Re: Sadly, my first post on iboats is in SHT.
now I'm 21, I learned how to drive boats right when I got my boaters license in 6th grade. I learned from my uncle who owns a few boats and has also piloted 60' yachts as well. So I'm no dummy when it comes to boats.
I have learned from his mistakes, I have made a couple.
Like 2 years ago, my friends and her family live on the lake I go to, they know NOTHING about boats, yet they owned one, they never used it, so one day we had some friends over to her house, I seen the boat and said lets go on it, she said they don't know how to run it. So I told them I could run it. So we used it for a couple years. And had a few problems, the alternator froze up, and the cover leaked so when it rained, water filled up to the seats.
Well I had to pull it out of the water for them, so I put it on the trailer, and they fixed it, so the dad said every thing is set, all I have to do is put it in the water. Well, to make a long story short. We get in the boat, I start to go, it feels boggy, so I tell my friend something isn't right.
So she reaches in the glove compartment and askes what "this" is.
Anyone want to take a guess on to what "this" is? Yup, the plug. So I beach the boat, literally JUMP into the water with all my cloths on, keys and cell phone in my pocket, and try to put the plug in, but I can't reach it, so I am running the bilge pump and she is bailing water out, because there is a piece of floor that comes out, so we get most of the water out, and I run and get the trailer and have to wait in line at the 4 ramps for one to open,
Luckily there is nobody behind me so I put it on the trailer, and leave it sit right on the ramp looking to see if anyone comes up, then 2 out of the 4 (including me) leave the ramp, so me and another guy is occupying the ramp. because I would have moved if there was somebody in line.
But all the water is drained out, and away we go. I did almost get sick to my stomach, between that and another thing that happened that day at the boat launch (never EVER let a girl drive your truck) She was not my girl friend, she was just a friend, and it was a busy day at the launch, so I told her when I back the boat off the trailer, to pull my truck up and to the side while I beach it and can come to the truck to park it.
So I get in the boat and get it half way backed up and she just got into the truck and she starts pulling ahead WHILE I"M STILL HALF ON THE TRAILER!!! So I yell stop and she gets mad.
So I gets it backed off, I beach it, and jump off, and I see her turning the corner to go park it.
Now she is used to a Pontiac Grand Am, a small car, never drove a pick up truck let alone a truck with a trailer, so I'm running as fast as I can to her yelling stop, and I see her turn into a spot between 2 trucks with their trailer.
I see the trailer that was behind my truck go up in the air, and a crash. she cut it to short into a VERY nice trailer. It busted their tail light and that was it. So I quick picked up the pieces, left a note with HER number on it. And I went and moved the truck to the other lot, and it dented the wheel well and so I had to get my pliers and bend it back.
I still can safely say that since I got my license on my 16th birthday I have never had a ticket or accident.
But after that I got sick to my stomach.
Also my phone didn't work and I did not loose my keys, but for my phone, I put it in a bag of rice for 3 days and it soaked all the moisture out and it worked just fine.
But for boating incidents...I have only wrecked 1 prop, And if anyone is familiar with Gun Lake in Michigan, you know that can challenging lake, because there are shallow parts, rocky parts, rice pattys, and what not. I know that lake like the back of my eyes. I know where every shallow spot is, where every rock. I have been told for a 21 year old I can land a boat very well. But every summer being on a boat all the time since I was in 6th grade now going on my 4th year of college, I know my stuff.
