SS MAYFLOAT
Admiral
Thread starter- Joined
- May 17, 2001
- Messages
- 6,372
Got up early Sunday morning to take the boat to the pump out station. Winds calm, everything gong great.
After the job was done at the marina, I headed back to my slip. By now the winds started picking up quiet a bit. No problem I said to myself, there are people at the dock who will help me get into my dock with a cross wind.
I first attempt was close but not close enough for the dock help to reach my boat. Then the wind started pushing me into the boat next to me. I put it into reverse, gassed her up and missed the boat next to me. Now I'm moving at a good clip in reverse. I back the throttle down and pushed it into forward.........Bang! Shifter cable snapped and it is still in reverse. I turned the engine off and cracked my wheel sharp hoping to get close to the last finger sticking out from the dock. After that would have been getting smashed against the bank that is lined with huge limestones. Finally the back of the boat got close enough for me to jump onto the dock. I turned around and was able to get a hold of one of the straps to the rear deck Bimini. Finally got it slowed down enough and pulled it into the first space at the dock next to the bank. Took a few minuets to quit shaking with the adrenielin rush.
Now the next thing was to figure out how to get this beast back to my slip (number 13). Luck had it that my lower helm shifter was still working. However with all the crap inside the boat, I cannot drive it from down there. So I put it into forward gear from down below, and went up ont he bridge to start it while in gear. Pulled out of the slip and drove right into my slip picture perfect. Of course, the wind died down which made it easier.
Pulled my controls out and the threaded rod snapped into leaving about a half inch of threads. I managed to thread the fitting onto what was left. So now I have forward and reverse again. Guess I'll get a new cable on order, but it sucks having to do a haul out to change it. I'm glad my wife wasn't with me, or she would have had me so rattled that the boat would have been into the rocks!
Guess the next time I go out to do the pump out will be late at night when the winds are completely calm. I tend to think that all my years of boating paid off this time on the prevention of an ugly situation. I kept calm and kept thinking on what to do and when to do it.
With a boat, it is best to be always prepared for some type of failure and know what to do.........I'm glad to be back home, but can't wait til next weekend!..........SS
After the job was done at the marina, I headed back to my slip. By now the winds started picking up quiet a bit. No problem I said to myself, there are people at the dock who will help me get into my dock with a cross wind.
I first attempt was close but not close enough for the dock help to reach my boat. Then the wind started pushing me into the boat next to me. I put it into reverse, gassed her up and missed the boat next to me. Now I'm moving at a good clip in reverse. I back the throttle down and pushed it into forward.........Bang! Shifter cable snapped and it is still in reverse. I turned the engine off and cracked my wheel sharp hoping to get close to the last finger sticking out from the dock. After that would have been getting smashed against the bank that is lined with huge limestones. Finally the back of the boat got close enough for me to jump onto the dock. I turned around and was able to get a hold of one of the straps to the rear deck Bimini. Finally got it slowed down enough and pulled it into the first space at the dock next to the bank. Took a few minuets to quit shaking with the adrenielin rush.
Now the next thing was to figure out how to get this beast back to my slip (number 13). Luck had it that my lower helm shifter was still working. However with all the crap inside the boat, I cannot drive it from down there. So I put it into forward gear from down below, and went up ont he bridge to start it while in gear. Pulled out of the slip and drove right into my slip picture perfect. Of course, the wind died down which made it easier.
Pulled my controls out and the threaded rod snapped into leaving about a half inch of threads. I managed to thread the fitting onto what was left. So now I have forward and reverse again. Guess I'll get a new cable on order, but it sucks having to do a haul out to change it. I'm glad my wife wasn't with me, or she would have had me so rattled that the boat would have been into the rocks!
Guess the next time I go out to do the pump out will be late at night when the winds are completely calm. I tend to think that all my years of boating paid off this time on the prevention of an ugly situation. I kept calm and kept thinking on what to do and when to do it.
With a boat, it is best to be always prepared for some type of failure and know what to do.........I'm glad to be back home, but can't wait til next weekend!..........SS
