This past weekend I was retrieving the boat from the ramp at our family beach house and the tide was a bit lower than ideal and on it's way further out so I attempted to haul the boat while I could rather than leaving it on the buoy overnight.
I have done this hundreds of times since childhood and having a 2nd vehicle help is pretty common. The ramp is paved at the beginning but drops off to beach pretty quick and often requires both front and back tires to be on the beach to get the trailer deep enough in the water.
I found myself in this situation for the first time since buying the LC 200 and I would be lieing if I did not admit that I was just a little excited to see this feature earn its price of admission. I was not looking for this beast to do work but rather it was just part of what we do.
With 3,000 lbs of boat behind me and salt water touching the rear tires and everything on the sand I went to 4LO and activated crawl mode. The rest is history. I sat there for 30+ seconds just listening and trying to figure out if I was even moving and then ever so slowly the LC started inching forward and then the front tires contacted concrete and was picked up the pace until I was safely back up in the driveway. Wish I would have taken a pic but at the time I was not thinking about much but hauling out the boat before dark set in and the tide was furhter out. Absolutely amazing . Now if only the 10-11mpg I achieved was as incredible.
The rear springs did not sag much that I could notice so perhaps I won't need to add rear bags to the car. The vehicle tows nicely. The hitch is higher than my 4 runner so I need to get a new ball mount that is a bit lower. I already picked it up just waiting for the ball to come in since I needed something specific. Like the LC it will be very cool and way overkill.
I actually look forward to the next time I am hauling the boat out and am in the same situation. I hope all my relatives who have been stuck in their big Chev Duramax are there so they can see how it is done. Most just kit the peddle a bit too much and you just dig a hole and are buried. Not the LC with Crawl Mode.
I have done this hundreds of times since childhood and having a 2nd vehicle help is pretty common. The ramp is paved at the beginning but drops off to beach pretty quick and often requires both front and back tires to be on the beach to get the trailer deep enough in the water.
I found myself in this situation for the first time since buying the LC 200 and I would be lieing if I did not admit that I was just a little excited to see this feature earn its price of admission. I was not looking for this beast to do work but rather it was just part of what we do.
With 3,000 lbs of boat behind me and salt water touching the rear tires and everything on the sand I went to 4LO and activated crawl mode. The rest is history. I sat there for 30+ seconds just listening and trying to figure out if I was even moving and then ever so slowly the LC started inching forward and then the front tires contacted concrete and was picked up the pace until I was safely back up in the driveway. Wish I would have taken a pic but at the time I was not thinking about much but hauling out the boat before dark set in and the tide was furhter out. Absolutely amazing . Now if only the 10-11mpg I achieved was as incredible.
The rear springs did not sag much that I could notice so perhaps I won't need to add rear bags to the car. The vehicle tows nicely. The hitch is higher than my 4 runner so I need to get a new ball mount that is a bit lower. I already picked it up just waiting for the ball to come in since I needed something specific. Like the LC it will be very cool and way overkill.
I actually look forward to the next time I am hauling the boat out and am in the same situation. I hope all my relatives who have been stuck in their big Chev Duramax are there so they can see how it is done. Most just kit the peddle a bit too much and you just dig a hole and are buried. Not the LC with Crawl Mode.
