How about a stupid boater thread?

Figured I would give this thread a kick. Last week did an inventory of parts and tools and a bit of a reorg of storage compartments. Looked at tools and found 3 oil filter wrenches, Told myself didn’t need three.
Changing the oil yesterday, Starboard engine. Oil sucked out bottled up no issues. Looked for A filter wrench figuring I left ONE on the boat, nope. Tried to unscrew it with my hand, yeah right. Good thing I live 10 minutes from the boat.
o_O
Jon
 
GirlyGirl1999 said:
Figured I would give this thread a kick. Last week did an inventory of parts and tools and a bit of a reorg of storage compartments. Looked at tools and found 3 oil filter wrenches, Told myself didn’t need three.
Changing the oil yesterday, Starboard engine. Oil sucked out bottled up no issues. Looked for A filter wrench figuring I left ONE on the boat, nope. Tried to unscrew it with my hand, yeah right. Good thing I live 10 minutes from the boat.
o_O
Jon
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter how well you plan, the one tool you need will be the one tool not on the boat. Same deal at home. Have you ever done a plumbing job with fewer than 3 trips to the hardware store?
 
I always started my boating year by paying homage to the boating gods.

I would stand on the bow, say a prayer asking for a safe and fun season then throw a couple of tools off the bow.

I figured I was going to lose a couple of tools overboard so I would get it over with in my little private ceremony.
 
Changing the fuel filters for the first time caused my dumbest mistake so far. The way the engines are installed on my boat you have to remove the fuel pump to get enough clearance from the stringer to remove the water separating filter. I found this out during the job of course, wasn't planning for it. (I partly blame Merc for positioning that filter in line with the engine mounts and low down, it's a silly place for it.)

Anyway I popped the pump off, changed the filter, replaced the pump, cleaned up, and stood back admiring my work. Better test her, see if there's a leak. I turned the key one click to prime, and great jets of fuel started spraying around the engine room. I'd replaced the pump but only hand-tightened the fuel pump bolts, completely forgot to put a wrench to them. Oops. I spent a terrified hour mopping up every drop with absorbent rags (which I then didn't have a clue what to do with, so I dumped them in a bucket of water which I hid behind my wife's azaleas for six months until they didn't smell anymore.)
 
GirlyGirl1999 said:
Figured I would give this thread a kick. Last week did an inventory of parts and tools and a bit of a reorg of storage compartments. Looked at tools and found 3 oil filter wrenches, Told myself didn’t need three.
Changing the oil yesterday, Starboard engine. Oil sucked out bottled up no issues. Looked for A filter wrench figuring I left ONE on the boat, nope. Tried to unscrew it with my hand, yeah right. Good thing I live 10 minutes from the boat.
o_O
Jon
Click to expand...
I keep 3 oil wrenches, I refuse to take any of them home (3.5 hour drive). I have 3 because I took the 1st one home and had to buy number 2. Number 3 came to being because I took number 2 home and had to borrow one from the marina and I liked theirs a lot better so (channel lock type) I bought one. The admiral brought numbers 1 and 2 from home without telling me, so all 3 are on the boat. My new condo will have a garage, so I can take them off the boat and leave them in the garage. I also have 4 funnels on the boat, but that's for another time...
 
IMG_0988.jpeg


Not sure if this belongs here because I was in a marked channel, but I was squatting a bit hard and got in the trough in a big trawlers’ roller and found something that made a very metallic clang…
 
I found out the hard way what "emergent vegetation" means on the charts. Basically if the tide is high enough the vegetation (and the rocks from which they grow) are not visible on the surface. Wasn't paying enough attention to the depth and heard that sickening grinding noise. Note to self: avoid the green 'emergent vegetation' areas and pay attention to the depth.

Not a trailer boat, so had to do a haul-out with the expense and downtime that entails.

Then there's that time....
 
Interesting read.


I’ve pulled the light tower down by forgetting to unplug. Now it’s the first thing my wife does while getting ready to go.

I have also lost my balance climbing out of the bilge and put my weight on the oil filter and crushed it. I keep a spare filter on board now.
 
How many VHF antennas have you guys snapped going under a bridge? I may have done that at least once. And I paid the marine service shop for an hour of their time a couple months ago to chase down an engine compartment water leak I couldn't find. One of the wing nuts was loose on the sea strainer, from me winterizing.

I can relate to the oil filter comments, I have about seven or eight in my basement and recently got rid of a few. I keep a big pair of channel locks on the boat, they always seem to get the job done.
 
I used to have a very low roof on one of my slips. Had to have the antenna laying flat to get in. Problem was the VHF didn't work great in that position so each time we left I'd put it back up. Well, there are only so many times you're doing that dance before you forget that it's up as you back in. Sickening sound.

Second biggest antenna killer was people. It was mounted on the side of my radar arch. Absolutely perfect hand hold as people shimmied along the gunwale to get to the bow. Well, until you actually needed it and found out they're not very strong.

I would literally buy them in twos.
 
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