A good ride spoiled…kinda

[Kracken]

Our maiden voyage of 2010 lasted less than a mile. We were passing between Smith Point and Sleepers when I noticed the engine was running a little hot. I looked back and saw…smoke...a lot of smoke. Just a few minutes into our first ride, we were dead in the water, the hatch open and smoke billowing from the stern. Fortunately it was only the impeller and not a fire.

I called our friends and gave them our location, it would be 20-30 minutes before they could reach us.

While we sat there adrift, I noticed at least a dozen boats passed by within 300 feet and not one offered assistance. While we were not looking for any, I was amazed how we were ignored.

Once our friends made it over we tied off the boats. We were preparing to tow back to the ramp when 4 cruisers came around the west side of Sleepers and passed between us and the Smith Point markers. The cruisers were about 50 feet apart from each other and passed us at no more than 75 feet. The four of us stood there trying to keep our boats from crashing into each other. The wakes were big enough to knock several items overboard and they now are located at the bottom of the lake.

After towing the boat back to the ramp and loading it on the trailer, my plan was to drop the boat over at the nearest marina for repairs and we would have to wait until next weekend. When we arrived at Fay’s Boatyard, I explained the problem to the gentleman at the shop and that I wanted to drop the boat off and pick it up next weekend if it was ready. The guy looked at my wife and 6 year old kid and said: “let’s see if we can’t get you back out there today”. In less than 45 minutes the boat was repaired and tested and my family and I were on our way back to the ramp.

Thank you, Fay’s Boatyard.

Oh by the way… they charged us ½ hours labor and $30 for the impeller.