Buyer beware! A picture in a downtown paper touted a sale of a large number of boats sitting on tandem axle trailers at the Seattle Boat Show. Those trailer boats represent a future heartbreak to many potential boaters.
Boat launching points are as much needed by trailer boat users as airports to pilots or freeway entrance ramps. Launching and retrieving a boat can be a very wet and athletic experience especially if winds and waves are a factor.
With the exception of the sling launch at Des Moines, safe launching points especially for tandem axle trailers in south Puget Sound are almost non-existent.
Unfortunately, boat sellers do not appear to warn customers about the lack of launches. These dealers also appear apathetic about lobbying or funding for SAFE launch points.
The city of Des Moines has plans to close this LAST SAFE sling launch and replace it with a second Anthony's restaurant. Boat dealers should wake up to protect their customers and businesses! The cities and state should also wake up because these boaters pay license fees for both their boats and their trailers. They have an entitlement to receive something useful for those fees.
Dan Caldwell
Des Moines