So here is a funny story, kinda!
This past weekend I planned on some watersports fun. Originally I was heading to an island where friends were meeting me. The water was rough so that didn't happen.
I already had the boat out, gassed up and dirty from salt water, so I decided to put it in the nearby lake. I have not taken my wife out on the boat yet as I haven't had it that long and figured it would be a good opprotunity to teach her the ropes since it was now just the 2 of us. Everything started out OK, with the exception of forgetting the drain plug (should have taken this as a sign!!!). So the bildge is pumped and off we go. About 1/3 way across the lake, about 300 years, I decide it is her turn to take it for a spin. It was a bit rough on the lake with about 1 ft waves but nothing bad, just windy! After giving her the run down on what everything does, she gives it a little gas, a very little gas! So, since she has seen and felt WOT, I tell her to just open it up. Well upon that movement, the throttle cable snaps. I hadn't noticed the cracks in the cable casing with rust stains on them! At first I wasn't sure what was wrong so we headed back at idle speed as we had no other speed at the time.
After discovering the problem was the cable, I took off the motor cover and laid belly down on the polling platform above the motor. Manually opening the carbs with my finger and a death grip on the platform, off we go. Now remember, this is the first time my wife has been behind the wheel and we are flying across the lake at WOT. Now I know the "boating veterans" on this site are rolling their eyes and preparing a verbal castration for me, but hear me out. There was next to no one on the lake, certainly nowhere near us, and I had control of the throttle. The sun was going down and the park closes at sunset. I found this operation to be our best bet!
At first the platform ride was scarry since my wife thought she was on a solom course, but she learned how to handle the boat very quickly (thank goodness!!) and did a great job at getting us back to the launch. In fact I think she did a great job all around. I could tell she was a bit nervouse but she never loosed her composure. In the long run I think this event will help my wife's confidence if we ever get into a "tough situation" again.
Everything from here on out went just fine. My wife did a fantastic job getting lined up with the dock at the ramp and tied us of just fine while I went to get the truck.
All in all it was interesting and on the way back in the truck we were already laughing about it.
Thats all follks, I hope everyone enjoyed my day on the lake!!!
This past weekend I planned on some watersports fun. Originally I was heading to an island where friends were meeting me. The water was rough so that didn't happen.
I already had the boat out, gassed up and dirty from salt water, so I decided to put it in the nearby lake. I have not taken my wife out on the boat yet as I haven't had it that long and figured it would be a good opprotunity to teach her the ropes since it was now just the 2 of us. Everything started out OK, with the exception of forgetting the drain plug (should have taken this as a sign!!!). So the bildge is pumped and off we go. About 1/3 way across the lake, about 300 years, I decide it is her turn to take it for a spin. It was a bit rough on the lake with about 1 ft waves but nothing bad, just windy! After giving her the run down on what everything does, she gives it a little gas, a very little gas! So, since she has seen and felt WOT, I tell her to just open it up. Well upon that movement, the throttle cable snaps. I hadn't noticed the cracks in the cable casing with rust stains on them! At first I wasn't sure what was wrong so we headed back at idle speed as we had no other speed at the time.
After discovering the problem was the cable, I took off the motor cover and laid belly down on the polling platform above the motor. Manually opening the carbs with my finger and a death grip on the platform, off we go. Now remember, this is the first time my wife has been behind the wheel and we are flying across the lake at WOT. Now I know the "boating veterans" on this site are rolling their eyes and preparing a verbal castration for me, but hear me out. There was next to no one on the lake, certainly nowhere near us, and I had control of the throttle. The sun was going down and the park closes at sunset. I found this operation to be our best bet!
At first the platform ride was scarry since my wife thought she was on a solom course, but she learned how to handle the boat very quickly (thank goodness!!) and did a great job at getting us back to the launch. In fact I think she did a great job all around. I could tell she was a bit nervouse but she never loosed her composure. In the long run I think this event will help my wife's confidence if we ever get into a "tough situation" again.
Everything from here on out went just fine. My wife did a fantastic job getting lined up with the dock at the ramp and tied us of just fine while I went to get the truck.
All in all it was interesting and on the way back in the truck we were already laughing about it.
Thats all follks, I hope everyone enjoyed my day on the lake!!!
