What causes you the most anxiety while on the water under power?

[mrsrobinson]

For me it's taking on water/sinking. Any time I hear a bump, a sound feels off, I flip on the Bilge switches and check/listen for water pumping overboard. No idea why, it's never happened or come close. Knock on wood. It's probably from hitting stuff in the past and engine hoses bursting in the past. I've had 2 raw water hose episodes in the past, both scary but once I shut the engine down (duh) the water stopped coming in.

 

[Strecker25]

For me it's taking on water/sinking. Any time I hear a bump, a sound feels off, I flip on the Bilge switches and check/listen for water pumping overboard. No idea why, it's never happened or come close. Knock on wood. It's probably from hitting stuff in the past and engine hoses bursting in the past. I've had 2 raw water hose episodes in the past, both scary but once I shut the engine down (duh) the water stopped coming in.

weird stuff mainly. We had a fuel filter split at its base last year and I ended up with a bilge full of diesel

I haven’t installed it yet but I bought a wireless backup camera to use as a cheapo engine monitoring camera. Little 5” DC powered display that I’ll stick at the helm

the dinghy added some peace of mind for something catastrophic. We’re never that far from shore so it it all went bad I’d load the family in the dinghy and head to shore

 

[Blueone]

Temperature.... I am always looking at gages..... and idiot sailboaters and phuckn fisherman

 

[Shaps]

In our local waters, DEPTH (or lack of it).

As others on the south shore of Long Island have mentioned, we boat in the Great South Pond....

 

[Captsteve427]

My wife!

 

[JayhawkCurtis]

Running out of beer!

 

[GnrlPatton]

For me, it's probably a case of imposter syndrome. I have almost always done my own maintenance work, and have done a lot of learning (from this site and others) on how to perform most of those tasks. I always worry that I didn't do something right and that we'll breakdown when underway. It hasn't yet happened yet, but it does give me anxiety whenever setting off on our big trips.

My current anxiety is around my new dinghy/davit/swim platform setup, I have everything installed and the tie downs are good, but I have not yet tried it out to see how it runs at cruise. We leave for our trip on Wednesday, so I guess I find out then. Worst case, I stay at a 8-9kt cruise speed (since I have run that way already with it) instead of my usual 20-22kts. See that self doubt?

 

[Windjammer]

Idiots on jet skis, and ignorant boaters!

 

[Pirate Lady]

Nothing. Absolutely not a GD thing. If I had anxiety on the water I’d give it up, it’s my escape from anxiety. Engine broke? Get a tow. Boat sinking, we swim good.

 

[Halfhitch]

Now what's that again about this "stand-on-boat" thing???

 

[Pirate Lady]

oooppps, just thought of something. That previous motor for the zodiac that had me rowing home.
Hoping with the new Suzuki that anxiety is over.
Found on YouTube. My zodiac and outboard, not mine, but like mine. It scoots.

 

[Espos4]

In our local waters, DEPTH (or lack of it).

As others on the south shore of Long Island have mentioned, we boat in the Great South Pond....

I’m sure you love the spring low tides too!

 

[mrsrobinson]

Yeah low water is my new thing, I never thought about it much until I sucked up that mud. And yes, I'm always looking at the gauges waiting for something to spike.

 

[Fill Ess]

I took the Outlaws out yesterday, and we saw the USCG board someone. Instanty anxiety

 

[TonyQSC500]

The boat exploding. It’s one reason I will only own diesels.

 

[carterchapman]

Submerged objects (logs, stumps, etc).

 

[Maybe A Dancer]

hitting a large, heavy semi-submerged object.

A heavy dock piling, a palm tree, a shipping container, fence post, etc............

and either holing the hull or tearing off the rudders or running gear.

If you can't quickly beach it, with no crash pumps you're a goner.

BEST !

RWS

 

[Maybe A Dancer]

well, like minds................

 

[mrsrobinson]

hitting a large, heavy semi-submerged object.

A heavy dock piling, a palm tree, a shipping container, fence post, etc............

and either holing the hull or tearing off the rudders or running gear.

If you can't quickly beach it, with no crash pumps you're a goner.

BEST !

RWS

Been there, done that. Hit a brown floating log once, in brown water, bent both props and both shafts.

 

[bobeast]

Mostly other boaters. A small bit of anxiety about skinny water, but I have learned where the shallows are in my area (one time, the hard way)