Who else gets the jitters?

[majoma]

With so many things packed in the ER, I always worry for something to go wrong and constantly looking at the water and oil gages. Is that normal or am I paranoid?

 

[joeyleggz]

With so many things packed in the ER, I always worry for something to go wrong and constantly looking at the water and oil gages. Is that normal or am I paranoid?

Nope I do the same thing after I start the motors are watch the exhaust outlets for any sheen well underway constantly glancing at all my gauges

 

[Boater420]

With so many things packed in the ER, I always worry for something to go wrong and constantly looking at the water and oil gages. Is that normal or am I paranoid?

That's the right way IMO. I always watch the oil and temp gauges. I watch the raw water cooling the generator as well.

 

[MikeBravo]

After a short meeting with my CPA tomorrow to get my taxes done we're taking off on the boat for 3 days. We're taking it 235 miles down the Columbia to Portland, OR to get new windows and a new Stamoid bimini made for the fly bridge. We'll pass through 4 sets of locks and overnight at two marinas (Arlington, OR and Hood River, OR) and arrive in Portland on Wednesday.

We've made this trip twice before with Beachcomber so it's not like we're virgins in these waters. The weather predictions are for rain (no problem there) and light to moderate winds. he boat is full of fuel and water, we've made our lists for food, clothing, miscellaneous other and we're leaving the boat at a yacht club in Portland for 2-3 weeks so he can get the work all done. All of that has been arranged and everything is in order.

I'm confident in my ability to skipper the boat and have no problems going through the locks or following some of the relatively narrow channels. So why, before any longer-than-usual trip do I get the jitters? Am I the only one who gets them?

What say you?

Great post. Just shows we are all human...and conscientious boaters.

 

[Gofirstclass]

Well the best laid plans of mice and men oft times go awry.

Damn weathermen.

We were all set to leave, boat started as it should, the radio call to the railroad bridge operator said they would raise it ASAP, so we undid the lines and pulled out of the slip. Winds were predicted to be about 15mph. Not too bad.

We took off, got about 10 miles down the river and the winds were really starting to pick up. Dammit. I'm guessing the winds were blowing about 25 with some higher gusts. When the boat is rocked to the side by the wind gusts you know it's starting to howl.

I decided I didn't want to continue because going through the locks in high winds is no fun and an easy way to get gelcoat damage by being slammed into the lock walls. Gelcoat vs concrete is no contest. Gelcoat always loses.

So, discretion being the better part of valor, I'm sitting in my living room watching the fireplace and listening to the wind howl. We'll keep an eye on the weather and if it doesn't let up soon we may have to postpone the trip until after we get back from a week long trip to AZ.

Damn weathermen.

 

[wyrman]

Tomorrows winds are supposed to be even higher Mike. Wednesday's not much better according to my weather app.
I bet the Wallula Gap was pretty rough.

 

[northshore]

I think if the product of the jitters is thinking the trip through a couple more times and double checking supplies and equipment, its part of the self preservation instinct - be happy you have them (jitters).

 

[JVM225]

With so many things packed in the ER, I always worry for something to go wrong and constantly looking at the water and oil gages. Is that normal or am I paranoid?

Me too. Last season was particularly nerve wracking since it was first with this boat and with diesels.

 

[blaster]

I don't get the jitters over normal boating activities. but the more experiences I have the more I think about things. Here's an example. Last summer I got caught up in fish net buoy line. I just stripped to my undies, grabbed a knife and dove in to that coooold water. The lake was fairly calm, things weren't too bad and it didn't take very long to get untangled. No damage was done that I can tell.

I've been through that area dozens of times without a problem but obviously it can happen. I had just before told my wife that sometimes there are nets in this location. We were both watching when it happened. I saw the buoy about two boat lengths before we went over it, she never did see it. It's an area, depending on winds, that can be a 'rough stretch' in an otherwise smooth cruise. So it got me thinking, what if that would happen when I'm running in 4-6 footers. There's no way you could safely go under the boat to cut it loose, you'd get beat to death under there. The net would have you by the stern and at the least you'd probably get plenty of water coming in the cockpit.

Added to the 'what ifs' and the 'how will I handle its' is the realization that I'm getting old. Soon I'll be in my 8th decade and my confidence has taken a hit. Ya' sometimes I worry about things.

I'm sure that waterman was happy to find his shredded net! It sucks but I'm curious if it was in the wrong place, or did you not notice before you came up on it.

For me it's crab pots!

 

[bbwhitejr]

Me too. Last season was particularly nerve wracking since it was first with this boat and with diesels.

We are still in the “First Year.” We put her in the slip on 9/1/17 and have used her all winter. I am in the middle of doing my maintenance now on my first set of diesels. I get the jitters when I walk down the dock and see her. I really get the jitters when I push down on the start buttons!!!! We have been having a blast. Just ready for warm weather/water.

Bennett

 

[Gofirstclass]

We are still in the “First Year.” We put her in the slip on 9/1/17 and have used her all winter. I am in the middle of doing my maintenance now on my first set of diesels. I get the jitters when I walk down the dock and see her. I really get the jitters when I push down on the start buttons!!!! We have been having a blast. Just ready for warm weather/water.

Bennett

Hopefully that will never go away. We've owned Beachcomber for almost 8 years and she still blows my hair back when I see her.

 

[Woody]

I'm sure that waterman was happy to find his shredded net! It sucks but I'm curious if it was in the wrong place, or did you not notice before you came up on it.

For me it's crab pots!

No, it's not that it was in the wrong place. Sometimes there might not be one there at all. They're not marked well IMHO and can be long enough that it's hard to see the ends sometimes. I didn't actually get tangled in the net, it was a float line that helps hold it up. It was a 6" round foam float at the surface.

 

[fwebster]

I don't get any nerviousness if we are going somewhere in my boat because I know what its condition is and because I am more in control of the external forces of life when I'm on the boat.

I am, however, always uneasy when I'm running someone elses boat because, even with a thorough "pre-flight", I am never sure if she is properly maintained. No matter what I am told, I am still uneasy because I find that most recreational boaters who want help moving a boat really have no clue what proper maintenance is.

 

[Soulshine]

I get the worst jitters on spring launch day.

It’s invariably horrible out and the canal, which is totally slack and still 90% of the time always has a strong current in the early spring due to runoff.

I really have to muscle out of the travel lift to keep the stern from swinging north and to keep the pulpit from hitting the machine.

Couple this with 6 months of not running the boat and only a few brief test starts it’s always a tense experience to see how things will go on the 3 mile trip down the canal against the current.

I’m usually on board alone with my wife waiting at the dock with a hook.

We’ll see how it goes in about 4 or 5 weeks.

 

[The Bill Collector]

With so many things packed in the ER, I always worry for something to go wrong and constantly looking at the water and oil gages. Is that normal or am I paranoid?

NORMAL !!! My focus is 95% in front of the boat (where we are headed) the other 5% is depth, speed, temp., oil pressure, voltage & fuel...

 

[Irie308]

NORMAL !!! My focus is 95% in front of the boat (where we are headed) the other 5% is depth, speed, temp., oil pressure, voltage & fuel...

+1, I'm so jealous of the wife and kids as they generally nap or sit back and enjoy the ride. I'm generally on high alert until we reach our destination and the engines are turned off. I guess its normal!