Boat fail confessions!

[Descant]

Similar event some years ago. Cruising along at 3000 rpm and two bilge pump "on" lights appeared, along with a buzzer. All else looked OK. So, I slowed down and raised the hatch, and water was pouring out of a hose just before it entered the muffler. This was first run of the season. Whoever de-winterized the engines missed a hose re-connect. A brief engine start at the docks would not pump enough water to force the bilge pumps on, so it went undetected.

Different boat, around 1984. 1971 Chris Craft with closed cooling system. Again, early season run. Corrosion in the heat exchangers and they both blew at nearly the same time. So much for twins giving you the benefit of a get home ability. We weren't far off shore and the wind blew us gently into a nearby dock. We got a ride home and a little later came back and towed the boat home, then towed it to the marina the next day.

J'ever notice? These things seem to happen at 4:31, just after the marina put the phone on the answer machine. Nice to know that SeaTow and TowBOAT/US are available now. An oddity to me: these plans will pay if I break down almost anyplace but my homeport. So, if it won't start at camp, I have to be sure to note that the marina is my homeport, not the camp. Then they will pay the tow bill to get me to the marina or to do service on site. Of course, service done at the marina is maintenance. They don't pay for that. Same job at camp is "emergency start". Paid for.

[radioman]

Des, whoever winterized your boat quite simply forgot to give it a trial prior to delivery. Just no excuse for such an oversight.

[jbolty]

This sort of fits in here. Made me laugh anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qHdPhkSSNQ

[CrownRay]

I was about...hmmm...17 maybe? We were on the way back from a day of boating. We arrived at our dock on the Weirs Channel. Everything was going fine. I slowly pulled forward into the dock, and as the boat slipped ever so gently past the posts, I, in my 17 year old block of a brain decided "Hmm, this would be a good time to shut the engine off".

Now, I had been driving boats for 5 years that day. But for some reason, decided to see what would happen when you kill the engine to a moving boat, that weighs about 5000 pounds...well, guess what happened to our dock that day ...yeah.. You can't put into reverse a boat that isn't running! DUMAS!

[DBreskin]

Originally Posted by Descant

J'ever notice? These things seem to happen at 4:31, just after the marina put the phone on the answer machine. Nice to know that SeaTow and TowBOAT/US are available now. An oddity to me: these plans will pay if I break down almost anyplace but my homeport. So, if it won't start at camp, I have to be sure to note that the marina is my homeport, not the camp. Then they will pay the tow bill to get me to the marina or to do service on site. Of course, service done at the marina is maintenance. They don't pay for that. Same job at camp is "emergency start". Paid for.

TowBOATUS offers an "Unlimited Gold" plan that includes 100% payment for towing from your home port. See the details at http://www.boatus.com/towing/services.asp
The regular membership includes 50% payment for towing from your home port.

Seatow offers similar dock-to-dock towing from your home port.

[Winnisquamer]

Checked out for a minute when putting on my registration stickers this season. Totally forgot they were supposed to read right to left and instead put them both up front of the registration numbers! DOH brain cramp

[upthesaukee]

Originally Posted by Winnisquamer

Checked out for a minute when putting on my registration stickers this season. Totally forgot they were supposed to read right to left and instead put them both up front of the registration numbers! DOH brain cramp

There goes "your magic decoder ring" !!!!! :O

I live here... I am always Upthesaukee.