deputydawg
Lieutenant Commander
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2004
- Messages
- 1,607
We were at the lake camping and boating. I had tied the boat to a tree and pulled it onto a sandy beach right beside our camp. That night the wind started to blow, lightening started hitting and a light rain started. Wife decided we needed to get the boat onto the trailer. I tried to convice wife that nothing would happen as it was tied tight to a tree and was beached on sand. Wife insisted we trailer the boat. I put my foot down and said the boat stays where it is. 
10 minutes later as I was cruising toward the boat ramp 2 miles away all fat dumb and happy, 50mph crosswind, lightening striking all around, waves breaking over the bow...the motor died. After a search I found it was out of gas. I was so happy about getting the chance to drive the boat in the dark during a storm that I forgot to check the gas. No problem, I carry an extra gas can with me...oops, wife decided that someone might steal the gas can so it is now in the truck with wife headed to the boat ramp. Oh well, I decided to wait and drift until wife misses me and comes looking. Bad idea, I drift into an inlet where a creek enters the lake. Thick tree growth, submerged logs, water only fit for a canoe. After a half hour of bouncing off of trees wife comes looking for me. I signal with my spotlight and get her attention. About that time I am able to swim to the shore at the foot of a bluff where she is parked. It sure must have been hard for her to carry the gas can down the hill to where I was swimming and fighting 5 foot waves. I got the gas can and swam back to the boat. I then had to push/swim the boat (a 15ft tri hull, 70hp Johnson outboard) out to deep clear water, got in and started motor. By the time I started motor which by now had been off for an hour, and warmed it up enough to run I was back into the trees again. Again I sawm and pushed boat back into clear water. By that time engine had died, started engine, drifted back into trees. Swam and pushed boat back out, against the tide and wind, risking lightening strikes. Boat started and all was good until I put it in gear. It died again. This time the battery was down. I did have my spare battery along, but by the time I switched batteries I was in the trees again. By this time I was so mad I started it and opened her wide. After bouncing off of a few trees and logs I found open water again. When I reached the ramp wife was in a hurry to tell me about her trek down the hill to bring me gas. Better yet mother in law was with wife. After agreeing that it was all my fault, I had to back the truck down the ramp and load the boat. Waves were shoving the boat into the ramp so bad, and causing all kinds of pain and discomfort. Wife was so burned out at carrying gas down the hill, I agreed to load the boat myself. After several tries I decided to power the boat onto the trailer (first and only time). Of course after a wave bobbed, drive struck ramp, engine died, prop broke, mother in law laughed. A few minutes later everyone left me alone.<br />We laugh about it all now, except wife carrying gas down that hill. We still all agree that it was all my fault.
10 minutes later as I was cruising toward the boat ramp 2 miles away all fat dumb and happy, 50mph crosswind, lightening striking all around, waves breaking over the bow...the motor died. After a search I found it was out of gas. I was so happy about getting the chance to drive the boat in the dark during a storm that I forgot to check the gas. No problem, I carry an extra gas can with me...oops, wife decided that someone might steal the gas can so it is now in the truck with wife headed to the boat ramp. Oh well, I decided to wait and drift until wife misses me and comes looking. Bad idea, I drift into an inlet where a creek enters the lake. Thick tree growth, submerged logs, water only fit for a canoe. After a half hour of bouncing off of trees wife comes looking for me. I signal with my spotlight and get her attention. About that time I am able to swim to the shore at the foot of a bluff where she is parked. It sure must have been hard for her to carry the gas can down the hill to where I was swimming and fighting 5 foot waves. I got the gas can and swam back to the boat. I then had to push/swim the boat (a 15ft tri hull, 70hp Johnson outboard) out to deep clear water, got in and started motor. By the time I started motor which by now had been off for an hour, and warmed it up enough to run I was back into the trees again. Again I sawm and pushed boat back into clear water. By that time engine had died, started engine, drifted back into trees. Swam and pushed boat back out, against the tide and wind, risking lightening strikes. Boat started and all was good until I put it in gear. It died again. This time the battery was down. I did have my spare battery along, but by the time I switched batteries I was in the trees again. By this time I was so mad I started it and opened her wide. After bouncing off of a few trees and logs I found open water again. When I reached the ramp wife was in a hurry to tell me about her trek down the hill to bring me gas. Better yet mother in law was with wife. After agreeing that it was all my fault, I had to back the truck down the ramp and load the boat. Waves were shoving the boat into the ramp so bad, and causing all kinds of pain and discomfort. Wife was so burned out at carrying gas down the hill, I agreed to load the boat myself. After several tries I decided to power the boat onto the trailer (first and only time). Of course after a wave bobbed, drive struck ramp, engine died, prop broke, mother in law laughed. A few minutes later everyone left me alone.<br />We laugh about it all now, except wife carrying gas down that hill. We still all agree that it was all my fault.
