Your Dumbest Moment in Boating

I’m going to pretend some of the things I did when I was younger (and on other people’s boats) never happened, but this was my boat and I wasn’t a kid…

There’s a very low drawbridge just down river from the boat ramp I use. Since this ramp is in the middle of nowhere, the bridge rarely opens so clearance is always an issue for larger boats. My little 176 has a low profile, it’s only a concern for me at high tide. Well, I had been out in the harbor for a few hours, and was returning to the ramp to go home. Full moon. Lots of water. As I approach the drawbridge, I quickly realize that my windshield was going to be a couple inches higher that the lowest part of the bridge. Having seen this before on someone else’s boat, I proceeded to shift into neutral, position myself in the walkthrough, and push up on the bottom of the bridge which dipped the boat just enough to get the windshield under the bridge’s lowest support beams. It takes me a while, but after pushing and dipping under each giant I-beam, my boat successfully emerges on the ramp side of bridge. Whew! I sure was impressed by my ability to negotiate my way though the underbelly of the bridge.

As I approach the dock & ramp, a couple of fishermen in an old cuddy (which was at least a foot taller than my boat) holler over, “We figured you were just going to swing out of the channel and slip between the pylons,†as they did just that and were under the bridge and heading up river in seconds.

At high tide, the river’s about 10-20’ deep once you get a few yards off shore. I need less than 3 feet. Getting under the bridge isn’t a problem at all, unless of course, you try to squeeze under the lowest point of the drawbridge right in the center of the channel where all of the mechanisms and supports reside.
:smt021
 
This one wasn't my fault but a few years back our fire dept bought a new rescue boat After having the local dealer install our old outboard on it another firefighter and I took it down to the river for a run . I backed it off the trailer and right into the dock. I pulled up to get my friend and had one heck of a time getting back next to the dock. Turns out the dealer hooked up the steering backwards. We took the boat out for a spin but it sure was difficult turning the opposite way you wanted to go. Try driving it onto the trailer.
 
My son and I thought we would try a new fishing spot and found a public ramp only a few miles away from our destination. Launched the boat fine and had a great day, caught a mess o’ fish and emptied all available beer. At dusk, made our way back only to find that the ramp was entirely out of the water - darn that pesky tide! At that moment we learned that one needs to check the tide charts with this rarely used ramp, which we then did only to learn that we arrived at dusk at low tide.

Rather than sit for hours waiting for enough water to load the boat, I knew of a marina about 12 miles down river that we had previously used. So, I had my son drive the truck to the marina while I made my way in the dark to meet him. We then loaded the boat and went for crabs and beer. All is well that ends well.

The dumbest thing I every witnessed is these two guys launching an old 16 foot boat they had spent the winter working on. I think they said there names were Daryl and Daryl. They had strapped about a 150 HP outboard to the rear and were anxious to go out for a rip roaring time. The launch went fine and all was ok until they gave it some throttle about 10 feet from the ramp and the torque tore the flimsy transom off. One of the Daryl’s swam and ran to get his trailer while the other Daryl tried to get it to back to the ramp unsuccessfully as it did sink in about 5 feet of water. Eventually, they did manage to pull it up and out, but it was a total loss. My guess is that craft was designed for about a 25 HP two stroke.
 
We were in the locks that connect the Charles River to Boston Harbor. I asked a friend (who sadly enough is an experienced boater) to watch the bow. Evidently, he thought is was a good idea to tie the rope hanging from the top of the lock to the bow cleat. He then decided to ask me if the water level was rising or lowering!! It was low tide and the locks had to lower....I guess about 10 feet. Needless to say the rope on the cleat tightened and the front of the boat began to be lifted out of the water!!! We were yelling to the lock operator, but all he did was yell back at us (big help!). Thank God my wife has a level head, she found a knife and we cut the rope. We must of been out of the water about 4 feet and we came crashing down. No harm done, and we laugh about it all the time. The locks operator went home with a good story too!!
 
Charlie,
I've been in those locks, and I can picture it.
Good story.... And obviously, a real good dockline!!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Great thread, mine isn't that bad. I had the Sea Ray for a few months and my best friend and I were out fishing one afternoon when we decided to try a different spot. I secured our gear and headed across the lake when my friend said wow look at that fish jump. I turn around to see the anchor jumping out of the water about 20 feet behind the boat--I thought the boat felt different, somehow the prop didn't cut the line. Number 2, same friend goes to park the Jeep and trailer when I see the trailer jump about 4 ft in the air when he is parking it. He hit a fence post b/c he didn't swing wide. Amazingly the plastic fender didn't get messed up--post broke off. Lesson learned, never let anyone else park the trailer who isn't experienced--at least it wasn't the boat.
 
Didn't happen to me but top this: When I was a kid, my family used to vacation at our cottage at Klinger Lake in Michigan. One of our neighbors had a brand new Chris Craft (circa 1963). Their son tried to run it over a ski jump at WOT. Wrecked the jump, sunk the boat. He was 16 at the time, 60 now. I believe he's still grounded.
 
After fishing one day I gave my bud a turn at the helm while I packed the gear. The boat was puttering along. I said "don't be shy, give it throttle" He said "I am! it's just not going!". Oops forgot to raise the anchor. Raised it and discovered I snagged a string of lobster pots. Part of me wished we made it back without noticing. Mmmmm clambakes!
 
My dumbest boating experience was back 15 years ago I had replaced my steering cable and steering wheel on my 18 foot aluminum boat. After the project was done, a co-worker and I went to a nearby lake for a test run after work. We unloaded the boat and idled out to a safe distance, and I thought I would impress him with the power of 115hp motor, slamming the throttle down as far as it goes. The boat lurched forward and I grabbed on to the steering wheel for support but I suddenly remembered that I had forgot the cotter key that held the wheel in place as it pulled completely out of its socket. Holding the wheel in my hand, I was in a frantic panic to get the wheel back into its socket to be able to steer. It could have been a Charlie Chapman movie with the pounding dramatic piano music, as I desperately was trying to guide the wheel post back to where it was suppose to go. My co-worker couldn’t stop laughing while we went around the lake a few times, and headed for the dock. Then when I was tending to the lines, after we got the boat on its trailer, my buddy said “Yer boat can really hold some water!†as he was looking at the stream of water coming out of the plug hole. You guessed it, I forgot the plug! The next day, word of our adventure when around the shop and no one would let up, and somehow I got the nickname “Gilliganâ€. So now, even 15 years later, when a rookie comes into the shop, he is instructed to come to me, address me as “Gilligan†and ask about “The proper way to launch a boatâ€. So my advice is that you NEVER bring a co-worker with a good memory to the maiden voyage of your boat! I have never been able to shake that nickname…
 
That's a good story Gillagan :thumbsup: At least you weren't stuck on the non-accessible side the lake, broken down for a few seasons and your buddy calling you Marianne :smt038 :smt043
 
Thanks for the story, GrtLkBtr. Your adventure with the aluminum boat reminded me of one of mine.

I grew up around wooden and aluminum rowboats. Some even had motors. All required bailing.

Many years later in Alaska a friend loaned me his aluminum boat. It had a sizable motor but the boat overall didn't seem too large.

Girlfriend and I went camping across Cook Inlet. Nice weather for that part of Alaska. We found a cove that looked nice and I steered the boat into it. As we were heading for shore with the 2-3' waves, it occurred to me that this boat was a bit more solid than the other aluminum boats I'd used as a kid. In fact it was WELDED aluminum and very thick aluminum at that. I was used to lightweight and riveted Wagemakers, etc.

It suddenly dawned on me that I was in a HEAVY boat that needed that big motor. That if the boat ended up on the shore, the waves would keep it there, as I probably didn't have the strength to get it pointed out against them. At least not without getting into the water myself.

I was a bit late in my conclusions, but they were right, nonetheless. The water was up to my chest when I finally got the boat turned around and pushed out far enough for me to climb back in, start the motor, and get out of there before the waves pushed me back to shore.

Getting back into the boat was hard due to the cold. I was pretty desperate by that time. Not wanting to call for help gave me some unexpected strength to get into the boat quickly.

We found a more protected cove where we built a big fire and my shivering eventually stopped.
 
Well here's my story and I'm sticking to it! :grin:

1st day of boat ownership! I pull up to Goat Island (a party island)on High Rock Lake in NC, I trim the outdrive down to help stabilize the boat. The boat starts drifting away a little while later so I get in, start it up, give it gas and really jam it on the beach. UH OH!!!!! I forgot to put the outdrive up! :smt021 500 dollars later and I'm back in business.
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2nd year of boat ownership, same lake different location. It was a beautiful day, sunny, hot and not a cloud in the sky, we decide to head to Goat Island, Well the water level was a bit higher than normal, we come up to the Route 8 bridge and the train trussel which are pretty much side by side and I decide to make a go for it. I get under the highway bridge ok, the train trussel caught me a little bit, so I decide to start backing out, well between the wakes and all, the boat is rockin and rollin and I smashed out the port side winsheild and bent the hell out of the frame, there's another 600 dollars.

Now, I'm real cautious with her, so much so that people think I'm crazy! Happy Boating All....
 
Hey Freebyrd we are going to be at High Rock this weekend (leaving Thursday night to head up). We spend most of our time around Goat Island. If we see you, we will make sure to say hello!!! :thumbsup:

Wesley
 
Hi YJ,

I've been around. Maybe we just travel in different forums now since I still have my little BR, and you're cruising around in that new ocean liner! :grin:

The boys will be 5 and 6 this summer. We have a lot more fun on the boat now that they're getting older. They seem to enjoy fishing quite a bit, although I have to be careful because some of the stripers around here will pull the kids (at very least the poles) overboard. I've actually been pondering buying a more fish-friendly boat. Something a little less nice where we can make a big old mess. The nice (non-snap out :smt021 ) carpet in my Sea Ray isn't the best place for fish guts! I may have to look into some sort of secondary floor covering if I'm going to keep my boat. Perhaps a small dual console is in the future. But then I'd have to switch to a different brand, which is a whole different issue!
 
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