My stupid human trick...

[drivehard]

Lets set the stage...

Its early morning, and I am waxing and wiping down the boat to get ready for a day in the sun. I have friends coming from out of state for a day of boating and fun. I let my 2.5 year old daughter run around the inside of the boat while I work. She loves to honk the horn and pretend to drive "Daddy's boat"

So I finish up my work, and she is looking pretty, and ready to go. I load up and meet my friends at the dock. We load their stuff into the boat and back her into the water.

Now, I built my engine from scratch all by myself. I take a LOT of pride in that. It starts instantly every time, and runs perfectly.

So, the outdrive is down, engine primed, turn the key, and RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
again
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRr

It turns over just fine...but not even a hint of catching.

I begin to get nervous...I pull the flame arrestor and check for fuel...yup, its got fuel.

Try again...same thing.

Try full throttle, part, none...try everything.

I pull the lead from the coil off the dist. and check for spark...CRAP!!! no spark. I start checking connections to the coil...all good.

Well, crap, the coil must have gone bad...I begin to break the news to my friends. I feel terrible... I crank the boat back on the trailer, and pull her out. I start unloading their stuff, and my non boating friend looks at me and says "Is the kill switch supposed to be off?"

HOLY CRAP!!!!!! THE KILL SWITCH!!! Duh!

Yup, I guess when my little angel was playing with daddy's boat, she found the little red kill switch.

I flipped it, and backed her in again...turn the key, and it instantly roars to life.

Boy, did I feel dumb...at least the day was saved!!!

 

[AZMinyard]

Re: My stupid human trick...

You're lucky, at least you could blame it on your little angel - similar situation was my own darn fault!

 

[david_r]

Re: My stupid human trick...

Well, crap, the coil must have gone bad...I begin to break the news to my friends. I feel terrible... I crank the boat back on the trailer, and pull her out. I start unloading their stuff, and my non boating friend looks at me and says "Is the kill switch supposed to be off?"

HOLY CRAP!!!!!! THE KILL SWITCH!!! Duh!

i bet you never do that again.



i know the feeling i forgot my lanyard in the truck one day.......samething.....im in the boat (i never unhook bow eye till she fires....just in case) and my bud backs me in so i start cranking and cranking and cranking...........for like 5 mins

so my bud says "is she gonna start?"

and i say "yep, shes been runnin fine, dont know why she wont start today!"

and he says "do we have everything we need from inside the truck?"

and i say "yep i checked before i got in the boat"

and he says "what about this? it fell out of the truck when i opened the door"....dangling it off of his finger and grinning from ear to ear.

now i check EVERYTHING 2 times sometimes 3......especially the plug---yes im a member of the "forgot plug club":redface:

im not entirely shure the lanyard was my fault.....you know practical jokes and what not.....

but i have forget the plug so maybe i forgot the lanyard as well.

 

[mike64]

Re: My stupid human trick...

Having 2 little devils myself (3 & 6 year old boys), that I've let play in the boat while I was working on it, I had a good idea what was coming when you mentioned your little angel playing in the boat

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: My stupid human trick...

I did the same thing many years ago. Embarrasing but a quick fix as soon as you realise.

 

[rndn]

Re: My stupid human trick...

You should feel lucky for being able to blame that on someone else as I had to take the blame all alone when it happened to me.

 

[freddyray21]

Re: My stupid human trick...

took my niece and nephew sailing a few weeks ago. 17 ft day sailer with a swing keel. Go to launch and find the keel has been untied. So I think okay well maybe we didn't get it tied good the last time we put it on the trailer. I didn't tie it a friend of mine did so I am ready to blame it on him. Of cousrse they say they never touched it. So we get the boat launched and find the safety line on the rudder is untied. Of course they didn't do that either.

 

[Boat Drinks]

Re: My stupid human trick...

An ole timer was standing on the dock one day with about 25 or 30 others looking at a Grady White that was quite full of water. The owner had tied it up the day before stern to the wind which picked up big time over night resulting in water splashing over the stern. Of course the pump switch was in the off postion. The owner was trying to reach the swith without getting on the boat with the advice of the old man. After numerous attemps to reach the switch with sticks etc. he finally announced he was boarding her anyway. Of course the old man told him what was going to happen with that deep vee boat full of water once he stepped on the gunwale. Sure enough he stepped on the side and over she went. The old man just shook his head and walked off. Funny for everyone but the owner. There were other options but he just wouldn't listen. More $ than brains and no it wasn't me.