A comedy of errors

[bobeast]

So I went out to anchor on a River this past Saturday. I arrived at my anchorage in the morning, towing a Dinghy with a "floating" painter.....not. While backing down on the anchor, I wrapped the painter around the port prop and the port engine stalled.

After multiple attempts to unwrap I finally gave up. No worries, thought I. I've got an extra motor! Wind increased at about 10PM that night and shifted direction, and my drag alarm went off.
I fired up my remaining engine, and headed for the nearest marina in pitch darkness.

At the mouth of the harbor, I throttled back and my one engine died. You couldn't have driven a pin up my butt with a sledge hammer. I dropped the anchor and fired up the engine. whew it runs!! Pulled up the anchor and it died again. Meanwhile I'm drifting towards the pilons to port and then rocks to starboard. After 3 more cycles of anchor drop, start, anchor weigh, engine stop, drift, panic, etc., I finally realized my engine would run if kept slightly above idle.

I finally made my way into an empty slip and chilled for the night. Next morning, I had TowBoat US tow me back to my own marina 14 miles away.

I've reached several conclusions as a result of this ordeal.
- Floating ropes don't
- The IAC valve is pretty handy to have working.
- That floodlight on the bow is damn nice to have
- 4 years of Tow boat insurance will pay for itself in one trip, with a boat buck left over
- Murphy is really an A$$hole.

 

[copb8tx]

It only takes one tow to make you feel like you've been a genius all those years you were paying for nothing.

 

[Strecker25]

So I went out to anchor on a River this past Saturday. I arrived at my anchorage in the morning, towing a Dinghy with a "floating" painter.....not. While backing down on the anchor, I wrapped the painter around the port prop and the port engine stalled.

After multiple attempts to unwrap I finally gave up. No worries, thought I. I've got an extra motor! Wind increased at about 10PM that night and shifted direction, and my drag alarm went off.
I fired up my remaining engine, and headed for the nearest marina in pitch darkness.

At the mouth of the harbor, I throttled back and my one engine died. You couldn't have driven a pin up my butt with a sledge hammer. I dropped the anchor and fired up the engine. whew it runs!! Pulled up the anchor and it died again. Meanwhile I'm drifting towards the pilons to port and then rocks to starboard. After 3 more cycles of anchor drop, start, anchor weigh, engine stop, drift, panic, etc., I finally realized my engine would run if kept slightly above idle.

I finally made my way into an empty slip and chilled for the night. Next morning, I had TowBoat US tow me back to my own marina 14 miles away.

I've reached several conclusions as a result of this ordeal.
- Floating ropes don't
- The IAC valve is pretty handy to have working.
- That floodlight on the bow is damn nice to have
- 4 years of Tow boat insurance will pay for itself in one trip, with a boat buck left over
- Murphy is really an A$$hole.

oh man, sounds like you kept your cool which is most important. I had both engines die one year, on July 4th, at midnight. It’s one thing to stall during the day but bobbing around in complete darkness is a different ballgame

Hope it’s all an easy fix, sounds like it should be

 

[bobeast]

oh man, sounds like you kept your cool which is most important. I had both engines die one year, on July 4th, at midnight. It’s one thing to stall during the day but bobbing around in complete darkness is a different ballgame

Hope it’s all an easy fix, sounds like it should be

Thanks. Yeah, I've ordered a new IAC valve for the non-idling engine, and should have the prop cleared by this weekend.

It only takes one tow to make you feel like you've been a genius all those years you were paying for nothing.

True that! A friend of mine got towed recently without it for a much shorter distance, and his bill came in at $1500!

 

[spikedaddy99]

Murphy is really an A$$hole.

Why am I always blamed???

 

[bobeast]

Why am I always blamed???

That's what you get for making up laws

 

[Pirate Lady]

One thing we learned early on, when arrive at cove/anchorage, before dropping anchor, we move the dinghy to the side cleat with little slack. Then its out of the way backing or forward movement.
Glad it worked it for you, in the long run.

 

[bobeast]

One thing we learned early on, when arrive at cove/anchorage, before dropping anchor, we move the dinghy to the side cleat with little slack. Then its out of the way backing or forward movement.
Glad it worked it for you, in the long run.

Thanks. Yeah that's a lesson learned for sure.