Sled deck safety

Rene G

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Another good point. Can't count how many times I've seen guys come into the parking lot after riding all day with a helmet, then take it off before they do the most dangerous thing they've done all day loading their sled on a deck. I bet I can count on one hand how many guys I've seen put their helmet on to UNLOAD, and I'm horribly guilty of this one.


I don’t know if loading and unloading are the most dangerous part of the day...
 

Rene G

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Think I'll just keep loading/unloading the wife's sled for her after this thread. Always razz her about not wanting to do it but I'd rather have me take a hit than her.

Most of my riding partners get me to load on my deck, I think I’m ok with that.
 

Ryeser

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Thanks for this thread! I have been loading/unloading from a sled deck for 3 - 4 years now. I love having the deck, but have to admit, I usually take my helmet off, I think it is just a bad habit. Most of my friends will gather around to watch me load or unload to watch for the carnage, and are usually scrambling to get their phones out to video the outcome, as I am always the clumsy one. I believe I actually over think many situations, the hesitation is almost worse... We have a saying in our group, "never follow Rye". There have been several incidents over the years (usually me ending up upside down in a flowing creek bed, with my sled still running on top of me (yes I wear a tether)). I love sledding, but I'm just not good at it...

Luckily, I have never made a bad enough error loading or unloading, a couple close calls, but recognize that this first or last step of the day can be very dangerous and needs all of my attention! Going forward, even at home, I will wear a helmet!
 

1200

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12 foot ramp is very nice i also have 2 inch track on my ramp for crazy traction i can stop and go on the ramp. This all helps but ive still had buddys **** it up
 
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tex78

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Seen a lot more crashes in the parking lots than on the mountain. Remember to always wear your helmet when loading or unloading your sled. A couple years ago a guy I was riding with fell off his deck and smoked his head on the edge of the deck on the truck next to him. Had some pretty good concussion symptoms and was lucky to get away with only that.
Ya he parked right beside me, like 6 inches away

Smashed his head twice, once on the side of my deck when he fell and folded in half between them the again head first on the ground

He missed the ski on the sled loading standing on the deck and fell back
 

moyiesledhead

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There have been several incidents over the years (usually me ending up upside down in a flowing creek bed, with my sled still running on top of me (yes I wear a tether)).

Not to make this thread more gruesome than it is but.....that very scenario caused our first sledder death in B.C this season.
 

catman1

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Great thread. I had such a close call one a few years ago. I was actually really scared. I loaded my mud pro up onto the deck. Jumped down moved the ramp over to load my wife’s quad. Noticed my quad had to be rolled ahead another 6 inches. So I climbed back up and when I did I grabbed the back bumper of my quad. It rolled back and pushed me off the deck to my surprise!!!!!!!! And of coarse I Allresdy moved the ramp over. Luckily the tires stopped in that little spot between deck and the aluminum bar. So learnt my lesson that day.

Now I always put the park brake on when I get off. And then I put two straps on the front. And then i slide the ramp over.


It was so scary. Dang quad could of landed right on top of me
 

cattechsummitrider

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About 97-99 when I was guiding in Revy I guided a father and son ( son was about 15 yo ), When we got back in the evening to Peaks, The father and I were having a beer and his son was getting impatient and wanted to get going so the dad told hid son to load the sleds onto the deck the son had never done this before so the dad told him to hit it with some speed "but not to fast" the dad and I were watching as the kid hit the ramp cleared the headache rack and landed the skis on the roof of the truck ( extended cab chev) the carbides cut into the roof sled slid down the side of the truck took out the mirror, Kid landed on his side and was ok. The father never lost his composure just sipped his beer, asked the kid if he was ok. Was funny at the time and could have been a lot worse
 

LBZ

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I’ve never even come close to anything exciting happen when loading onto my deck but ideally I would like to have a setup like Fernie’s. Sleds stay cleaner with less wind resistance too.

I just use my box too much right now to haul stuff to give it up. Plus it’s good storage securement underneath.
 

teeroy

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great topic. seen a few deck fawk ups over the years.

a friend of mine landed a ZRT 800 on the roof of my other friend's F-250. caved in the roof...right in the parking lot of the Manning community hall after a poker rally.

another friend broke his pull start cord and fell off the deck, broke his wrist when he hit the ground.

and another friend drove a brand new XP off the side of the sled deck, onto the pavement of Alpine's parking lot where he just rented it from.

and yet one more friend landed his XP on my headache rack...no damage to truck but mangled up his sled a bit.

saw the aftermath in Clemina of some poor dude that hit the ramp and it came unhooked from the beavertails, went straight up, and came back on top of his head, scalped him pretty good. there was a lot of blood.

be cautious!
 

TylerG

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Watched my other half load her 2012 proclimb onto the roof of our 91 Chevy pickup and off the passenger side. Her body took out the fender flare on a zr2 blazer beside where we were parked. Carbide cut the roof open, sled ripped the outrigger mirror through the door skin. Luckily she had her teckvest and helmet on. She didn't load anymore that year but the next year she was back at it.

Loading quads in fall 2017 before hunting I had our 2012 sportsmen kick out and drop a wheel off the side of the ramp. Nobody around as I was up at the family rec property alone loading up. Did it twice before I decided to just winch it up. Went and bought the single marathon UTV ramps shortly there after
 
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