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Public boat launches are notoriously good for people watching. Watching people attempt to back up a vehicle into the water while letting a boat slide into the water is definitely more complicated than it looks. The GMC Sierra is capable of towing a boat, but you might not know it from this video.

This GMC Sierra did not successfully launch a boat

This GMC Sierra did not successfully launch a boat
This GMC Sierra did not successfully launch a boat | WICS ABC NewsChannel 20 via YouTube

Some people might never launch a boat with a truck, even if it is an option. But this GMC Sierra owner tried and failed at it. A reporter from WICS ABC NewsChannel 20 was on the scene for another story when this went down in the background. While the reporter was on camera discussing another issue at the Spaulding Dam boat launch, the white GMC Sierra could be seen backing up.

The GMC truck moves slowly at first, but then it seems the traction breaks loose. It looks like perhaps the driver got out of the truck at that point. The truck slips into the water, and only the right mirror can be seen. As it slips further into the background, the reporter seems to figure out something is going on behind him. All that is left of the GMC Sierra is the roof and truck bed.

The GMC Sierra owner was next to the truck on a boat

After that, the truck slips into the water. The news report says no one was in the vehicle when it sank. It appears the truck owner might have been on the boat already as someone can be seen waving around next to the truck. There are two more people standing nearby on the dock. The telltale sign of a sinking vehicle, a large quick burst of bubbles, can be viewed on the surface.

Unfortunately for the owner, that was a pretty expensive truck hauling a pretty small boat. This was a costly lesson to learn for this GMC Sierra owner. Perhaps you could even say the boat was hauling the truck…and it succeeded on that case.

Will insurance cover a sinking truck?

It is no secret that insurance doesn’t like to cover every mistake and accident. Either way, having boat insurance is an essential part of owning a boat. This will help protect it in the case of damage, theft, or in this instance, sinking. For the most part, auto insurance will only cover the boat if the damage happens while your vehicle is transporting the boat.

Depending on where you store the boat, the marina might require boat insurance with a liability minimum. This can also help cover the dock or something else due to damage. No matter how you slice it, this is an expensive mistake. However, if the owner was upside down on the payments for the GMC Sierra, this was an efficient way to get rid of the truck.