Back in the days—Stories of a sometimes mis-spent youth

[lakelover]

Who’s got some? I was reading the boards and this came to mind.<br /><br />This happened just after I got my junior boater’s license and was reveling in my newfound independence and status. I hurried down to the beach, hoping to impress anyone and everyone who might be watching. I hopped into the boat, fired her up and tore away blissfully towards freedom and the middle of the lake, becoming one with the power of the outboard. About a couple hundred yards out, my fantasy was cut short when the motor sputtered and died. What the hell’s wrong with the motor, I thought. As the surprise wore off, my eyes followed the gas line towards the front of the boat to---nothing! In my exuberance and hurry to impress, I’d taken off with just the gas line and no tank! OK, I thought, maybe I can keep this under wraps, I’ll just casually take the middle seat and quietly row back in to shore like I meant to do it. Except, guess what, I’d forgotten the oars too! Well, nothing left to do but to blow the safety whistle and wave my arms. My not so subtle brother-in-law came in the other boat to tow me back to shore, while I still hoped for the preservation of some of my dignity. But it was a calm and sunny dog-day afternoon and everybody in the bay was at their beach enjoying the day and taking in the show. <br /><br />Talk about being humbled in a hurry and learning a good lesson at an early age. And decades later, they still show no mercy and tell that one around the campfire! (No, I never did it again!)<br />

 

[muskyone]

Re: Back in the days—Stories of a sometimes mis-spent youth

Didn’t happen to me but witnessed it I was sitting at the beach with my best friends when we see this alum boat hauling butt toward the beach he looked at me and said that’s my little bro and he’s saw bond last night well sure enough he never even tried to slow down past the buoys hit the beach full bore kid went flying landed on his face in the sand there must have been a hundred people on the beach man were we laughing about five years latter he snuck pops 68 convertable vett out same scene differant beach and a bridge

 

[sprithunter]

Re: Back in the days—Stories of a sometimes mis-spent youth

I think I was about 10 yrs old. I was out on my grandfather's bass boat just pretending to cruise across the lake.(boat was still tied to the dock)Guess what happened the boat with all the rocking and bouncing I was doing some how got untied ( i still blame my sister for this) My dad and grandpa came running out on the dock. They told me to try the key (no key and no gas tank) So I jumped out of the boat and swam towards the dock. My grandpa kindly threw me back in with a paddle and told me to get his boat back to the dock. I still have the boat and the paddle and every once in a while if I sit just right I swear there is still a couple of splinters in my keister from that paddle.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Back in the days—Stories of a sometimes mis-spent youth

for 2 summers when I was 10-12yrs old, I used to<br />spend 2 weeks at my great granparents house at<br />Angola on the lake south of Buffalo on Lk. Erie.<br />MY first boat stold old wood door from behind<br />shed, nailed it to a drift log on one side and<br />tied the doorknob to barrel. no oars, just a 20'<br />piece of galvanized pipe. <br />couldn't have any more fun than we did that day!<br />many years later, gramps mentioned his missing<br />door. he watched the whole thing and never said a<br />word.