Creek without a Paddle

[chunkachange]

Well, it was actually Lake Texoma, a huge body of water in Texas and Oklahoma. My grandson and I were trolling in a little 12 foot boat with Minnkota trolling motor. We hit a snag, POP! half the prop gone! Another snag...POP! Now we are down to just a hub spinning and the wind is blowing us toward big water which stretches for 10 miles to Oklahoma. NO PADDLE! Forgot it. There was one tiny jut of land before big water, so we paddled with our hands, hoping we could intercept it. We barely caught the tip of the peninsula and were two hours getting back to the truck, via land. I keep a paddle permanently secured in the boat now. Chunk

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Creek without a Paddle

That is not a good day!<br /><br />I would carry a spare prop too.<br /><br />I also carry two spare paddles that I have had to use a couple of times. They came from a cheapo inflateable raft from Walmart. You can take them apart and the store out of the way. Total cost, 10 bucks!<br /><br />Ken

 

[jtexas]

Re: Creek without a Paddle

Glad you made it back! Texoma is no picnic in a jonboat - I avoid the main lake in my bass boat unless it's real calm.<br /><br />McGuiver would've just made a new prop out of duct tape and spinnerbaits. or a paddle out of fishing poles and sandals. I would've just taken the bow line in my mouth, jumped in and pulled the boat to safety. (in my dreams!)

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Creek without a Paddle

Chunka, I have a better solution...<br /><br />One evening wifey and I decided to take my heavy 19' bowrider for a spin in Barnegat Bay NJ. This boat had been very dependable, but not tonight! We motored maybe 100 yards into the cove, light wind, small waves, and the motor just died, and won't restart. I assume the choke stuck and the motor loaded up. Since my wife was a competative swimmer (butterfly) in high school, she is drafted (by me) to swim back to the house to get the ether. Well the ether didn't work, so I tied a line around her, and she attempted to tow us back(mostly breaststroke). She was making zero progress, and really trying, so I felt guilty and helped her by paddling.<br />Well we got back in 15 minutes or so, and she was so tired, she needed to go to bed!<br />Truth be known, I probably could not have made it back with out her swimming. I took the paddles out of the boat because with any wind, the boat simply cannot be paddled against it.