Re: I have been looking for you guys for years!!!!!!!
OK, I'm a newbie too, and as fate would have it, I've crossed the equator a time or two. So...knowing all about the importance of nautical rituals and obeying my seniors...I'll tell my dumbest thing. (NO, not the ex wife thing, been 10 years and El Diablo STILL makes my skin crawl). So, on to the dumbest boat thing.
Two Springs ago, shortly after returning from Iraq and thinking to myself, I have an entire season of boating to make up for, I decided to off load the boat and replace the bunks, carpet, fenders, etc. While she's off, I might as well paint the trailer too.
Called the local boat place and they wanted $75 to off load the boat and set her on blocks. Same price to reload a few days later. Not to mention, 20 beans a day to sit in their yard. It isn't as if I had the Mighty Mo mind you, so I said, let me think about it. Cheap Charlie then called the marina and asked the price for a guest slip. 20 bucks a night. d
I'd already commissioned the boat, so storing her in a slip for 48 hours was no biggie. Drove to the lake, got the Spoils of War settled in and went home. Stripped the trailer and had it sanded, primed and sprayed by COB. Next afternoon, I'm carpeting the last set of bunks and getting ready to bolt them back on when Marina Boy calls. The wife steps out into the garage and says honey, the marina kid says the boat is taking on water. Do what?
Seems the boat is settling down in the water. WAY DOWN. :^ He tells me the bilge pump didn't kick on, which may be because I forgot the float switch wasn't working from the previous season I used her. But it may just be negligence on the part of the manufacturer. Im still contemplating legal action so I cant comment further. (remember, I was across the pond 1 season so my memory is fuzzy). MB gets a pump in the boat and get's her dry in short order. Meanwhile I'm a beehive of activity getting bunks and rollers bolted on. I looked like Bob Villa on crack. Next, picture a GMC heavy half rolling down the interstate about 95 with a 26 foot trailer, empty, bouncing all over two lanes as I am on mission of mercy to save my baby, my precious, my reason for living. ( do wives read this? )
When I get to the marina, the first thing I do is get in the boat and check to see how high the water made it. Didn't get over the carb or the dipstick, so I am praying for a miracle. (insert a Hail Mary here if you wish). Battery switch on, blower, neutral, throttle up.....Fires up like a champ. Thank you MerCruiser. Off I head to the ramp while the spousal unit is backing...well, doing something with the trailer and 4 bystanders near the ramp anyway. As I get about 20 feet away, and am perfectly lined up, all forward momentum stops. Thanks to the wind and the profile of the boat...I start drifting back to the left. Motor is running fine. Boat won't go forward. Or backwards. It might as well be 1620 and Im headed for Plymouth harbor at the mercy of the elements. I am starting to suspect I know why there is water in my boat. And why it won't move.
I finally bump into the dock where a kindly angler throws me a rope. When he gets me to within 15 feet or so of my trailer...I have a decision to make. I stand up, and go over the bow. In April. In Kentucky. Into 59 degree water. THERE WAS SHRINKAGE!!! Leftie is STILL MIA BTW. ( is that TMI?)
I finally swim the boat to the trailer, and get her firmly on. After ignoring the looks...I tell the wife to finally drive the truck up the ramp. What is the GOD awful screeching? The Skeg! Insult to injury. The poor skeg is dragged, protesting loudly, half way up the ramp while every officer in the fleet is gesturing wildly to get my attention and let me know what an idiot I am. I get the motor up and slink off to the furthest corner of the lot to secure that rusting hunk of crap to the trailer for the long drive of shame home.
Now, the STUPID part is that I did everything I needed to commission her that Spring, EXCEPT inspect my shift boot. I checked the exhaust boot and gave a cursory glance to the others, but while sitting in the marina, the shift boot gave way, and allowed the water to flow like wine. Evidently the cable had already been on it's last strand and was just waiting for an excuse. It just chose to give way the same day, when the timing couldn't have been better.
The doctors say I'll be ok in a few years. I don't drink NEAR as much as I did for the immediate month or so after that and the wife will even allow me to launch and recover the boat in daylight now.
Yes Gilligan, there IS hope...
Looking forward to learning more from you old salts.
Cheers.
Gabby
P.S. Stay tuned for more
maybe next time Ill tell you the one about the Naval Officer who had to rely on an Army Airborne type to bring him some fuel because Admiral Hornblower was stranded on the Potomac because he didnt check his FUEL GUAGE prior to heading to Tims River Shore.
