New to me boat...

[Droopy]

OK, I guess it needs to be told...

I just bought my first boat this spring. It's a 21' 88' Bayliner Capri bowrider with an OMC 5.0L engine. Unfortunately, I didn't find iBoats until AFTER I bought it but that is what it is... I did the standard newbie things and bought the boat without seeing it run on the water (I did have the PO run it on muffs for me tho).

Anyway, I get it home, we move to Vegas (from Salt Lake City), and by the time I pull into town, the boat is rubbing on/sitting on the fenders on the trailer... I also started trying to test stuff and the bilge pump no-workie... Ever try to get under an old OMC engine to replace a $30 pump... I'm 6'1" and 230lbs... Not a chance... So off to the shop it goes. They fix the trailer (missing a very important bolt) and put a new pump in for me.

Meanwhile, I've found iBoats, really enjoy reading all the SHT's and am bound and determined to not be "that guy" at the ramp. I also took a boaters safety course while I was at it...

OK, I get the boat back and take it out to the lake without the family on a weekday. The ramp, as planned, was empty except for one other guy. I prepped the boat in the prep area, made sure the straps were undone, the safety chain and winch were still secure, made SURE I put the plug in, took a deep breath, and backed it down the ramp. Feeling good, feel like I learned from others lessons and paid attention...

Common newbie problem. Backing the trailer in to far... Nope, not me. I back it in until the water is just above the trailer tires but not quite over the fenders. I wade out the the winch, unhook everything, grab the bowline, and try to push the boat off... Not budging... No problem... I get in the truck, gonna back it another foot or two down the ramp... Look in the rearview mirror, oops the boat is floating off the back of the trailer!!! Bail out of the truck to run grab the bowline before I gotta swim for it. Realize trailer is keeping pace with me!?! Dive headfirst back into truck hitting the brake with both hands...

Sheepishly sit up, put the truck in PARK, set the E-brake, climb back out to see my well-trained boat has very gently drifted up to the dock as if I had intended it to... Tied it up, went and parked the truck, and took it for its uneventful shakedown cruise.

I did manage to get it back on the trailer and home uneventfully...

I wish that was the end of the story, but I'll swallow what's left of my pride and continue with outting two in the next post... (Titled how to fail at sinking your boat)

John

 

[Droopy]

Re: New to me boat...

So, learned a little on the first launch, but more importantly the boat ran great, new bilge pump was pumping plenty of water outta the bilge, and I was ready to take the family out... (The observant folks see this coming already...)

Wife was busy, so I took my two girls. Again, made sure we picked a quiet day at the launch. None of us wanted to be buffoons at the ramp, so we prepped in the prep area, made SURE the plug was in, and talked about who was going to do what. Oldest is going in the boat with PFD on to hand lines to youngest (11 years old also with PFD on). They'll guide the boat off the trailer and hold it on the dock while I park. (Hadn't had time to teach them how to tie it up yet...)

Backed the truck down, got the top of the fenders wet, unhooked and pushed the boat off, girls acted like they'd been doing this for years, and in about 60 seconds we had the boat sitting gently by the dock!

I went and parked, then since the launch was not very busy, showed them how to tie a line to a cleat. Sent them off to use the restroom while I got the boat started... OK, blowers been going for a while, lower the drive, turn key, woops, why'd I loose all electrical power??

OK, fuse somewhere blew, probably done for the day... Let's look at the motor and see if I can see anything. Pull up the seat cushion and there's the motor... Sitting over about 6 inches of water!! And I can hear a "glug-glug" sound!! Reach for the bilge pump switch (it's also got an auto-float switch, but didn't think that through right then) and was shocked at the silence... Crap, no electrical power means no electric bilge pump!!

Ran up the ramp, climbed into truck, (there's now 1 person launching and 2 retrieving their boats on the 6 wide ramp) and backed the trailer in as quickly as possible. Girls showed back up and were great help getting the boat back on the trailer quickly before it sank...

Of course, I've got no way to raise the drive without power either... With the girls giving me directions, I drove as far up the ramp as I could without dragging the skeg. Ended up with the transom sitting over about a foot of water.

Long story short, borrowed some tools from one of the other guys, removed the hydraulic rams, and strapped to sterndrive up. Doublechecked and the plug WAS in... Turns out the transom seal had deteriorated but the transom was not rotten! Guess a little luck came my way in the end...

And maybe next time I won't be so enthused at seeing my new bilge pump pumping plenty of water outta the bilge!!

Cheers,

John

 

[Big Pete]

Re: New to me boat...

All the fun of boating .. Why do we do it right ?

Good story .i could picture the scene ..

 

[j_martin]

Re: New to me boat...

And maybe next time I won't be so enthused at seeing my new bilge pump pumping plenty of water outta the bilge!!

Doh!

 

[slia67]

Re: New to me boat...

Droopy,

Realize that most of us have been there with all of your "learning experiences". So hopefully you're getting them out of the way early in your boating career and can go on without too many problems going forward.

You know what they say about two kinds of boating people? One group are the people who have forgotten to put in the plug, and the other group are the people who will forget to put it in the plug.

 

[Philster]

Re: New to me boat...

I can imagine the feeling in your stomach and sense your heart racing when you bolted back to the truck.

 

[scott473]

Re: New to me boat...

You know what they say about two kinds of boating people? One group are the people who have forgotten to put in the plug, and the other group are the people who will forget to put it in the plug.

Ahh my first post and its gotta be a me too moment. lol I have forgotten, both my neighbors have forgotten. It happens. I put my plug in from inside the boat and just leave it now. (boat stays on a battery tender now)

 

[INJUN]

Re: New to me boat...

I started to worry when you said 'the new bilge pump was pumping water outta the bilge', on your first day out.

 

[Thad]

Re: New to me boat...

I started to worry when you said 'the new bilge pump was pumping water outta the bilge', on your first day out.

At least he didn't say "pumping water IN the bilge"

Now harm, no foul. If the insurance company wasn't involved, it was a good day.

 

[Droopy]

Re: New to me boat...

If the insurance company wasn't involved, it was a good day.

Indeed... For everything that went wrong/I screwed up, things could have been much worse... Only damage was to my ego...

Definitely learned something for a cheap price...

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: New to me boat...

John, you made me laugh. Not at you, just because I still vividly remember my own first launch one yr. ago.

It was July 5th and we went to an out of the way ramp that I hoped would not be too busy. Nope, it was packed. As we waited our turn I carefully went through my little checklist, several times. Backed in and could not get the boat off the trailer to save our lives. One of the "veteran" fishermen standing on the dock waiting said, "did you take your back straps off"???

I jumped into the truck and pulled back out and the same guy said "hey, your motors still running" !!! I had made sure it would start before trying to push off the trailer so I would not be that newbie idiot holding up the ramp.
:redface::redface:

It will get better and it will get easier. And you have crossed a few mistakes
off the list that shouldn't happen again.

GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY BOATING.
Brian

 

[redeye1962]

Re: New to me boat...

If you were not 6' 1" 230 lbs I would be lmao
Everyone has a day like that..........I am still waiting for mine
Good luck and have fun

 

[itsaboattime]

Re: New to me boat...

Try this one. Had the boat for about a year. I backed it in and had my son hold the bow lone. I pulled the truck and trailer out and went to park. Now the parking lot is downstream from the launch. I start walking back to the launch and I glance at the boat going down river, funny it looks like mine, Alot like mine................HOLY CRAP!!! It is mine!!! I go running and dive into the river( complete with cell phone, wallet, and MP3 player in my pocket), catch the bow line, and wade back to shore. I look up at the dock and see my son, a few yards away playing catch with a very pretty girl.

I didn't even ask.........just accepted the appologies and went fishing.

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: New to me boat...

Try this one. Had the boat for about a year. I backed it in and had my son hold the bow lone. I pulled the truck and trailer out and went to park. Now the parking lot is downstream from the launch. I start walking back to the launch and I glance at the boat going down river, funny it looks like mine, Alot like mine................HOLY CRAP!!! It is mine!!! I go running and dive into the river( complete with cell phone, wallet, and MP3 player in my pocket), catch the bow line, and wade back to shore. I look up at the dock and see my son, a few yards away playing catch with a very pretty girl.

I didn't even ask.........just accepted the appologies and went fishing.

LOL, That is funny! Boys will be Boys I guess!