjoys cranking the jack, mine has a pin that locks in place and I always check it before he begins but I will def be even more cautious after reading this. It makes me nervous anyway because he can barley crank it. I bet you nearly shat yourself. I would have. Thank God he's okay. My son won't help wipe the boat down though so your lucky for that.

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-29-2009, 7:57 AM

Yeah, I doubt my son will even get close to the trailer for at least a few months. I posted this just as a lesson I learned. Make double-sure that pin is locked before you start cranking away.

(bchesley) · (bchesley) **Join Date: Apr 2001** 09-29-2009, 8:05 AM

Wow, this has always been a big fear of mine with my two boys (7 and 3). They love to help Dad but sometime don't know the dangers in front of them. Thank God for looking after him...........

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-29-2009, 8:19 AM

Amen, no doubt that God was protecting my son. I was on my hands and knees last night....

(denverd1)

wow, glad to hear he is ok. I have a feeling you both learned a lesson.

(eubanks01) · (eubanks01) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 09-29-2009, 8:22 AM

Greg - Sorry to hear it man. That is really scary and will definitley make me double check the hand jack next time out.

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-29-2009, 8:32 AM

Oh yeah. Gotta make sure its locked!!

(srock) · (srock) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 09-29-2009, 8:35 AM

Your experience will help someone else, thanks for sharing and I'm glad everything is ok. This is one of those things I never thought about and my young son loves the jack.

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-29-2009, 8:38 AM

(wakeworld) · (wakeworld) **Join Date: Jan 1997** 09-29-2009, 9:00 AM

Wow, super scary! So glad to hear he's ok! My daughter broke her leg when a tombstone fell on it! You're son must be superman if he can take an entire VLX!! :-)

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-29-2009, 9:03 AM

Tombstone? Wow, thats crazy. Yeah my son's new nickname is superman....

(elc) · (elc) **Join Date: Jan 2008** 09-29-2009, 9:22 AM

Thanks for sharing. I can't imagine how you felt... I never thought about the jack not latching all the way. I will double check it now.

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-29-2009, 9:28 AM

Good. That's why I wanted to share. Just be careful.

(bboozer) · (bboozer) **Join Date: Apr 2007** 09-29-2009, 9:36 AM

I had almost the same thing happen to me with my '08 VLX... I had removed it from the truck and was trying to reposition it in the garage a little and it fell almost on my foot in flip flops... scared the sh... out of me and my wife was right there too... then it happened again (another time)but landed on the trailer hitch and did not fall all the way to the ground. Now I always double and triple check that it is locked in before I raise it up...

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-29-2009, 9:42 AM

Wow. Yeah, I'll be triple checking that thing from now on....

(bruizza) · (bruizza) **Join Date: May 2009** 09-29-2009, 10:52 AM

Glad the little man is okay!

(hyperlite) · (hyperlite) **Join Date: May 2009** 09-29-2009, 10:53 AM

"Thank you for sharing this. I am glad he is ok! Go to church and make a large donation Sunday! You are very very lucky, God was watching for sure." - HAIRBANDDUDE

yeah because God needs money to love you. As the late Goerge Carlin said "He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can't handle money!"

justinh 09-29-2009, 10:57 AM

Lee, don't be a jerk.

I am sure he meant it as a joke.

(srock) · (srock) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 09-29-2009, 10:59 AM

Not to diminish what happened but I hate to say it but it sounds like there's a class action suite somewhere here. The lawyers should be sniffing blood. I cannot imagine what the new failsafe, lawyer designed, jack will look like.

justinh 09-29-2009, 11:10 AM

Swivel jacks can be sketchy. I have seen it happen before too. Luckily no legs or feet were in its path.

Great story and I am glad no one was hurt.

(anodyne) · (anodyne) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 09-29-2009, 12:16 PM

Honestly... I can't count the number of times I've seen swivel jacks collapse. Under the supervision of obsessively experienced boaters, too. Luckily, like you, no major injuries - glad to hear your son is alright!

You have to triple check those things. With the beveled pin, it can partially engage (giving the expected 'clink'), and then pop out under pressure.

(extremeisaac) · (extremeisaac) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 09-29-2009, 1:09 PM

Greg, Im glad hes ok and no major injuries.. as a parent, its really scary to see your kids go through that..

Ive never really relied on that wheel to support the boat.. I always put a floor jack under the front of the trailer so that the boat has more weight on that and take all the load off the trailer jack.. Its just such a habit.. might be something to consider

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-29-2009, 1:10 PM

Thanks Anodyne!

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-29-2009, 1:16 PM

Isaac, thats a good idea with the floor jack. Thanks for the input

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 09-29-2009, 1:30 PM

Wow thats scarey for sure. I have an 8 year old son that I too always say a little prayer for him and his sisters safety everyday. Your son was definately being watched over. My old boss had the same thing happen to him with a trailer but landed on his toes with flip flops on. Dude his toes looked like Fred Flinstones at first and then the next day were shades of purple I have never seen on a human before.
Glad your son is OK.
You have to make sure that pin pops in for sure, I have witnessed that happen way too many times. I always double check that ever since the toe smashing.

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-29-2009, 1:34 PM

Thanks Billy. Yeah, gonna be extra careful from here on out...

(skull) · (skull) **Join Date: May 2002** 09-29-2009, 2:05 PM

Glad he was OK. My 7 year old likes to help crank the trailer also.... I will have to double check from now on.

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-29-2009, 2:50 PM

Thanks Rob. I think Ive seen you out on Ray Roberts.

(waterdork88) · (waterdork88) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 09-29-2009, 3:17 PM

Never had that happen nor have I really thought about it, and thanks for the safety tip Isaac

(packrat) · (packrat) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 09-29-2009, 5:02 PM

That is one of the advantages of the new F2 Fulton Jack. When you pull the handle it is very easy to see if the jack has locked into place. If the handle isn't seated then the jack pin is not in the hole and could collapse.
I plan to double check it though and glad to hear your son is ok.

(cbk) · (cbk) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 09-29-2009, 6:44 PM

Greg - Glad to hear your son is ok. Amazing the power of prayer!

My three year old is and has been a "little helper" for awhile now. I don't think we can ever be too careful.

(adam_balon) · (adam_balon) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 09-29-2009, 10:42 PM

damn malibu's.... haha jk. so stoked your little one is ok.

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-30-2009, 6:54 AM

Thanks guys. His Mom took him to the doctor yesterday. Just a "bone bruise"...amazing.

(wake77) · (wake77) **Join Date: Jan 2009** 09-30-2009, 8:21 AM

It's good that the little man is okay.

Not that it matters much to you now, but out of curiosity, was there any damage to the trailer? Any bend, etc. on the tongue?

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-30-2009, 9:52 AM

Nope. No damage to the trailer at all.

(fly135) · (fly135) **Join Date: Jun 2004** 09-30-2009, 12:25 PM

Man it hurts to just read this thread. Glad your boy is OK.

(mossy44) · (mossy44) **Join Date: Oct 2001** 09-30-2009, 12:32 PM

when you say you and a friend lifted the trailer, did y'all really lift it? I don't know how much weight was resting on your son's leg, but that seems crazy....it not breaking his leg and the 2 of you lifting it.

By no means am I saying I don't believe you, I am just saying how crazy of a story that is. Glad to hear it all worked out the way it did!

(wake77) · (wake77) **Join Date: Jan 2009** 09-30-2009, 2:40 PM

Son's okay, trailer and boat's okay.

Greg don't waste your time buying a lotto ticket for the next five years.

(colombiansurfer)

Greg, glad that your son is ok. I would still get him checked out just in case there is a hairline fracture or something later on in life than might come up. I am in the medical field and see people that come in 1 or 2 months later from a fall and come to find out they had a broken bone. If you have insurance, use it to be sure.

As for lifting the boat, your body has an reserve Epinephrine aka Adrenaline. It is amazing to hear story's from people that have lifted things that under normal circumstances would not be able to lift.

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 09-30-2009, 4:50 PM

Trents mom took him to the doctor for X-rays yesterday. Doc said he has a "bone bruise" and its a miracle his legs didnt break. Oh yeah, that adrenaline kicked in when I saw my son under the trailer. I would have ripped my arms out if I came to it to pull him free...

(njskier) · (njskier) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 09-30-2009, 5:37 PM

Glad everything turned out all right Greg!
Being a dad has its moments for sure....it's a full time job for parents to try and keep them safe.

(I must have drove my parents crazy!) :-)

(wakeface) · (wakeface) **Join Date: Aug 2009** 09-30-2009, 7:47 PM

Super thankful for your "happy ending"...God is so great!!!

(lfxstar) · (lfxstar) **Join Date: Jul 2001** 10-01-2009, 4:34 AM

You should send this story in to wbm, you will definitely win letter of the month and some awesome free swag for your son!!

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 10-01-2009, 8:19 AM

Probably not a bad idea to send it in. Raise some awareness at a min...

(alans) · (alans) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 10-01-2009, 8:46 AM

Sorry to hear about the accident. And not to dum down the seriousness of the incident, but a tandem axel trailer tongue should have no more that 200lbs +/- 50 lbs. As it gets closer to the ground, the weight also decreases. Acually a lot of tandem tongues won't even touch the ground if the jack was left off.

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 10-01-2009, 10:22 AM

Oh just scary to see your son under the trailer. Even if it was 50lbs of pressure. Thats about what he weighs...

(eubanks01) · (eubanks01) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 10-01-2009, 10:30 AM

Really? Have you ever tried to lift one? I think they weigh a lot more than 200 lbs.

(wake1823) · (wake1823) **Join Date: Dec 2005** 10-01-2009, 10:52 AM

^^^ I can dealift 315lbs more than a few times and I can't lift my tounge off the ground.

Mine is alot more than 200lbs...prolly close to at least double that.

(dallas78) · (dallas78) **Join Date: Jun 2009** 10-01-2009, 11:17 AM

yeah, I can lift about the same as Sam and it took two of us to get the trailer off of him. Also, he wasnt pinned under the tongue. He was by the jack which as you know is a little further back on the trailer.

(tonyv420) · (tonyv420) **Join Date: Jul 2007** 10-01-2009, 12:55 PM

Fulton F2 jack is awsome. everyone needs one. sure glad no one got seriously hurt.your son must have titanium bones : )