A few years ago I anchored my little sailboat in the crowded Baltimore harbor (near the National Aquarium) for the night. I was low on gas so I unhooked the tank and put it in the dink, thinking I'd row over to the marina for gas later on. A few hours later the anchorage was filling fast and a large sailboat anchored too close to us. When it became apparent the dancing winds would swing him into us sooner or later, I decided to move. I started up the outboard while wifey went forward. I powered the anchor loose, paused while she pulled it up, and then eased forward through the densely-packed boats to circle around to my new spot. That's when the engine died. I still remember my astonishment as I looked down to check the tank and realized where it was. I quickly pulled in the trailing dink, grabbed the tank, and hooked up and all came out well. But I imagine it was fun for all those folks watching me sheepishly retrieve my gas tank as I drifted among the other boats.
