What boating mistakes have you made?

[Mel Taylor]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

I don't think you read all of Ramley's posting before you responded to mine....if you did read it, then you're not getting it.

I read it and read it again and I still stand by what I said. What, exactly, is it that I'm not getting?

 

[CoffeeHound]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

I don't make all them mistakes any more .. Done most of them several times already !!

At my age it is called ""Antique Way of Thinkin"",, so no longer mistakes !!

 

[John2037]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Sea Doo Speedster -
didn't check the bilge to see if there was water - was very full, severly flooded one motor
left bilge pump on all day - dead battery

Regal 1950 -
Impeller shattered for the previous owner and he didn't say anything other than "just put one in" - ran fine in the driveway, overheated very badly out on the water

 

[wutevvvver]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Left trolling motor down and took a bath three times before I realized what the problem was.
didn't check gas level before leaving the dock.
And I'm with the guy that said bought a boat.

 

[Captain Shikaboo]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

One of the biggest mistakes I made was taking a fishing pole from a guy on a sinking boat.

I was enjoying a lovely day of floating the river in my raft, having a few cocktails with a pal (had a pick-up and drop off driver) and we came across two guys frantically scooping water out of a sinking fishing boat. The one guy had a death grip on his fishing pole. We rowed-up and offered a hand. They had lost almost all thier gear so we tossed them our rope and anchor and helped get one of them to shore. We went back to the other guy and he said "Take this pole, don't let go of er!!" Little to our knowledge, there was a 4ft cat on the end of the line. We didn't have the motor on the raft. I grabbed the pole, and isntantly was consumed by the thought of landing whatever was on the line. It, along with the strong current, towed my little 10ft raft down river. No biggie..til we passed our portage site...Fish ladders approaching fast... We were so caught up with that dang fish.. Started rowing frantically to the shore only to have both of us jump out without a rope tied to the raft.

Cue Benny Hill music.:facepalm:
I probably ran 5-6 miles as I watched my raft float over all the fish ladders perfectly down the middle of the river. The other guys we saved returned the favor (and our rope/anchor) by meeting up with me on an overpass as we used the rope and anchor to snag the raft, then we heard a cheer from a bunch of by standers watching the whole ordeal.:facepalm: Busted the floor board and bent the rail, but we didn't lose it. Talk about a buzz kill.

And the fish, well my buddy reeled it in. Only to have the owner of the pole say, "Nasty! Why didn't you cut the line!?!" "I chimed in, why didn't YOU cut the line!?!?" He politley said "Cus my tackle box is probably in Lake Michigan by now, the pole was worth too much to let go of."

 

[Davem3]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

I actually have a few , but i am now 49 and have had plenty of time to add them up ............

going back to the late 70's, i lived in Warren, RI. now, if you come from RI, you know that you learn to boat LONG before you learn to walk, just a fact of life. Well, anywho, my buddy and I get a boat from a friend who was leaving/moving out of state, a nice 18' skiff with a 90 horse merc tower of power. Sweet, right. well, anyway we pull it out, go through everything and get her ready to drop back in. we are finally ready and drop her in, using a buddies Toyota pick up truck. ya, you heard it right, a early Toyota truck, that were not all that great back then, more on that later. well, we get it in and start cruising, when i realize (probably by the fact that my feet are getting wet) that %$^t, we forgot the plug. Now remember this is the 70's, a age and time before cell phones or hardly any way to communicate except by VHF radio, which there were NO handhelds at that time. I go to WOT instantly to get the water back out, all the while trying to signal everyone on land to get the effing trailor back into the water ASAP!!! Finally some one gets a clue and gets it back in. i come in hot, reverse at the last sec, hook up the winch and get it out now!!!!! problem was , the poor little Toyota with only 2 wheel drive could not pull the boat, motor trailer, and all the water IN the boat, so yep you guessed it the truck just slid back...........
took 2 tow trucks to get us out............boat ended up being fine except for the battery , no biggie........... the truck however , well.......... i will leave that for another day

2) and why i will never ever lock a motor EVER................was out around the point in Barrington, and discovered that a rock will win over a LU period, end of sentence. has anyone ever noticed that rowing with a motor as dead weight always takes longer to get back, then if you did not have a motor at all? I did :facepalm:

so there is two of my favorites ........

 

[Part-time]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Would putting a 25hp on a 12' car topper count???
This is going back almost 20 years. I put a 25 yamaha that I had just got for a steal in a yard sale on my buddy's little tinny that could hardly handle a 9.9
At first I was being very carefull... but then this overpowered little boat started being to much fun and I didn't notice the plywood from the transom comming appart.
I was WOT when the sound of the engine changed, my left hand, still resting on the tiller handle was comming up over my head, the prop was now completely out of the water. The little motor seemed to have jumped over the corner of the boat and down on the port side.
I tried my damndest to hold on to it but forget it... There's no holding on to a WOT 25hp engine hanging over the side of a boat with one hand while trying to stay inside a 12' car topper.
I must have been a mile from shore where this happened and my friends waiting for me back on shore said they could here me cussin before they could see me... paddling back in a head wind. :facepalm:

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

spend half a day fixing trailer lights so you can pass inspection then back into a tree and break a light. Welcome to my Saturday.

 

[Nickypoo]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

I'm really throwing out my ego on this one: I started my boating experience as a teenager going out on a boat with a bunch of other teenagers. Needless to say, idiocy ran abound...



The biggest mistake that was truly of my doing was I forgot to take the rear straps off before trying to launch.

We put them on in a different spot than usual and I didn't see them so I assumed they were already off. At this point I was also pretty good at backing a trailer down straight, so with a couple of girls in the boat I decided to get cocky and reverse down the ramp fast. Well, I slammed on the brakes as I hit the water to launch the boat and, it didn't go anywhere. So everyone in the boat got flinged around and I felt like a complete idiot.



One time I threw the anchor out without checking to see if it was attached, and well, it wasn't. :facepalm:



Another experience which may or may not be my fault, was when my feet almost got chopped off by a propeller.

My friend had just gotten a brand new V-drive boat (X-star - spoiled brat), and he wasn't quite used to the fact that the spinning propeller will actually shimmy the boat over to one side when it's moving slowly. Well I was wakesurfing and he came back around to pick me up after I fell. I was crouching on the board underwater so he could just swoop by while I catch onto the handle and immediately get up.

He got a little too close, but I didn't think he would actually run me over. Well as he kept moving forward, the boat kept getting closer and closer over the top of me. Now keep in mind that I am on top of the board and I'm balancing it underneath me, so I'm not very mobile in the water. So finally I'm halfway under the boat and I bail out, while the board goes straight into the propeller.

The board was chewed up but that was the extent of the damage.

 

[markheck1]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Here's one I haven't seen yet,

Did a new water pump in my Alpha, hauled it down to the river and tested out the new install.....

Of course wife and grandkids all wanted a boat ride since it was nice out....

ran around the river for a little while and BANG!!! CRAP...I smacked a rock.....

still limped along so I cruised it back to the launch, on the trailer, went to put the spare prop back on, Did I mention this was a "new to me" used prop that I just bought because the old one had some pretty good dings in it....

HMMMM....where the heck did the trim tab go? Hmmmm....you know I have never hit a rock there before either......

DING!!!.....hey stupid......you forgot to tighten the trim tab.......and it dropped into the prop......DOH!!!

Also have forgot plug, and forgot to close the drains on the manifolds,

Also learned NEVER trust the fuel gauge on a used boat, LOL

 

[wutevvvver]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

[

I recently changed a fuel sender, figured I'll drain the "couple gallons" of gas I was sure was left in the tank. Well, 13 gallons later and nothing left to drain into, I poured it all back in. I guess that is a job for another day.LOL:redface:

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Thank you all for sharing your stories and keeping this thread going. YOur mistakes helps us learn.

 

[sutor623]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Would putting a 25hp on a 12' car topper count???
This is going back almost 20 years. I put a 25 yamaha that I had just got for a steal in a yard sale on my buddy's little tinny that could hardly handle a 9.9
At first I was being very carefull... but then this overpowered little boat started being to much fun and I didn't notice the plywood from the transom comming appart.
I was WOT when the sound of the engine changed, my left hand, still resting on the tiller handle was comming up over my head, the prop was now completely out of the water. The little motor seemed to have jumped over the corner of the boat and down on the port side.
I tried my damndest to hold on to it but forget it... There's no holding on to a WOT 25hp engine hanging over the side of a boat with one hand while trying to stay inside a 12' car topper.
I must have been a mile from shore where this happened and my friends waiting for me back on shore said they could here me cussin before they could see me... paddling back in a head wind. :facepalm:

So what happened to the motor?

 

[Raypex]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

After a beautiful trip through downtown Chicago and a great day with friends, we returned to the launch after dark. I loaded my 22' Searay CC without incident. My brother needed help with his loading, so I parked and helped. Once both boats were out of the water, everything was tied down and we were on our way. I am fairly new to boating, and at this point, I am starting to think I am doing well. WRONG! A few miles down the road, the dock line (that I had on while getting trailer) was thrown onto the bow, forgotten, and slid off while cornering. It only took a split second and, with a lurch, my bow rail was junk! My wife and I were so disgusted. I truly felt guilty. 22 years and don't know how many owners, those rails looked new.
If any readers have a starboard rail for an '89 220 OV, let me know

If nothing else, this is just another boating lesson. I am sure more are to follow.
As long as we all go home in one piece, it's worth the trouble!
Happy Boating to all!

 

[Mel Taylor]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

After a beautiful trip through downtown Chicago and a great day with friends, we returned to the launch after dark. I loaded my 22' Searay CC without incident. My brother needed help with his loading, so I parked and helped. Once both boats were out of the water, everything was tied down and we were on our way. I am fairly new to boating, and at this point, I am starting to think I am doing well. WRONG! A few miles down the road, the dock line (that I had on while getting trailer) was thrown onto the bow, forgotten, and slid off while cornering. It only took a split second and, with a lurch, my bow rail was junk! My wife and I were so disgusted. I truly felt guilty. 22 years and don't know how many owners, those rails looked new.
If any readers have a starboard rail for an '89 220 OV, let me know

If nothing else, this is just another boating lesson. I am sure more are to follow.
As long as we all go home in one piece, it's worth the trouble!
Happy Boating to all!

Did the pretty much same thing once with a much smaller (and cheaper) tinnie. Bow line which was still attached to the eye on the front of the boat but was just tossed on the front floorboard of the boat. It snaked it's way out, whipped off and caught under the trailer wheel. I was much luckier though. There was no bow rail to destroy. The hook that attached the bowline to the boat must have been made in China. It broke instead of pulling the eye out of the bow. Bowline somehow ended up wrapped around the hub and axle but that only took a few minutes to get loose. Now, when ever we go, the bowline in removed and stowed securely in the boat before anything moves.

One more lesson well learned.

 

[wpalmisano]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Easy. About 18 years ago I was fishing at North Farms Reservior at night, alone, with my first boat. The bass were on the topwater bite and I could hardly bring myself to leave. I was "in the zone." I had the place to myself, it was a warm night. I was working third shift and after fishing I would just hook up the boat and go to work for midnight. I had a 14' 1965 fiberglass Starcraft which weighed at least one ton, lol. I was new to boating and as time for work neared I headed for the shallow ramp covered in goose poop, and backed my brand new 2004 S-10 pick up up with the trailer in the water. Try as I might I could not get the boat on the trailer. I soon had the bright idea of turning the key on, not starting it, just powering the reverse lights. and put the truck in reverse. It lit everything up nicely but I could see the trailer wasn't quite back far enough into the water. So I pushed on the clutch to back it up another foot. Of course it pop started in reverse, the door pushed me down into the water, and the truck actually backed up so that the bottom of the doors was underwater but it pointed upward so the engine was out of the water. I just stood there on the ramp, covered in goose poop and green water, utterly alone. The crickets chirped and the headlights pointed up into the air. Later, as I stood there in shock and disgusted with myself. a couple showed up to the deserted ramp to be romantic and quickly noticed the headlights pointing into the air. His 4x4 easily pulled me out. The truck started right up.Later, I took out the vinal floors and seats and cleaned and dried everything but that truck never did smell right ever again.

 

[Tnmtns]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

I fish and hunt relics of the Tennessee River. TVA release water for electricity at various time. One day I pulled up to shore and tied my boat off and was looking for arrowheads. I was about 70 yards away and saw that the shore line was receding fast. I ran back to the boat and tried to push it back into the river. I was stranded on a mud flat. I had to dig a ditch to the boat and then dig out the mud under the boat to get her back in 7 hours later. I was down in the boondocks. I did dig out a few relics on that mud flat though. This was with a 16' G-3 duck boat.

 

[Maclin]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

The anchor rope stories remined me of one time when I was heading back to the ramp for the day and the tow rope decided it had time for one more adventure. The tube and rope were in the boat and on the way to the ramp the tow rope sneaked out so when I go to the ramp there it was 25' back in the water, one end on the tow hook and the other on the tube that was still in the boat (it had not moved at all). It was not a long trip to the ramp but I as doing 45 or so most of the way. I was taken aback some when I saw it while aiming the boat at the trailer, but then once my brother was winching the boat on up I just put on a silly grin and reeled it back in right there on the ramp. Not too many people noticed, but all I could think about were the what-ifs, like the tube getting sucked out and catching and pulling the tow eye out, or rope in prop or rope in someone else's prop.

 

[Harritwo]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Yesterday at the ramp, a guy had a nissan truck backing down on the ramp a bayliner. First he forgot to unstrap it, when he finally figured that one out, he pulled out, unstrapped, then backed down into the water again. This time he forgot the plug, when he pulled out and put the plug in, he let his tailgate down, Backed down into the water, and left a huge dent in the tailgate. I fianlly left before he destroyed anything else.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

First launch of the season, you can now add me to the transom strap club as well as the left plug out club. Though technically i didn't forget the plug the plug was worn out and leaking luckily i keep three spares on the boat sooo back up the ramp she goes out goes the old plug in goes the new one of comes the transom strap and away we go. Yep I removed only 1 transom strap the other was holding the boat quite firmly in place.