What boating mistakes have you made?

[MRneatfreak]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Went out on the 4th took my visiting relatives from the midwest, out in the bay, island hopping. My step dad is 76, and two others 12 and 20. I parked the boat in what I thought was about 3 feet of water, because it doesn't have tilt/trim and I dont like getting caught with the tide pushing me into the sand. I was the first one to get out and it was more like 5 1/2 feet of water. I am 6 1/2 feet tall. Called it good and trodded my way to the island, every body else followed suit, including my 75 pound Labrador Retriever. After staying 45 minutes we went to make our way back, noticed the water was deeper and the current was stiffer and going against us to get to the boat. I was the first one back, but I couldn't get in the boat so I pushed the dog into the boat. Then I grabbed the lines that were tied into the cleats and tossed em out for the others to grab onto and pull themselves toward the boat when I realized my 12 yr old (w/ a life jacket) was caught in the current and getting swept out into the no-wake channel. The 20yr old (w/o a life jacket) voluteered to go back and stay with the 12 yr old. Meanwhile I was now at the bow trying to use the anchor line as a step to climb aboard, and my step dad was floating at the stern. I signaled a man and his son passing by in a skiff to grab the two kids caught in the channel. By that time another skiff pulls up with a father and two teenager boys and jumps into my boat to help us get aboard. My step dad was first at the stern, even with two pulling from inside it wasn't enough, I had to push with one hand under his rear end and nothing to stand on. Then it was my turn and I got back in finally. Then we transferred the two kids from the first boater.

I was extremely thankfull for these two boaters that assisted us. Not once was there a smirk, a laugh, or sneid remarks. I made the comment that this is the kind of stuff you read about on the internet, and the other boater said "everybody needs help from time to time." When we got back to the docks it just so happened they were loading, and nothing was said. It was like it never happened. But we were all shaken up.

So from one Florida Father to another, here is a heartfelt thankyou to all you kind and generous boaters out there.

 

[briangcc]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

First week of owning my '99 Bayliner I tried launching it with the stern straps still attached to the trailer.:facepalm: I wondered why it wasn't coming off, rocked it a few times, etc. Bugger wasn't coming off at all. Guess I had it on there!!

3rd year of owning my '05 Four Winns I took my then girlfriend (now ex), her (2) kids, and a family friend up to 1000 Islands. I had wondered where the hose clamps went that the marina left off the previous year after they winterized it but I couldn't see where they went. I launched the boat, checked for water intrusion and went from the state launch about a mile up river. Motor cut out on me and the bilge pump was going. Checked and found the bilge full of water and the lower water hose off the pump. Got towed back to the launch and pulled the boat back to the cabin on the trailer. After a little cussing I got the clamps back on.

That same day, after fixing the clamp issue, I let the then g/f's 15 yr old daughter drive my boat. I had it tied to the dock and walked her through the starting process. She started it no problem and then tossed it into gear still attached to the dock :facepalm: On the way back she wanted to dock it (my mistake for letting her). Yep, ramming speed into the dock put a nice 10' scrape down the side. Her response, ohh well...it's your boat, you fix it. Looking back, I'm glad I'm not with that g/f any longer!!!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

MRneatfreak, I started keeping a hook-over ladder in one boat that has high sides (and which gets used a lot in the winter, deep water, alone) so that if someone goes over, they can get back in the boat. It's marked "Safety Ladder Do Not Remove" (the boat is used by a large group). I installed a swim step on another primarily for my safety than for the swimmers.

Although it's dangerous, with an outboard, you can stand on the motor and run the PTT to get you up in a true emergency.

I'm glad it all worked out for you; you had a lot of close calls. I sometimes beach where it's shallow here deep there, with swift current to the ocean. A lot can go wrong quickly.

 

[M.A.CCruiser]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

first time with my new (to me) boat out... started like a champ... slapped it into a few waves figuring out how to take the wake in it.. got to the island, unloaded and started with some sun a few brews... time to leave pump the bulb... crank.. nothing...

pump some more, crank, nothing... pump pump pump.. wow it smells a lot like gas... crank.. choke crank.. nothing...

float around, it's flooded now and need a few minutes... have another beer... relax... turn it over again... and again... this went on for about an hour and i'm finally ready to call Sea-Tow (which i got the week before i took the boat out just in case) when i realize the safety clip isn't on... click, crank, VROOOmm.... DOH!

wont make that mistake again.

 

[snakeskinrug]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Filled the gas tank and forgot to reconnect the line. Luckily there was enough gas in the line for my wife to get it up to the dock after unloading. I would have heard it for hours if she couldn't have got it started.

Backed into a tree in the dark. The pontoons stick out a lot farther than the back rails. Just dented in the end of the pontoon a little. Could have been much worse.

I had pulled out the boat ramp into the staging area and was securing my hard top when a guy pulled up next to me and said “Let me ask you a question. I need to put this back in the water and get it up tight, don’t I?” I looked at his boat and he was about 2 feet back from the front roller. My exact reply was “Yeah, it’s a good idea. If you hit your brakes hard it could come forward and slam into that roller or even jump it and wreck something.” Apparently he suffers from selective hearing because he goes “That’s a good idea!” and then I see him tear across the parking lot and slam on the brakes. I almost busted a gut laughing as he proceeded to try it 4 more times before conceding to back down the ramp again. My mistake on that one was trying to give advice.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

and his mistake was not using the winch. It's what it's there for, works great on level surfaces. Scary that he is even driving a boat out there somewhere and can't figure that out.

 

[vanashke001]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Wow, like many others before me, I feel so much better reading this thread. lol
Got my 88 Bayliner Capri mongrel a little over 2 months ago, hoped it would be in the water quick. yup, that would be wrong. Broken block. Well done prior owners: a couple of kids whose parents gave them the boat when they upgraded. Seems people never take care of things if they don't work for them. Anyhoo, put a new motor in and it would fire, wouldn't start. over and over and over, checking everything I could think of, obviously had spark as it would fire, just wouldn't go. Well, first boat, I noticed the safety lanyard every time I tried to start it. I was getting so despondent thinking I wasted a bunch of money. Suddenly, looking through iBoats, voila, put the damn lanyard clip on. VROOOOM. It wouldn't be so bad had I not kept looking at it when I would turn the key.
We thought all was well, decided to throw it on the water, mind you we had swapped out everything when we changed the motor. Got on the water, started right up, friend mentioned a bunch of water splashing around. Yup, turned out though I thought I had checked all clamps I missed one of the ones for the water hoses to the water pump. popped off and was throwing water every where. shut of the motor right at the dock. was kind of drifting slightly but I was able to get the hose back on and tighten the clamp. Tons of water in the bilge. Good news, bilge pump worked!
Every time I'd gone out for the past 3 times I was still getting water in the bilge. every time I checked though I had shut off the motor. Last time out, had a friend look under the cover while under power. Yup, drain from the riser. I hadn't put the plug back in. not a large hole so it would take 10 minutes or so under power to fill the bilge enough to worry about it. Sit for 10 while the pump worked. Happy day I figured out the water source, bad day, I have looked all over for the bolt that goes in the hole, one more victim of my haunted garage (roomie lost a bolt from his Harley- looked for 40 minutes never found it.).
So, that's about it so far for me *fingers crossed.
Oh if anyone knows off hand what size that bolt is for the mercruiser 165 hp I6 exhaust riser (it's not 3/8s or 5/16s) I'd love a heads up.

 

[capecodtodd]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

I have forgotten to put the plug in more then once. Where is all that water coming from??? Oh yeah!
I used to spend a lot of time fishing in this one shallow lake and I would putt around find a spot and drop the anchor off the stern, fish for a bit then head ot another spot usually at a good clip.... "hey what is that thing skimming the water like 10 feet behind us??? OH DUH. Happened more than once I have admit to.
I'm sure there are lots more stupid things that my pride refuses to recall.
Todd

 

[Maclin]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Vanesh, I am pretty sure it is not a bolt, it is a pipe plug, not sure on the size but they do not cost much so you could try different sizes rfom a hardware store. If you can't get to it very well to measure it just press your thumb or palm into the hole for a few seconds and then measure the "marks" on your thumb or hand.

 

[B-Dozer]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

My buddy sank his truck and trailer on a steep boat ramp before a day on the water. We saved them but the truck never had any had any working gauges again. Liability only. Never forget parking brake.

 

[Maclin]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

"Never forget parking brake. " .... and buy wheel chocks.

 

[Gibbles]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Father-in-law's boat

Engine would not turn over, I come over to drink his beer and started going over the engine manual I bought for him.
We are going through the wires and I'm following the wiring diagram for the starter solenoid.

We spent maybe an hour or more looking at it when I noticed the wire that looped at the control box... stupid controller was not clicked into N.... :facepalm:
Note that this ruined a day of fishing for him

Tossed my anchor over one day, went to tug on it and up came the rope.
that was a funny day...


And thanks to this thread, I now keep the safety chain hooked to the boat while backing the boat into the water, I useto unhook everything.

 

[jlongsta]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

We were camping/boating at our favorite lake a few weeks ago. We had moored our pontoon in a nice, protected cove close to our campsite. The kids were swimming in the cove and drug up an old tire from the bottom and threw it up on the shoreline. We went out for an afternoon of tubing. When we arrived back, the old tire somehow got thrown back into the water and was floating right where I was going to moor the boat. I slowly motored up close and asked my husband to jump off the front of the boat and move the tire out of the way. He jumped off but caught his swim trunks on the trolling motor mounting bracket on the front of the boat. He was literally dangling off the boat getting a major wedgie! He couldn't do a thing but dangle! My daughter was able to grab his arms and lift him back up onto the deck. It was one of those, wish I had had a video camera running moments! We all got a good laugh.

 

[Maclin]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

I was anchoring in 4-5 feet just outside a swimming area, and got out of the boat with the anchor and set it manually, I cannot reach the bow eye when in the boat. I dropped the anchor, then walked out a ways and gave the rope a tug and it snapped right off at the anchor chain and I went backwards into the drink totally off balance. Typical Kansas lake (Marion), can't see 6 inches down into the water so no way to find the anchor visually even with goggles, I walked back to where I thought it should have been and poked around best I could with my feet, but when I fell backwards I lost any bearings I may have had and could not find it.

The next year, idling up to the same spot, the water was lower and the drive was starting to bottom out, so I started to raise the drive and turn off the engine then felt a BUMP from the drive. After stopping I walked around to find what I had hit, suspecting it was maybe... YES I had hit the anchor I lost from the previous year! Found it this time, real bugger to get out. It dented one prop blade, not too serious, continued boating the rest of the weekend, had it fixed the next week.

 

[aharper00]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Joined the drag the skeg on the ramp club today. Wife drove the boat up and forgot to raise it, pulled out and heard the awful sound. No real damage took maybe 1/16 off of it.

I joined this club a week or so ago when I was last on the water. I launch/retrieve alone and failed to lift the outdrive. I heard the noise after pulling it a solid several feet on the ground. Boo.

 

[aharper00]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Oh... I meant to mention another mistake. Backed the truck/trailer down the ramp one time when retrieving the boat, put on emergency break, yadda yah... go get the boat and as I'm approaching the trailer realize that my reverse lights are still on!!!! I asked someone on the dock to run over and put me in Park. Yikes. That could have been bad. What's worse is that I did this once when launching and once when retrieving... you would think I would have learned my lesson the first time. You'd better believe I'll be paying closer attention in the future (Park, then brake).

 

[Junkshow]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

As a kid not paying attention, let the water intake get clogged and fried an engine.

Safety chain, kill switch, Skag down on the ramp, run a ground, ran out of gas and towed home multiple times, had an engine die with no paddles, many things overboard, left the dock while still tied up, cut a ski rope, launched a boat with out making sure all hose clamps where properly secured, dragged the wire harness, outboard not locked down in reverse, too many other incidents to list.
Growing up on the water really led to some great adventures. Happy to be back to the floating program.

 

[catfish58]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

Drug the skeg the first time I loaded my new boat. My old boat sat high enough on the trailer not to drag. No damage but several people saw and heard it. Tried launching with the transom straps still attached. No one saw that so I guess it really never happened.LOL

 

[DougGreer]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

A couple weeks ago, I stoped at the marina and asked the dock boy to fill the boat with gas. I took the dog up to the end of the dock to do his thing and came back to the boat, found the dock boy filling the fresh water tank with fuel, What a time we had getting that out.

 

[ngt]

Re: What boating mistakes have you made?

2 things...

1: Gunning the boat down the river, tried to hold the motor handle and take off my jacket at the same time without the kill switch hooked on my belt. Quick jerk and almost flipped.

2: Told the wife to pull in the anchor so we could move across the channel. She lifted it up about 3-4 feet off the bottom and said "it's in". I hit the motor and hear a whack whack whack ....as the prop cuts through the anchor rope and down goes the anchor to the bottom of the river. Fishing trip over.

that's all I can think ok.